He touched her stomach through her shirt and ran his hand up to her breast, thrilled by the feel of the curve against his palm. She pressed into his touch, her mouth opening wider, giving him permission to touch and take. She moved out of her seat, kneeling in the aisle with him. Every inch of his skin went on alert; his nerves shot into a sharp edge of need. Yes, he needed her. He needed her to touch him, needed her to laugh with him, needed her to share with him. Needed her forever.

He kissed her harder and deeper, pushing his body against hers. Every inch of him needed to be in contact with her somehow, someway. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, her thighs pressed against his, her stomach—

Ryan sneezed in his sleep.

Alex froze. Brynn straightened. Her eyes widened as she scooted back into her seat. Away from him. It might have been a mile.

Alex zipped up his coat and backed slowly into his seat. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “It’s all right. I didn’t…”

“I don’t know what I was thinking. My brain seems to go on vacation around you.” He slumped back in his seat. A headache thundered painfully deep inside his skull. Kiana met his gaze, her chin still on her paws and her eyes full of sympathy.

He knew exactly what’d been on his mind. Ever since he’d been in Brynn’s presence he’d been pulled toward her. An invisible rope lashed him tighter and tighter to her as every hour passed. He’d wanted to get a taste of those lips from the first second he saw her. With her so close, every other thought had been driven out of his mind.

“I know what you were thinking. I was thinking the same thing,” she whispered. “I wanted it too.”

His gaze flew back to her. She didn’t look annoyed or pissed. She looked…like someone who was ready to go a couple rounds in bed. With him.

“You’re living with someone,” he forced the words out.

She looked away. “No, I’m not. I asked him to move out a month ago. He’s living with his brother. It’s over. It’s been over for a long time, but he won’t admit it. He keeps saying things will work out.”

“Jim said—”

“He didn’t tell you I was pregnant, did he?” Her head swung back to him and those gorgeous eyes sparked. Alex feared for Jim.

“God, no. He just said you were living with the perfect guy.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “When did he say that?”

“Early this morning when we went down to the cockpit.”

Brynn pounded a hand on her armrest. “I’m going to kill him. I told him last night Liam had moved out and it was completely over. He lied to you this morning. He’s trying to protect me again.”

“Protect you from me?” Alex frowned. Jim had a point. A lying ex-marshal wasn’t good enough for his little sorta-sister.

“He must have seen something.” She looked into his eyes. She didn’t explain, but Alex knew she meant the sparks that shot between them every time he looked at her. He didn’t tell her where her head had been when he woke up that morning and Jim spotted them. Seeing Brynn with Alex must have really pushed Jim’s overprotective buttons.

Brynn dug in her coat pockets, a fierce glare in her eyes. “Where’s my phone? I don’t care if there’s no service. I gotta at least try to chew him out. He’s gonna get it. He’s pushed his nose in my business for the last time.”

Alex bit back a laugh. She was gorgeous in her self-righteousness. He made a mental note to never take anything about her for granted. “You probably won’t reach him. Service is spotty.”

She snorted. “Won’t know until I try.” She found her phone and cursed at the screen. “No service.” Contemplative eyes looked at Alex. “Let me see your phone.” He slid it out of a pocket. It showed one bar of service. Poor Jim. He started to hand her the phone and froze.

“Wait.”

Her fingers were on his phone, but she stopped and her eyes flared at what she saw on his face. “What is it?”

“He’s got a phone.”

“Yeah.”

“No, I mean Besand has a phone. He took Linus’s phone.” Could he call the fucker? Alex’s hand shook as he started pulling up his contacts on the screen. Could it be that simple? Could he get a hold of Besand right this minute? Hey, you dead?

“You’re going to call him? Besand? What…what are you going to say?” Brynn stuttered through the words, shock in her voice. She leaned closer to look at his screen.

Alex inhaled deeply and caught her warm scent. She smelled woodsy. Sort of like campfire and fresh pine needles. His entire body tensed and for a split second he couldn’t remember Linus’s last name to search his contact list. He hit the C key. There it was. Thank God he’d been too preoccupied to buy a new phone in the last two years.

His finger hesitated over the send key. What would he say?

He raised his gaze to Brynn and sunk into the brown depths of her eyes. She looked scared, angry, and curious. Anger shot through his core, and he hit the send key. Alex knew what to say. If he hurt anyone on his team, Besand was a dead man.

His hand shook as he raised the phone to his ear, still staring into those stunning eyes. Warmth raced down his spine. When they got out of here…

The phone at his ear was silent. No rings, no buzz. Alex looked at the screen.

Connected.

He moved the phone back to his ear and heard a click.

“What?” A voice spoke from the phone.