Finding Mr Right Now: The Right Now Series Read online

  "Let me put these in some water real quick and we can go." I grabbed the bouquet from him and took them to the kitchen for a vase. I quickly filled the vase with water and plant food. While the food dissolved, I snipped the stems under running water, then put them in the vase and set it on my kitchen table. I’d take it to my bedroom later after our date, I thought.

  I turned to find Ford watching me from the doorway to the kitchen.

  "Ready to go?" I smiled happily.

  "Yes, ma'am."

  We headed to the truck where he opened my door for me and helped me in. He was always such a gentleman. We went to our favorite place, Tempe Beach Park. He brought a blanket and some wine and we sat on the hill watching the water as the sun set.

  I leaned my head on his shoulder, closed my eyes and soaked up the perfect moment. He had set it up so there was music playing softly in the background. He loved to sing and I loved when he sang to me. We were listening to a cd he had burned for us. As the sun began its descent he asked me to dance, which I happily accepted. He pulled me to my feet and we danced as the sun finally set over the water and the moon rose high above us. When K-Ci and JoJo’s "All My Life" came on he continued to sing to me.

  "All my life, I prayed for someone like you. And I thank God that I, that I finally found you. All my life, I prayed for someone like you. Yes, I pray that you do love me too."

  As the song came to an end I leaned up and kissed him. When I pulled back I looked into his gorgeous green eyes and whispered, "I love you, Ford."

  He smiled down at me, one of the most radiant smiles I had ever seen. "In case you couldn't tell I am crazy in love with you, Ella." We laughed as he picked me up and twirled me around on the hilltop. When my feet touched the ground again, he kissed me passionately and I felt every ounce of love he had for me pour through him.

  I smiled fondly to myself at the memory and my fingers floated up to touch my lips.

  It was perfect.

  Until it wasn't. Everything changed. I had to leave. Not everybody gets a fairytale, happy ending. I was certainly proof of that.

  Chapter 1

  Ashford

  I rechecked my schedule again. I had completely forgotten I picked up the extra three-day trip. I could’ve kicked myself for offering to help out Xander. He was a good guy though, so I knew I did the right thing and I couldn’t back out now. That coupled with the fact that I was going to be flying with Jax helped make it a little less painful. I was thankful that at least it was a series of night trips, so I’d be able to sleep-in over the next few days.

  When I was 31 I got hired as a commercial pilot with Easy Rider Airlines. Officially I was a first officer, and had been for about two years now. Flying had always been in my blood. I came from a long line of military pilots. In fact, I started out my flying career with the military and flew KC-135’s. KC-135’s are basically mobile gas stations that refuel other planes midair. So, that’s what I did. I flew the gas station in the sky. I was still currently employed with them, but it had become strictly a part-time gig and now I only flew with them a couple times per month.

  I loved that job when I did it full-time, though. It allowed me to really get out and see the world. When I think back to the days when military flying was all I did, it makes me think of Ella again. Which, to be honest, I’d been doing a lot of lately. She’s definitely the one who got away.

  Hot, little Italian with the hot, Italian temper to match. She used to hate when I deployed. But then I always made it up to her when I came home and she always gave me something to look forward to coming home to.

  Except the last time.

  It had been seven years since I found that letter, two years longer than we had even been together. I wondered if I’d ever get over losing her. She made her decision, though, and ever since I’ve had to live with it. It was way past time to move on with my life. And I had. Mostly. But even still, she never seemed to be far from my thoughts.

  I shook my head to clear it and refocused my attention on the task at hand as I finished packing my bag for my trip.

  I took one last look around my condo as I continued my walk out the door. Overall, I was pleased with how it looked and I loved the modern feel and upscale furniture my decorator had put together for me; I only wished I could spend more time enjoying it. Having a condo was best for my lifestyle, though. I didn’t have to worry about the upkeep of a yard or anything else outside and, considering how little time I spent in town, it made life a lot easier.

