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  Layover

  A Second Chance Romance

  Tristano Ricci

  A delayed flight but not a delayed reaction.

  Protocol be damned, this time I wasn’t going to let her go.

  Adriana Acosta had haunted my dreams for far too long.

  Forget the rules, ignore the risk. This time it would be my way.

  It went against everything I had been trained to do.

  But none of that mattered anymore. This was my chance to make it right.

  She had always been mine, she just didn’t know it yet.

  Adriana Acosta

  Forty-eight hours in Tokyo…

  The man who stood me up ten years earlier.

  Tristano Ricci. His name still sent shivers down my spine.

  He thought I didn’t recognize him. But I’d know that face anywhere.

  Thoughts of him had consumed me for a decade. His kiss had ignited a passion inside me that no one else could rival.

  Except he wasn’t to be trusted.

  He’d ghosted me once before. He’d do it again.

  Only this time, I’d be ready for it.

  International Love Book 2

  Layover

  A Second Chance Romance

  By Cassidy London

  Copyright © 2019 Cassidy London Books

  All Rights Reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters to persons living or deceased is purely coincidental. Names, places, and characters are figments of the author’s imagination. All trademarked items included in this novel have been recognized as such by the author. The author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication, audio narration, or video narration, is prohibited by law.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Tristano Ricci

  Baltimore, Maryland

  10 years earlier…

  My cock stirred at the sight of her. She was at the desk again, leaning over the fucking copy machine with her ass pushed out seductively in my direction. I wonder if she had any idea how much her presence affected me? Probably not. And that was the thing. She shouldn’t even have been on my radar... I shouldn’t even have been looking at her. I could get kicked out of pilot school for shit like this. Plus, her father owning the school didn’t help matters. He was always around, hovering over his daughter like a helicopter. As if he knew he needed to protect her. He was right.

  I was only twenty-five hours away from having logged all my required practice hours. I’d be done within the week and be out of here, ready to work. The past few years of studying and flying had me itching to start my first contract. Now, here I was with only twenty–five hours to go, and I found myself dragging them out just to see her. Adriana.

  Adriana was not your typical girl. Despite her innocent aura, she had the luscious curves of a woman and warm brown eyes that made me melt. She was shy yet confident in her job. Pleasant and professional, yet slightly removed in a way that made me itch to know what she kept hidden beneath her mask.

  I knew it was wrong, but every day I wanted her more. A forbidden temptation constantly clawing at my self-control. I needed to finish these hours and get the hell out of here before I did something that could make me lose everything I had worked so hard for.

  Adriana Acosta

  Baltimore, Maryland

  10 years earlier…

  My heart thumped wildly out of control. Could he hear it? Did he notice the red welts creeping across my chest and my loud erratic breathing? I flipped my hair. Fluttered my eyelashes. I tried to look coy, or shy, or was it flirty? What the fuck had they said in last month’s issue of Cosmo?

  It was useless. My almost eighteen year-old self couldn’t even get a sideways glance out of him. Every day that summer, he waltzed into my father’s flight school to log his hours. There were plenty of brand new pilots just like him. But none as devastatingly handsome as Tristano Ricci. With his dark hair, olive skin tone and bone structure that could cut glass, he was the kind of man that always stood out in a crowd. The sun shone on him and reflected back even brighter. His physique looked more like that of a fighter than a pilot. With all the hours he logged, I wondered when he found time to go to the gym. But I wasn’t complaining. I did need to keep my lustful thoughts to myself though. Tristano Ricci was god-like in my brain, and I was nothing more than a teenage receptionist to him. If even that. Ten years my senior and starting out on a lucrative career that would take him around the world. He was not going to be distracted by a kid still in high school. At least that was my impression, at first.

  Until the day that everything changed.

  The day that Tristano Ricci ruined me for all other men.

  It was a Thursday evening after hours, and Tristano was messing around with the planes. My father had asked me to let him know that we were closing soon. He needed to finish up the paperwork. Dad was a stickler for paperwork.

  I paged him but he didn’t answer. I looked at my dad for direction, when I received no answer back. What was the next step? I was already sweating at the thought of having to speak to him. But Dad was on the phone and he mouthed to me that I’d have to go out to the runway and meet him. He turned his back and continued on with his call. But not before tapping his finger to his watch several times. He made it clear to me, that time was ticking.

  Fuck. This meant I had to talk to Tristano in person. Also, code for me stumbling over my words and sounding like a blubbering idiot. But I had no choice. I certainly wasn’t going to ignore my father’s wishes. I didn’t need him yelling at me in Portuguese in front of Captain Ricci.

