22 hours. We are twenty hours away from our destination.

Where?

It's one of the places Carter wants to visit.

But she doesn't know that. Not yet.

Throughout our ride to the airport, Carter's talks were nonstop. And for the past days that I've been with her, there are only two things that make her very talkative.

One, she's excited about the stories she's been telling me which is highly unlikely, considering that she doesn't even seem to know what she's talking about.

Two, she is nervous. The way she fiddles with the ring around her finger tells me that she is definitely nervous about something. Also, the way she always wipes her forehead as if the sweat in there can't stop leaking, tells me that she's beyond nervous.

"Are you okay?"

She stiffened. That simple question made her still and she probably stopped breathing as well.

I took hold of her hand and noticed that her hands are sweaty and cold.

Yup. Definitely nervous.

When I squeezed her hand, she finally looked up at me. Her eyes show anxiety and maybe even fear with a bit of uncertainty.

It's always like that. Whenever I stared into those green eyes of hers, they always show different kinds of emotions. Most, I can't even recognize. And that made me want to know all of it. All of her. I want to uncover every secret, every corner she has behind those green eyes. I want to peel the anxiety and fear living under her skin. I want to know her past to fully understand how such eyes could hold so much power, emotions that never failed to compel me to look and get lost into them.

Drawn to her mesmerizing eyes, I lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, hoping that somehow that kiss could take away the reason for her nervousness.

Her face warmed up, making her pale cheeks turned to a rosy color.

I smiled. I can't help but smile whenever she blushes. She turns pink whenever she does, making her even more adorable.

Still staring, I realized that despite her blush, her eyes looked... pleading?

It's like she's sending a message. A message beyond my comprehension.

Not breaking eye contact, I did what I wanted to do for the past days of being with her.

I held her hand firmly against mine.

Palm to palm.

Wrist to wrist.

Intertwining our fingers.

Our hands were locked with each other even until we arrived at the airstrip.

I refused to let go of her hand, and neither did she.

I nodded at our chauffeur as we ascended the plane. I don't want to carry any of our luggage because I just want to hold her hand, and just savor this moment of holding her close to me. Warming her up as her body constantly bumped on mine.

Hand in hand, I let her choose her seat.

Of course, there's a lot to choose from, considering that we had been using my private plane since we left New York.

She chose the seat beside the window, pulling me with her.

I smiled again. She didn't pull her hand from my grasp.

I know I've been smiling like an idiot for the past minutes, but I couldn't help it. Even though, she doesn't know where we're going, she looks like she's excited. All her worries and nervousness from earlier were gone. And I can't keep myself from smiling because of those reasons.

Or maybe she started having an idea.

"Do you know where we're going?" I asked.

She snapped her head to the side. "No," she answered in a chirpy voice. "But, shouldn't you know where we're going? I mean, with all that 'pack your bags, we're flying out of here' line you keep giving me whenever you like it?"

I chuckled at that. "Of course, I do. I'm just curious as to why you look excited."

She gave an oh...

Silence

I looked at her with expecting eyes.

"What?"

"So why do you look so excited?"

"I enjoy airplane rides," she said simply, looking at our joined hands. "Unlike most people, I love being high up in the air." She looked up at me and smiled. "And take offs are my favorite part." She winked as I heard the pilot informing us to buckle our seatbelts.

I smiled at her, as she giggled ang looked out the window to watch as the plane sped and took off.

It's been two hours since the take off. And our hands are still together as she looked outside the window, watching nothing but the blue sky and the clouds the plane are soaring in.

I have no idea what our exact location was but wherever we are, the sun is now about to set. She was marveling at the beautiful view outside while I was admiring the beautiful sight that was her.

A few minutes later, we were engulfed by the darkness of the night.

She seemed to always be fascinated by the sky as she was still staring intently out the window. She mumbled something I wasn't able to hear.

"What?"

She looked up at me with those droopy eyes and gave me one of those adorable smiles I've grown to love. "I said, I feel like I'm Astrid from that animated movie I once watched. Only difference is that I'm in a plane instead of a dragon named Toothless," she said, trying to stifle a yawn but failed miserably.

I chuckled. I'm going to look up that movie sometime.

Still holding her hand, I told her to have some sleep.

"I can't," she said, well more like pouted.

"Why not?"

"Like I said, I enjoy riding airplanes. I can't sleep."

"You will be very tired," I chided. "We still have a long journey ahead."

She pouted. "I don't care."

I chuckled and brought her hand to my lips and gave it a light kiss.

I reluctantly let go of her hand. I stood and walked towards the door at the end of the aisle.

"Where are you going?" I heard her ask.

I ignored it and went inside.

The bed was completely made, and I checked on the bathroom.

"This is... Wow."

I didn't realize that she followed me until I heard her outside the bathroom. I took the pills I was looking for and walked out.

"I didn't know that this is where that door opens to."

"Here." I handed her the pills.

"Are you going to poison me, Mr. Westwood?"

I chuckled at her humor. Now she was able to relax.

"That is going to help you sleep."

She looked suspiciously for a moment but took one and popped it in her mouth. She took the glass of water at the counter and chugged it down.

"I'll just go check some things outside," I said, eyeing the bed. "You sleep here, okay?"

"Okay."

With that, I closed the door behind me and went back to my seat. I don't really have to check some things out. It's just an excuse to make her comfortable. Sure, we've been holding hands like we were in a romantic relationship but that doesn't mean she wants to be watched as she tries to sleep. After all, sleeping is a person's most vulnerable moment because that person's guard will be down once sleep came.

I tried to make myself comfortable in her seat. I even tried to admire the vast sky like she did earlier.

But after a few minutes of failed attempts to entertain myself, I couldn't take it anymore.

I missed her hand. I missed holding her close to me.

So, I went back. Making my presence as quiet as possible, I opened the door slowly.

Like a sneak bastard that I am.

I stopped at the threshold as I saw her sleeping form on the bed.

I walked closer to the bed and kneeled in front, so I was at her level.

She looks peaceful.

Completely at ease.

Her closed eyelids are different from the women I've been with before her.

Her face is bare. Not even a slight trace of makeup on her face or that awful facemask. She's still as beautiful as ever.

Creep

The scent of lavender hit my nose. And I leaned my face towards her hair.

Creep

I closed my eyes as I inhaled her scent.

Creep

I know. I know I'm a creep. She made me a creep.

I opened my eyes. My vision landing on her hair. The roots are now showing its natural color.

Blonde

I placed my head on top of my hand as I watch her sleep.

Breathing in and out, I climbed up on the bed and joined her. Gently placing her head on my chest as she scooted towards my body.

I didn't miss the smile forming on her lips as she placed her left hand beside on my chest.

Sweet dreams, Princess.

We now have less than 20 hours before we reach our destination.

New Zealand

But she doesn't know that.

Not yet.

Or the fact that I already knew who she really is.

She doesn't know that I'm fulfilling her dream to go to the places she wanted to go.

I'm giving her what her heart desires.

But why?