The Stand-In Girlfriend Ch. 01-02

"Excuse me, mate," Eric said. "I didn't know the two of you were together."

"Well we are," Ashton said.

"You shouldn't go to sleep and leave such a lovely flower unattended," Eric said taking hold of Chevonne's hand and slipping his business card into it. "There's no telling who might come by, pick it and steal it away from you."

"I think it would be better for you if you minded your own business," Ashton said, "and picked your flowers elsewhere."

"I hope we bump into each other while you're in London," Eric said to Chevonne completely ignoring Ashton's comments.

"Let's switch seats," Ashton said before Chevonne could respond to Eric's comment.

"What?" Chevonne said.

"Lets. Switch. Seats," Ashton said slow and distinctly.

People on the plane were staring at them so Chevonne did as he asked and switched seats.

"You won't be picking any flowers here mate," Ashton said looking over at Eric.

"What's wrong with you?" Chevonne asked astonished at the way Ashton was behaving, "the man was only making conversation."

"He was being to friendly if you ask me," Ashton said, "and I didn't like where his conversation was heading."

"You were listening?"

"Of course I was listening. You're sitting right next to me."

Ashton's cell phone vibrated.

"Hello," he said gruffly.

"What's wrong with you?," Katrina asked as she sat next to Martin as they drove away from the restaurant where they'd just eaten dinner. "Is she embarrassing you already."

"No," Ashton said gaining control of his temper.

"I'm tired."

"You did have quite a workout last night," Katrina said reminding of their night together.

"Yes, I did," Ashton said smiling as he thought about how many times and ways he and Katrina made love. "What're you doing?"

"Heading out to dinner with a friend," Katrina said.

"I'm glad you're not sitting in your dorm room alone," Ashton said.

"I decided to go out with a friend before I joined my parents tomorrow," Katrina said looking over at Martin and running her hand through his hair.

"Give them my regards," Ashton said.

"I will," Katrina said. "It's sweet of you to think of them."

"I better hang up now," Ashton said.

"Yeah, you better," Katrina agreed.

"I'll talk to you later," Ashton said wishing he could say I love you.

"Goodbye," Katrina said. "I'll talk to you later in the week."

"Okay," Ashton said, "goodbye."

"How is everything?" Chevonne asked as Ashton closed his phone.

"Everything is fine," Ashton replied allowing the soothing feeling he always got after talking to Katrina wash over him. The woman was like a balm to his soul.

Three hours before their plane was due to land Chevonne eased pass a sleeping Ashton reached up to remove her carryon bag from the overhead compartment.

"Let me help you," Eric said getting up to assist Chevonne.

"Thank you," Chevonne said moving so he could reach her carryon bag and checking out the man that stood beside her.

Eric stood about five feet eleven inches tall and a body that screamed that he loved the gym. He had a broad chest and shoulders. Chevonne just knew that under his shirt the man was packing six pack abs. Eric smiled as he felt Chevonne's eyes ogling his physique.

He was use to women staring at him and liking what they saw it was the reason he spent so much time in the gym working on his body for just that reaction.

"Thank you," Chevonne said taking her carryon from him.

"You're welcome," Eric said.

Chevonne turned and headed to the restroom.

An hour later Ashton was awaken when he heard Eric say, "Damn!"

Ashton turned to see what had gotten Eric attention. He saw a black woman walking down the aisle wearing a blue denim coat dress, that was belted at the waist, buttoned down the front with just a hint of a slit where the dress ended resting just above the woman's knee.

The color of the dress accentuated the woman's cinnamon skin color, it fit her like a glove hugging her breasts, her waist and her hips. The wide black belt she wore around her waist defined her near hour glass figure. Her dark brown wavy hair hung down around her shoulders. Her face featured the brownest eyes Ashton had ever seen and she wore only a hint of lip gloss on her full lips. The woman looked amazing.

Ashton wished Chevonne had dressed in such a manner instead of the way she was dressed. He turned to look at her and saw that her seat was empty.

'She probably went to the restroom', he thought to himself.

"Let me help you," Ashton heard Eric say.

"Thank you," Chevonne said smiling at him and passing him her carryon bag to put back up in the overhead compartment.

"Damn!" Ashton said now understanding Eric's reaction.

"You clean up very well," Eric said taking hold of Chevonne's hand.

"Thank you," Chevonne said smiling at him.

"Yes, she does," Ashton said standing and reaching over and removing Chevonne's hand from Eric's grasp. "You look very lovely indeed."

"Thank you," Chevonne said as she passed Ashton on her way to her seat.

As she passed him the scent of vanilla and cocoa butter wafted in the air. Ashton and Eric inhaled the scent and let it invade their senses. It was as enchanting as the woman wearing it.

"What part of London are the two of you visiting?" Eric asked Ashton, "maybe we can get together for drinks."

"I'll tell you what," Ashton said smiling at him knowing full well that the man's intention was to try and get close to Chevonne. "Why don't you give me, your business card and I'll call you to see if you join us for drinks one evening."

Eric pulled out a business card and gave it to Ashton. Who took it and slipped it into his pocket.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Ashton asked as he turned away from Eric and sat down.

"I didn't want to disturb you," Chevonne said. "You seemed to be sleeping so peacefully."

"Please don't do that again," Ashton said. "It's unnerving to wake up and find the seat next me empty when someone was sitting in it before."

"I'm sorry," Chevonne said. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Is everything alright sir?"

Ashton and Chevonne turned to see Eric still standing in the aisle of the plane staring down at Chevonne.

"Everything is fine," Eric said trying to hide his embarrassment at being caught standing in the aisle and staring at Chevonne. "I was just stretching my legs."

Ashton noticed that Eric was still staring as he spoke to the stewardess and when he followed the direction of his gaze it was obvious that Eric was looking at Chevonne's smooth, nicely shaped legs.

Which she covered with a magazine when she realized where Eric was looking.

Ashton felt a hint of jealousy hit him when he realized Eric was ogling Chevonne's legs. But he refused to acknowledge it as jealousy because he was in love with Katrina and they planned on being married.

He labeled what he was feeling as concern because Chevonne was his guest and it was his job, his responsibility to make sure nothing happened to her an to keep cads like Eric away from her.

Just because he was using her it didn't mean he couldn't make sure no one else used her. Did it?