plane, the stiffer I became. I squeezed his hand, hoping to make him stop, or at the very least, slow him down. I thought I could do this.
I couldn't.
The ringing in my ears increased in volume, a frantically rising crescendo of string instruments. "Please, Royce. Choose somewhere here in Dallas to host the party."
He didn't stop, didn't pause for that matter, just continued to guide me down the corridor. "We've got to conquer this fear of yours. I have to travel, it's part of my job, and I want you to be able to go with me. Once we're in the air, you're going to love it. I know you will."
"Please," I repeated, a bit more desperately.
"Sweetheart," he said, glancing in my direction. "Do you trust me? You have to know I would never let you get hurt."
"Can't we drive? I'm sure it won't take us long." Sweat beaded on my forehead.
He laughed, a husky laugh he tried to squelch. "That's a twelve-hour drive. No," he said, shaking his head, "we'll fly." That said, he tossed me a wink.
As if winking at me solved all my problems!
"It'll be fun," he said. "You'll see."
I knew I'd have more fun strapped naked on top of a cab going two miles per hour through downtown traffic.
"Once you've flown in a plane like this one, you'll never want to touch the ground again."
He didn't understand. I had to make him understand. The only word to escape my constricting throat, however, was "Please." The ringing in my ears was so loud now, I could barely hear myself. The desperate plea finally stopped him in his tracks. There was an edge of disconsolateness in my voice this time, along with cold-blooded fear.
He looked down, his eyes filling with concern. "It's going to be okay," he repeated. And I knew he kept repeating the same phrases to drill them into my mind. "I'd never let anything happen to you."
"You're right, okay, about me being afraid. I-I hate planes," I whispered. The knuckles clasping my overnight bag turned white with the force of my grip.
"I can see that." Using the tip of his finger, he lifted my face until our gazes locked. "Want to tell me why?"
Where was my Tigress when I needed her? I bit my lip, hard, the action close to drawing blood.
"If you don't stop that, I'm going to kiss you so I can ease the sting your teeth are inflicting."
Looking away, I said, "It's not the plane. Not really. It's the fear of crashing."
He enfolded me in his arms, causing the ringing to subside. I buried my head in the hollow of his neck. His hands caressed my back, offering comfort. "You're more likely to be in a car accident than a plane crash."
"You told me that before, but now I want you to tell that to everyone who's ever been in a plane crash."
"Have you ever flown before?"
"Yes. Once."
"And you didn't die."
"No, but the wheels twisted on takeoff and we had to fly around for hours, getting rid of fuel. I've never been so scared in my life."
"But you did land safely."
"Yes," I admitted.
"With me as the pilot and having checked the plane myself, nothing bad will happen this time."
"I-I just can't. I had to be heavily sedated last time, and even that didn't stop my panic."
"It's okay to be afraid. I'll be with you. Right beside you the entire ride."
"I can't do it."
"Yes, you can." Pulling away, he left one arm draped possessively around my shoulders. He began walking again, slowly this time. I didn't protest, just let him lead the way. "The best medicine for fear is confrontation."
Confrontation. That word made me queasy. Still, I pushed a puff of air past my lips. "You're right," I said. "I know you're right, but that doesn't stop me from wishing you were wrong."
He didn't reply, giving me time to overcome my riotous fears.
"I'll do it." I forced myself to say the words. "I will. I'll do it."
The hand at my shoulder tightened. "Good girl. Come on," he said, quickening his pace and forcing me to keep up. "It's not as bad as you think." Unfortunately, we had reached the plane. The death trap.
How could something so heavy stay in the air? Small as it was, it looked like it weighed a gazillion pounds, with a heavy white metal body and wide expanse of wings.
"Let me prove how safe it is. You'll love every second in the air so much you'll beg me to