Michelle Valentine - Phenomenal X

Desperate to get myself out of the intense mess I’ve allowed to go on too long, I push him back a bit and turn to the middle-aged, brunette lady sitting across the aisle from me. “Do you have any blank paper, please?”

She nods and reaches under the seat in front of her to retrieve a bag. After digging around for a moment, she finds a small notebook and rips out a page. “This is all I have.”

I return her smile with one of my own. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”

I turn and redirect my attention to Xavier, who watches me with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “The only thing I would like from you is your autograph. Nothing more.”

I lay the paper on his tray, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me. “That’s all, huh?”

“That’s all,” I confirm.

He adjusts the paper on his tray and then glances back up at me. “We’ll see.”

This little game with him is exhausting. If we keep this up, by the end of the flight I’ll either want to kill him or screw his brains out, and neither of those things are on my scheduled to-do list on the path to starting my new life.

I lean my head back and shut my eyes, and pray I can sleep my way through the rest of the flight. Ignoring the dangerously sexy man sitting only inches away from me is the only way I’ll stop my body from taking him up on his offer.

Anna

A gentle nudge on my forearm startles me, and I’m quickly jerked back to reality. I’ve just fallen asleep while sitting next to a ridiculously delicious man. Quickly running my fingers around the corners of my mouth, I make sure I haven’t drooled all over my face.

God, this is so embarrassing. I just pray I wasn’t snoring. I got very little sleep last night while I lay awake in my bed, dreading the thought of facing my father. The possible scenarios of what he would say when I told him I was leaving Portland to move across the country had played on a continuous loop through my mind, all of them ending with my father not supporting my choice and trying to stop me—which is exactly what happened. I’m just glad I knew enough ahead of time to make arrangements for my neighbor, Kayla, to wait outside my house with the motor running so I could make a quick getaway. Father had no intentions of allowing me to follow through with my plans, which is exactly why he left me no choice but to sneak out of my house and into Kayla’s car the moment he turned his back.

Leaving home was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to go. I couldn’t take being smothered any more.

“The pilot just announced that we’ll be landing in approximately thirty minutes, so I thought you would like to know,” Xavier says. “You fell asleep so quickly I figured you were exhausted, so I didn’t bother you. I have to say, you’re different from most women I’ve met, Anna.”

Curiosity gnaws at me as to what exactly he means by that, and I can’t help asking, “Different how? Because I refuse to sleep with random men who proposition me?”

He shrugs. “No, not that. I just don’t recall that I’ve ever bored a woman to sleep before. You didn’t even seem the slightest bit fazed with me sitting next to you when you zonked-out. Matter of fact, you seem indifferent toward me, which is refreshing…in an odd way.”

I laugh. “You prefer when people deny your requests?”

The corner of his mouth turns up, revealing what I’m sure is his best panty-soaking smile. “No, but I admire how you stick to your principles and don’t back down. Most women aren’t like that.”

I smile. “I do believe that’s a compliment, Xavier.”

His grin gets even bigger. He’s clearly pleased with himself. I bet in that sex-crazed brain of his, he thinks he’s getting somewhere with me.

“So, what’s in Detroit?”

My mind stumbles, not ready for such a simple question. I was fully prepared for more sexy banter.

“A fresh start.”

His expression turns quizzical, so I explain. “I need to start over, I have family there. My cousin Quinn and Aunt Dee have offered to help me out.”

Xavier glances back to coach, where his manager occupies my old seat. “I know the old man you were next to isn’t your boyfriend, and the woman on the other side of your assigned seat isn’t your girlfriend, so I’m thinking your boyfriend isn’t on this flight with you. He’s not a part of this fresh start?”

I take a deep breath. Since we’re off this plane in a few minutes, and I’ll never see this man again, I may as well come clean. A little truth can’t hurt.

“No, he’s not. No one I know from Portland is.”

He raises his eyebrows. “The boyfriend isn’t going to come after you?”

I shake my head. “I sort of ended things with him.”

“Is that why you’re running away from Portland? Can’t face breaking some poor schmuck’s heart?” he asks with a playful tone.

I fold my arms across my chest. “I assure you that I didn’t break Jorge’s heart.”

He smirks. “You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Jorge and I were never really in love. Our families are close, and us being together was expected.” If arranged marriages were still legal, that’s exactly what would’ve happened with Jorge and me. We were more like siblings than anything else. I loved him, but not in the way that made me know deep down he was “ The One .”

Recognition flashes across Xavier’s face. “So you’re escaping an overbearing family that tries to control your life. Aren’t you afraid that your aunt will try to push more things on you that you don’t want?”

He’s good. He’s practically figured out my entire life story with just that little bit of information. I should shut my big mouth right now and not indulge him further, but it’s actually nice to talk to someone about this—especially since it seems like he understands how my family tries to push their beliefs on me. It’s like he can connect with me on some level.

“Aunt Dee isn’t like that. She’s really cool. The exact the opposite of my father.”

He nods. “I grew up like that myself—in an overly religious household. It’s rough living with people who are passionate over certain…beliefs.”

Xavier pauses for a beat before he asks, “So how pissed is your dad that you took off without his consent?”

My mouth drops open a little. “How did you know that?”

He shrugs. “You’re a good girl who has a controlling father, it’s not hard to figure out. You want freedom. I can sense it on you from a mile away. I understand why you’re leaving.”

“You do?” Surprise rings in my voice. No one other than Quinn and Aunt Dee have empathized with me before. Most people from back home will freak out and call me a fool once they figure out I left. People don’t understand that sometimes ideas of perfection in a family get carried a little too far. It’s nice that he seems to get it.

“I do. Being trapped in a life that you didn’t choose is no fucking picnic, no matter how good it may appear to people outside of the situation. I’ve been there myself. So, yeah, I get it, and I don’t blame you. No one should be forced to live their life in any way other than how they choose.”

I stare at him, amazed he knew exactly what I was thinking. He’s been where I’m at, and he doesn’t look down on me for running away from my life. For a moment it’s easy to forget he’s a sexy celebrity and not just a regular man—one I would like to get to know better.

“It’s nice to hear someone agree with me for a change. I don’t like defying my father but I felt like if I didn’t get away, I was going to drown in a world full of ideas and beliefs that I don’t necessarily agree with.”