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Inside the big airport terminal, Lindsay looked around for a coffee shop. She couldn’t decide whether she was nauseous or hungry. Probably hungry. She hadn’t eaten since she’d heard the news about Blake. And she was mad. Hopping mad, truth be told.
Great, straight ahead was one. Hopefully, they’d have a table for one. She’d probably always need a table for one. Better get used to the idea.
“Linds!” a voice called, and as she turned around, she noticed her sister and Logan at a distance. Charlie’s hand was on her belly as they rushed closer, and Lindsay groaned out loud. Her sister was pregnant and here she was, only thinking about herself.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve let you know where I was, but I was just so...”
“Mad?” Charlie said, out of breath.
“Exactly.”
“Well”—Logan grinned—“your sister told Blake a thing or two. The poor sod didn’t know what hit him.”
Lindsay’s eyes widened. Charlie rarely got angry. “What did you say?”
“Can we please find a table first? I don’t about the rest of you, but I’m hungry,” Charlie said.
“We don’t have that much time,” Logan said, looking at his watch. “Let’s check in and I’ll find us a nice table in one of the lounges.”
What felt like hours later, they were finally seated in one of the lounges and could eat something.
“Mmm, I needed that,” groaned Lindsay after the first bite.
“I told Logan he’s an idiot,” Charlie said.
Lindsay shrugged. “He has his reasons. I told him it’s BS, by the way.”
“Good for you.” Charlie giggled.
“Can I just please point out something?” Logan asked. “From a male perspective?”
“Please do,” Lindsay said.
“Men process things differently and maybe not as quickly as women do. Give the guy’s mind time to catch up with his heart. From personal experience”—he grinned and kissed his wife’s hand—“I know it takes a while.”
Lindsay sighed. “I’m afraid he’s persuaded himself he shouldn’t ever marry, but I think it’s just a way to make sure there is a way out if things don’t turn out the way he thought they would.”
Grinning, Logan got up. “Give the guy a break, will you? You two Wilsons are a force to behold. Come on, gals, time to board.”
“Well,” Charlie whispered to Lindsay as they followed Logan out of the lounge, “there are ways and means to persuade them otherwise, you know?”
Lindsay shook her head. “I don’t want to have to ‘persuade’ anyone to love me. I’ve told Blake I love him. And it wasn’t enough.”
As they were about to queue to board the plane, Lindsay looked around for the bathroom. Now she was definitely nauseous. She’d probably eaten too quickly.
“Charlie...” she began and swallowed.
Charlie gave her one look before she grabbed her hand. “Over here, Linds. Logan, give us a minute!” Charlie called to her husband.
They just made it to the bathroom.
––––––––
“Business class?” Blake asked in surprise as they were shown their seats.
“Logan bought the tickets.” Jason grinned. “I didn’t complain.”
“I’ll reimburse him,” Blake said, taking his seat. He’d never considered flying business class before even though he could afford it.
“My seat is more to the front,” Jason said. “See you in Bozeman.”
Blake patted his pocket. It was still there. He’d been such an idiot. Of course, he wanted to marry Lindsay; what the hell had he been thinking? The idea of a future without her in it was simply too awful to contemplate. He didn’t want a way out; he wanted to be with her until his last breath. Why the hell hadn’t he told her so?
Behind him, more people arrived.
Suddenly Blake heard a very familiar voice. “I think our seats are over here, Charlie.”
It was Logan. Which meant Lindsay had to be close by. With his heart hammering away, Blake turned his head. Logan and his wife and Lindsay were coming down the aisle.
He got up, a bit more unsteadily than he’d have liked, and put his hand out to Logan. “I believe you bought the tickets, thank you. I’d like to pay you back.”
Grinning, Logan slapped him on his good shoulder. “The least of your problems at the moment, I think.” He stood to the side so that Charlie could get to her seat. She completely ignored Blake.
And then Lindsay was in front of him. A very pale Lindsay, he noticed. She also ignored him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“What a stupid question,” Charlie muttered, but he barely heard her, his whole attention focused on Lindsay.
“Where is your seat?” he asked Lindsay.
She looked down at her phone before she pointed towards the seat next to him. “I can try and change seats...”
But he took her hand. He was given another chance. “Please don’t. I...I have to talk to you...”
“I don’t think you have anything more to say that I want to listen to,” she said as she took her seat.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked.
