****** This is copyrighted work by Author Cambria Hebert*****
Sneak Peak at TEMPT by Cambria Hebert
As I approached the gate, I couldn’t help but be distracted by a man leaning against one
of the nearby walls. He was reading a newspaper, holding it up in front of his face so all I could
see were the two long-fingered hands holding the paper and his body from the waist down.
He wore a pair of beat-up jeans, really beat up. Like, with holes and hanging strings. The
denim was faded in some spots and the fabric seemed thin and likely soft to the touch. His T-
shirt looked as well-worn as his jeans, except it didn’t have any holes in it. All I could see of it
was gray and just the front hem was tucked into his waistband, exposing a tan leather belt.
The way he leaned against the wall, kind of slouching with one foot out farther than the
other, drew attention to his shoes. The boots were the same color as his belt and they appeared
sturdy and not nearly as used as his clothes.
I couldn’t tell you why I was so drawn to him. That was all I could see. He just looked
like some regular (albeit lazy) guy waiting around for his plane to arrive. Although, he was
reading the New York Times, which made me snort. He didn’t really look like the kind of guy
that would stand around reading that paper.
I snorted to myself again. He probably had a Penthouse just inside the paper and was
really reading that.
My gate was off to my right and I turned, eyeing the counter and noting that there weren’t
as many people in this section of the airport as the other parts I’d just walked through. The
woman behind the counter had perfectly combed hair slicked up into a bun on the back of her
head. She was dressed in a navy blazer with the airline’s name on the breast, and she sported a
polite look on her face. When I stopped at the counter, I parked my bags next to me and flipped
the top of my messenger bag open to reach inside for my wallet and ID.
“My name is Ava Malone. I was told my ticket to Puerto Rico would be here waiting for
me.”
The woman took my ID and looked at it and then handed it back to me. Her manicured
fingers flew over the keyboard behind the counter and then she paused and looked up. “You’re
plane is already here.”
Alarm spiked through me. “Am I late? I thought I was an hour early. As soon as I get my
ticket, I’ll go board. Will they hold the plane for me?”
She gave me an odd sort of look. “I’m sure it will wait, seeing as how you are the only
passenger.”
Confusion made me speechless. I felt my face scrunch up in an odd sort of way as her
words replayed through my head. “I don’t understand,” I said slowly. “I can’t be the only person
flying to Puerto Rico today.”
She shook her head. “Definitely not. But you are the only one who had a private plane
come and fetch her.”
A private plane? To fetch me?
“You must have the wrong person,” I said, holding up my ID again. “You should check
again. I should just have a ticket here. For one of the commercial flights.”
“You’re Ava Malone, correct?”
I glanced at my ID just to be sure. That’s what it said, right there beside my horribly
embarrassing photo. “Appears that’s me,” I muttered.
She smiled. “Your pilot is around here somewhere,” she said, craning her neck to look
around. Her eyes settled on someone across the room and she smiled. “He’s right over there.”
I turned, following her gaze. There next to the guy with ratty jeans was an older
gentleman in a suit, holding a briefcase. I lifted my hand to wave at him. He got this puzzled
look on his face and then waved uncertainly.
“Are you sure?” I said, feeling my cheeks heat with embarrassment as I glanced back at
the woman.
I turned back around to glance again. The gentleman with the suit was gone. My eyes
darted around, looking for him, but once again were drawn to the guy with the newspaper. He
must have felt my stare because his head shot up and I saw his eyes peek over the top.
Slowly, the newspaper came down and something else was lifted. A giant white index
card.
It had my name on it.
My stomach did a summersault and my heart started thumping erratically.
Why would that ratty jean wearing, Penthouse reading guy have a sign with my name on
it?
“See,” the woman said from behind. “That’s him. He has a sign with your name on it.”
“That’s my pilot?”
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