In Flight
 

Toni followed Travis through the airport after cancelling her flight. Tee and Kyle emerged from a shop with snacks and books.

“We’ve picked up a passenger,” Travis informed Kyle and Tee.

“You’re going with us, that’s cool,” Tee smiled, he liked Toni Roberts.

“This all your luggage?” Kyle asked and picked it up and carried it out onto the tarmac.

Toni climbed the steps onto the plane trying not to think about what she was doing but it was only a plane she thought moving through the seats.

“All the way to the back,” Travis informed her and she walked back to a separate area that was used for sleeping. “Now isn’t this better than flying coach.” Travis grinned and dumped his carryon bag on the floor.

“Travis is this yours?”

“No, I lease it but I’ve probably paid for most of it if you count the number of trips I’ve made. Take a seat honey and buckle up. We’re going to stop in Sydney and pick up a couple of legal eagles.” Travis buckled his seat belt; he hadn’t been looking forward to this long flight but things had changed suddenly. He glanced over at Toni seated beside him and squeezed her hand, “no worries.”

“Right,” Toni looked out of the little window as the plane began to move. She thought she’d cut Travis out of her life but here he was again and here she was being swept along again. He had that effect on her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the seat as the plane gained altitude. The thing about Travis was he just took care of things, took them out of her hands…no worries. Of course she could have told him no in the airport and got on her flight…why hadn’t she? She blinked her eyes and looked down at the clouds; because she wanted to be taken care of…no worries. Travis would never have left her to find her own way to the airport and struggle with her bag down the stairs…no worries.

Travis unbuckled his belt and walked up the aisle to speak to Kyle. Toni unbuckled hers and got out of her seat moving back to the two narrow bunks and picked up her handbag, she pulled out a book and settled on one of the bunks. She looked up as Travis came back kicked off his shoes and settled on the other bunk.

“I don’t know if you had reservations in LA or not for the night but I had Kyle take care of that for you. I’ve got a block of rooms in a hotel, one of them is yours.”

“I…I didn’t I was just going to find a room near the airport with a shuttle. Thanks Travis.”

He tilted his head and smiled, “Now you’ve got somebody to have dinner with.”

Toni smiled back “Yes…I do.”

The lights were dimmed over the plane and Kyle, Tee and the two men they’d picked up in Sydney had their wide comfortable seats laid back for the night. The steward checked with Travis to see if anything else was needed and he pulled the door to the back cabin closed.

Toni had her blanket and pillow but whether she’d sleep was beyond her. Travis was just a few feet away still reading his book. She tossed around a little feeling the electricity in the cabin.

“is this light bothering you Toni?”

“No.”

“Something else bothering you?”

“Yes.”

“Can I make it better?”

“I was through with you Travis, I thought it all out and made my decision so why am I here with you?”

“I’d like to think it’s because I’m just irresistible and you couldn’t say no. It’s not working out like you thought it would is it?”

“No and I’m beginning to think we’ll never get back to where we were.”

“You can’t go back, you can’t ever go back Toni. You’ve got to accept what you’ve got and live with it or move on. I think you’re afraid to take that step afraid to move.”

“I think you may be right.”

“I’m still here Toni if you need some help making that step but I’ll tell you this, I’m not going to put myself through what I went through the last time you were trying to make up your mind. You and I are friends but there’s a lot more on my side than just friendship I think you know that. Don’t play with me Toni.”

“No…no Travis I won’t…I’m sorry, “ Toni turned her wet eyes to the wall.

Travis slid off his bunk on his knees beside hers and turned her face back to him, “I can make it all go away Toni you just have to let me know where I stand.” He closed the few inches between his face and hers and kissed her. He pulled away looked into her eyes and saw what he wanted to see and kissed her again running his hands over her soft knit clothing. Toni very aware of what was happening didn’t stop him she was too far gone and she wanted him.