  So off I went, trying to smooth my hair and adjust my skirt as I walked nervously out to the runway. I found him sitting on the steps of the Cessna, staring up at the sky. His chiseled face and striking good looks were even more blinding with the backdrop of an emerging sunset.

  “Umm. Excuse me?” I began, already feeling that unmistakable heat of desire simmering in my veins.

  He turned and stared me right in the eyes. His gaze holding me captive until his voice broke the silence between us.

  “Adriana,” he said, rolling his R’s and reflecting his Italian heritage. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” Tristano stood up from his spot and casually moved closer to me, hands in his pockets, a cool professional smile on his face. His massive width and imposing height invaded my personal space and forced me to look up at him squinting into the sunset.

  “Umm… I uhh… we called you. I mean paged you–but I guess you didn’t hear. We’re closing in five minutes. You need to pack up and give in your flight log.”

  “Of course,” he responded instantly before abruptly turning away.

  I sighed. He’ll never n
otice me. I turned to walk away, feeling once again defeated and invisible. It was impossible to get away without making a scene though. Somehow, I managed to trip on a rock and felt myself tumble without warning. There was an instant between when the graveled dirt should have come up and hit me square in the face, and when I first felt the strong, warm touch of his arms around my body. Like a slow-motion video, I felt suspended in time, watching the disaster unfold before me. Fingers then stretched across my body holding me up and pulling me away from the ground. He spun me around with little effort, and stared deeply into my eyes. He seemed to search for something, although I wasn’t too sure what. I felt intoxicated by his touch, his gaze, the smell of his cologne.

  “Are you hurt?” His worried eyes scanned me up and down.

  “No, I’m fine just uhhh…” I didn’t even know what to say. Tristano’s fingers grazed my cheek as he gently pushed an errant strand of hair back behind my ear, letting his fingers linger there for just a moment. His simple touch immediately sent waves of tingles across my body, awakening it to its full potential.

  I felt myself look up, his face was now inches from my own as he lifted me up to my feet. I sucked in air trying to steady myself, but as I parted my lips to breathe, my world was irrevocably altered. Tristano’s lips ever so slightly brushed up against mine. Warm, sexy, and slow, they were a deadly combination. The fire was unmistakable. Even to my inexperienced body, I understood immediately how deep a desire like this can rock one’s soul. His kiss lasted just long enough to morph from gentle and sweet, to reveal lust filled passion, that bubbled beneath the surface. His tongue invaded my mouth, frantically searching for something unknown as he plunged it deep. It was better than a fairy tale. It was everything first-kiss dreams are made of and then some. The moment was only made better when he pulled away from me and said the words that would be on repeat in my head for the next decade.

  “I’ve wanted you for a long time Adriana. I know we shouldn’t, but I can’t deny how I feel about you. Have dinner with me. Tonight.”

  Chapter 1

  Tristano Ricci

  HND –Tokyo Airport

  10 years later…

  “Captain Ricci?” A woman’s sultry voice filtered out from the main cabin. I turned and looked into the eyes of a beautiful blonde, flight attendant that I knew all too well. As always, Sophia was making her intentions clear right from the start of the twelve-hour flight. We only had twenty-four hours in Tokyo before flying back to Los Angeles and this lovely girl who I had the pleasure of seeing naked many times before, was once again letting me know how she wanted us to spend the layover.

  Of course, fraternizing amongst the flight crew was strictly prohibited. However, despite the official rule, it certainly didn’t mean people weren’t doing it. In fact, the stricter the rules were, the more people broke them. Not the actual important ones of course. Just the fun ones.

  I prided myself on rising to Captain in just under two years as a pilot. The typical journey was much longer but I had managed to impress my employers right from the start. Not to mention my impeccable record with the ladies. Even the CEO of Air Freedom had been across my lap several times. Not to say that it was the reason I was now Captain, but it had definitely helped.

  Women both adored me and hated me. But either way, I could always get them into bed. Except for one. My special one. It didn’t matter how many beautiful women I took to bed or how many corners of the world I scoured. No one seemed to live up to her. Adriana. My Adriana. It had been both the best and the worst summer of my life. I spent that summer at flight school, logging my hours and taking cold showers. I was twenty-five at the time and she was…well actually I had no idea, but I did know she was still in high school.

  One night I had lost control and kissed her. Ever since that moment, I’d spent a lifetime trying to find that same electric spark. I never had though. She had been something else. Something special. And clearly, something that had never been meant for me.

  “Captain Ricci?” The high-pitched drawl called out to me again.

