What The Heart Wants

Forbidden Attractions

Jake Carter

Airport, LA

March 12, 2002

I leaned against the company jet with the phone to my ear as I watched the flight attendants lift my luggage onboard.

"Listen Kimberly, if there is any problem at all, do not hesitate to call me. I mean it"

"I won't, you worry too much. Have fun and try to get laid."

I rubbed my face with my hand; she wasn't taking this seriously. I have been developing this company since I came out of university. This was a new branch that my dad had trusted to me, it was my baby.

Without warning, the phone to my ear was taken out of my hand.

"None of this," Jason lectured as he waved my phone in his hand "you need to learn to relax and let go. This company cannot be your whole life. I'm going to put this away for the week." He said as he pocketed it.

My anxiety level rose steadily. "Give it to me." I opened my palm for my cell phone. Instead of what I was expecting, Jason placed a brochure in my hand.

"What the f**k am I suppose to do with this?!" I fumed.

"Read it." He smiled innocently. Before I could rip his head into two, I noticed that we were not alone anymore. Sara and Elizabeth had finally arrived and their luggages were already on the jet. I took a few deep breaths and calmed myself. I would deal with Jason later.

"Hi Jake, nice to see you again" Sara smiled as Jason pulled her behind him into the plane.

I smiled at her politely and nodded my head.

Elizabeth's attention was somewhere else. She stared at the jet in awe and appreciation. Unlike Sara, who was wearing a sundress with heels and who had fixed her hair elegantly, Elizabeth's hair was in a messy bun and she wore a baggy sweater with jeans and sneakers. I wasn't use to seeing women dress so casually when they were going out or going on vacation, but it fits her. It was surprisingly a turn on.

"Impressive, huh?" I smiled at her gesturing towards the jet.

"What?" Her eyes widen with surprise and astonishment; such look of innocence made something inside me want to reach out and grab hold of her. "Yeah, it's nice. Is it your companies?"

"Yeah, one of the first models we ever made. I actually helped design it."

"Okay" she said simply. I noticed the roll of her eyes and the expression of her face as if she was not impressed.

"Is it your first time flying?" I asked, trying to read her thoughts and create conversation.

"In a private jet? yeah. Not everyone have the luxury of their own plane."

I looked down at her face. I couldn't tell if she was joking or if she was seriously upset. Her face was emotionless. Her lips were pursed and her hands were in her pockets. Before I could reply, she walked towards the plane and up the ladder.

I was beginning to think getting along with this girl was going to be harder than I originally thought possible.

Elizabeth

CarTel Jet, in the air

March 12, 2002

The conversation kept on running through my head. The way his smile made me heart flutter as if I was a 12 years old girl finding love for the first time. How between my legs begged for attention and how my skin heated up from the sound of his voice. I hated it.

I hated how my body reacted to his. I hated how I wished he could give me what I've been missing for all these years.

I was truly impressed with how he helped design his company's jet. It was indeed impressive. But for some reason, I couldn't let him know how impressed I was. I didn't want him to think that I was easily impressed with anything that came out of his tempting mouth.

I had to regain my equilibrium. I stated something that would make him think twice about having a conversation with me again, and hurried away from him before I collapsed with desire.

I never thought it would be so hard to avoid him. I guess all my pint up s****l frustration found something to react to. I've only been sexually active once throughout my life so I didn't understand where the s****l need was coming from.

Sara and Jason cuddled in a corner away from Jake and I. It was late at night and I had a long day of work at the bank. I leaned back into the leather chair and rest my head on the head rest and closed my eyes.

From the minute the jet took off, Jake had been looking out the window and tapping the armchair. For someone who sure acted as if they flew all over the world, he looked nervous and anxious. Nevertheless, he was gorgeous.

I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. I will take a quick nap before we landed, I decided.

Less than ten minutes later, Sara woke me from my sleep. "Wake up sleepy head" she laughed. "We have arrived!" she exclaimed.

I tried to open my eyes but they couldn't open. I slid off the chair and unto the jet floor and told myself repeatedly to get up. My limps felt weak, heavy, and out of my control. "Give me a minute" I mumbled with my eyes closed.