  I was almost never home these days. That’s probably why I had mastered the art of being single. The thought of meeting someone that could be anything more than a casual hook-up at this rate was a completely foreign idea, which was ok by me. I wasn’t looking to go down the serious relationship road again.

  I locked up and walked out to my Tundra. I loved my truck. I didn’t care that it was horrible on gas. I climbed in, rolled down the windows, and cranked up the XM radio to 80’s on 8. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel and sang along with Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer” as I drove. It was mid-spring and the weather this time of year was always amazing. Upon arriving at Sky Harbor, I parked at The Parking Spot and took the shuttle to the terminal.

  As I briefly mentioned earlier, I was fortunate enough to be flying with Jaxson Devine today. Jax was my best friend. In fact, that was the other reason I had felt so compelled to help Xander out. The opportunity to fly together didn’t present itself very often, so when it did we capitalized on it. Some captains were just boring to fly with. This wasn’t the case with Jax. We always had a good time. He’s been a commercial pilot for over a decade and had moved quickly up the seniority list from first officer to captain. We grew up together and had been best friends since we were in high school. We’d played tons of different sports together over the years, everything from basketball, to soccer, to golf. And we always had each other’s backs. He’s the closest thing I’d ever have to a brother.

  Luckily, we were both based out of Phoenix. We hung out whenever our schedules allowed and did everything from going to the gym, to sports events and clubs together. Jax was always a great wingman and, like me, he was single and always on the hunt for a good time. A little over six feet tall, he had gray eyes, dark hair and olive skin. We both worked out hard for our muscular frames and really helped motivate and push each other to the extreme in the gym. He knew all about, and was a part of, my past with Ella. He was great at shifting my focus when he would catch me staring off into the past. This trip would be a good one for a distraction. We had three legs that ended in Vegas tonight, and four more that would end in LA tomorrow, then another three back home the following night.

  I caught up with Jax at the gate before we boarded the plane.

  “Ready for tonight?” he asked.

  “Honestly, man, I completely forgot until today we even had this trip. I need some time on the ground at home just to regroup. I’ve been pushing myself a lot lately. I just got home yesterday from a three-day. It was supposed to be a two-day that paid premium time and then they junior assigned me and extended it an extra day. I’m thankful for the extra cash flow, but man, I had been looking forward to sleeping in my own bed for a few nights. Thankfully, after this, I’m off for six days in a row. Well, unless I decide to pick up some more premium trips,” I joked.

  He shook his head at my thought process and chuckled. “I hear ya, brother. It’s hard to turn down the money, but it’s also hard to be on the road so much. This trip should be a good one though. I’m off this weekend too, so we’ll go out and paint the town red once you’re all refreshed. Anything new and exciting happen since last week?”

  “Nah, too busy. Plus, the flight crews I’ve been with weren’t the type I wanted to hang out with when we arrived at our overnights these past few days. How ‘bout you?”

  “Nada, but like I said this trip should be a good one. I mean, we’ve got twenty hours on the ground in Vegas. There’s gotta be something we can find there t
hat’s new and exciting,” he wiggled his brows at his insinuation.

  “Yeah, I need a little something new and exciting.” Something to make me stop thinking of her, I thought to myself as I stared off into the distance.

  “Been livin’ in the past again, brother?” He looked at me knowingly.

  I refocused on him. “I’m trying not to, but that seems to be where my mind tends to wander any time it’s not preoccupied with working out, flying or fucking. It must have something to do with this time of year.”

  We boarded together with the crew and went through our preflight. I couldn’t wait to be on the ground again. Luckily, the time flew by and soon we were landing in Vegas. I made the announcement at the end of the flight for everyone to remain seated and thanked them for choosing Easy Rider Airlines. Once we pulled up to the gate, we did our post flight, shut the plane down for the evening and set off for the hotel.

  Even though I was tired, we still had twenty hours on the ground, which was plenty of time to hit the casinos. I knew I’d rally once I showered and got changed. Jax was still game, so we made plans to meet back up in thirty minutes at one of the blackjack tables. I popped into my room, got ready, then headed back out to meet him. I sidled up to a $5 table to wait for my friend.

