“Far right wall.” She smiled. “Happy reading!”

“Thanks.” I walked away from her and headed toward the counter, stopping when I saw a black book with the title, How to Date a Pilot (And Have Cockpit Sex!). I knocked it onto the floor and purchased my book.

I disregarded my previous plans for the Financial District and hailed a cab straight to my condo.

Since I was off for the next few days, I poured myself a few shots of bourbon and tossed them back. Then I took Gillian’s book out of my bag and sat on my couch.

I stared at it awhile, still unsure of whether I wanted to read it or set it afire.

It wasn’t until a little after midnight that I finally flipped open the page and read the first few lines:

PRE-BOARDING

GILLIAN

Prologue

How many times will you burn me?

Three, four, five, maybe ten—

Is it me who’s burning you?

Yes, ‘this’ needs to end.

If you walk away first, I’ll follow suit.

I’ve told you this before, and yet you never do...

The first time I flew through severe turbulence, I swore on my life I’d never fly again.

It was during a red-eye flight from Seattle to London, and three hours in, we were swept up in a sudden summer storm. The plane shook violently as the passengers screamed and prayed for their lives, and my calm assurances of “Hold on! Everyone, please just hold on!” fell on deaf ears.

The pilot was young and inexperienced, his soft voice not comforting in the least, and as the glasses from the first class cabin shattered onto the floor and luggage toppled from the overhead bins, I promised myself that if we ever landed, my days in the sky were long over.

I broke that promise hours later, of course, but I could finally say that I’d experienced the worst of what turbulence could ever be.

Or, so I thought...

I read the one after that, and as the hours passed, my eyes took in her sentences—devouring her every word.

GATE C45

GILLIAN

MYSTERY PILOT IN EROTIC ROMANCE BELIEVED TO BE RELATED TO AN AIRLINE EXECUTIVE

—E! News

AUTHOR OF PREVIOUS BESTSELLER, MILE HIGH CLUB UNVEILED, ADMITS TO “HEAVILY SAMPLING” TAYLOR G.’S FIRST NOVEL AMIDST THOUSANDS OF FAN ACCUSATIONS

—RT BOOK REVIEWS

ELITE AIRWAYS MAKES ALL EMPLOYEES RESIGN NEW NON-FRATERNIZATION POLICY. CLAIMS THE MOVE HAS “ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT BOOK”

—USA Today

‘TURBULENCE’ TO RECEIVE A RECORD FIFTH PRINTING WITHIN FIRST THREE MONTHS OF RELEASE

—The International Times

AUTHOR OF ‘TURBULENCE’, TAYLOR G., BEGINS INTERNATIONAL BOOK TOUR AS NOVEL CONTINUES #1 REIGN FOR THIRD MONTH IN A ROW

—The New York Times

OFFICIAL ELITE AIRWAYS PRESS RELEASE

*Regarding the fiction that is still being propagated as fact via a former employee*

Our esteemed airline has now completed an extensive investigation process that included all of the pilots who currently fly for our company. The results indefinitely conclude that the former employee in question, Miss Gillian Taylor (writing as “Taylor G.”) was never involved in an interpersonal affair with one of our pilots.

We will no longer issue any more press releases regarding this matter, but as mentioned previously, we wish Miss Taylor the best of luck with her newfound literary success.

###

GATE C46

GILLIAN

New York (JFK)—> Salt Lake City (SLC)—> Pittsburgh (PIT)

“Keep your eyes on the camera...” Jake whispered into my ear as he pulled me back by my hair, fucking me deeper and deeper.

I looked right at the lens, crying out as he filled me with every inch of his cock. His left hand squeezed my breasts, pinching my hardened nipples as I cried out.

“Jake...Jake...” My body spasmed violently beneath his and he flipped me over, covering my mouth with his and claiming my lips until I went completely still.

Then, just like he’d done in every other viewing of this video, he kissed me before turning off the tape. I immediately hit replay, watching it for the umpteenth time.

“Miss Taylor?” The interviewer from Midnight Ramblings suddenly stepped into the room.

“Yes?”

“I just wanted to personally thank you for letting us interview you tonight.” She extended a bouquet of flowers toward me. “Not too many people are willing to fly to Salt Lake City, so it was an absolute pleasure, and I look forward to your next novel.”

“Thank you. I’m honored you invited me.”

“Do you mind signing a few copies before you go? They’re on the table by the soundstage.”

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Great! Thank you once again!”

I waited until I heard the click of the door, and then I finally let my perfectly-rehearsed smile falter and fade. I let the tears roll down my face, let my chest heave up and down like it always did after these unfulfilling interviews.

With no shame, I dialed Jake’s number, but instead of going directly to voicemail, there was a new message: “This number is no longer in service.”

Subject: You.

You’re still my anomaly.

Miss you,

Gillian

No answer. As usual.

I hit refresh a few times, hoping for something—anything, but nothing came.

A light knock came at the studio door and I quickly wiped my eyes.

“Come in,” I said.

“Okay, yeah.” Kimberly walked in, talking on her cell phone. “Right. Well, we can talk about that on Friday. I’m with a client. Friday, Kenneth.” She shot me a quick ‘I’m so sorry about this’ look and spoke to whoever Kenneth was for a few more minutes before hanging up.