Ding.
"Attention ladies and gentlemen, the captain has turned off the seat belt sign and if you should feel the need to move about the cabin you may do so at this time. We do however, encourage you to keep the safety belt fastened while in your seats. Thank you." The voice over the PA was full of authority and just a bit sultry, as the best flight attendants were. The voice belonged to a beautiful woman with long blond hair, pulled back in a pony tale that cascaded down her back. The blue airline uniform she wore supplied the authority, but the way she filled it out was all sultry.
I'd made eye contact with her twice so far, once when we boarded the plane, the passengers filing in like geese or cattle would be herded, and once during the pre-flight spiel about how I was supposed to kiss my ass goodbye in the unlikely event of a water landing. On an outbound flight from St. Louis to Kansas City, a water landing was pretty fucking unlikely.
Now she made eye contact for the third time, leaning in close to me as she asked "Is there anything I can get for you, sir?" And the authority was gone—just the sultry remained.
"I can think of any number of things." She smiled appreciatively at that, and it wasn't the "I get this twenty times a day, back off" smile. There was genuine warmth to it. Even a little heat as a blush rose in her features. I couldn't help but notice her red lipstick matched the pin striping on her tight uniform.
The game was a go. It was a risky line to open with—it sounded like something out of one of my own trashy romance novels—but with sales of over 30 books, the last fourteen of them best sellers, I figured I knew a thing or two about what women were looking for. This woman was definitely looking.
"Perhaps after I finish with the beverage service I can find something to appease you." She said, and hurried away. I glanced at my watch. Take off from St. Louie was a scant seven minutes ago, but it was only a 45 minute flight anyway. Touchdown at KCI was going to come far too soon. The beverage service lasted longer than I wanted, but fortunately these small commuter flights never held many passengers, and this one was less than half full as it was.
She gave me a look as she passed headed for the aft part of the cabin. I waited a moment; then got up to follow, ostensibly to give my legs a needed stretch. She was in the cubby that served as a galley, and pointed discreetly toward the bathroom as I walked by.
I entered the—well, the word bathroom doesn't really describe airline commodes, does it? I mean, there is no room, and certainly no bath. I stood facing the plastic toilet wondering just how the logistics of this encounter were going to work when she slid in behind me, closed and locked the door.
I smiled at her—Amber, according to the name tag pinned just above her left breast—and was afforded one back. She had a brilliant smile that lit the small enclosure. "I'm sure you get this all the time, Mr. Bishop, but I loved your last novel."