Free One Little Kiss by Robin Covington

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    “Here’s your seat.” She takes Wonder Woman out of my hands and smiles. “I’ll store this up front for you and be back in a few moments to get your drink order. Have a great flight.”
    She turns without any further explanation and I stare after her, still unsure about what is happening here. I edge forward to sit down and finally notice the person occupying the window seat next to mine.
    When he turns and smiles up at me my legs give out and I land in the seat in a heap, mouth hanging open.
    Jonas grins even wider and leans forward to whisper in my ear, “Hey Red.”
    ***
    Jonas
    I’m not sure if she’s going to hit me or kiss me so I make a command decision.
    I lift my hand, ignoring the way it shakes, and slide it along her jaw until I can cup the back of her neck. I tug lightly, she resists for a moment and panic spikes my body temperature. I look up quickly to make eye contact, expecting to see a fight but what I get is an open vulnerable longing that tells me that this was the best decision I ever made.
    I kiss her. I need to taste her, to experience her surrender and acceptance as she opens to my request. I need it because I am completely, utterly, totally hers and I can’t stand the idea of swinging out here alone without her there to catch me.
    I break off the kiss, only taking a moment to push up the armrest divider and then I grab her and haul her into my lap. The lady behind us murmurs a startled “oh my” but I ignore her, choosing instead to kiss the shit out of the woman I love.
    Leighton wraps her arms around my neck and gives me as good as she gets. She’s not holding back and I go along for the wild ride. I expect to be called out by the flight attendant any minute now for trying to join the mile high club while still parked at the gate but I really don't care. Any U.S. Marshall would take one look at Red and wish me luck.
    We finally break it off to catch our breath and I steel myself to tell her all the stuff she deserves to hear, but one thing must be done first.
    “Forgive me. I’m sorry I was such a stubborn asshole and I can’t promise you that I won't pull another dick move at some time in the future but I’m sorry for making you cry and for rejecting you. I’m scared and I don’t know how this is going to end up for me but I don’t want to push you away. In fact, I don’t know how I’ll get through this if I don't have you by my side. So don’t make me get off this plane, please.”
    “What are you doing here?” she asks on a laugh, her fingers tracing my face like she’s afraid I’ll disappear. “Are you real?”
    “Yeah. I’m real and not going anywhere.”
    “What?”
    “I’m going to Dublin with you.”
    She shakes her head in confusion. “What? What about Rome?”
    “I’ll get there.” I smooth a stray curl back from her face. “I’ll go when you go there with the philharmonic or we can plan another trip.”
    “Jonas. I don’t want you to miss anything. What about your paintings? The memories you want to save for later?” She tears up and even though she tries to blink them away, I see them. When one escapes and trails down her cheek I catch it with my finger and sweep it away.
    “Oh, Red,” I say, smiling down at her. The words come easy because I can’t have her thinking for one minute that she’s making me miss anything. “I don't want to paint a picture of those places without you in it. I want every memory to be of you and me, loving each other every second of our lives.”
    “Love?” she asks on a whisper, her eyes huge and a tremble in her voice.
    “Oh yeah. I love you. So much it hurts. And more than anything, the last thing I want to see is your face. You okay with that?”
    She nods. “I’m really okay with that.”
    “And you love me?” I can see it written all over her face but I want to hear the words.
    “Oh yeah. I love you.”
    We lean in for another kiss but the flight attendant announces that we need to be in our