Trust Me II, page 10
“The first time I laid eyes on you, you were reading to a group of children at the library. When you finished you took them all to the counter and gave them each a piece of candy; the typical treat for after story time as I was told. The thought of you drove me crazy and I couldn’t stop wondering what you would taste like. What better name for my plane than that of my own delicious treat?”
“I don’t know if I should be flattered or not,” Sandra said. “If I didn’t already know you, I’d be worried about you stalking me.”
“You already know I was, so what’s the problem? I would follow you to the ends of the universe, this you are undoubtedly aware of?”
“That I am Mr. Ashford,” Sandra giggled, taking the first step up to the plane.
Creighton introduced the tall oriental man as Aiden Davies, the Pilot; Charles Cooper was the co-pilot and Eryn Jenkins the very attractive flight attendant. They all nodded and welcomed her aboard the Kansas Kandy, causing Sandra to blush yet again. Finlay Parker and Rhett Harvey stepped forward to greet them, shaking Creighton’s hand and smiling to Sandra as they stepped through the door. Sandra paused in the middle of the path, the sight beyond stole her breath away as she looked around her.
The interior of the plane was large with the front appearing more like a meeting room; holding four brown upholstered benches, two on either side of the plane facing each other with a dark wooden table between each set. The floor was covered in a thick plush beige carpet and the walls were decorated in two-tone tan wallpaper in an etched swirl pattern. Behind the meeting room was a large…very large…main room with two half circular sofas against the sides. Like the loveseats, these were upholstered in brown and held six cream-colored pillows spread across the length with two matching throw covers, one on each sofa. A dark wooden coffee table stood between the sofas, long, thin and polished to a high sheen.
On the back wall were two dark wooden doors and between them was a small wet bar with etched mirrored shelves holding wine glasses and goblets. The walls had several sconce lights of antique brass that looked like bouquets of lilies, the light shades were frosted off white glass with the tips a dark yellow resembling peddles. The windows were covered by cream-colored shades that had been opened about three inches, allowing the glow from the flood lights to filter through.
To the left of the entrance was a small galley style kitchen with a built-in refrigerator and a tiny two burner stove-top. There were four upper cupboards on the walls and cabinets beneath a granite counter. Next to the entrance of the plane was a second door which stood open to reveal the cockpit beyond. Sandra suddenly felt very much out of her league in the midst of such wealth and luxury. It was inviting and stifling at the same time and she became more anxious and frightened with each tick of the clock that hung on the wall opposite the door.
“Relax,” Creighton told her, as though reading her mind again. “You’ll get used to it.” He edged her forward with a hand on the small of her back until she was in the main body of the plane, where he sat on one of the large sofas, pulling her down next to him as the door was secured and the crew took their stations.
“I know it’s a little overwhelming, but you’ll adjust,” he told her. “Money can be your friend or your enemy; it all depends on how you look at it and what you do with it.”
“I just keep thinking about an old adage my grandmother told me,” she said, her hands suddenly feeling too large for her lap as she wound her fingers together. “Money corrupts and absolute money corrupts absolutely.”
“That’s power darling, and even a poor man can do evil with a dollar.”
“I suppose,” she said absently as the engines roared to life.
“We’ll take this slow,” he promised, removing his jacket and tossing it across the end of the sofa. “I will give you lessons in wealth and you will give me lessons in husbandry.” Sandra couldn’t help but smile, feeling much more comfortable with him in the instant he relaxed on the sofa next to her, his feet perched on the coffee table.
“We’ll be leaving in a few minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Ashford,” Captain Davies said over the speaker. “The weather is clear to Versailles and we should arrive in about fifty minutes. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the flight.”
“Ready to go?” he asked again as the plane began to move forward. He reached across her and pulled a seat-belt from between the cushions on the sofa and fastened it around her, smiling seductively to her as he cinched it tight.
“I don’t think I have a choice, do I?” she teased, the fear slipping quickly away as excitement began to take hold.
“Not really,” he assured her. “Even if you could escape I wouldn’t let you. I’ve told you before; the dangerous side would hunt you down.”
“But I’d have the safe side waiting for me.” Creighton chuckled, kissing her temple as he eased her back into his embrace.
“Just remember that, my love,” he assured her when the plane’s wheels lifted from the earth and they were enveloped in the darkness of the night sky.
Sandra smiled happily, snuggling closer to his chest. She had married the man she spent a lifetime dreaming about. He taught her to love and to believe in her dreams, he gave her the world and hope for the future and in exchange she gave him her heart, her soul and her body. He was hers, this incredible loving handsome man she put her faith and trust into. This man she proudly called husband.
“Time to wake up, wife,” Creighton whispered beside her ear, his breath sending warm chills down her spine. Sandra smiled feeling his naked body behind her in the bed, his legs wrapping around hers as he spooned his chest into her back.
“I don’t want to wake up,” she told him in a sulky tone.
“Come on, the plane will be landing soon and I need to get you to the flat so you can get some real sleep.”
“But I’m comfortable here,” she argued.
“Well, if you’d like, we could spend the night here and go to the flat in the morning. We’ll be locked in and safe from prying eyes, so you can run around the plane naked or I could chase you, whichever you desire.”
