Falling for the Backup (Novella): The Assassins Series (3 page)

She didn’t care how slutty that made her sound either. She couldn’t remember the last time lust smacked into her this hard and she knew it meant something. She just wished that she could read him a little better.
 

“Are you traveling for work or pleasure to Nashville?” she asked when they were finished discussing how crappy the plane’s drink menu was. After the day and week she had, a nice hard girlie drink was in order. Jordan didn’t want a girlie drink, but he assured her he could kill a nice malt lager right now, but the airlines didn’t offer any of that. So they were stuck with the choice of crappy beer, wine and soft drinks.
 

Jordan looked up and smiled. It wasn’t a huge one because it didn’t reach his eyes, but it still sent butterflies swirling around in her stomach.
 

“I live there. What about you?”

“I live there too.”

He nodded, looking back down at his hands before asking, “Why do you live in Nashville when your family is in Buffalo?”

Aynslee shrugged her shoulders. It was the question everyone wanted to know.
 

“I am a teacher in Nashville, I went to school at UT in Knoxville on a scholarship and in return all I had to do was teach in Tennessee for five years.
 
It was a pretty sweet deal since most of my schooling was paid for.”

“That sounds like a great deal,” he said looking over at her.
 

She nodded.
 

“Yup, I had planned on moving home after those five years, but then I met this guy and ended up staying in Knoxville longer than I had planned. Then I moved to Nashville and haven’t left yet.”

 
“So you are with someone?”, he asked.

She shook her head, “Nope we broke up about a year ago, that’s why I came to Nashville.”

“Oh,” he said a grin tugging on the sides of his mouth. Jordan adjusted his neck pillow before asking, “Why didn’t you go home instead of moving to Nashville?”
 

“My family loved my ex, and was upset things went south. We both fell out of love, it was an easy break and I think my mom cried more than I did.”

He laughed .

“When my ex left me, I think my mom was the same way. She saw my ex as a walking baby machine, when really, Leanna had no desire for kids at all.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said.
 

“Yeah, so really it was probably for the best that she left.”

Aynslee nodded as her heart pounded out of control. He was basically saying he wanted kids, she wanted kids, they looked to be around the same age, and unless she was a complete idiot, she was sure there were sparks between them.

“Yeah. I’d think so.”

Jordan smiled at her and Aynslee wanted to lean towards him, touch her mouth to his, only for a second, just for a small taste but before she could even move or really think that through, the pilot came over the speaker informing everyone to buckle up for landing. Aynslee couldn’t believe it. It was almost time for them to part ways and she didn’t want that. She wanted to get lost in his body, she wanted to know him, she didn’t want to leave! Glancing over to see if he felt the same, or even looked as if he did, she watched as he buckled his seatbelt, looking to the front of the plane.
 

Surely she wasn’t an idiot. She was sure he was attracted to her, that he felt the earth shake when they looked into each other’s eyes. Was it all one sided?
 

Shit.
 

As the plane approached the runway, Aynslee tried to control her breathing not only from her nervousness of landing but from trying to get the courage to ask him for his number. Call her old fashioned but she always thought the guy should ask the girl but she knew she couldn’t leave that to him. He was too shy or something, and since he couldn’t look her in the eyes, she doubted he’d ask her out. How was she supposed to ask him though?
 

Hey, can I get your number?

Maybe we can get coffee?

Do you want to have hot dirty sex with me? Cause I want to have hot dirty sex with you.

Ack! Why was getting a man so freaking hard! She didn’t want to scare him away, but then again, she didn’t want to watch him walk away. After they had landed and the seatbelt sign dinged off
 
indicating passengers were free to move about the cabin, Aynslee got up to get her things. Jordan stood, watching her, and that gave her hope that maybe he would ask.
 

Sliding her bag on her shoulder, she smiled up at him before walking down the aisle. He followed behind her, and she hoped that he wasn’t staring at her butt. The coffee had soaked all the way through, and she was certain she had a big brown spot on her butt that matched the front of her dress. As she stepped down from the plane into the terminal, Jordan came walking up beside her.
 

