AIDAN GLANCED at his watch, then turned around to look down the aisle toward the bathroom. Lily had disappeared nearly ten minutes before and he was ready to ask the flight attendant to check on her. She seemed so frightened by the prospect of flying that he was worried she might have gotten sick or even fainted in the bathroom.

      When he’d boarded the plane, Aidan had been looking forward to a quiet, uneventful flight. Now that his in-flight meeting had been canceled, he thought he might be able to relax and catch a little sleep. He’d been going nonstop for nearly a year, working on his latest film.

      He glanced down at the front of his pants, soaked through with the mixture of their two drinks. The flight attendant had handed him a wad of napkins when she’d collected what was left of the drinks, but Aidan had resigned himself to being uncomfortable for the rest of the flight.

      He’d never met a woman quite as skittish as Lily Hart. Though he was used to being hounded for autographs by giggling female fans and had experienced a fair number of racy proposals, he found all that silliness irritating. So why did he suddenly find it so charming in Lily?

      Perhaps because there was no artifice there. She wasn’t just playing the part to be coy. She really was a bundle of fears and insecurities. No woman intent on charming him would have spilled two drinks on purpose. Or locked herself in a bathroom for ten minutes.

      He drew a deep breath and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. She was beautiful, though, beneath those schoolteacher glasses and that careless hairstyle. And he couldn’t deny he found her attractive. He’d been in L.A. for far too long and the women there had all started to look alike—long blond hair, trainer-toned bodies with spray-on tans. And personalities so bland that he could barely carry on a conversation.

      At first, dating beautiful actresses had been a kick. In high school, he’d never been able to get a pretty girl to give him a second look. He’d been skinny and fashion-challenged and he’d worn glasses. College had been a little better. But these days, a membership at a gym, a competent Hollywood stylist and laser eye surgery had corrected all his problems. Now, he could pretty much attract any woman he wanted. The problem was, he didn’t want them once he got them.

      So what the hell was he searching for? “Someone real,” Aidan murmured. “Something real.”

      He’d become disenchanted with his life in general, his work, women, even the car he drove. He’d been making hit films, but they weren’t important films—they didn’t mean anything, they wouldn’t last. His relationships had fallen into the same pattern, flashy on the surface and devoid of any true emotion. And hell, he drove a gas-guzzling SUV just because it looked cool. What was that all about?

      Maybe that was why he found Lily Hart so intriguing. She was real, with all her quirks and mannerisms. She’d made a complete fool out of herself and yet he found that utterly charming.

      And she was pretty, too. She wore barely any makeup; her pale ivory skin was almost flawless. Her dark hair, pulled away from her face, made her features even more striking. But it was mouth that he found most alluring. It was perfectly shaped, untouched by all those silly injections.

      Aidan scolded himself inwardly. Why did he automatically focus on her looks? Was this what L.A. had done to him, turned him into a shallow, superficial jerk? The woman sitting next to him wasn’t just a bunch of features thrown together for his viewing enjoyment. Hollywood was insidious, like a drug that lured you in only to make your life worthless.

      That’s why he had felt compelled to return to New York. A dose of life in the real world always seemed to clear his mind and focus his thoughts. Aidan needed to remember the days when he had to pull pennies out of the sofa just to buy a cup of coffee.

      The plane began to move slowly down the taxiway and Aidan pushed out of his seat and walked back to the bathroom. He rapped softly on the door. “Lily? Are you all right in there?”

      An instant later, the door swung open and he found himself staring into the most striking green eyes he’d ever seen. He took a step back, certain that he’d knocked at the wrong door. But then he realized he was looking at Lily. She’d removed her glasses and let her hair down, the wavy dark strands curling around her neck. Her face, once pale and tense, was now flushed with color and her lips were painted a seductive shade of red.

      He nervously cleared his throat. “You’re supposed to be in your seat. We’re going to be taking off soon.”

      She smiled at him, regarding him from beneath long dark lashes. “Thanks,” she murmured.

      He stepped aside and let her pass, then followed her down the aisle. His gaze dropped to her backside, the fabric of her skirt clinging to her curves like a second skin. Lily flipped up her tray table and buckled her seat belt.

      “Feel better?” Aidan asked.

      “Yes,” she said calmly. “Much.”

      “What were you doing in there?”

      “Ah—meditating,” Lily replied. “It’s great for relieving stress.”

      Aidan couldn’t believe the change in her. She seemed to have conquered her nerves and he suspected she might have gulped down a Xanax or two while she was in the bathroom. But as the plane turned onto the end of the runway and the wing flaps whirred, he saw her stiffen, proof that her calm demeanor was only skin-deep.

      Aidan reached out and took her hand, lacing her fingers through his. “Look at me,” he said. She turned and met his gaze. “Just keep your eyes on mine and listen to my voice. There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’ve taken this flight a hundred times and I’m still here.”

      “You—you have beautiful eyes,” she murmured. “And long lashes.”

      “I was just thinking that about you,” Aidan replied. “And your mouth. It’s…”

      “What?” Lily asked.

      “Very…kissable.”

      “Really?”

      “Yes,” Aidan said, his gaze dropping to her lips. “Really.” He felt the plane begin to accelerate down the runway and he reached out and took her face between his hands. Leaning forward, Aidan kissed her gently, his tongue tracing along the crease of her lips until she sighed and opened beneath his assault.

      As the plane gained speed, the kiss became more intense, Aidan exploring the sweet recesses of her mouth, drinking in the taste of her. He drew her closer, but her seat belt got in the way. He was almost frantic for more, the sensation of the plane lifting from the ground adding to the rush of adrenaline that surged through his veins.

      The engines roared, obliterating the sound of his pulse pounding in his head. A tiny moan slipped from her throat, but the kiss continued. Aidan knew they were probably making a scene, but he was past caring. Instinct had taken over and he couldn’t seem to stop himself.

      A ping sounded over the PA system and the bell startled them both out of their sudden lapse into passion. She slowly pulled back, her mouth damp, her lips twitching. “What was that?” she asked.

      “If you have to ask, then I guess I didn’t do it right,” he said.

      “No, I—I meant that bell.”

      Aidan pointed to the light panel above their heads. “The seat-belt sign,” he said. “You are now free to get up and move about the cabin.”

      “I’ll be right back,” Lily said, grabbing her bag again and unbuckling her seat belt.

      He stood up and stepped into the aisle, then decided to