I try my best to hold in my laughter while holding my phone, but I’m losing the battle.

My sister is a damned deviant and she won’t stop encouraging me to hit on the guy that’s sitting next to me.

I ugly snort, and quickly cover my mouth, peeking to make sure the guy isn’t staring at me weirdly. I do not have the balls to come onto him the way Mickey is teasing about.

I don’t have the balls to come onto him at all, for that matter.

I brush her off and put the phone on airplane mode.

I can barely talk to a cute guy, this is purely window shopping only. Plus, my traveling clothes are not the cute heels and matchy clothes that some women wear.

I’m yoga pants and baseball cap all the way. I’m even wearing my school’s athletics shirt to complete my lazy look. So hot, right?

I settle into my seat and pop an ear-bud into my ear, playing SZA’s new album as the plane taxies and the pilot tells us we’re on schedule and second in line to take off.

We get into the air and I hope the 6 hours will pass quickly. Vacation was nice, but now it’s time to get back to work and my family.

Against my will, my gaze creeps over to the nicely tanned forearm resting on the arm-rest. I’m grateful for the bill of my cap.

There’s just something about a nicely veined forearm and large hands…they just bring to mind all the things those hands could do…and seeing those arms around you when he’s holding you from behind…

“….behind you.”

I startle, yanking my ear-bud out and hoping I wasn’t talking out loud. Fuck, does my embarrassment know no bounds?

I meet forearm guy’s eyes for the first time since stepping onto the plane and see that they’re a very, very alluring hazel. Unfairly long lashes. He’s got a half-grin and lips that have now been added to the admiration bank.

“Excuse me?”

“My ID just fell behind you, but I didn’t want to startle you and reach for it,” he smiles again and I fight the urge to bite my lip.

“Oh!” I scoot forward as much as I can in the seatbelt, and twist around, grabbing the driver’s license.

Come on, of course I glance at the name before I pass it to him.

Harlan Matthew Reed, Massachusetts

I hand it over and his fingertips brush against mine. Was that a spark? Are those things real? Whew.

“My sister wants us to fuck!” The words fly out of my mouth, and I clap my hand over my mouth as his eyes widen.

If my life were a sitcom, I would’ve turned to the camera with a deadpan face right then, questioning why I always fuck things up.

“I’m uh, gonna go to the bathroom,” I fumble with my seatbelt and flee to the lavatory, ignoring the protests of a man rising from his seat to enter it. My pride is so much more important right now.

I stare at my face in the mirror, snatching my cap off and fidgeting. What the hell? How am I supposed to go back to my seat now?

I peek my head out of the bathroom, where a flight attendant is standing talking to another.

“Excuse me?” I whisper. They stop talking, and the coifed blonde raises her eyebrows. “Are there any open seats that I can move to?”

“You’re…15F, right? Is there a problem with your seat?”

I flashback to the shocked face of hot guy.

“You could say that,” I purse my lips. “Uh…irreconcilable differences and all that. So, any other seats?”

“Sorry, it’s a full flight. I could help mediate, if you’d like,” the male attendant teases me, and I shake my head.

The guy did have earphones.

If I wait long enough, maybe he’ll have put them in to avoid me and I can spend the next five hours pretending that I’m not a walking comedy sketch.

“I’m just gonna uh, spend a little more time here…” I close the door and toggle the handle to occupied, sinking to the floor.

Best case: He ignores me for the rest of the flight.

Worst case: He ignores me for the rest of the flight.

Solid outcomes.

“You’ve been in there 15 minutes, lady. This isn’t your house!” I startle when the door shakes from someone banging.

I take a deep breath and push up from the floor, settling my cap back on my head. In part because my hair looks a mess, part to hide my shame.

Alright. Here I go.

I snap open the door, smiling politely at the bald guy who has his first poised to knock again. “It’s about time,” he grumbles, pushing past me.

Rude.

They’ve dimmed the lights in the cabin at least, but when I make it to my seat, I stop short.

He’s sitting in it. With earphones in.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the flight attendants beginning to come down the aisle with the beverage cart. Fuck.

I can either tap him and ask him why the hell he’s in my seat, or I can just climb over him and say excuse me. Or maybe he’ll move if he realizes I’m back.

I move a little closer, into what should be his peripheral, but he’s also wearing a cap. He looks up, a bit, but I can’t see his eyes in the light.

“Mind if I keep the aisle?”

“Uh, sure. I’ll just, uh…” I try to gracefully make it past him, and mostly succeed. I buckle my belt again, and try to keep my gaze forward. Maybe I should watch a movie. Yeah, probably a good idea.

The flight’s a little longer and we left late, so there’s a bit more leg room. I spread the lightweight blanket I have over myself and recline my seat slightly. If I just pretend like he isn’t there, then all will be well.

You know when a sex scene comes on TV when you’re watching a movie with your family, and it’s like everyone tries super hard not to acknowledge each other? That’s how I feel sitting next to him.

I can’t stop thinking about my stupid mouth and his stupid shocked face. He could’ve at least looked flattered or something, right??

Something jostles my arm, and I realize hot guy wants to move the armrest out of the way.

Okay, must be hard to keep all of that body in his space. Especially with those arms.

But then he plucks an ear-bud out of my ear. “That blanket big enough for two?” He takes off his hat and ruffles his hand in his hair, and in the little light from the screens - I’m really hit with the full force of his attractiveness.

He’s got dark stubble creeping along his strong jawline, and his lips - god - I just want them. On mine.

“What’d you just say?” I snatch my other bud out.

“I want to share your blanket.” He pulls that lopsided grin, a mischievous look in his eyes and my breath catches.

“Are you flirting with me?” I’m really bad about not being transparent. A girl needs to know these things!

“Yes.” He raises a brow, waiting for my response.

Well shit.

I offer the other half of the large blanket silently, my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. I settle into my seat again, this time with my thigh pressed against his and my body a little bit more on fire. He casually pulls me into his shoulder and keeps his hand low on my waist, and I’m too shell shocked to do anything more than follow his lead.

We’re watching separate screens, but my head is on his shoulder and his arm is around me, like we’re on a movie date or something. What is happening?!

“What’s your name?” He turns his head just barely, speaking softly into my ear and I can’t suppress the shudder that runs through me.

“Kaija,” I whisper, my throat dry.

“I’m Harlan, but you know that. I’ve been thinking about what you told me earlier, Kaija,” He starts stroking my side softly, fingers playing with the hem of my T-shirt. “And the more I think about it, the more appealing it gets.”

I think I’m going to pass out.

“How do you feel about that?” The steady stroking of his fingers isn’t helping my nerves or clearing my thoughts.

“Uh,” I clear my throat, “That’d be a little hard on the plane. You know, logistically. Cause, uh, it’s a plane.”

Very smooth.

I stifle a moan when he turns his mouth fully to my ear and takes my lobe between his teeth. “I’ve got something else on my mind for now. Tell me yes and I’ll show you.”

At this point, he could tell me to open the exit door and jump out and I would. That’s how foggy my mind is.

“Yes.” I swallow, holding my breath when his fingers stop their stroking and he rests them on the top of my yoga pants.

He moves his arm from behind me and puts a hand on the thigh closest to him.

“Take your cap off.” His voice is like melted white chocolate, sweet lord. It’s not a request, and I’ve never been hotter in my life.

Thank you, Mickey.