A Degree of C Ch. 01

This is my first post on the site. A list of recommended Lit writers led me to the Interracial Love category. After reading great stories, I decided to write one of my own. I hope you enjoy it, as it is one of the first stories I have written in years. I encourage your feedback and ratings, they are greatly appreciated and will be used to guide my writing in the future. -LSEiland

B3 ... B6 ... B9 ... Just three more gates to go. Elise silently encouraged herself to keep speed-walking as fast as she could, just as she approached her gate, B12. She exhaled noisily as she stopped and handed her boarding pass to the gate agent.

A weak smile was the greeting she received as the woman grabbed the boarding pass and scanned it quickly. Elise could not help but acknowledge the hint of annoyance her arrival seemed to have caused.

Please do not let me be the last one boarding this flight.

"Ah, yes. You're the last one to arrive. Enjoy your flight, Ms. Brewster," the gate agent said, somewhat sympathetically, as she handed the boarding pass back to Elise.

Great! Managing a quick smile, she thanked the woman and made her way down the ramp toward the plane.

Slight sarcasm from the flight attendant who welcomed her onboard and applause from a few First Class passengers, had Elise feeling uneasy as she made her way down the aisle. She could not reach seat 18F fast enough. Her carry-on bag was hurriedly stuffed into an overhead bin before she scooted past the two travelers sharing her row. She was grateful that she could relax in her window seat for the next two hours- and that she did not miss her flight.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Listening to the pre-flight safety demonstration was the last thing Elise remembered as she awoke from an impromptu nap. Suddenly hungry, she peered over the seat in front of her, hoping the flight attendants had not made their rounds yet. The aisle was empty and the people in front of her had empty cups and wrappers.

Dammit! She desperately wanted something to munch on.

As if on cue, Elise's stomach growled loudly. It was embarrassingly loud. Her instinct was to recoil and sink into her seat, eyes focused on the clouds whizzing by. She was lost in thought when she heard a chuckle. It seemed that Elise had caught the attention of the person occupying the middle seat in her row. She initially refused to acknowledge this person, until a few harmless chuckles turned to outright laughter. The deep laughter informed Elise that the seat's occupant was a man. Her mood shifted from embarrassment to annoyance as she turned to confront him.

Being greeted with green eyes and sun-kissed blonde hair is not what Elise was expecting. Not to mention that his smile alone rendered her speechless. The only thing Elise could think of doing, besides staring at this man whose grin had only begun to grow wider, was to face the window again. She just wished she had not turned so abruptly.

How did I not notice a man that hot was sitting next to me?

Elise replayed herself walking up the aisle, stowing her bag, and settling into her seat. It quickly dawned on her that she had not noticed her very attractive seatmate because she was in such a hurry to blend in. She did not want to be the young woman who possibly held up the plane.

I wonder if he's a model. We are headed to New York, after all.

How quickly her thoughts shifted from her discomfort back to him. Elise was sure that contemplating why his presence had been unnoticed, and what he did for a living, was taking up too much time. He was probably waiting for her to acknowledge him again... or at least she admittedly hoped he was.

I want to look into his eyes again.

This time, Elise assured herself, she would form words. Before she tore herself away from the clouds that had become a very comforting part of her flight, Elise adjusted in her seat. No longer was she leaning against the armrest on her right. She sat up straight and faced forward. Taking an inconspicuously deep breath, she slowly turned toward him. They regained eye contact as she pushed strands of curls behind her right ear. Elise furrowed her brow instinctively because he was already leaning toward her, seemingly eager to speak. She wasn't expecting that.

"Hi," Elise said shyly.

"I'm sorry." He offered an apology instead of a follow up to her greeting.

Confused, Elise muttered a drawn out, "Okay."

"...For finding your stomach growl funny," he said sounding guilty.

Oh, that! She frowned as she remembered that moment.

He flashed a comforting smile before he continued. "You're obviously hungry. It's just..." His voice trailed off, like he was carefully searching for the right words. "You practically ran down the aisle. I watched you hurl your suitcase into the bin, then brush past me. Everything you've done on this flight has been at warp speed, including falling asleep before we finished taxiing the runway." Another smile touched the corners of his lips, but this one was different. He seemed to have gotten some sort of pleasure from his recollection. No, she couldn't be reading him right.

"I'm Ben." He told her his name while holding out his right hand for her to shake.

Elise's eyes darted to his proffered hand as she engaged in a tug of war with her subconscious. He wants me to touch him. Her initial thought was rebuked immediately. No, he just wants you to shake his hand. That's completely innocent- like a business transaction. She ignored this chastising, shook any irrational thoughts from her mind, and offered her right hand as she replied with her name. This gesture was indeed innocent, but did not feel that way.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ben had to think quickly... She captured his attention when she barreled down the aisle toward the only empty seat on the plane. The one left vacant on his right side. He had hoped the person it was assigned to would be a no-show. Naturally, he wanted to claim the window seat for himself. The applause Ben heard up ahead let him know his wish was not going to be granted today. He let out a heavy sigh, openly voicing his disappointment.

