I tried to suppress my excitement when Jared finished and began to board the plane. He trotted up the stairs in a crisp white button down shirt and jeans and walked down the aisle, breezing right past me.

My expression compressed into a disappointed frown. Jared was going to insist on just being my protector during this trip. My first inclination was to cross my arms and pout, but I restrained myself so I wouldn’t have to listen to Cynthia lecture me on Jared’s priorities.

Jared plopped down in the empty seat beside me and fastened his seat belt. He let out an exhausted sigh and leaned over to kiss me on the forehead.

“It’s a lot more work when I’m by myself. I should have brought Bex,” he chuckled.

I stared at him for a moment, concentrating on keeping my heart rate at a normal pace and my smile polite. I didn’t want him privy to the fact that I was giddy about him being as much my boyfriend on this trip as protector.

“I’m impressed,” I smiled.

“Is that what it was? I wondered why you were so keyed up. I thought you had developed a sudden phobia of flying.”

I felt the blood rush to my face when the realization came as to why he had turned around and grinned at me from the tarmac. He could sense what I felt as I watched him.

I feigned insult. “I’ve never been afraid to fly.”

Jared’s expression turned dubious. “Impressed with what, exactly?”

I shrugged. “Just watching you give orders and how they reacted to you. I haven’t seen that side of you. It was very…appealing.”

“That’s what impresses you? Interesting,” Jared said, considering that for a moment.

“Oh, it’s more than that. You impress me all the time,” I said, scanning his face.

Jared leaned his head against the seat, staring into my eyes. He was clearly amused by the conversation. “Really? And here I thought I needed to work harder,” he smiled, leaning toward me.

I leaned in for a kiss, but he took each piece of my seat belt and fastened it snuggly across my waist.

I smiled and sighed, gazing out the window at the various crew members on the run way. I could feel Jared’s warm breath on my neck; he was looking out the window over my shoulder. The exhilaration I always felt before a trip mixed with the elation of being virtually alone with Jared for five days made it almost impossible to sit still.

“Are you all right? Your heart is going to take off before the plane,” Jared whispered into my ear.

“I’m just happy,” I said, still looking out the window.

The pilot came over the intercom and spoke directly to my mother, telling her our position in line for take-off, the expected flight time and the current weather in Nicaragua.