Free Cherished (Adam & Ella) by Emily Jane Trent

and they sunk into the padded chairs across from each other. Magically, a stewardess appeared to take their order.
    “Ella, this is Marla. She will be serving us today.”
    Ella greeted the middle-aged woman, dressed in a brown and cream uniform, with her blondish hair styled in a trendy, jagged cut.
    Marla listed off the options for dinner, and smiled pleasantly at their choices. “I’ll serve your meal as soon as we take off and the captain lets me know it is okay to move about.” She disappeared to get the ice waters they’d ordered.
    Blake, the captain, came back to say hello. He was tall, trim, and European looking, with graying temples—probably prematurely gray, because he didn’t look over thirty. Adam made the introductions and his pilot strolled back to the cockpit. Adam and Ella buckled in for take-off.
    In his khakis and cotton short-sleeved shirt, Adam was alluring. The recent feel of his naked body lingered in Ella’s mind, and looking across the table at him, the memory warmed her. So in love, even the opulent environment paled next to the gorgeous man she called hers.
    He looked back, his amber eyes soft. His thick, blond-streaked hair and bronze skin gave him a golden look. Adam was devastatingly handsome and swoon-worthy. And he was all hers. “I’m excited,” she said.
    “About the concert?”
    “About you,” Ella said, reaching out for his hand.
    Adam had slipped off his shoes, and his toes stroked along Ella’s ankle.
    “How long is this flight?”
    “About an hour, just enough time to eat. Did you have something else in mind?”
    “Always.” Ella gave him her most seductive look.
    “We could miss the concert.”
    “No way,” she teased.
    Once they were airborne, Marla served the sushi with vegetables and small ceramic cups of saki. Ella proceeded to make a mess of her sushi, until Adam showed her the proper way to eat it.
    “Grip the sushi but don’t squeeze. Roll it partway over then turn it upside down, so the rice side is up. Dip lightly in soy sauce. Place the whole piece in your mouth, letting the delicate flavor of the soy-dipped fish touch your tongue first.”
    Ella followed the steps and the tasty morsel melted in her mouth. “Yum,” she said, placing her hand in front of her lips, with her mouth still partly full.
    “ Fiorella taught me. You have to invert the sushi because the molded rice base will disintegrate if you dip it directly in soy sauce.”
    “So I found out,” Ella said.
    Bite after bite, Ella savored the treat. At the end, she lifted a piece of ginger with her chopsticks and balanced it up to her mouth, chewing it to cleanse her palate. At the end of the meal, they were served a green roasted tea called agari. Focused on the concert, and enthralled with being on the jet for the first time, Ella was grateful for the light meal. She was hungry while at the same time unable to concentrate on eating. There was too much else going on.
    They’d hardly smoothed out at cruising altitude before Marla informed them it was time to prepare for the descent. The only consolation was that Ella could look forward to the return flight on the luxury jet. Maybe they’d even try out the bed.
    *****
    Ella knew a lot about Luciana Souza. Although born in São Paulo, she’d lived in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. Growing up in a family of bossa nova composers, music had been a major part of her life. She sung in both Portuguese and English, so many of her lyrics didn’t need translation for Americans. Her fans spanned the globe.
    The concert hall was huge, housing thousands of fans, including a main floor and stadium seating. Ella snuggled in next to Adam, and Nico took his seat behind them. The crowd murmured in a subdued rumble, anticipation building for the performance. Brazilian music played through the concert-hall speakers, setting the mood. Putting both arms around Ella and squeezing her, Adam conveyed his mutual excitement.
    “I can’t believe it, Adam. You