Ethan stepped out of the cabin just as the turbulence faded. I met his eyes from across the aisle and took the window seat opposite him. Champagne was being served. Outside, the night sky stretched endlessly, a canvas of stars. The view from 6,000 meters above ground was nothing short of majestic.
"You seem to like it very much," his voice broke the silence.
I blinked, realizing I had forgotten I wasn't alone.
He was watching the window too, then glanced back at me.
"You said you had an appointment?" I asked, trying to break the awkward silence.
"Yeah. It was canceled."
"Sorry about that… I guess."
"Don't be."
I nodded, then motioned around. "So, what's with all the decorations?"
"It was actually Vivian's idea. You remember her, don't you?"
I did. The perfectly poised woman from the gala.
"She should've been here," he continued, "but she had a case to handle."
"Oh, she's a lawyer," I recalled.
"Doesn't seem like a business trip," I teased.
He smiled faintly. "It wasn't. I guess you have to find out like this—it's my birthday. I have this little tradition of spending it with her."
I hesitated, then asked, "Are you guys… a thing?"
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Too familiar. Too dangerous. Ethan had once been my boss, for crying out loud.
"A thing?" he chuckled. "Living things? Yeah. Vivian and I are what you'd call friends with benefits. We help each other out. No strings attached."
I stared, astonished. "Really? Then why didn't you fake-marry her?"
"What?"
"I mean… Isn't she jealous? You and I living in one house, pretending to be married?"
He shrugged. "Like I said, no strings. She's my lawyer, my… occasional partner in bed. Nothing else."
He made it sound easy, but I could tell there was something deeper behind his calm expression.
"So why am I here?"
He looked at me, the corners of his lips twitching. "So you can enjoy the view. Nothing else."
"And the cake?"
"In the cabin. But you don't need to bother with it. Just… enjoy the night."
Silence settled again. Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then turned back to the window.
"The best part," he said.
And suddenly, fireworks lit up the sky outside. Explosions of color. A trail of sparks formed the words Happy Birthday, Ethan.
"Wow," I whispered.
"My birthday ritual," he said quietly. "I was never big on parties. But as a kid, my parents would take me to watch fireworks. It stuck with me."
He stood and walked back into the cabin. Something in his voice had shifted—softer, sadder. I followed, unsure if I wanted to comfort him or just… be near him.
I opened the cabin door.
He was seated on the plush sofa in the softly lit room. It was exotic, luxurious. But my eyes caught on something else—lingerie laid out neatly. A pack of condoms nearby.
I froze.
"You don't have to be here," he said without looking up. "We'll be landing in two hours. Two more cities. More fireworks."
But I wasn't listening. That wild, hungry version of Ethan I had met on our fake wedding night—it was back. And I… I wasn't afraid this time.
"I wouldn't mind being your Vivian tonight," I said before I could stop myself.
His eyes snapped to mine. I walked to the lingerie, ran my fingers over the silk. His gaze was fixed on me, unreadable.
"You don't have to be Vivian," he said slowly. "You're Lena. And I don't do replacements."
My heart raced. This wasn't me—at least, not the old me. But I loved the way this felt.
He stood, closing the space between us.
"You can leave now," he whispered.
"Too late."
His eyes darkened, red with something primal. He was struggling to control himself—I could tell.
I stepped closer. "Why don't we complete your birthday ritual?"
He pulled back. "We don't have to, Lena."
His voice saying my name made my body tremble.
Seeing that I wasn't backing down, he gave in. "Okay… but I like to dominate."
He was calm, yet dangerous.
"Take off your clothes. Slowly."
I obeyed.
He gestured for me to come closer, then pulled me gently to him. His kiss was soft, deliberate. He lowered me to the sofa, his weight pressing into me. His lips moved from mine down my neck, over every inch of my skin, lighting me on fire.
His tongue found my nipples, teasing until I couldn't stay still. His hands roamed everywhere, exploring with skilled precision. He undressed, his body gleaming in the dim light.
He parted my thighs, lowering his mouth between them.
Each scream I tried to hold back only seemed to fuel him more.
I came once. Twice. A third time, liquid gushed out of me—and he didn't stop.
Then he pulled a condom from the corner, slid it on, and entered me.
It didn't hurt—not like before. But I felt everything. Every inch of him. He pounded slow, deep, his gaze locked to mine.
He moved me into position after position, testing my limits. He laid back, and I rode him until my legs gave up, trembling uncontrollably.
Still not done, he took me to the window—Happy Birthday Ethan shining in the sky.
He pinned me there, pounding again until, with one last deep moan, he finished.
We both collapsed, breathless.
"That was good," he said.
"That was great," I whispered.
He sat up, expression neutral. "No one should know about this."
I nodded.
"We've landed, in case you wondered," he added, helping me up.
I waited for my legs to stop shaking before I dressed. We walked off the plane in silence.
No more words. No explanations.
No promises.
Where did this leave us?
Ethan didn't say a single word the entire ride home.
And I wasn't sure…
if I had just stepped into something I couldn't walk away from.