Ben could see the person's figure walking rapidly down the aisle out of the corner of his eye. He heard what sounded like a woman tossing her luggage into the container above his head. Ben was about to get his first full look at her when she brushed past him, bumping his knees. This prompted him to question her behavior. It was obvious that walking past that many prying eyes had made her nervous. Sure she was the last person to board, but there was still a decent amount of time before flight #5957 to New York (LGA) was scheduled to leave. He looked at his watch to confirm this thought. She was cutting it close, but he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

Ben wanted to sit in the seat she now claimed. Ironically, the middle seat gave him the opportunity to check her out on the sly. Evading detection required short glances. During his first glance, he learned that she was a petite black woman. Her curly black hair rested just beneath her chin. Remembering the path she took in front of him, he gauged that she couldn't be more than five foot three inches tall. She had the prettiest light skin. It reminded him of the soft caramel squares his grandmother got him hooked on when he was a child. Still carrying some with him at all times, he grabbed a piece out of the messenger bag he had yet to stow on the floor in front of him. Ben smiled as he glanced at the candy he held in his hand, then back to her. Her skin definitely resembled his favorite shade of brown. Her exposed shoulders had begun to taunt him. Wayward thoughts had him wondering if her skin tasted just as sweet. He wanted to lovingly lick his way down to her- What? He popped the candy into his mouth and looked away, an attempt to reign in his stray musings.

Ben's third glance alerted him that she probably had no idea what was going on anywhere but outside the plane. Her eyes had not made contact with anything, or anyone, since she secured her black leather purse under the seat in front of her and buckled herself in. The plane was just pulling back from the gate. Ben pretended to look out the window, but was really getting as many glimpses of her as he could without getting caught. Her profile was gorgeous. Her nose was small with the cutest curve at the bottom. Her lips were full and naturally pouty. He found himself wanting to kiss- Really, Ben? Since when are you attracted to black women?

Ben took his last thought into consideration. He was pretty certain he wanted to get to know her as much as possible before their flight ended. As for dating black women, he had never done that before. In his twenty-eight years, she was the first woman who wasn't tall and blonde that he had ever found attractive. This woman's skin color, full lips, and curly black hair made him rethink everything he knew about beauty.

The plane began taxiing down the runway when Ben decided on an ice breaker. Not being able to see her eye color or hear her voice was driving him crazy. He had never been intrigued by a woman this much in his life.

Back off Ben, you're probably not her type.

Ignoring his own advice, he was about to make small talk with her when he heard what sounded like light snoring. Normally, snoring on a plane was a big no-no, but to the man who was infatuated with this mystery woman, it was simply cute.

A smile touched Ben's eyes every time he snuck a peek at her. He had to admit feeling like a stalker, but he couldn't help himself. The way she was treated upon boarding made him feel slightly protective over her. When she awoke, he would make sure she was okay.

What brings her to New York? Does she have a boyfriend?

He slowly rubbed a hand down his face when his questions started to get away from him again. He didn't just want to know personal things about the lady in seat 18F- he needed to.

- - - - - - - - - -

Ben was brought back to the present when Elise finished introducing herself and wiggled her fingers, a signal for him to release her hand from his grasp.

Shit. Please don't let her think I'm a weirdo. Ben hoped his lingering handshake had not frightened Elise.

That was weird. Their handshake surprised Elise. Not because it lasted longer than the normal greeting, but because she felt something she had never felt before. An instant magnetism, coupled with budding desire, swept through her. Visions of his olive-toned skin against hers made her tingle. She responded by shifting in her seat and crossing her legs tightly.

Getting this aroused by someone she just met was new for Elise. She had crossed paths with other cute guys, but this one was different. First off, Ben was far from cute. His piercing green eyes were gorgeous. They led to a straight nose, thin lips, and a square jaw adorned with light stubble. The stubble matched his dark blonde hair, which was slicked back perfectly. His features were complimented by what she guessed was an effortless sense of style. Elise had taken note of his white graphic tee, gray hoodie, and black jeans during their handshake. The look screamed casual, but she knew better than to assume he just rolled out of bed and threw that on.

"Did I miss in-flight service?" She said when her mind cleared.

Ben was about to make his second attempt at "breaking the ice" when he was happily reunited with her sexy voice.

"You slept through it. There was a brief debate about waking you up."

"Brief, huh?" Elise had begun to silently curse the flight attendants when Ben started talking again.

"It was brief because I put the kibosh on it." He sighed before continuing, "You looked so peaceful."

Elise looked over at him. He looked sincere, but she couldn't help her fleeting thought. How dare he put the kibosh on my Biscoff cookies?