  I got up from the controls, where I had been preparing for our flight and made my way out to the cabin. We were scheduled to fly Mr. Leahy to Tokyo for business once again. It was a regular flight for him and depending on his mood, either a hellish or manageable one for the rest of us.

  “Yes Sophia?” I murmured, smirking and letting my hand slip down her back to rest comfortably just above her ass. We were alone in the cabin of the Air Freedom’s private jet. The rest of the crew were most likely on their way, not to mention our influential passenger would be boarding soon. It made touching Sophia intimately, that much more exciting to me.

  “Why don’t you have dinner with me when we arrive?” Sophia drawled. “I know it’s a short layover, but we could grab something at the hotel maybe?” Her casual yet suggestive words danced rings around my head. Every time I slept with Sophia, I made a promise to myself, that it would be the last time. She was harbouring feelings for me and it wasn’t fair to continue exploiting them. Sadly, logic and good reason seemed to only be reserved for the cockpit and never where my cock was concerned. Oh well. One more time won’t kill anyone.

  “Royal Park Haneda?” I asked just to make sure we were at the same place. Typically, the entire crew would be put up at the same hotel but Air Freedom was known for moving their crews around. There were times when I had flown to Tokyo with Sophia and flown back without her because she had been placed on a different return flight.

  She nodded and slide her tongue across her lower lip seductively.

  “Meet you in the bar an hour after I check in,” I responded. I had to eat anyway, I justified to myself. A quick shower and a little romp in the sack with those long legs and round ass, would make me sleep deeply and ensure I was rested for the long haul back. Chuckling under my breath, I walked back into the cockpit shaking my head. Didn’t matter what I had planned. I could always justify it away. I seemed to be doomed for the revolving door life anyway, so I figured I might as well enjoy it.

  The clickety clack of her heels, mixed with her giggles dissipated as she made her way to the back of the cabin. Sophia was beautiful and smart but I knew from experience that she wouldn’t live up to my fantasy girl. No one ever did.

  Fuck. This was stupid. I had to find a way to let go of her. I was thirty-five now, and thoughts of settling down were beginning to gnaw at the dark corners of my brain. I didn’t want to be alone forever. Many had tried to get me to commit, and one in particular nearly did…but in the end, I always backed out. Sometimes it felt like I was walking around with an emptiness that had been left behind, by a girl who never even got the chance to fill it.

  Chapter 2

  Adriana Acosta

  HND –Tokyo Airport

  10 years later…

  “Come on ladies!” I motioned to the other flight attendants who had worked that last flight with me. “Time to get out of here and eat!” I continued, pushing them to walk faster towards the terminal. The flight from Vancouver to Tokyo had been exceedingly long and draining. I couldn’t wait to take my shoes off, slip into my sweats and order some killer sushi. Reality was that even room service sushi in Tokyo, rivaled anything you could get at the best restaurants in North America or Europe. Flying to Tokyo did have its benefits even if we were only there for twenty-four hours.

  My friends however had other plans. “There’s no way we are just doing room service Adri!” Krista announced. “Did you forget that we have forty-eight hours here?”

  “Oh-my-god, you’re right! I’m so tired I can’t even think straight,” I laughed.

  How could I forget that? Layover times ranged from twelve to forty-eight hours depending on how long we’d been in flight. Krista, Tanya and I worked for a large commercial airline. The company also hosted a smaller private airline that rented out crews and planes to high-powered business people and celebrities. We had only worked commercial thus far, but I personally was hoping for a transfer. I had hea
rd that flying private was pretty easy and for much better pay. Easy because you really didn’t have to do much on board a private flight, except serve a few drinks. The guys on board flights like that, typically had their laptops open for most of the flight anyway. Maybe in another year or so a position would open up and I’d be able to apply.

  “Okay Krista, but how about a quick nap then we head out?” I asked, feeling hopeful that Tanya would agree with me. I knew what an evening out meant to Krista. Drinks at the hotel bar, sushi dinner then clubbing until we crawled back to the hotel and slept it all off for twelve hours. I was exhausted and just couldn’t face an evening out without a nap.

  “Sure, I could use a little pick me too,” said Tanya, backing me up.

  “Fine. You win old ladies; nap-time is first!” Krista stuck her tongue out at Tanya and I, before grabbing her rolling suitcase and jumping on the moving walkway in front of us.

  “Why does that girl have so much energy?” Tanya whispered to me, as we watched Krista continue to march forward with gusto.

  I shrugged my shoulders. Tanya and I were only too happy to stand still and let the walkway do all the work.