She opened and closed her mouth before she nodded. “Water will be nice, thanks.”
He found the flight attendant and got a bottle of water from her before they closed the plane’s doors. Lindsay was staring out of the window when he returned. “Here you go,” he said, handing the bottle to her as he took his seat.
“Thanks.”
“You’re very pale. Please tell me what’s wrong?”
“What could possibly be wrong?” she asked in a voice laced with sarcasm. “I’m fine,” she added curtly and took another sip of the water.
“Damn it, Lindsay...”
“You love me but you don’t want to marry me—I got the message. I don’t think any more talking will change the outcome.”
“Can we start over, please? I’ve f—I’ve messed up. But I love you and I need you to give me another chance.”
But Lindsay wouldn’t meet his eyes. “We have to sit next to one another for the next three hours. If you have something to say, say it. It doesn’t mean I’ll listen.”
The staff went through the usual rituals while the plane took off. Blake willed himself to relax. Lindsay was here. Next to him. And he had three hours.
He’d never liked being the center of attention, and by now he knew Lindsay well enough to know she also preferred to stay in the background, but if she didn’t want to listen to him, he was quite happy to get out of his comfort zone this one time. If forced, he could put on a performance. And if she was going to be embarrassed, it was just too damn bad.
If the only way to get her to listen to him was to make a scene, then he was going to make a spectacular one.
––––––––
Lindsay kept her eyes closed. At least she was feeling much better. She couldn’t remember ever being sick. What a horrible feeling. Must have been something she’d eaten in the lounge.
And now she had to endure the next three hours sitting next to Blake. Even though the armrest between the two seats was quite wide, she became more and more aware of him every time she breathed. She noticed everything about him: the hairs on his arms, his big, muscled legs stretched out in front of him, his beautiful hands. His mere presence and the warmth radiating in her direction were driving her crazy.
Damn it, she’d thought she would have time to prepare herself before she had to face him again. She knew Logan had bought return tickets for all of them, but because she’d been so mad and upset, the thought that Blake might be travelling with them simply hadn’t occurred to her.
Finally, the plane was in the air, and the sound of the flight attendant coming down the aisle could be heard. Great, champagne was just what she needed to make the next few hours bearable.
“Bubbly?” the blond flight attendant asked chirpily, fluttering her eyelashes at Blake.
Lindsay gnashed her teeth. Seriously. If it wasn’t enough to have been told he didn’t want to marry her, she now had to watch him flirt with a ditzy blonde?
Blake took two glasses from the blonde, but he put both in front of him.
“My glass?” Lindsay asked, holding out her hand.
“In a minute,” Blake said patting his pockets. “Told you I need to talk to you.”
“And I told you I...” But before she could finish her sentence, Blake stood up and moved so that he was right in front of her.
He flashed the flight attendant a killer smile. “I need a few minutes.” And before Lindsay could blink, he went down on his knee, opening a small box he was holding in his hand as he knelt down.
Around them people inhaled sharply, exclaimed, and giggles erupted, but Lindsay was so stunned she barely registered the sounds. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing—Blake going down on one knee in front of all these strangers? As she very well knew, he didn’t like drawing attention to himself.
Although he was smiling, he was cradling his injured arm close to his body, his face paler than usual. She’d been so intent on not talking to him, she wouldn’t let herself think about his injury.
“Blake, what are you doing? Your shoulder...”
But his brown eyes remained steadily on her. He ignored the other passengers who had their cell phones out and were recording the whole thing. “Lindsay Wilson, I love you. I can’t picture my life without you in it. I don’t know how to be a husband, but I know you will teach me. Please marry me?”
Lindsay was seeing stars in front of her and realizing she’d lost her breath upon hearing “Lindsay Wilson.” She inhaled deeply. As usual, he’d used no unnecessary words, but he’d actually used more than one word. No long, drawn-out declaration of love from him, just the basics. Exactly what she needed to know.
And there, in the depths of his eyes, she saw also the love he’d professed twice now, saw that he meant what he was saying.
Her gaze dropped to the ring he was holding in his hand. Her heart melted. Somehow, she’d found someone who got her, who understood the wiring of her mind, who knew exactly what kind of ring she’d like. Nestled in the exquisite, dainty clasps of a rose-gold ring, a beautiful solitaire diamond winked at her.
“If you don’t like it, we can get another one,” Blake said quickly.