Able to laugh at her initial dismay, Elise admitted, "I fly this particular airline for the Biscoff cookies."

He immediately smirked at her; she countered with one of her own.

"They're a decent reward for putting up with the hassle that flying can be sometimes."

Ben nodded in agreement. "Actually, I still have mine," he said, looking away from her.

She looked hopeful; he looked torn.

"I save them each time I fly this airline." He hesitated for a minute. "She really likes them..." he said, as if conflicted by something unsaid.

She? Elise was tempted to ask who she was. She remained silent, willing him to elaborate.

He changed the subject instead. "Do you live in New York or are you visiting someone...special?" His tone revealed some kind of internal struggle regarding that second "S" word: "special."

Adopting a "two can play that game" attitude, she vaguely answered the question that she hoped was causing him a little anxiety. "I live in Chicago and yes, someone special is waiting for me in New York." That second part was technically true, so she wasn't lying- just omitting crucial facts. She assured herself it wasn't a big deal because he practically insinuated that he had a girlfriend.

Ben felt like the wind was knocked out of him. There was no question that this beautiful woman would belong to someone. This guy, whoever he was, was a lucky bastard. Ben couldn't keep his eyes off her bright brown eyes, or others parts of her body, for that matter. He struggled with concealing his growing erection after sneaking another peek at her full breasts. There was no doubt in his mind that she should be his.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ben had not continued his conversation with Elise after she answered his last question. This startled her. Suddenly curious about the person sitting at the end of their row, she leaned forward to get a good look at the passenger on her far left. An old man met her gaze. They traded smiles as she leaned back in her seat. Something about this movement gave her a chill. Elise rubbed her arms and rolled her eyes at herself for wearing a teal spaghetti strap sundress in the air conditioned cabin. Forgetting her cardigan was also a rookie move.

Her discomfort did not last long. Warm fabric was being draped over Elise's shoulders when she and Ben locked eyes again. They never broke eye contact as he smoothed his gray hoodie over the left side of her body. The chemistry between them bordered on sexual tension as Ben focused on Elise's right side. He was now dangerously close to her face. In response, she sucked in a breath and her nipples began to harden and strain against the thin fabric of her dress.

Ben suddenly dropped out of Elise's line of vision. She winced, as if his retreat severed their connection. She had turned to thank him when his lips came crashing down on hers. She stilled before returning his tender kiss. The smoldering look he gave her when their lips parted sent sensual shockwaves through her body.

"I'm a lot warmer now, thank you," was the only coherent thing Elise could say to Ben.

Ben laughed out his response, "I hope so." He would be lying if he said that kiss had not affected him in any way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They chatted nonstop until the plane landed at LaGuardia Airport. They had learned a few basic things, which made each of them more enamored with the other. Ben, a native New Yorker, now called Chicago home. Elise was visiting the Big Apple for the first time. While she nursed sick animals back to health as a veterinary technician, he was a trader, the complete opposite of the model she initially assumed he might be.

Elise also learned that Ben would be in town from that day, Thursday, to the following Monday. She would return home Sunday afternoon.

"You should let me play tour guide while you're in town. I guarantee you, no one knows this city like I do," Ben said matter-of-factly.

Elise shot back a skeptical glance. "I'm meeting someone who knows it like the back of their hand. So, I'll be fine."

She regretted those words the minute they came out of her mouth. She wanted Ben to be a part of her life, yet felt the need to keep him at a distance. She wondered why until she recalled the wild morning she had before arriving at the airport. The drama that had consumed her life until she walked through O'Hare Airport's sliding glass doors was enough to deter her from getting close to anyone. That included a man as handsome, downright sexy, and shockingly sweet as she found him to be. Yep, she had just decided to keep him at bay.

Ben interrupted her thoughts when he got up to retrieve his carry-on luggage. They were two of a handful of passengers still lingering on the plane. Elise joined him under the bin that also held her bag. He smirked as he took in their height difference. He was nearly a foot taller than her, which surprisingly excited him. They made their way off the plane after Ben, ever the gentleman, pulled her trendy purple luggage from the bin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ben was batting a zero when it came to getting Elise's number. He didn't want to pressure her, but leaving the airport without a way to contact her didn't sit well with him. They had not exchanged surnames, so Googling her name was out of the question.

"At least let me give you my number," Ben pleaded as he stood, facing her, in the terminal. So much for playing it cool, he thought.

A negative nod was all Elise could give him at the moment. She knew she would cave if she opened her mouth. Elise expected Ben to ask again, but he conceded, said goodbye, and walked away. Still wearing his hoodie, she called after him.

"Keep it. It's hot outside, but you can't avoid air conditioning indoors." Ben stopped in his tracks and faced her, taking in her beautiful face and hourglass figure for what he hoped was not the last time. "If I can't hang out with you this weekend, at least I can keep you warm." With that, he backed away slowly before turning around and making his way to the baggage carousel.