“We can’t stay here, what about the crew and your security team?”
“They have their own places in Versailles. The door locks from the inside and it will be put into a hanger until we need it again. We have food and water, a bathroom and most importantly, the bed. What else could you possibly ask for on the first day of your honeymoon?” Sandra rolled over so she could look into his dark eyes. It was tempting, very tempting, as much as making love thirty thousand feet in the air had been.
“What would your crew say?” she asked.
“Who cares?” he asked with a wicked smile. “It’s my plane; I can do what I want.”
“Have you ever stayed overnight on it before?”
“Not like this, but I’ve never made love on it either. It has this bedroom, but until tonight I hadn’t found a need for it. If I wanted to sleep I would do it on the sofa or in one of the chairs. It’s nice to know the bed is comfortable enough to make love to my wife in though. Now, do you want to stay?”
Sandra bit her bottom lip contemplating the idea of doing exactly that. It would be something she could write about in her journal, if she ever started one and definitely a memory to hold in her old age.
“I’ll go tell Harvey and Parker,” he said, seeing her answer shining in her eyes. “I’ll have them come back for us tomorrow.”
“What about our bags?” she asked, siting up in the bed as he pulled on his pants.
“They’re here,” he assured her. “Private jets usually don’t misplace the luggage. I’ll get them before the crew locks us in.”
“Creighton,” she said softly, her eyes cast down to the bed. “What about Bachmeier? Could he get in?” Creighton sat next to her on the queen sized bed, taking her hand in his and kissing the knuckles gently.
“We’re safer here than if we were surrounded by security,” he told her. “The door is very secure and locks tighter than Fort Knox. The only thing you’ll have to worry about is me.” Sandra giggled wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I really love you,” she said, thrilled when he pulled her out of bed to sit naked on his lap.
“And I love you,” he assured her, feeling the plane’s decent. “I want you to be happy and stop worrying. We’ll find the bastard and put him back where he belongs, you have to trust me.”
“I trust you with every fiber of my being,” she assured him with a warm smile.
“Then I better go talk with Harvey and Parker.” Creighton kissed her hard and passionate, pushing her back down to the mattress. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.” With that said he walked out the door bare chested and bare footed, leaving her alone and naked in the bed.
Sandra sighed deeply, stretching her arms above her head. She was happy despite all that had happened the last two days and she was determined to enjoy herself and their time together. As the plane landed, her stomach jerked making her aware she needed to use the bathroom. She remembered from her one and only former plane trip that you shouldn’t move around when the plane was landing, but then again she didn’t know you could make love in a bed while on a plane either.
Once the wheels touched the ground a second time, Sandra had no choice. She wrapped a blanket around her naked frame and carefully walked to the door and opened it. Creighton was sitting in one of the love seats at the front of the plane, across from Harvey and Parker. He looked up when the door opened and smiled watching her quietly slip into the bathroom.
She had never been in a private airplane before, so she had no idea what to expect from the bathroom. The room was large, remarkably so, with white walls and dark wood trim. There was a double sink in a half circle shape, a smaller than normal toilet but still larger than the one on the plane she had taken to France, and porcelain not metal. There was a narrow bench with a thick cushion to sit on and a full size shower with rain jets. The same familiar sconces from the main section of the plane decorated the wall and the floor was tiled in marble squares. The room had no windows, yet it was very comfortable and bright.
After washing up and using the facilities, Sandra folded the blanket and retrieved the thick white robe hanging on the back of the door. She had to roll the sleeves up since it was made for her husband’s larger frame, her toes poking out from beneath the hem, and she nearly giggled when she thought about the last time she wore Creighton’s robe and how he had used the sash to restrain her. She glanced one last time in the mirror over the double vanity before stepping out of the room.
The plane had landed and shut down by the time she had finished, allowing the crew to gather their belongings and head to the door. Harvey and Parker had already left and Captain Davies was just leaving, followed by Cooper. Creighton stood talking to Eryn, who was busy batting her fake eyelashes and smiling so sweetly Sandra felt like gagging. She was getting used to women falling over themselves to get his attention, but most of the time she was close by; this time she was in the bathroom, tucked out of sight. What really bothered her was the pleased expression on Creighton’s face; he was more than enjoying the woman’s attention and that quickly made Sandra’s blood boil. She stood there in the doorway for a moment longer than she normally would have, narrowing her eyes when Eryn reached up and laid her long red nailed hand against her husband’s chest.
Instead of joining them, she returned to the bedroom, deliberately slamming the door as hard as she could, knowing it would draw Creighton’s attention. Without a second though, Sandra pulled the yellow and white dress she had been wearing the past several hours back across her head and smoothed it down her slender frame. She lifted the robe from the floor and tossed it across the bed with as much vigor as possible before turning and walking out the door again.