“That dress is ruined.”

Aynslee nodded as she looked down at her stained pink dress.
 

“Yup, no big deal though, it was ugly anyway.”

Jordan smiled, “I thought it was nice.”

Aynslee was sure he was kidding her, so she glanced up at him to see his expression but instead caught him looking down at her chest and for once she thanked the heavens for her busty breast size. Her mom always said, “For such a little girl, you have some huge knockers, they are from my side of the family, you know.” He must have realized she saw him looking because his face flushed as he glanced away.
 

“Thanks.”

Once again facing Aynslee he informed her, “The back is ruined too, do you want me to walk behind you until we get outside?”

She laughed and rolled her eyes.
 

“I’m pretty sure that is a ploy only to check out my ass.”

His laugh startled her, but in a good way.
 

“I would never do such a thing,” he managed to say.
 

“Sure, you wouldn’t,” she teased as they walked towards the baggage claim. She didn’t have any bags to pick up, but figured she’d walk with him to lengthen their time together with the hope that he’d still ask her out.
 

He shot her a mischievous grin, his eyes bright as he held her gaze. It was the first time she actually thought he was being unguarded in the short time she had been around him.
 

Moving closer to her he said, “Okay, maybe you’re right.”

“I know I am,” she teased, as his scent swirled around her. He smelled so good, it made her toes curl and also made her want to nuzzle his neck and stay there for days.
 

His grin grew as he continued, “But I was also trying to hide the fact that you have a brown spot on the back of your dress. I still feel horrible about that.”

She waved him off as she said, “Don’t be. It’s okay, I am trashing this dress first chance I get.”

Aynslee looked away, smiling as her confidence returned. There was no way he wasn’t going to ask for her number. He was totally into her.
 

Reaching the baggage claim, they both stood there as they watched the other passengers gather their luggage. As the carousel went around again, she was certain that had to be the fifth time it circled as she had been admiring a gorgeous Gucci roll-on, Jordan looked over at her.
 

“Do you not see your bag?”

She glanced up at him and shook her head.
 

“Remember, my bag was lifted by my crazy aunt.”

He laughed, “That’s right.”

“Do you see your bag?”

“I have mine,” he said tapping the side of his bag.
 

“So we stood here for 15 minutes for nothing?”

Jordan smiled, “I think we did.”

They both laughed as they headed towards the exit door. When the chill of the February air hit Aynslee in the face, she rushed to pull her sweater out of her laptop bag. It was a bulky yellow sweater which looked lovely over her hideous pink dress but there was nothing she could do about that.
 
It was all she had.

“Wow, nice sweater,” Jordan said, trying to hold back his amusement.
 

“Thanks,” she sighed as she adjusted her laptop bag upon her shoulder. Thank God, she’d had this sweater to keep her warm. “My aunt seemed to like my jacket too.”

“Sheesh, you should watch out for those klepto aunts.”

Aynslee nodded as she giggled, “I know right?!”

“There is my ride,” Jordan said as he turned back her way, “Do you have a ride home?”

Oh, how she wished she didn’t. She could always say no, and then take a taxi back. But that could be costly, and she didn’t have the money to waste.
 

Shit.
 

“Yeah, my car is parked in long term.”

Aynslee swore he looked disappointed as he looked away from the sleek black town car that apparently was waiting for him. It looked like an expensive car and as she watched his profile, she tried to place him. Nashville was full of famous people but she didn’t recognize him. Maybe he was a business man, maybe she should have found all this out before planning to sleep with him. That would have been smart. He could be a male porn star for all she knew!

With a small kind smile, Jordan readjusted the duffle’s strap on his shoulder. His eyes held hers as the air crackled around them. She knew the words she had been waiting to hear since the moment she sat down on the plane were now about to be spoken, male porn star or not this man was too gorgeous and sweet to pass up.