  I’m a people watcher by nature, so while I waited, I looked around the casino at all the activity surrounding me. I could see people of all walks of life, playing slots, roulette, and the Big Wheel. Vegas was like an adult playground, a little something for everyone. All at once, I had the sensation that I was being watched.

  I turned my head and caught the eye of a pretty redhead. She was tall and thin, almost too thin, but she had big bright green eyes and a shy smile, so I smiled back at her.

  She tilted her head in what appeared to be an invitation, but just as I was about to wander over and introduce myself, another man walked up, slung his arm around her shoulders and glared in my direction. He may as well have lifted his leg and pissed on her as if he was marking his territory. All I could muster was a smirk and a shrug. If the guy had been taking care of business at home, I was sure she wouldn’t have even considered flirting with someone else. I was still smirking when Jax showed up.

  “What’s your shit-eatin’ grin all about?” Jax asked

  “I am always surprised by the amount of men who don’t take care of their woman’s needs and then get all jealous about it when another man even looks at her.” I slowly shook my head. “I would be proud to have other men look at my woman, as long as I know she’s coming home with me at the end of the night.”

  “What woman?” Jax joked.

  “You know what I mean, man. I never did understand the jealousy thing. I guess I’ve always been secure enough with how I treat my women to not worry that she’d be looking for someone else.”

  Jax nudged my shoulder and chuckled. “Yeah, like you’ve held down a woman long enough to be worried about taking care of her long-term needs.”

  “Fuck you,” I joked.

  “Yep, fuck me. That’s what she kept moaning last night. So, are we gonna play some blackjack or what?” He arched an eyebrow at me and nodded in the direction of the tables.

  “We’re gonna play the hell out of some blackjack. I’m gonna make it my new bitch,” I laughed.

  * * *

  As soon as we joined the table a waitress came over to get our drink order, rum and water for me and vodka and water for Jax. One of the great things about Vegas was the drinks were free and brought continually as long as you were playing the tables. The downfall was they tended to get weaker as the night went on. After about an hour or so we were both up over $200 apiece and decided to cash out.

  I looked at Jax, “Where to now?”

  “Let’s go to a club.” Jax gestured to where we had entered the hotel. “According to that spicy little concierge from earlier, The Purple Tiger just opened and is supposed to be pretty hoppin’.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” I nodded back.

  Chapter 2

  Jaxson

  I hailed us a taxi. “To the Purple Tiger, please.”

  I knew that look on Ford’s face. He had been thinking about Ella again. Going to the club would do him some good. Let him focus on some fresh meat and not dwell in the past. Plus, I knew if I got his mind off of her, I wouldn’t feel bad when I got lucky too.

  Ford was a good-looking dude. He was tall, a few inches taller than me, so probably around 6’5”. He had green eyes and blonde hair. He kept it cut in what he said was, and I quote, ‘buzzed in the back but long enough on top so that she can hold on for the ride’.

  When we pulled up to the club, the line was out the door and halfway around the block. We had extra cash on hand though, so I walked to the bouncer at the front of the line and slipped him a little extra cash incentive to move us to the front of the line. Clearly, I spoke his language well because he swept the rope aside and let us right in.

  This place was nice. The bar was large and accented with purple lighting and chandeliers; there was tiger print on the bar stools and in the booths. The tables also looked purple, but that might have just been a trick of the lighting. There were platforms where scantily clad girls were paid to dance in cages as entertainment. They all wore tall heels, had lean, sculpted bodies and small tiger print outfits complete with tails and ears that instantly brought a smirk to my lips.

  I looked over at Ford and could instantly see his mood had improved. He had a huge smile on his face as he took it all in. We were definitely in the right place to have a good time. Although there were a handful of women that appeared to be trying too hard to get some attention, the majority were classy, not trashy.

