CHAPTER NINE
The aggravating buzz of my alarm rang in my ears and I felt Arieon's grip around me loosen. I groaned in disappointment but didn't move.
"Come on, baby. We've got to get up."
I shook my head without actually lifting it. "I can't. I'm dead. Go on without me."
Arieon chuckled before he took me in his arms. He had to be just as tired I was – fucking wasn't exactly a one-person job—but he didn't show it. He lifted me, cradling me to his chest as he carried me to the bathroom. I wasn't generally one to let people take care of me, but I was just so tired, and he was so strong and comfortable.
He placed me onto the sink as he turned on the shower and I propped myself lazily against the wall. My entire body felt like it had been hit by a truck.
Arieon crossed the bathroom and hooked his arms under mine, gently lifting and guiding me into the shower.
I stood partially beneath the stream of water and watched as he washed himself, moving around me when I made no attempt to get out of his way. He held the soap out to me and I frowned down at it.
"My arms don't work," I whined, completely giving into letting him take care of me.
He grinned as he moved into me, cleaning my body with a gentle precision that made me sigh with content. It was an easy, intimate rhythm that made my chest swell with affection. When he finished, I made the effort to place a soft kiss on his lips and he returned it, swiping wet hair from my face.
He half carried me from the shower and dried us both off.
"Do you want me to bring your clothes?" he asked sweetly.
I nodded. God, I would never call him useless again.
He disappeared and returned a few minutes later with the dress and underwear set I'd set laid out for myself.
"Thank you," I whispered, taking it from him.
I moved slowly getting dressed, running Arieon back and forth for various amenities, lotions, brushes, the works. I was certain he was going to tell me no at some point, but he never did. He dutifully tended to my needs, even helping me to pull my hair up into a crooked high ponytail. It was a look that desperately needed some bobby pins and Eco gel, but it would do. It was an off-center bit of art that we'd created together. A pillar to our last moments in our comfortable bubble of intimacy.
By the time we reached the airport, the truth had settled in. The fairytale was over. When our plane touched down in New York, we were over. I tightened my grip on his arm as we climbed out of our car. I'd been overtaken by the incessant need to touch him, knowing that I needed to get my fill while I still could.
He seemed to have thought the same thing, finding a way to balance both our suitcases on top of each other so that he could hold me with his free hand.
I was practically climbing him while we waited for our boarding passes and he bent forward to kiss me, sliding his arms around me as if it were possible to pull me in any closer.
"Ughm." The woman behind the counter cleared her throat. "Here are your passes," she said, sliding them awkwardly over the counter.
Arieon gave her a sweet smile. "Thanks," he said as he picked them up.
The only moment we separated on our walk to our gate was to pass through security, and even for those brief moments, I felt anxious to have him near me again. To feel his skin on mine. How the hell was I supposed to survive in New York without him? Without the warm flutter he caused in my chest.
I swallowed as we waited to board our flight and Arieon must have sensed the change in me.
"What's wrong?" He trailed a finger under my chin, lifting my head to meet his eyes.
"Nothing." I sighed. "I just..." What? What was I supposed to tell him? Nothing had changed. Real life was still waiting for us in New York. "Nothing," I repeated.
His brows furrowed together. "Ellen," he started, but I waved him off.
"Unmessy and uncomplicated, right?"
The muscle in Arieon's jaw tensed, but he nodded. "Yeah."
I waited silently in his arms until we boarded the plane. As soon as we were on he let me go, a cold breeze taking over where his warmth once covered me. I found myself thankful that we were seated next to each other and I reached out for him as he settled into his seat.
His eyes widened and he blinked at me in confusion. "I thought—"
"We're not in New York yet." I smiled, lacing my hand through his.
He gave my hand a squeeze as he relaxed into his seat. He was so peaceful, content to sit and hold my hand.
I let him go, opening one of the plastic wrapped blankets stuffed into the side of the seat. He watched me curiously as I spread it over him, slipping my hands underneath to trace his thigh.
"What are you doing?" he asked, amusement resounding in his voice.
I winked. "Want to kind of join the Mile High Club?"
"I'm already in the Mile High Club..." Arieon chuckled. "But I'm sure your version is better," he added when he saw me frown.
"You're damn straight it is." I leaned over to kiss his cheek as I let my hands slip higher until I found the outline of his thick, hardening erection.
He shifted closer to me and moved slightly to unzip his pants.
Nobody seemed to be paying any attention to us, so I slipped my hand inside, feeling along the length of his cock through the fabric of his briefs. He let out a soft sigh as I squeezed him in my hand, stroking and cupping him until he was rock hard beneath my fingers.
I lifted, maneuvering to sneak my hand into his briefs. I ran my thumb over the head of his penis and he jerked in response.
I smiled, repeating the motion to watch him respond again. Fuck, he was so sexy. Turning him on, watching him come, everything he did was endearing.
I stroked along the length of him, watching him dreamily as his breath went ragged and his body tensed. Precum ran over my hand and I used it to coat him, pumping him faster and pushing him further.
"Kiss me," his voice was so low and tight, I nearly missed what he said.
I leaned over and sucked his lips into my mouth, pushing my tongue into his. We were making a scene. I knew that. I could feel disapproving eyes on us, but I wasn't stopping. I wasn't letting go of his mouth or his cock until he exploded in my hand.
He let out a low growl into my mouth before his body shot upward and his warm seed spilled over my fingers. I squeezed him for every last drop before I let him go, settling back into my seat and dripping his fluids along the way.
A frowning flight attendant stopped in the aisle next to us and dropped three warm towels into his lap over the blanket.
I gave her an apologetic smile, but she didn't return it. We were definitely going to be remembered. The infamous couple in row six.
I cleaned myself up with one towel and let Arieon have the rest to take care of himself. We still had two hours left of flight time and we'd managed to make ourselves public enemy number one.
I leaned into Arieon. At least we were in it together.
*~*~*
When we landed, I was surprised to find that the angry flight attendants hadn't drawn on our face in our sleep, or something equally as vindictive. Instead, they resolved to giving us the cold shoulder as we exited. We received dirty looks all the way to baggage claim.
Arieon lifted my bag from the carousel and I quickly moved to take it from him.
"Thanks," I said awkwardly. This was it. We were back in New York. I couldn't let him carry my bags, or be my shoulder to lean on. I was back to being kick-ass, do it all alone Ellen.
I gripped my bag and turned to leave for the taxi stand.
"Ellen, wait. I'll walk you."
I turned to meet his eyes and a sadness ripped through me so ferociously that I had to catch my breath. "Arieon," I started, sucking down air in gulps. "I got here on my own. I can get home on my own."
"Ellen, I just—"
"Goodbye, Arieon. I'll see you at work." I turned and made my way through the airport to the exit. My chest ached and the urge to cry kept hitting me in waves. For something that was supposed to be unmessy and uncomplicated, it sure hurt like hell.