Love In The Air (Part 1 Of 4)

Posted on February 3rd, 2010 in Short Stories by kimber

I have the vacation bug again. I can’t go on vacation (something about work requiring me to, gasp, actually be there) but I figured I could send my characters on vacation.

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She was late. Tora hurried onto the plane, her tote slung over her shoulder, her boarding pass in hand. But for once, her papa’s last minute demands benefited her. Coach was full and she had been bumped up to first class.

She checked her boarding pass. 3B. She scanned the cabin. There was only one empty seat, beside a man in a dark suit and sunglasses. Tora moved toward it, stopping only to retrieve a pen a passenger had dropped. The brittle faced woman sniffed as Tora handed it to her, not deeming to thank her.

“Miss, do you need help with that?” The smiling flight attendant motioned to her bag.

“No, thank you.” Tora had been raised better. ‘Politeness costs nothing’, her mom always told her, ‘and it separates us from the apes’. “My tote will slide under the seat.” The overhead bins were designed for abnormally tall people. Tora avoided them.

She sank into the plush leather seat. This was flying. She sighed contently. Her papa refused to fly first class. ‘Our customers fly coach.’ He’d pound the boardroom table to emphasize his point, making her uncles and cousins jump. ‘We fly coach.’

She hadn’t a choice this time. Her papa would understand. Tora glanced over at her neighbor. He was a big man, his legs sprawled over into her space. She didn’t mind. She had a lot of it and the poor man looked exhausted. Deep lines were etched around his slightly open mouth. His black hair was mussed. His suit jacket was creased at the elbows. Sunglasses hid his eyes but Tora could imagine there were dark circles under them.

His breathing was deep and regular. He slept. He likely hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks, just like her papa when he bought a new hotel. If not for her mom insisting he rest, her papa would have worked himself into an early grave years ago.

This man, Tora scanned his bare ring finger, had no wife to remind him that sleep was necessary. Maybe he had no one at all. She had met men like that when she traveled. They hadn’t family nor homes, flying from city to city, solving problems or selling products.

“Miss, we are preparing for take off.” The perky flight attendant was back. “The captain has put the seatbelt light on.” Tora obediently put her seatbelt on. “Should I wake…” Well manicured fingers fluttered at Tora’s neighbor.

“No, no, I’ll take care of it.” It would be a shame to wake the man. Judging by the papers on the tray in front of him, he would insist on working the rest of the flight.

Tora removed her own seatbelt, leaning over the man, searching for the ends of his seatbelt. It was unnerving to touch a stranger like this. Pretend he’s your papa, Tora repeated in her mind. He didn’t smell like her papa though. He smelled of musk and man and something else that made her toes curl. She snapped the buckle in place, leaving the belt loose, and returned to her seat.

Done. It was nothing a flight attendant wouldn’t have done. Tora studied the lowered tray. Trays were to be put away during take off and landing.

Dormant (Part 4 of 4)

Posted on January 27th, 2010 in Short Stories by kimber

Read From The Beginning

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Any remaining hope Carlos might have had was dashed once they returned to the lobby, Rayner luggage in tow. The Boss waited there, his scarred face as dark as a thundercloud. “About fuckin’ time.”

Carlos glanced at Marie. Her eyebrows arched but there was no other indication she heard the foul language.

“You came to see us off? How sweet.”

Mr. Rayner wasn’t the smartest man alive. No one taunted Carlos’ Boss.

“Fuck off, Rayner.” Mr. Santos touched the big knife he always had on him. “I’m flying back with you, Querida. Some venture capitalist with more money than brains wants me to open a fuckin’ store. Me, can you believe it? Like I have time for that shit.”

“So many throats to slit, so little time.”

“I could make time for yours, jackass.” The Boss made a slicing movement across his throat with his hand. “Carlos, wrap things up here and meet me at the airport. You’re coming with me.” He picked up the car seat and Mrs. Rayner’s carryon and swept out the door. The others followed.

Leaving Carlos alone with Marie. “The keys.” He dropped them on the counter, unwilling to chance touching her. She was not for him and if he touched her, he might forget that.

“You’re going with him?” Marie stared at him. She thought they’d have more time. “To America?”

“So I hear.” Carlos fiddled with his wallet, opening and closing it. “How much do we owe you?”

“American?” She knew they’d agreed on American dollars. She was delaying his leaving.

“Si.”

