Fated to be Yours by Jodie Larson Read Free Book Online Page A

sudden urge to study our shoes.
    He lets out a quiet laugh and I bring my head back up to meet his eyes. “Sexy you say?” The slow, seductive smile he gives me causes my insides to melt once again. How can he do that to me? How does he manage to pull such emotions and feelings out of me at the drop of a hat? I hardly know anything about him, other than he lives in London and travels around the world for his job. I don’t even know his last name. And that’s something important. I should at least know his entire name. Otherwise, we’ll just continue to be two strangers who met in an airport, destined to be only that for the rest of our lives.
    My teeth clamp down on my lower lip, resisting the urge to say anything else that could possibly embarrass me right now. His mouth opens slightly as if he’s about to say something, but then he quickly closes it. We’re lost in this moment and I pray that it goes on forever.
    My stomach drops to my feet as I feel the plane start its descent, pulling me out of Andrew’s trance. This is the part of flying I hate the most. My eyelids squeeze together tightly as I hold my breath.
    “It’s okay. Just take my hand. You’ll be fine.” Andrew reaches over and laces his fingers through mine, instantly calming me down, simply by his touch. I focus on his thumbs as he runs them rhythmically across the back of my hand. He gently tugs my hand into his lap and I risk a glance in his direction. He’s looking forward acting as if holding my hand is something entirely natural. I glance back down at our joined hands and stare.
    He’s holding my hand. He is holding my hand.
    Why is this beautiful sex god holding my hand? My self-doubt rears its ugly head as I continue to stare at our connected hands. I don’t understand what he could possibly see in me. I’m just a plain Jane from the middle of nowhere.
    A lowly assistant who lives by herself.
    A nobody.
    What could I possibly bring into a relationship with someone like him? I have nothing to offer other than a black cloud that seems to follow me wherever I go. I’m just an unloved being floating invisibly through life, never once getting a second glance from anyone, undeserving of attention by the people who are supposed to give it to me unconditionally. And yet, this beautiful man sitting next to me is holding my hand, calming me down, making me feel as if I matter in this world.
    The plane jerks and bounces slightly as the wheels make contact with the ground and taxis toward the main terminal of Heathrow. I look out the window and watch with childlike excitement as realization sends my brain to its happy place. London! I’m finally in London!
    I bring my attention back to Andrew, who has yet to release my hand even though we’ve landed safely on the ground. My fingers flex around his strong hand still in my grip and I stare at his beautiful profile, etching it into my memory. My thoughts are sober as I realize our journey has ended and soon we’ll be leaving each other. This magical connection we shared on the flight seems so perfect and natural as if we were two pieces of a puzzle that are supposed to fit together. I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to leave him.
    As if sensing my inner turmoil, he turns his head towards me and gives me a smile. I return his smile with one of my own and a slight blush that’s slowly heating up my face.
    “I do love your blush. It’s so sweet and innocent the way it softens your features, giving you just that extra splash of color across your cheeks.” He releases my hand with a final squeeze. My hand feels cold and I’m saddened by the missing contact. But I put on my best mask in an attempt to hide by feelings and guard my heart.
    He checks his watch and slowly stands up to retrieve his carry-on from the above compartment. I lean forward to get my laptop bag from where I stowed it and slowly begin to rise. The attendants start dismissing the passengers from the plane and Andrew steps