Chapter Four

 

The sound of the alarm tinkled into my dream about a party I was enjoying with friends from England.

I had no idea how long I’d ignored the buzzing, but when I finally came ’round, pressed against Vadmir’s chest and with his seemingly constant hard-on nudging my thigh, I had an instant, heart-tripping panic about the time.

I rolled away from him and blinked open my eyes.

He murmured his displeasure and kept a tight hold of my waist.

I stretched and grappled for my phone.

“Shit,” I shouted, unwrapping his arms and legs from mine. “Shit, I’m so fucking late.”

“No, come back to bed.” He didn’t open his eyes but somehow managed to tackle me back beside his body. “Call in sick,” he murmured, finding my mouth with his and palming my butt. “Let’s stay here and keep doing what we’re so damn good at. We’re perfect together, Sammy.”

I wriggled against him. “No, I can’t ring in sick. I have to go.”

He opened his eyes and stared at me. In the morning light the blue depths of his irises seemed even more intense than they had been when I’d first met him. “You sure?”

“Tempting,” I said, interest tugging at my pussy. Damn, the man made me insatiable. “But I really I have to go.” I had bills to pay, after all. An apartment deposit to fund.

He almost pouted but then sat sharply and released me. “What time is it?”

“Just gone seven.”

“Fuck, I have to go.” He leaped from the bed and began dragging his clothes on. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he said, hopping around as he slotted his feet into his socks.

Naked, I darted past him and into the bathroom, flicked on the shower. As I stepped beneath the water the hotel room door slammed.

Good, he was gone. That meant I could get ready for work in peace. Pile up my hair and apply my make-up. Become Samantha the efficient flight attendant with a smile for everyone and not a curse word in my vocabulary or impure thought in my head.

So why did I feel deflated?

Because a goodbye would have been nice. After all, we’d banged until the headboard had lost a screw and the unhappy resident next door had either found some earplugs or moved rooms.

I lathered my body in Clinique shower gel and beat down my disappointment. Vadmir and Sammy had only ever been meant for a night of no-strings sex. I’d been lucky to find such a hot guy with awe-inspiring stamina. I should be thanking the heavens, not bemoaning the lack of a goodbye kiss. Because, after a string of disappointments, I was finally satisfied.

Thoroughly, utterly and thrillingly satisfied.

 

 

“Samantha, I thought you weren’t going to make it,” Harmony said as I dashed onto the 747. “You’re never late.”

“You know me, Miss Reliable,” I said with a grin, scanning the empty fuselage. The cleaners were just leaving and everything looked in order.

“Did you see Patrick in the terminal?” she asked, straightening a few safety cards.

“No, I missed him.”

“He was in high mood. I guess he got some, too, but I should warn you he’s put you in the village today.”

“Damn, really. I’m supposed to be in first.”

“I don’t know why you like first so much with all those stuck up passengers.”

“You can’t say that, and besides they’re not as a rule. Just in a better mood because they’re not packed in like sardines.”

“I guess.” She rubbed her hands together. “Week off soon, I can’t wait to hit Miami.”

“I know, me too.” I sighed. “I hope there isn’t a delay on the change over in New York like last week.”

Our flight team did the international long-hauls and we’d be going all the way to Moscow in the next eighteen-hour shift. It didn’t help that I was tired at the start. Tired but in a good way.

“He’ll be here soon with the status,” Harmony said.

“Who?”

She frowned. “Patrick, he’s just sorting out some issue with the blue juice.”

“Ah, okay.” I paused as she turned to me.

Her make-up, like mine, was perfect. Her glossy red lips held the optimum shine and her kohl and mascara applied with precision. Her skin was flawless and complimented the dusky gray and brown shades of powder swept over her eyelids.

She saw me looking and swept her hands down her navy and scarlet skirt suit. “What?”

I grinned. “Did you have fun last night? With Jackson?”

She grinned, and beneath the foundation I spotted a subtle rise of color on her cheeks. “Damn yes, the guy is hung like a stallion and has the stamina of one, too.” She giggled but then straightened her face. “Sorry to…you know, bail out on you like that at the rink.”

I shrugged and plucked a speck of white fluff from her shoulder. “No worries, I had things to do.”

“Mmm, I bet they weren’t anywhere near as much fun as the things I had to do.” She tugged her lip with her teeth and winked.

“No, I’m sure.” I squeezed past her. “Tell me all about it later. I’d best get organized, the pax will be boarding soon.”