No extra words, no explanation, nothing. “Three hundred.” She watched as those big fingers fumbled with the bills. “When will you be back?”

“Tomorrow, next week, never.” He shrugged, tossing money in front of her. “We can’t be, Marie.”

He knew her name. Her spirits perked up. “You don’t desire me?” She pressed her breasts together the way she’d practiced in the mirror.

He gulped. His face reddened. “Go… I… go… Boss… waiting.”

But he’d be back, Marie watched him with satisfaction, because he was very much for her.

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BTW… Carlos does return but not soon enough to protect Marie.
You can read more about Carlos and Marie in Flawless

Dormant (Part 3 of 4)

Posted on January 20th, 2010 in Short Stories by kimber

Read From The Beginning

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He was going to walk right by her again, the big fool. Marie glared at the man, Carlos she was told his name was, as he trailed the family. He didn’t look to his left or right, staring straight ahead, but she knew he saw her. He was the best bodyguard Mr. Santos had, she’d been told that too. He saw everything.

She waited for the family to pass. Mr. Rayner hovered over his wife and child, his expression a mixture of love, pride, and worry. One big hand stroked his wife’s back, the other cupped underneath the baby as though by touching them, he reassured himself they were safe.

As soon as they were out of range, Marie threw the pen. It wasn’t a toss. She threw it as hard as she could right at the bodyguard’s thick head.

Carlos’ hand snapped up to catch it, his reflexes impressively quick. His head didn’t turn. He didn’t pause. He slipped the pen into the breast pocket of his dress shirt and continued walking.

Foiled again. Marie wanted to stomp her feet and pull her hair. She felt like the bebe he accused her of being.

Carlos’ body followed the family. His heart stayed in the lobby with Marie. He patted the pen in his pocket, close to that rebellious organ. The pen would be secreted away to his room because she had touched it.

She had thrown it. At him. He grinned. She was so full of passion, so alive. When around her, he felt that way too. Some of the dreary fog draped over him since… since… lifted. He felt almost… hopeful.

Then Mrs. Rayner’s phone buzzed, her emergency line, and that hope vanished. The new mom’s white face paled even more. Big green eyes lifted to her husband. “Hagen, we have to leave immediately.”

“Damn it, Englebarn, we just got here.”

Her hand reached up to touch that ugly face. “It is a matter of life or death.”

They stared at each other. Mr. Rayner’s fists clenched and unclenched. Finally the husband sighed. “I know.” He kissed his wife’s hand.

Carlos shouldn’t feel envy for something he could never have. Knowing that didn’t make the feeling go away. His fingers wrapped around the pen.

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Read Part 4 January 27th

Dormant (Part 2 of 4)

Posted on January 13th, 2010 in Short Stories by kimber

Read From The Beginning

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“And what do you know of men?”

She may be no bebe but she was so pure and innocent, it made Carlos’ teeth ache to look at her. And look he couldn’t help but do. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, more beautiful than any Hollywood actress.

“I know enough.” She flipped her dark hair over her right shoulder too. The curls bounced, black and silky and full of life.

She was everything Carlos had ever wanted and nothing he could possibly have. His big fists clenched, fists that had killed more than once. “You-”

The baby shrieked. The big man pivoted on his heel, dropping the baby gear in a pile by his feet, and rushed to the little woman’s side. The wife cooed.

This was a reminder of what happened when a man wanted something he didn’t deserve. The Boss had wanted the little woman too. But he was bad. The giant ugly man was good. Good always won out over bad. Always.

“The beauty at reception is a little spitfire, isn’t she?” Domi, the family’s permanent bodyguard, dropped his voice. “All that fire makes a man want to-”

“Touch her and you die.” Carlos put a hand on his gun. She was better than Domi. She was better than him. She was better than all of them.

“Hey, hey.” Domi stepped away, his hands raised. “Relax. I didn’t know she was yours.”

She was not his. Carlos looked over at the beauty. She would never be his. But, as she would never be Domi’s either, he stayed silent .

“Your rooms are ready.” She dangled the keys from her fingertips.

Carlos stepped forward to take them. Their skin touched, only for a moment but long enough to send a ripple of feeling up his arm. “Gracias.” The word was thick in his throat. He turned away, unable to think while looking at her. “I will do a sweep of the room,” he addressed Domi. “I will text you when it is clear.”

He fled the lobby, the woman’s floral scent teasing his nostrils.

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Read Part 3 January 20th.

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