and that thought gave her the confidence she needed to continue with her “experiment.”
If she expected to have a social life, she was going to have to learn to operate like the other women in L.A. She needed to be able to use her seductive powers to get what she wanted. After all, competition for men like Aidan Pierce would be relentless. Lily knew she’d probably never be able to compete for a guy like him in the real world, but right now, he was sitting next to her—and touching her—and kissing her.
Though he was curious about her life, he wasn’t bothered by her evasive answers. Telling him the truth about who she was and what she did would prove just one thing—her life was incredibly dull.
But Aidan wasn’t reluctant to speak about his life. He amused her with little stories of his travel adventures. He’d been all over the world, staying in exotic locales she’d only read about. When he talked about Tahiti, she commented on the beaches and didn’t correct him when he assumed she’d been there. When he asked, Lily simply said she’d visited many interesting and exotic places in the world.
“You haven’t told me what you do for a living,” Aidan said.
Lily took a sip of champagne, attempting a coy smile. “I write,” she said. It was the truth. A simplified version of it, at least. “What about you?”
He seemed surprised by the question. Of course, she knew exactly what he did for a living. But she could pretend she didn’t. Wouldn’t that add a little more mystery to the attraction between them?
“Forget that question,” she said. “Let’s not talk about work.” Lily studied him for a long moment. There was another question that needed to be answered. “Are you married?” Lily knew he wasn’t, but he could be involved in a relationship that hadn’t been reported in the magazines.
“No,” Aidan said. “And you?”
“No,” she admitted. “But let’s not talk about relationships, either.”
“So we can’t talk about work or relationships. What’s left?”
Lily smiled. “I don’t know. Tell me about your childhood.”
He picked up her right hand and carefully studied her fingers. Then he drew her hand to his mouth and kissed each fingertip. No man had ever done that to her before and Lily found it strangely provocative. “I had a normal childhood,” he said. “Nothing dysfunctional, nothing traumatic. What about you?”
Lily hesitated. She never talked about her childhood, not even to Miranda. She’d managed to bury all the emotions so deeply that they barely even touched her heart anymore. “Mine was perfectly idyllic,” she lied. “Next topic. How about favorite color?”
“Blue. Favorite dessert?”
“Lemon meringue pie,” Lily replied. “Favorite vacation spot?”
“Your mouth,” he murmured.
Lily’s breath froze and her mind raced for a witty comeback. Men just didn’t talk to her like this! She glanced away, hoping for inspiration, but Aidan hooked his finger beneath her chin and forced her gaze to meet his.
“And yours?” he asked.
“The first-class bathroom on the flight between LAX and JFK,” she said, trying to keep her voice from cracking.
This was it. There was no going back. Lily was now an exciting and interesting and adventurous woman, the kind of woman who could seduce a man like Aidan, the kind of woman he’d want.
“So do you plan to return to that spot anytime soon?” he asked. He reached between them and pushed the armrests out of the way, then grabbed her waist and pulled her across his lap.
Lily looked around to see if anyone had noticed, but Aidan cupped her face in his hands and turned her gaze to his. “Don’t worry. They’re all asleep.”
“You’ve done this before?”
“Never,” he said. “But I can’t say it hasn’t crossed my mind a few times during a particularly boring flight. I usually get seated next to businessmen or grandmothers.” He wrapped his arm around her hip and his other hand tangled in her hair.
This time when he kissed her, it was easy and perfect, as if he’d memorized the contours of her mouth and knew just how they fitted together. Lily relaxed in his embrace, enjoying the way he made love to her lips and her tongue. She’d always thought kissing was overrated, two mouths pressed together. But Lily now realized she’d never really been kissed, at least not by a man who took his desires seriously.
With every taste, she could feel his need growing more desperate. She shifted, her backside pressed into his lap and he moaned softly. Emboldened by his reaction, Lily sat up, bracing her hand on his thigh. Parting the front of his shirt, she leaned closer and kissed his chest.
She’d never been so blatantly forward with a man and it felt good. But she wasn’t in the real world anymore, she’d been caught inside this fantasy. She didn’t have to think before she acted. There were no rules and nothing was out of bounds.
Lily reached for the buttons of her blouse, but he brushed her fingers away, tugging at the fabric until he’d exposed the curve of her shoulder. Aidan bit at the spot beneath her ear, his breath warm against her skin, then trailed his lips to a spot between her breasts. “You have too many clothes on,” he murmured.
Lily crawled out of her seat and retrieved a pair of blankets from the overhead bin. The cabin was silent and dark, the flight attendants busy in the galley. She sat down next to him and handed him the blanket.
He chuckled softly, drawing her back onto his lap.
“Now I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve done this before.” Aidan pulled the blanket around them both and worked at the buttons of her blouse.
Lily stared up into his eyes. Suddenly, she felt light-headed, but she drew a deep breath and stopped him from going further. “I think we might need a bit more privacy,” she murmured. “I’ll meet you in the bathroom. Wait for a minute or two and then come back.”
She rebuttoned her blouse and crawled off him, then tiptoed down the aisle. A flight attendant saw her from the galley and stepped out. “Is there anything I can get for you?” she asked.
Lily shook her head. “I’m fine,” she replied.
The flight attendant nodded, returning to her co-workers. Lily locked herself in the bathroom, then braced her arms on the edge of the sink. This was it. If she had any inhibitions left, she needed to rid herself of them pretty quickly. A shiver shook her body and she drew a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror.
She wasn’t afraid, and that’s what surprised her the most. Lily had spent most of her life being fearful of one thing or another. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the altitude, or the unfamiliar surroundings, but she knew exactly what she wanted—no doubts, no insecurities.
Or maybe it was the man. Aidan had been charming and attentive, treating her like the most captivating woman he’d ever met. It was easy to seduce a man who wanted to be seduced. Lily drew a ragged breath. She’d followed the advice in the book and she now had a willing partner. But was she prepared to go the rest of the way?
A