The next hour sped by in a blur. I was responsible for more passengers in standard class and that required careful planning. Flying, I’d found, would often make people cranky so everything I could do to make their experience better was not only part of our airline’s ethos but also part of my role.

Before long, the passengers began to board and Patrick and I stood at the tail end of the plane greeting everyone and doing a final boarding-pass check.

Patrick was tall and lean and spoke in a singsong voice. He was an amazing cabin steward, stayed calm in a crisis, could sweet talk the most irked of passengers and ran his team with consistent fairness. I liked him a lot and was happy to call him my boss.

Finally, all the passengers had stowed their baggage, strapped themselves in and were ready for the safety demonstration.

Patrick and I were looking after standard class, two more members of the flight crew were organizing business customers and, behind a thick curtain, Harmony and another colleague were responsible for first class.

After demonstrating how to don a life jacket, add more air, find a torch and blow a whistle, I stashed away my equipment. I had a quick check in the galley to ensure all was in order with the meals then took my seat for takeoff.

Patrick sat opposite me as we taxied along the runway.

“So did you go out last night?” he asked.

“No, I just stayed in my hotel room,” I said, smiling sweetly. “Caught up on some personal stuff, went online, you know. I’m supposed to be looking for a new place to live. What about you?”

“Yeah, I went downtown, hooked up with an old friend.”

“Friend with benefits?” I asked, with a conspirator-like waggle of my eyebrows.

He pursed his lips. “Well, wouldn’t that be telling?”

I grinned. “Indeed.” I’d bet though, like Harmony, although he thought he’d had fun it would have been nothing on mine. I’d had an amazing night with Vadmir. One of the best ever. He’d had so much energy, every time I’d thought we’d finished fucking he’d got it up again. We’d done it missionary, doggie-style, and I’d ridden his cock ’til I couldn’t catch my breath then he’d had me up against the wall, hanging onto the headboard. That was when it had lost a screw.

“Did you get the blue juice sorted?” I asked as the pilot romped up the speed and I was pressed back in my seat.

“Yes, it’s that one loo at the back. Always seems to need more fluid than the rest.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed that.” I glanced over his shoulder at the rows of heads wobbling as the plane hurtled to full ground speed. I didn’t even notice takeoffs and landings anymore; I’d done so many of them. We were trained for any eventuality but the truth was we hardly had to use the majority of our skills, which was just as well because they were for emergencies, life or death situations.

Within a few minutes the captain came on the tannoy announcing that cabin crew could release. Patrick and I unclipped, folded our seats away and began organizing the drinks trolleys.

As I bent and stretched I was aware of a few muscle aches here and there. My hips had had a good workout being wrapped around Vadmir, and my shoulders hurt from gripping the headboard. At one point I found myself staring out of the galley window at the coastline below, thinking about how I’d sat on his face, how the tip of his nose had been the ideal buffer for my clit as he’d poked his tongue into my pussy.

A little shiver attacked my spine and my internal muscles clenched. Damn, that had been hot. He’d been all for it, letting me pin him down like that and take what I wanted.

“Hey, Samantha, are you okay?”

I turned to Patrick who was decanting ice. “Yes, fine, why?”

“You’re lost in your own little world.”

“Just a bit tired, I guess.”

“Hmm,” he said, giving me a suspicious look.

“What?”

“I thought you had an early night?”

“I did.”

He turned back to the ice. “You can take first break if you want.”

Kennedy was only four hours away but once the passengers were fed and settled into a movie we usually took it in turns to have a fifteen minute break, unless it was super-busy.

“Yes, I might just take you up on that offer,” I said. Although I’d been in bed early, I hadn’t had much sleep and that was definitely starting to take its toll.

 

 

By the time we reached New York and disembarked the passengers, Harmony was feverish and waves of nausea were washing over her. We’d been so busy I hadn’t had chance to take a break or catch up with her during the flight as I usually did so I was shocked by her sudden, sickly appearance.

“You should stay on the ground,” Patrick said to Harmony as she sat fanning herself with an inflight magazine.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, closing her eyes and leaning back in the first-class seat. “Besides, we’ve still got the longest leg of the flight to do, you can’t be one down in first.”

“I’m sure we can figure something out,” Patrick said, frowning.

“No, I’m fine, really.” She shivered. A sheen of perspiration had formed on her brow, melting her make-up.

“What has made you so ill?” I asked, glad that the passengers wouldn’t witness her vomit. She looked about to hurl and she was a nasty chalky color.