Looking at him with her heart in her eyes, she moved forward, got on her knees in front of him, and held out her left hand.
Uncertain, he looked at her hand, then at her. “Is that a yes?”
“Hell, yes, it’s a yes!” someone yelled and everyone around them laughed.
But Blake was still watching her, waiting for her answer.
“Yes, Blake, of course I’ll marry you, anytime, any place. I love you.” She smiled.
“She said yes!” someone else called out, and a huge cheer went up.
He took out the ring, and taking her hand in his, slowly slipped the ring on her finger. And then his good arm shot out so he could haul her closer, and he kissed her.
There were more whistles and laughter from the other passengers, but Lindsay ignored everything else. She was where she’d dreamed of being—in Blake’s arms. Safe. Protected. Warm lips were confirming what he’d just said.
“Linds, are you sure about this?” she heard Charlie’s voice and lifted her head. Her sister was standing next to them, clearly still worried. Lindsay quickly got up and gave her hand to Blake to help him up.
“I’m sure.” She smiled as Blake put an arm around her.
Charlie sniffed, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m so, so happy for you.” She cried and embraced them both. “But you...” She pointed at Blake. “You hurt my sister and you’ll have to answer to me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Blake grinned.
“Don’t you ma’am me,” Charlie said haughtily, but then she smiled and hugged them again. “I can’t wait to tell Eleanor and Brooke! Logan, I have a plan...” she said, going back to her seat, already apparently planning a party.
But Lindsay had stopped listening to her sister and pressed her face into Blake’s chest.
“You know”—he chuckled softly—“this may be a good time to see whether we can become members.”
Still on cloud nine, she looked up at him. “Members of what?”
He pressed his mouth close to her ear. “The mile-high club.” His sexy whisper sent delicious tingles down her spine and her body reacted. “I need to be with you. Now.”
“But your arm...”
Grinning, he took her hand. “I’m sure we’ll find a way.”
––––––––
Minutes later, he was finally able to kiss Lindsay the way he’d been thinking about for three weeks. She opened her mouth for him, her lips warm, and he was instantly hard for her.
“I can’t wait,” he groaned as his hand found the zipper of her jeans. “This is going to be a quickie.”
“My thoughts exactly.” She smiled as her hand slipped underneath his light sweater.
Within seconds his fingers found her heat—she was ready for him.
“You’d have to help me,” he got out. “I only have one arm.”
With a grin, she unbuckled his pants and pulled them down. “My pleasure,” she said huskily as her hand closed around him.
“If you do that, this will be over before we’ve started.”
“Let’s see if we can do this.” She giggled. “Never really noticed exactly how small this place actually is.”
But he knew exactly what he’d been craving, and nothing was going to keep him from making love to his fiancée, least of all a cramped bathroom. He had her alone; that was all that counted.
Seconds later, his mouth on hers, he slid into her. “Being with you like this—it’s home,” he whispered. “I realized it the first time we made love.”
“Blake,” she whispered brokenly as he gathered her closer. Her head fell back, the movements of her body inciting him to move faster and faster.
The storm that had brewed inside him over the last few weeks erupted, spinning them both out of control until all he could do was to hold on to her softness.
––––––––
Lindsay tried to comb her hair with her fingers as they walked back to their seats. It was probably in vain. She was sure everybody could see exactly what they’d been up to. But everyone else was either watching movies on the small screen in front of them or busy on their phones. Everyone but Charlie, of course.
Her sister caught her eye, her eyebrows raised in question marks.
Blushing, Lindsay nodded before she quickly took her seat.
“Can’t believe you’re still blushing after what happened.” Blake grinned as he took her hand.
“I can’t believe what we’ve just done,” she whispered.
He lifted her left hand and looked at the ring. “You’re wearing my ring. I’m hoping this will be a regular occurrence.”
Still blushing, she nodded. “So do I.”
“You sure you’re okay with the ring? Because we can always get one more to your liking. I just needed to get one so that you’ll know I’m serious. This one reminded me of you—exquisite, elegant, one of its kind.”
“The ring was what finally convinced me,” she said softly. “When I saw it, I knew you get me.”
His eyes darkened and he leaned forward. “I have to kiss you again.”
“Of course,” she whispered before she leaned forward so that his lips could claim hers again.
The day, which had started out so dreadfully, had turned into one she’d never forget.