If The World Was Ending

Chapter 2

Elizabeth pinches the bridge of her nose, to try and ease the start of the headache she was getting. When they had finally stabilized in the air and she had opened her eyes, Elizabeth had found much to her embarrassment that she had gripped Shane’s arm instead of the armrest. He had waved off her apology and had even smirked saying he had not minded at all.

Why would Cure Cybertech send someone like Shane to accompany her anyway? He obviously works for the security department and he was dressed like the militia the company sends in to the more hostile areas of where they were distributing vaccines.

Elizabeth swallows the couple of headache tablets she had gotten along with the water and the sandwich she had chosen when the stewardess had stopped by with the food trolley, and then turns to face Shane.

“So why are you really here Mr. Stone?” she asks.

“To accompany you” Shane states flatly.

“Yes but why?” she presses.

Shane was quiet for a few seconds, looking at her intently which made her nervous.

“Dr Kramer was in an accident this morning and it is suspected to be deliberate”

“What?” Elizabeth cries out in shock.

“Dr Kramer is okay she got away with minor injuries but was advised to postpone her flight. And I was sent to protect you and Dr Kramer when she eventually joins us.”

Elizabeth stares at Shane in disbelief.

“Why…why would someone want to hurt Dr Kramer? Why…would someone want to hurt me?”

Shane shrugs, “that is under investigation.”

Elizabeth blinks, this was completely unbelievable.  Then she remembers the reports Dr Kramer had forwarded to her. They were from the medical facility they were supposed to visit, the only thing was, and Elizabeth groans inwardly, her laptop was in her travel bag, which was in the overhead compartment.

“Mr. Stone?” Elizabeth asks and looks at Shane again only to find him still staring at her.

“Yes, Miss Van Rooyen?” he responds raising an eyebrow. Elizabeth blew out nervous air.

“I need my laptop, please?” and she gave a small smile as she points to the compartment. Shane stares at her for several seconds longer before he pushes himself out of his seat, sighing.

He retrieves her laptop and plops back down into his seat.

“Thank you,” Elizabeth says as he hands it to her.

“Welcome,” he murmurs, then shifts to adjust his seat backwards and he leans back closing his eyes.

Elizabeth c***s her head to study him, her eyes drifting up from his vest covered chest to his clean shaven jaw line, over his nose to his dark hair. He had a rugged quality to his handsome face. The bridge of his nose showing signs of having been broken, and the lines around his eyes mirroring tiredness.

Elizabeth blushes as she retracts her hand that was about to touch his cheek and she turns away abruptly. She has been attracted to men before, but never has she felt like this. This was not the place or the time, she scolds herself. Besides she doubts a man like Shane will even look twice at her in that way. The only asset worth noting about her was her red copper auburn hair, her only genetic inheritance from an unknown mother.

Elizabeth places the laptop onto the fold out tray in front of her, and with one last glance at Shane, she opens it and switches it on.

Shane had felt Elizabeth looking at him and he had tried not to move, his grip on the armrest tightening as he struggled to control his urge to pull her to him and kiss her. What the hell was wrong with him? He has no desire to get into any kind of relationship with this woman next to him. She was not even his type and she works for Cure Cybertech which meant she was off limits anyway. And he really needs to stop looking at her.

Shane groans inwardly, he was just over tired, having come off a previous job to directly take on a new one. He has not had a decent night’s sleep in weeks.

It was just after 10 pm and the plane was doused in darkness, a few dull headlights shining over a few passengers. Shane feels something against his arm and he opens his eyes to find Elizabeth’s head resting on it. He moves carefully to shift her into her seat without waking her, and reaches over to adjust her seat backwards into the sleeping position. She moans but remains asleep. He then notices the two blankets that had been placed on his lap.

They both must have been asleep when they had been handed out. Shane covers Elizabeth in a blanket, then closes her laptop and the fold up tray and returns the laptop to the compartment overhead. He adjusts his seat to match Elizabeth’s and closes his eyes again.

It had been, Shane admits, the perfect opportunity to check her laptop, but for some reason he wants to delay his real job just for a little bit. Once they reach South Africa, there will be plenty of opportunity to do what needs to be done.

He was under strict orders that Elizabeth does not suspect him of anything other than being a bodyguard.

Shane struggles to get back to sleep his mind refusing to switch off. The last couple of weeks had been difficult and twice he had almost been caught. Shane opens his eyes to look at Elizabeth he really needs to be careful not to slip up. No one can find out who he really was.

Shane watches as Elizabeth shifts restlessly in her seat, her forehead scrunched up in a frown, her hands grasping onto the blanket. She must be dreaming, he muses. She twists until she was facing towards him and her head comes to rest against his shoulder. Instinctively he wants to move her, but he hesitates and when she grabs his arm, hugging it against her, Shane freezes.

Her face looks so peaceful and the warmth of her body was seeping into his. Her grip on his arm was not overly tight and he can, if he wanted to, remove it but he did not. Instead he leans back and closes his eyes again.