
I took my first real vacation in a couple of years this last week. The hubby and I flew out to Arizona to visit my in-laws, but not until after I finished the first draft on my first full sized book. (YAY!)
As a military brat I’ve been on many flights– some fun (me on a plane with an entire college football team just after I’d become legal–and they were flirting), some boring (standard flight with no excitement or turbulence), some a tad bit crazy (the guy who stunk of pot and B.O. and told me he spoke a rare language from a country most people didn’t know which turned out to be Danish/Denmark, then proceeded to tell me that the Philippines would rule the world someday when he found out I spoke Tagalog)….but nothing like the flight my heroine took when she moved to Nashville. (I’ll share what I mean in a moment.)
Our flight to Arizona would’ve been fairly uneventful except that on the layover flight from Atlanta to Tucson, I wound up sitting beside a man with a horrible case of silent but violent gas. Hubby was stuck behind him. It was bad.
The flight home couldn’t have been worse, right? Wrong. From Tucson to Atlanta I was trapped between a French dude who was polite, but didn’t speak much English, and a Russian lady who was still breastfeeding her adorable toddler and didn’t have much by way of courtesy. When I tried to get to my seat, instead of getting up with her child so I didn’t have to worry about smacking someone in the face with my backpack, she just slid her legs to the side–mind you, she had an aisle seat. Fortunately, the Frenchman was kind enough to offer to take my bag so I wouldn’t hit anyone and I squeezed my way in.
Throughout the flight, the child was a trooper, but her mom didn’t pay attention or try to preserve my personal space as the little girl stretched and kicked. The whole shoving her little one under her shirt every few minutes didn’t really phase me because I figured it was her way to try to keep the child soothed and occupied so she wouldn’t get cranky.
Once we reached Atlanta we stopped at Bobby Flay’s cheeseburger place where I promptly had my glass full of Coke Zero shatter, dousing me completely (pants and top) in soda. Ugh. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to walk through an airport all wet and stained? It couldn’t get worse, right?
Wrong. The final leg of the flight had hubby and I sitting together, but the guy in front of us smelled like sour sweat and also had a huge gas problem. I really was kind of hoping by that point that the oxygen masks might fall down and save us from the odors. And the landing? Major turbulence that had some of the people around us freaking out. An old flyer like me? Felt like she’d just gotten a fun roller coaster ride.
I really was wishing my flight had been more like the one my heroine, Kalina Santos, experienced in my upcoming release, A Way With Words. Here’s an unedited excerpt:
“What are we doing here, sweetheart?” The desire darkened his eyes to a golden brown, but concern was there, too. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to do this with you, but I don’t want you to regret it. Tell me now if you’re not into this. There’s nothing wrong with getting caught in the moment. It’s a judgment free zone, right here.”
She pulled back; looked away from the temptation of those cat eyes (well, what else do you call eyes that are sometimes green, sometimes yellow, and seem to see into your soul?) and considered his words. His thoughtful generosity touched her as much as the thick erection under the soft cotton of his jeans aroused her. The irony wasn’t lost on her that he showed more concern for her and her feelings than the evil ex she’d been with for years and refused to allow to taint this moment with any more space in her brain.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wanted to join the mile-high club.” She leaned in and caught his earlobe between her teeth. “Somehow I think this bucket list item works better with a partner. What do you think?”
So what about you? What was your most memorable plane ride? Ever join the mile high club? Tell me all about it!
No crazy plane rides for this girl. Just the normal delays, etc. Almost missed my son’s birthday party coming home from a business trip one time. Had 20 people planning to be there. Luckily, a wonderful human being gave up their seat on a flight so I could make it.
Love the excerpt!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So glad you didn’t miss his birthday…and Thanks!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Most memorable plane ride, mile-high club? Hmmm, well… my g/f and I never went to the lavatory in the front or rear, we just “played” right there in our seats next to each other. Under blankets. One of her biggest turn-ons was having to be quiet or else be discovered, thrown off the plane(?) or suspended from that airline? 😈
Umm, we/she left that seat pretty soaked. LOL
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why am I not surprised? Fear of discovery can be a huge turn on, for sure. My inner exhibitionist approves. 🥳🤩😇
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so spot on Kitt! Many of us twisted Perverts enjoy going against convention or flying in the face of puritanism, don’t we!? 😁 She and I ended up getting thrown out of many public places and clubs/bars. One in particular in Clear Lake, TX banned us for 5-years for getting over 20-guys in the men’s bathroom cheering us on — in the stall — and security escorting us out to their applause. I think she took a bow if I remember. 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Classic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She always had a very hard time (impossibly so) being quite during. She lost the billiard game in Clear Lake so her “payback loss” was for me to take her into the men’s bathroom, in a stall, and…
well, you can imagine how much noise I solicited out of her. 😈
LikeLiked by 1 person
She sounds like she was a riot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you got your vacation. Partially so you could enjoy some time off. Mostly so I could get a good laugh at the trials & tribulations (hey–a great AA for those in the know).
As for the excerpt, you do write provocatively well. I like the cat eyes description. So true.
Next time take the train. I’m sure I’ll get some laughs out of that, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! And I know I’d have quite a few tales to tell if I did the train ride, I’m sure. We writers always find stories to share. 😉
Also, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the excerpt, too. I’m in my edit process before I send it to my actual editor. 🙂
LikeLike