Mary Hughes - The Bite of Silence

Diva Dentist whirled front. “Stewardess, I demand you deal with this woman. She doesn’t belong in first class.”

I knew it wasn’t me. I take care of my face and figure, dress well, do my nails.

So it was my skin.

I’m half-African, half-German and all-American. Prejudice is something I deal with. Some people can’t help it, being stuck in the last century, poor things. As my Grandma Ngozi said, “As a crab walks, so walk its children.” Grandma Tafel said, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Since maybe only one percent of the population is unaware of the Emancipation Proclamation, I clamped my teeth against an acid response.

To my surprise Nikos defended me. “Color is skin deep. Rudeness goes to the core.” He leveled Diva Dentist with a flat stare that had me shitting ice, and I was only on the periphery. Diva fell back.

A flight attendant stepped between us and stuck a hand toward me. “Your ticket?”

Given enough time I could make any bureaucratic tangle come out my way. But why was I fighting? To sit with a man-not man-who would say all of ten words to me for the entire trip?

Of course, he wouldn’t have to speak to kiss me.

Wishful thinking, Twyla . I rose, gathered my carry-on and started toward the back. Nikos followed. I did a double-take. “Seeing me to my seat? Or do you have to go potty?”

“Sorry about that.”

“Oh. I deal.” But it was nice he cared.

“Where’s your seat-” His voice dropped into a low growl. His sculpted features hardened to granite. His eyes blazed persimmon fire and his lips thinned as if the words he was pressing back were actual physical knives. I followed his gaze, turned to see the man in 32F.

Watching us both was a golden supermodel.

Blond hair curled boyishly around a lean, tanned face. Cobalt blue eyes twinkled with merriment. Rich amaranth lips, almost feminine in their lushness, parted in an amused smile to reveal titanium white teeth. His toned figure showed to perfection in golf shirt and linen pants. A little lightweight for winter, though. Maybe younger than the thirty he looked, still caught in style over substance.

“Well, hello.” Modelboy patted the seat next to him. “My name is Klaus. Join me, lovely lady.”

Lovely lady. I was going to New York looking for excitement. Klaus promised some real fun. He might even talk with me.

On the one hand, Nikos was the guy I lusted after. And since he lived in Meiers Corners, lust could turn into a long-term affair-not that I thought I’d get Happily Ever After. I wasn’t real big into overachievement.

On the other hand, even though Nikos made my booty burn he avoided me like tofu salad. Thanks to Diva Dentist, I couldn’t sit by him. And the way he reacted to Klaus, no way Nikos was going to sit here. We could have both moved but I wasn’t going to suggest it.

The loudspeaker rasped on. “Please take your seats.” Time to pick or pass, as Grandma Tafel would say. So. Modelboy in the hand vs. Spartan in the bush. Maybe I wasn’t going to get HEA, but I was damned sure going to get me some Happily For Now. I slid into 32E.

As I stuffed my bag under the seat in front, I caught sight of Nikos’s clenching fingers. Damn, the man had fine hands. And he was upset-good. So was I. I know that wasn’t fair but this was my vacation. When the flight attendant came to personally tell him to take his seat, I lifted my chin, pasted a smile on my face and waved buh-bye.

After a few more finger-clenches, Nikos spun and strode away. Modelboy stuck out his tongue at Nikos’s broad departing back.

Then Klaus turned to me, took my chin with the tips of his slender fingers. “What is your name, lovely lady?”

The sensation of his skin sliding against mine was delightful. “Twyla.” I wasn’t entirely surprised when my voice came out a purr. Modelboy’s lime-leather scent really revved my engine, although I suspected it was Nikos who’d actually cranked it in the first place.

“And why are you visiting New York, beautiful Twyla?” His thumb stroked my jaw.

I closed my eyes to enjoy the warmth, the friction. “Who says I’m visiting? Maybe it’s home.”

“Your accent says otherwise.” The plane started moving. “You have lovely skin. Cinnamon cream. And such a long, delightful neck.” His fingers trickled down my throat. “Your accent is Midwest. Middle-class suburban.”

“You so sure youself, honey-chile,” I murmured back. I’d grown up dealing with a lot of people’s misconceptions, and I’d made it my goal to master every one. “I’ze jus’ a gal from Jawja.”

“Really? Well, I know the ultimate test.” He kissed me.

His mouth slid over mine like cool silk. His tongue brushed my lips, delved into the crease. I tasted mint and the promise of heat. Pursing my lips into soft pillows, I let him taste me in return.

Klaus didn’t lose any time taking me up on my invitation, his mouth parting, pressing more intimately against mine. The plane built up speed on the runway. My heart sped up with it.

He licked the seam of my mouth with increasing urgency. The instant I opened, his tongue darted in with a rush of heat. We took off, and the plane lifted too. Klaus sure fired up fast. I liked that in a man.

My ears popped and I backed off slightly, took in the model-perfect face before me. Klaus’s eyes blazed cobalt from beneath heavy lids. Oh, yeah, he was aroused all right.

I wondered how Nikos’s sable brown eyes would look heavy lidded with desire.

Damn. Not going there. I glanced at the window to see how high we’d gotten but the shade was drawn. I reached for it.

“Twyla.” Klaus laid a long-fingered hand on my forearm. “Have you been initiated into the mile-high club?”

“Not…not yet.” My voice was suddenly breathy. The whole point of this trip was to push some limits but I didn’t generally sleep around. Was I ready for this?

Grandma Ngozi would say, “History was not made by quiet women.” Come to think of it, Grandma Tafel would say that too. And besides, I had deliberately not worn panties because I was looking for excitement. It didn’t get much more exciting than this.

I gave Klaus a slow smile. “But I’m hoping to remedy that.”

His answering smile was sensual. “Here’s what we’ll do. You go to the bathroom on the right.”

As he spoke his hand cupped my breast, thumb teasing the nipple. It was a little fast, but I went with it. Carpe tittum , or seize the tit, right? Good thing, because the sensations built quickly into hot need. I slid a hand down his stomach in return, feeling all those lovely ridges. “Okay. I go into the bathroom. And wait for your knock? Two short, one long?” My fingers slipped under his waistband.

“One long. Very long.” His belly rippled as he breathed faster. “Just leave the door unlocked. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Ooh, behind.” I imagined Modelboy grabbing my hips with his strong slim fingers, taking me in one very long slick stroke. Pictured me hanging onto the sink, tilting my butt up for his driving goodness. I threw off my seatbelt and jumped to my feet so fast I hit my head on the overhead rack. “Ow.”

“Careful.” His sensual lips tilted into a half-smile so lush that his mouth looked like a big cerise peony. Maybe I’d sit on the throne and those lips could bloom on my pussy.

Of course, if it were Nikos doing it, it wouldn’t be flower power, it’d be all-out war. His big, hot mouth gobbling-I grabbed a seatback at the sudden need knifing me.

Klaus’s nostrils flared. He came fluidly to his feet. “Hurry.”

Yeah, I was ready for this. Ignoring the lit seatbelt sign I staggered back into the small cubicle. The roar of the plane, already loud in the tail, heightened into a rushing that filled my ears. My mood cooled. I wondered if this was such a good idea.