The crew had left and Creighton was securing the door when she stepped into the lavish main room of the plane. Sandra stepped to the wet bar and pulled out a bottle of wine from underneath, then tried to pop the cork without much success. Long warm fingers reached out and took the bottle from her, easily popping the cork. She turned her back to her new husband and walked away, knowing he was watching. She went into the small galley kitchen at the opposite end of the plane and began opening the cupboards. Not to her surprise, she found them completely stocked with microwavable dinners, snacks, pancake mix, bread, juices, water, soda and canned staples. The little fridge had fruit, vegetables, and a small bottle of milk, eggs and sausages. It was obvious the crew was used to cooking well for Creighton and his guests.
“Are you hungry?” he asked stepping up behind her, causing her to jump. She turned to see him standing behind her, two glasses of wine in his hands.
“No,” she said flatly, taking a glass and walking past him back into the body of the plane. She sat down at the end of one of the sofas, deliberately stretching her legs out so he was unable to sit beside her. Creighton watched her with a frown, as he reclined on the sofa on the opposite side of the plane. The room was silent as they sipped the wine; it was sweet but Sandra barely tasted it around the lump in her throat. She was angry at the way he acted with Eryn, but more than that she felt betrayed and completely out of her league. First the plane and now the women, she had to ask herself if she was up to the long haul as being the wife of a man as handsome and as desirable as he was, a man who made money speak for him and listened to the many women who answered the call.
“Are you going to keep the temperature down, or are you going to tell me what I did wrong?” he asked, setting his glass on the coffee table.
“Like you really don’t know,” she snapped, amazed at how bitter her voice sounded.
“I have no clue, but I don’t like the way you’ve suddenly turned against me.”
“Alright, since you’re Mr. Innocent I’ll tell you,” she snarled, setting her glass on the table and standing up. “You were flirting with that…that…person. You allowed her to come on to you and to touch you, while your wife was in the next room. What the hell was that all about?” Sandra found her heart pounding, her voice rising as she stood facing him, anger and frustration echoing in her voice and stance.
“I wasn’t flirting with her,” he said in a calm tone. “Eryn is a tease, she has been since I first hired her, but I don’t shag employees and I would never cheat on you. I made a promise to you yesterday in front of a church full of people and God that I would be faithful to you alone. You have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s not the point,” she snapped again, her anger burning inside her veins. “You were flirting with her, I saw it and you were enjoying it!”
“Sandra, what is the matter with you? You know I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have.”
“I don’t want to listen to any more,” she shouted turning toward the bedroom door. “I’m going to bed and you can just sleep out here and consider what you’ve done.”
Sandra stomped into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her and fell onto the bed in a fit of tears. She didn’t know what was happening to her; she felt confused and angry and hurt and right now all she wanted to do was run away.
With tears staining her cheeks, Sandra pulled the blanket up across her shaking frame, wrapping herself inside the warmth of the soft fabric. Frustration and anger accompanied her through the remainder of the night, cradling her in a restless slumber, alone in the bed she should be sharing with her husband. Instead she lay in dark solitude, sobbing into the pillow, fearful of what the future would bring for her marriage.
Morning arrived much sooner than Sandra would have preferred. She rolled over and looked at the small clock on the table next to the bed, amazed that she was awake at six thirty in the morning. Her heart was heavy and she felt ashamed for her behavior and the way she had treated Creighton. She knew there was nothing to worry about, she knew he loved her and she loved him; it was just very frustrating to see women fawning all over him. It was something she really didn’t want to have to get used to.
With a reluctant sigh, Sandra pushed the covers aside and stood up. She still had on her white and yellow dress from the previous evening and it was badly wrinkled, but that was the least of her worries. On the other side of that bedroom door was either the man she loved, or an empty room awaiting her entrance. Either way, she knew she would have to confront the inevitable and the outcome was entirely her own fault.
Slowly she pulled the door open and peered out, afraid of what she might find. The room was quiet; there were no real sound from the world beyond the aluminum cocoon she was currently encased in; only muffled echoes of a world coming to life. Asleep on the sofa lay her husband; his long legs stretched out beneath the brown throw, his torso bare and his head buried beneath the small pillow. He lay on his stomach, a nearly empty bottle of wine on the table next to him. The sound of his muffled snore reverberated through the stillness making Sandra’s heart ache. She should have been at his side, she should have been in his arms all night, but instead she had screeched and screamed at him and ran away like a spoiled child.
She sat on the sofa across from him and sighed, forcing the tears back from her swollen eyes. She had to do something to apologize, something to make him understand how horrible she felt. If she were home she would bake a cake or some cookies, maybe even attempt to make his spotted dicke dessert; if she was in the privacy of his flat she would put on the leather outfit and boots that drove him crazy, but instead she was locked inside a luxury plane with nowhere to go and very little to do. She didn’t even know where her luggage was. Weary and heavy hearted, she began to pace the room, looking at the expensive, elegant furnishings.
The tables between the loveseats had a small television screen built into the wooden tops, whether they were for watching the news or a movie she couldn’t tell. On the wall beside the table were a number of ports for USB cables and outlets for chargers. The kitchen held very small, almost childlike stainless steel appliances that she was certain were energy saving. She again opened the cupboards and refrigerator, eying the many items that filled the shelves. She found the eggs and sausage and after a little additional investigation she located a small frying pan and a waffle maker. It may not be a quiche, but at least she could make breakfast.
