The flight’s full. I’m afraid you two are stuck with each other.”
Leanne slumped back down in her seat. Ryan didn’t know what possessed him—other than it was the same kind of crazy that came over him whenever he was around Leanne. He patted her hand and smiled at her. “Sorry, babes. It’s like she said, you’re stuck with me.”
She glared at him and snatched her hand away. “We don’t have to talk.”
He chuckled. “Why not? This will be a great chance for us to catch up.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “There’s nothing for us to catch up about. Why do you think I would even want to talk to you?”
He shrugged. He didn’t. He just wanted her to. “I thought you were over it.”
Her lips pressed together into a thin line before she spat out, “Of course, I am! I’ve been over you for years!” She looked so indignant. If he didn’t know any better, it’d give him hope. In his experience, when a lady protested a little too much, it was because she was trying to hide her truth. He did know better though. Leanne was well and truly over him. He hadn’t realized that he still riled her this much though. The cool indifference she’d shown him in Vegas was gone. She was rattled.
He smiled. “It’s been a couple years. You must have a lot to tell me about since Vegas.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “You really think I’m just going to sit here and chat to you?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
She held her phone up. “Because I need to make the most of the Wi-Fi before they make us switch off.”
Ryan looked up at the sign above his seat; beneath the seat belt symbol was the Wi-Fi symbol. He smiled to himself and pulled his own phone out. He could wait.
~ ~ ~
Leanne’s heart was hammering in her chest. This could not be happening. No way on earth could she sit next to Ryan for the next hour. That was the worst kind of torture imaginable. She could smell him; he still smelled the same—all leather and spicy and … man. She wanted to think that he should have updated his cologne, but she was too busy being grateful that he hadn’t.
Her hand shook as she opened her texts. She didn’t even know who she wanted to message. Dan came up first. Maybe he could help her. He was the only person she’d tell about what was going on right now.
Help me! You won’t believe this.
I’m on the plane and Ryan just sat down next to me.
She hit send and waited. Hoping that he’d reply and maybe talk her down. His reply didn’t do anything to calm her down when it came in.
He lives here now.
She stared at her screen in disbelief and then risked a sideways glance at Ryan. He was tapping away at his own phone.
You’re shitting me? Why didn’t you tell me? I can’t come up there.
Dan’s reply was almost instantaneous.
Yes, you can. That’s why I didn’t tell you.
Besides, you said you were fine with him at the wedding.
Leanne rolled her eyes.
I lied! I thought you knew that! I just didn’t want to cause any tension - it was your wedding!
This time it took him longer to reply. She glanced at Ryan again and her heart sank at the thought that maybe he was talking to Dan, too.
It’ll be okay. Don’t you think it’s time you two put the past behind you?
She scowled at her phone. Of course, she did. But she couldn’t. She hated him. She blinked rapidly. She did. That was the only explanation there could be. No one else made her heart race, or her stomach churn, or made her lose her cool the way he did. And that was because no one else had ever hurt her the way he had. She hated him.
I can’t.
The flight attendant went back up the aisle and spoke into the intercom. “Good afternoon, folks. The doors are closed now, so I need to ask you to turn off your portable devices or switch them to airplane mode, thank you.”
Leanne stared at her screen, willing Dan to reply to give her something, some nugget of wisdom that might get her through the next hour.
I think you should talk to him. Get any awkwardness out of the way before you arrive here.
Leanne scowled. Not what she’d been hoping for.
The flight attendant raised her eyebrows and nodded at her phone. “If you could …”
Leanne reluctantly switched