"To spending the rest of our lives together," I repeated with a smile, taking another sip of my champagne as well. Jackson's smile faded slightly so I turned towards his hand on my cheek, kissing the center of his palm softly. I would catch Jackson looking melancholy every now and then, and he would admit that it was hard for him to get over us being apart for so long because of Claire's deceit. It was hard for Jackson to forget how happy we had been, and how that happiness had been destroyed by Claire's obsession with him. I would remind him that we couldn't change the past, that we had our whole future ahead of us, and it looked glorious.
Jackson's expression turned serious at my caress. He took my flute from my hand, putting it down on the table along with his. He drew me closer, his thigh wedged between mine and his arms wrapped around my waist.
"Promise me you'll never leave me," he whispered fiercely. I remembered my last promise to him, to never leave him as long as he never hurt me.
"I promise to never leave you." I cradled Jackson's head in my hands, kissing him softly, our lips clinging together. "It doesn't matter if you hurt me, if you make me angry or if you make me cry. I'm yours forever no matter what."
Jackson groaned, crushing me to him as he slanted his mouth fiercely over mine. I responded just as intensely, feeling desire course through me as his knee pressed against my softness and my thighs clung to his, wetness pooling in my center. I was wearing a skirt so the only barrier to my arousal was the thin cotton of my panties.
"I need you now," Jackson said harshly against my mouth, his hands already moving up underneath my blouse.
"Jackson!" I protested, looking behind me at the cockpit door that was closed. "We can't. What if they come back here?"
Jackson gently pushed me back onto the couch so that I was laying down, his eyes glittering with desire. "Don't worry sweetheart. They have strict instructions not to enter without permission."
I wanted to protest more, but I was lost once Jackson unbuttoned my blouse, pulling the cup of my bra down and latching his hot mouth onto my hard nipple, suckling hard. I tried to suppress my cry of pleasure, not wanting the pilot or the first officer to hear me.
"I need to hear you, baby. Don't hold anything back from me."
I couldn't deny Jackson anything, and when he slipped his hand underneath my skirt and fingered my wetness, I cried out wantonly.
"Always so wet for me," Jackson muttered, as his mouth moved down my body until his mouth joined his finger.
"Jackson, please!" I was circling my hips restlessly, pushing up against him as he relentlessly suckled my clit, two fingers slowly plunging in and out of me. I whimpered in need, my legs trembling as I felt the pressure mounting. I blinked when Jackson pulled away, looking up at him confused. When I saw him unbuttoning his pants, I automatically lifted my legs, my lower body convulsing with the need to have him inside of me.
"I can't wait, sweetheart," Jackson said through gritted teeth. "I need to be inside of you."
My back bowed in pleasure when Jackson rammed into me, crying out as ripples of pleasure shuddered through my body. Jackson made guttural noises as he withdrew his erection almost all the way, then slammed back into me. His hips pumped faster and faster, his breath harsh and his face tight with desire.
"C'mon, baby. Come for me, sweetheart."
Jackson's words tipped me over the edge and I cried out as my climax convulsed through me, rocking me with such pure pleasure that it was almost painful. Jackson swallowed my cries, kissing me fiercely as the last of my release left my body.
I caressed Jackson's cheek, damp with sweat, and gazed up at him, feeling so much love that it was almost frightening. "I love you, Jackson," I whispered. Jackson groaned at my words and I felt his erection jerking inside of me, spurting into me endlessly until Jackson finally collapsed on top of me.
I caressed his sweaty back, loving the feel of him still inside of me. Jackson raised his head, grinning at me. "How does it feel to join the mile-high club?"
I burst out laughing, shaking my head. "So much for words of love and romance." I sobered as an unwelcome thought invaded my happiness, but I pushed it aside.
"What's wrong?"
"I just..." I trailed off, not knowing how to finish the sentence. I told myself it didn't matter, but I took a deep breath and asked, "Are you an established member or is this your initiation?"
Jackson smiled, leaning down to kiss me softly. "Definitely my initiation. There's no room in my club for anyone except you and me."
I felt relieved by Jackson's answer. It was sometimes hard not to assume that he had led a crazy celebrity lifestyle while we had been apart, but I was learning that Jackson had led a pretty tame life.
I was grateful that Jackson hadn't popped off any buttons on my blouse, as he was apt to do during the heat of passion, and straightened my clothing. I dug into the food with relish, my appetite enhanced by our impassioned interlude.
Afterwards, I dozed off in Jackson's arms as we listened to music. When I woke up with a start, it was already dark and I sat up to stretch languidly. I turned around to see Jackson laying beside me on the sofa, but he was wide awake.
"How long have I been asleep?"
Jackson smiled, rubbing my thigh with his hand. "The champagne must have gotten to you. You've been asleep for two hours."
"Two hours!" I exclaimed. I then laughed ruefully. "I guess that's what happens when I drink three glasses of champagne in under an hour."
I peered out the window but I couldn't see anything except the blackness of night. "Where are we right now?"
A knock on the cockpit door prevented Jackson from answering. It was kind of funny that the pilot was knocking to enter instead of the other way around. My cheeks flamed when Jackson called out permission and the pilot stepped into the cabin. I wondered if he had heard my earlier cries of pleasure.
"Mr. Reynard, we'll be landing in LAX to refuel and restock in about an hour and then we'll be back up in the air. We're right on schedule and the weather looks clear for the rest of the flight."
"Thanks for the update. Let me know if anything changes."
The pilot nodded and stepped back into the cockpit, leaving Jackson and I alone.
"What does he mean we'll be refueling and restocking in LAX? That's our final destination." I was still fuzzy from the champagne and waking up, but I was sure I had heard the pilot correctly. Jackson grinned and I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.
"Where are we-" I abruptly stopped talking when I caught sight of my left hand. I had looked down at my hand because something felt odd, and that's when I saw it. My third finger on my left hand was now adorned with a ring. But it was unlike any ring I had ever seen. An enormous square-cut diamond was surrounded by smaller diamonds, the band made up of smaller diamonds as well. I wanted to squint, the glare of the diamonds twinkling on my finger so brilliant.