“Well it has been a pleasure meeting you,” he said in a low rough voice, making it extremely hard for Aynslee not to swoon. Okay, who was she kidding, she did swoon and by the way his grin grew, she figured he knew it too.
 

With her face turning bright red, she said, “Great to meet you as well, that was probably the best plane ride home ever, coffee and all.”

Aynslee expected him to laugh but instead, Jordan bit into his lip as he looked back at the car that was waiting for him. A driver got out and waved as he opened the back door for him. Jordan held up one finger before turning back to Aynslee. He looked down at her once again, and she could see the lust swirling in the depths of his enticing eyes. Aynslee smiled, moving closer to him, why, she didn’t know, but something was pulling her to him and she’d be damned if she was going to fight it. She watched as his hand came up, and swore it was going to rest on her face before he smothered her in kisses, but instead he readjusted his bag once again before moving away and muttered, “Alright, well, see you around.”

Aynslee was stunned as she watched him hurry to the car, quickly disappearing inside. She then watched as the driver got in and pulled away from the curb, still not able to catch her breath or move for that matter. Unexpected tears rushed to her eyes as she watched the car drive away.
 

He was gone.

Chapter 3

“He just drove away?”

Aynslee nodded as she leaned against the counter in the teachers’ lounge of New Life Christian school. Her friend and colleague Sadie Wallace looked just as confused and shocked as Aynslee had felt when she’d watched Jordan ride away. It still didn’t make sense! In her head, he’d asked for her number, they’d chatted for another second or so, and then she was flat on her back in that town car.
 
It would have been a long and satisfying trip home.
 
For both of them.
 
Aynslee would have seen to that.

Looking up at Sadie, Aynslee shook her head. Sadie had been married four years to her sweet nerdy husband Phil, and was pregnant with their first child.
 

Stupefied, Aynslee said, “Yes, with nothing but a see you later! I swore, Sadie, that we had chemistry, I could feel it in my bones and I really thought he was into me!”

Sadie nodded
 
her head in agreement.

“Well of course he was, you’re hot as hell Ayns, but it doesn’t make sense. Do you think he’s like a weirdo or something? That’s why? Or maybe he is gay!”

 
“That man was not gay, I know a gay man when I see one and let me tell you this man had sex written all over him. Hot, lusty, yummy, female on male sex and God, did I want him.”

Sadie giggled a little as she rolled her eyes.
 

“Okay, well then I have no clue,” she said chewing on her lip as she thought.
 

“I really thought he could be
 
the one. I felt the sparks when he looked at me, Sadie. I couldn’t believe when he walked away.”

Sadie smiled as she asked, “Are you sure it wasn’t just lust?”

Aynslee shook her head.

“No, there was lust and want too, believe me, my dress wasn’t the only thing that was wet, but seriously it was more than that .
 
At least I thought it was.
 
And now I will probably never see him again,” she sighed.

Sadie reached out, taking Aynslee’s hand, squeezing it the way she did with her third grade students.
 

“If it is meant to be y’all will find each other,” Sadie said in a reassuring way and then she smiled, “Have you tried to Google him?”

Aynslee’s nose scrunched up as she asked, “Google him?”

“Yeah, find him online. He has to be on
 
Facebook or even onTwitter. That way you can contact him.”

“That’s creepy. I’d be like a stalker or something.”

Sadie laughed, “No you won’t, you know his last name, right?”

Aynslee nodded.

“Yeah, Jordan Ryan.”

 
“Interesting . ., .I swear I know that name,” Sadie said as she pulled out her phone and entered his name. Aynslee watched as she typed and when she added Nashville, all of a sudden the word
Assassins
came up beside it. “I knew it!”
 

Aynslee looked up at her, confused.
 

“What? Knew what? What is Assassins?”

Sadie touched his name and soon his picture along with other information was on her phone. Aynslee had no idea what any of it meant, but Jordan’s beautiful face was looking back at hers. His hair was falling in his bright eyes, while his face was covered in the sexy dark scruff that made Aynslee’s knees weak.