“I don’t know. Jackson and I ordered take out last night, we…you know, built up an appetite. I think maybe the shrimp wasn’t as fresh as it could have been.”

I grimaced. “In that case, you really shouldn’t be embarking on twelve hours in the air.”

“I agree.” Patrick put his hands on his hips and tilted his chin. “Executive decision. Harmony, lay over in one of the hotels, you’re in no state to be serving food.”

“But—” she said, frowning and then swallowing as though she had a nasty taste in her mouth.

“No buts,” Patrick said. “You’re off this flight crew. I’ll call Nina at HQ and tell her we’re short on the next leg because of illness. See if she can rustle someone up for us.”

“Samantha could switch to first,” Harmony said, looking at me with wide eyes.

Patrick sighed. “Yes, would you, Samantha? It’ll make us a bit short at our end but we’ll manage if HQ don’t deliver us someone.”

“I don’t see why not.” I held in a grin of delight. First was much sweeter and where I felt at home, or at least at work.

“Thanks, guys,” Harmony said, “But I really hate leaving a crew short, I know how much extra work it is when we’re one down.”

“We’ll manage,” I said, “And you need to be lying in the cool somewhere. Maybe just sip water for the next twelve hours.”

“Yes, I think I will,” Harmony said then clasped her hand over her stomach. “Oh God, the cramps have started.”

“Go. Now,” Patrick said.

Harmony nodded. “Yes, yes, I will.” She stood and gripped the corner of the wall.

I handed her flight bag over. “Do you want me to help you?” I asked.

“No, I’ll be fine, but…” She paused and pressed her fingers over her lips.

“Would you just get out of here,” Patrick said, pushing her toward the exit. “I don’t want to clean up your mess. And stay away from shrimps in the future.”

Harmony took a deep breath, appeared to compose herself, and then headed down the steps onto the tarmac.

“Christ on a motorbike,” Patrick said, “I thought she was going to cover us then.”

“I hope she makes it to the hotel,” I said, watching her go and toying with my St. Christopher.

“The ground crew will see that she does, I’ll radio ahead and warn them. She can sleep it off and we’ll pick her up when she’s better.” He rubbed his hands together. “Right, we’d best get to it, they’ll be boarding again soon and we need to get across to gate six.”

 

 

After grabbing my overnight bag, I made my way to gate six with the rest of the crew and boarded the plane that would be taking us across the Atlantic to Moscow. As I moved to the front of the fuselage I felt happier with each step. This would be a much sweeter trip in first class.

I’d just freshened up my make-up when the co-pilot stepped out of the cabin. He wasn’t particularly familiar to me, he was one of those who stood in for holidays and sickness, and I’d only met him a couple of times.

“Hello,” he said and glanced at my badge. “Samantha.”

“First Officer Jones,” I replied, “Can I get you something?”

“Yeah, do you have some aspirin? I’ve got a pounding headache.”

“Yes, of course. Anything else?”

“Some water, too, please.” He rubbed his temples.

“Is it serious?” I asked, hoping that we weren’t about to lose another member of the team.

“No, I’m just tired. Didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Oh, really.” I smiled as I reached for a bottle of still water. “Out partying,” I joked.

He huffed. “No, I was on a layover in Orlando but the couple in the room next to me were at it ’til about four in the morning. The Daylight Hotel has such damn thin walls.”

My heart tripped. That was about the time Vadmir and I had finally collapsed in our room. The same damn hotel. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I managed.

He tutted. “Some folk just can’t control themselves,” he said, “They were banging against the wall, shouting very primitive demands and wailing, actually wailing, or at least she was. It sounded like a fabulous time for those involved, which I wasn’t, so for me it was pretty damn miserable.”

Oh fuck. Heat was rising on my chest, spreading up my neck and onto my cheeks. Quickly I reached for the medical kit and rooted around for painkillers. That damn headboard and its rattling. And why had I never been able to fuck quietly? I was a talker and a wailer and Vadmir had been only too happy to join in.

“Eventually,” First Officer Jones said, “after they took no notice of me asking them to shut up, I resorted to earplugs. It didn’t block it all out but reception said the hotel was full and I needed to do something.”

“Yes, absolutely, and good idea.” I stood, handed him the aspirin and gave him my best concerned expression. “I hope your headache goes away soon. It’s beef in ale for main course today, is that okay?”

He sighed and knocked back the pills. “Yep, perfect. Let’s just get this show on the road and be on our way to Moscow. I hope the hotel there will be quieter.”