  We weaved our way through the sea of bodies toward the main bar. As my gaze swept the club I felt myself catching the eye of a pretty blonde.

  She was standing at the far end of the bar, trying to get the attention of the bartender. Her figure was amazing. She was tall and curvy like an hourglass, her hair up in a ponytail, showing off her delicate neck. The short red dress she was wearing clung to her in all the right places. Her legs were lean, they were the kind I instantly imagined wrapped around my waist. Her tall stilettos probably added a good four inches to her natural height and I thought about how she might look in nothing but those heels. She had a tiny waist accentuated by an amazing set of large, natural tits and an ample bottom that would fit perfectly in my hands.

  I liked having something to hold on to while I danced, both with and without my clothes on. I was by no means a man whore, but I definitely liked to have a good time. Shit, maybe that did make me a man whore… I wasn’t going to dwell on it right now.

  I excused myself from Ford, I knew he’d be just fine on his own, and I made my way toward the blonde. She must’ve felt my presence behind her because I saw her stand a little straighter and heard her breath hitch. I leaned forward and gently brushed her shoulder. She tilted her head ever so slightly in my direction, and I could see full, pouty lips.

  “Good luck getting a drink,” she mumbled. “I’ve been standing here for at least ten minutes. It’s been like this all night.”

  “That’s a shame,” I replied.

  Suddenly the bartender appeared in front of us. “What’ll it be?” she asked looking at me.

  Irritation rolled off of the pretty blonde. I looked at her and repeated what the bartender had so clearly asked me, “What’ll it be?”

  “A vodka cranberry, please,” she stated looking up at me with what I could see now were a gorgeous set of light blue eyes, framed by thick dark lashes.

  I looked back to the bartender, “Make that two.”

  When the drinks came, I handed my card to the bartender to pay, then changed my mind and instead told her to open a tab.

  “You didn’t have to pay for me,” the blonde stated, “but thank you for my drink.”

  “It’s my pleasure. I’m Jax.”

  “Hi, I’m Kaya. And the pleasure is all mine.” She gave me a once over and I co
uld swear she just eye fucked me. “Would you like to dance, Jax?” She asked looking up at me from under fluttering lashes.

  The way my name rolled off her tongue sounded like sin and the effect was like a shot to my system. She had that whole innocent thing down pat, yet I was certain she was anything but. Two could play this game though. “I’d love to, Kaya.” I liked the name and the way it felt coming off my tongue.

  The club music was the top 40 hits remixed with some techno, the perfect kind to bump and grind to, and man, was I looking forward to bumping and grinding with her.

  We walked to the center of the floor, where there was a little bit of open space. She wrapped one hand around my neck, the other holding her drink, and practically straddled my leg. My free hand instantly went to her lower back and pulled her in nice and close. She smelled amazing; something fruity I couldn’t quite put my finger on. We fit together perfectly with her heels on, her breasts pressed against my chest and her face only inches below mine.

  Throughout the next few songs my hand slid higher and lower along her back, enough space covered to know she was naked beneath her dress.

  I leaned in and whispered, “Did you come here tonight hoping to find someone to take you home, Kaya?”

  “Possibly, if I found the right person.”

  I finished my drink and set it on a nearby table for the waitress to grab on her next go ‘round and Kaya did the same. The next few songs were just as upbeat and with both hands free to explore her curves I took full advantage. She slid one hand up the front of my chest and started to play with the buttons on my shirt, and then she gave me that innocent look again, only this time it was filled with pure lust.

  I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her down a dark hallway. Once we were concealed by the darkness, I pushed her up against the wall and caged her in with my body. I barely brushed her lips with mine and then withdrew. My lips just millimeters from hers, I slid my hand up the front of her body and gently, but firmly, grasped her full tit, pinching her nipple until I heard her gasp. When those pouty lips parted, I dove in. Our kiss was rough and filled with desire. My tongue thrust into her open mouth and she responded just as if I’d lit a match and set her on fire. Her hands flew to my hair and her body arched into mine.