"Not this week, Lizzy! No more sleeping and laziness" Sara begged.

"Without sleep we are unable to function. I'm still in the first stage of my REM cycle; I just need a few minutes." I defended.

"All the luggages are packed in the limo waiting for everyone outside." A flight attendant informed us.

"Thank you, Tim" I heard Jason's voice address him.

I lift my head from the chair seat and looked around as everyone was gathering their belongings. I forgot Palm Springs was just a few minutes' drive away from LA. Why didn't we just take a vehicle here, I don't know.

Rich people just love to be extra, I sighed.

I helped myself up from the floor and grabbed what belonged to me and exited the Jet. It was such a smooth ride, I didn't feel a thing. We thanked the crew members and walked to the waiting limo. The night air was chilly and it had a misty smell. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, welcoming the oxygen into my lungs.

When we all got into the limo, we took off towards the hotel.

"What do you say to having a late night dinner?" Jason asked Sara as he stared into her eyes passionately. I smiled at how they cared for each other.

"Lizzy?" Sara asked, looking over at me with waiting eyes. I didn't feel like eating out tonight. I just wanted to get to the hotel room and sleep, but Jason's gaze told me differently.

"Yeah, that sounds great." I lied. Jason's answering smile told me I chose the right thing.

---

"Will that be all?" The waiter asked after we made our orders.

"Yes, thank you" Jake dismissed politely.

The hotel was absolutely beautiful. It was somewhere I always wished my significant other would carry me to; where we would go to escape the world and its problems. But this was a long time ago, before I realized no one would actually do such things for anyone; except Jason of course. And again, it was because of Sara that I am able to experience such things.

I looked across the table at her as she winked at me. She gestured towards Jake who was looking through his phone and I shook my head. He seemed much more relaxed now than he was on the plane. Sara continued to urge me to create a conversation with him; she even began to nudge my leg. I sighed and turned to him.

"How's business?" I asked abstractly. Men like Jake loved to talk about themselves and their accomplishments. With this, all I had to do was ask him about himself and he would take the conversation from there.

"Improving," he smiled. "How's your career?" He asked.

Completely thrown off, I suddenly became uncomfortable. I haven't talked about myself to anyone in years. "Fine" I replied as I concentrated on the napkin in my lap.

"Just fine? That can't be good." He responded, still going through his phone.

"And why not?" my voice suddenly became defensive and my arms folded across my chest. What does he know about my life?

"You should love what you do, not just go through the motions" he explained.

"Thanks for your advice but I didn't ask for it" I informed him calmly.

His expression hardened and I suddenly felt as if I have over stepped a boundary. I don't even know this guy but yet I felt as if I had to monitor what I had to say? No. I was not going to be scared to speak my mind anymore. I promised myself that a long ago. I was not going to let anyone walk all over me again and then disregard me however they pleased.

I held his intimating stare even though I wanted to look away so badly. When the foods' delivery broke the stare, I was grateful. I turned my head and held my head high.

We ate dinner in moderate silence. Sara and Jason fed each other throughout the whole dinner and Jake and I remained quiet. That was fine with me.

When dinner was finished, Jake paid the bill and we began to walk back to the hotel. Jake and I walked alone while Sara and Jason made their way slowly, hand in hand in front of us.

"Beautiful night..." I mumbled to kill the awkward silence.

"I've seen better." he replied. The irritation from dinner arose once more. I looked up into his handsome face, wanting to do two things; kiss him and slap him. With the first one out of the question, the second one became really tempting.

As we made our way down the path, I continued to glance up at him, not watching where I was going. Without warning, my toe hit a rock and I began to tumble forward. Before I could hit the hard concert pavement, I felt steady hands hold onto me.

Embarrassment and gratitude spread through me at the same time. I looked up into his intense blue eyes and my breathing stopped. My skin burned from the proximity and from the situation.

"Be careful," he whispered as he looked into my eyes.

When he set me back onto my feet, I straighten myself and told my yearning needs to claim the hell down. This week was going to be harder than I thought possible.