Mile High Clubbing

The Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport buzzed with the usual pre-flight chaos. Among the throng of travellers, two Australians – strangers - stood in the business class check-in line.

Liam Carter, 34, an IT consultant for Oracle, had just wrapped up a gruelling three-week implementation project in Santiago. Tall, with tousled brown hair and a confident stance, he adjusted his carry-on while strolling through emails. His sharp blue eyes flicked up occasionally, scanning the crowd - until they landed on her.

A few feet away, Sophie Dawson, 28, a history teacher from Sydney, waited patiently. She had spent the past month in Chile as part of an exchange program, lecturing on Australian colonial history at a local community college. Petite, with auburn hair tied in a loose ponytail and sharp green eyes, she exuded an effortless charm.

Their gazes met briefly at the counter - an unspoken acknowledgment between two strangers who recognized a fellow Aussie abroad. Liam offered a polite smile; Sophie returned it before looking away, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

Interesting, Liam thought.

The LATAM business class lounge was a sanctuary of quiet luxury. Liam settled into a plush armchair with a coffee, stealing glances at Sophie as she took a seat near the window, pulling out her laptop.

Curiosity gnawed at him. There was something about her - an energy, an allure. He discreetly glanced over, noticing the website she was browsing: Red Hot Pie (RHP), a discreet online platform for adventurous adults seeking relationships or just to get laid for the lack of a better word.

No fucking way.

Liam was an RHP user himself - something he kept private, given his corporate persona. The coincidence was too perfect to ignore.

He grabbed his champagne glass and approached.

"G’day," he said smoothly. "Mind if I join you? Flying solo?"

Sophie looked up, startled but not displeased. "Sure. And yeah, just heading home."

"Liam," he introduced himself, extending a hand.

"Sophie."

Their conversation flowed effortlessly - travel, work, the quirks of Santiago. They discovered that they were both single and ever ready to mingle. Liam revealed that travelling for work kept him from having a settled and committed relationship with any of the ladies. Sophie reluctantly declared that she was just out of a tedious five years live-in relationship with her ex-partner.

Liam was intrigued by Sophie's use of the word 'ex-partner'. Was she straight (great) or lesbian (not good) or bisexual (half a chance)? He decided to test the waters by strategically steering the conversation to the use of dating apps.

"Ever tried Tinder or perhaps Grindr?" he asked in a matter-of-fact manner like as if it was a normal thing to ask. This drew a gasp from Sophie who was at first taken back by his nonchalance questioning but encouraged by the boldness as well.

"You ever heard of RHP?" she asked, with a grin.

Liam nearly choked on his drink. "Actually, yeah. Small world."

Sophie’s eyes sparkled with mischief. "Very small."

As they talked, layers peeled back.

Sophie: "I teach history, but honestly? My students would faint if they knew what I got up to outside the classroom."

Liam: "Corporate IT by day, RHP enthusiast by night. I get it."

She laughed. "You ever meet anyone from the site?"

"Once or twice. Discreetly, of course."

Sophie swirled her champagne. "I had a date lined up in Santiago, but he flaked. Left me… frustrated."

Liam’s pulse quickened. "That’s a shame."

She leaned in slightly. "Maybe fate had other plans."

Their banter grew bolder, laced with innuendo. By the third glass, Sophie had enough liquid courage in her to take things to the next level.... BUT....the announcement was made for the business class passengers to now board the aircraft.

Liam and Sophie boarded the B787 Dreamliner aircraft, their boarding passes scanned with polite efficiency by the flight attendants. As they stepped into the business class cabin, Liam’s heart sank slightly when he realized their seats were not just separated - they were on opposite sides of the aircraft.

Damn it.

Sophie was assigned 5K, a window seat on the left side, while Liam found himself in 7A, an aisle seat on the right. He glanced over, catching her eye as she settled in. She smirked, as if reading his mind - if only we had known earlier.

Once airborne, the cabin lights dimmed, and the soft hum of the engines filled the space. Liam fiddled with the in-flight entertainment system, scrolling mindlessly before spotting the messaging feature.

He typed quickly, fingers tapping the screen.

Liam (7A): Worst seat assignment ever.

A few seconds later, a reply popped up.

Sophie (5K): Agreed. I would complain to the staff, but I don’t think “I want to sit next to the hot guy I just met in the lounge” would go over well.

Liam grinned.

Liam: Hot guy? I’ll take that.

Sophie: Don’t let it go to your head. The champagne’s just kicking in.

Liam: Sure, sure. Blame the bubbles.

The exchange continued, their messages growing bolder as the flight progressed.

Sophie: So, Oracle guy. What’s your usual move when you’re trying to impress a woman?

Liam: Depends. Sometimes I talk about cloud infrastructure. Really gets them going.

Sophie: Mmm. Nerdy. I like it.

Liam: What about you? Do history teachers have a secret seduction technique?

Sophie: Oh, absolutely. I whisper facts about the Roman Empire. Very sensual.

Liam: “Tell me more about the fall of Constantinople.”

Sophie: Now you’re getting it.

A flight attendant refilled Liam’s champagne. He took a sip, eyes flicking to Sophie across the cabin. She was pretending to watch a movie, but he saw the corner of her mouth curl up as another message appeared.

Sophie: You’re staring.

Liam: Can’t help it. You’re distracting.

Sophie: Good.

A pause. Then.....

Sophie: Ever done something reckless on a plane?

Liam’s pulse jumped.

Liam: Define reckless.

Sophie: Something that would make the flight attendants very unhappy if they found out.

Liam exhaled slowly, fingers hovering over the screen.

Liam: Not yet. But I’m open to suggestions.

Sophie’s reply came instantly.

Sophie: Meet me in the lavatory in five.

Liam’s breath hitched. He glanced around - the cabin was quiet, most passengers either asleep or engrossed in their screens. The flight attendants were at the galley, chatting softly.

He typed back, heart pounding.

Liam: Which one?

Sophie: Back of the business class. Less traffic.

Liam downed the rest of his champagne, then stood, stretching casually before making his way down the aisle.

Sophie was already on the move.

The airplane lavatory was cramped, but neither cared. The moment the door locked, their lips crashed together in a heated kiss. Liam pinned Sophie against the sink, his hands gripping her waist as she fumbled with his belt.

"Fuck, you’re gorgeous," he growled, his mouth trailing down her neck.

Sophie gasped as his fingers slipped beneath her skirt, finding her already wet through her panties. "Someone’s eager," she teased.

"No time for teasing," he murmured, lifting her onto the sink.

Clothes were adjusted, not removed space was too limited. Sophie’s panties were tugged aside as she kicked them off. There was no time for foreplay as Liam entered her in one smooth thrust. She stifled a moan against his shoulder, her nails digging into his back.

Every movement was urgent, desperate. The hum of the aircraft masked their ragged breaths, the occasional turbulence only adding to the thrill. Liam’s hands gripped her thighs as he drove into her, their bodies moving in perfect, frenzied sync.

Sophie came first, biting down on his shoulder to silence her cry. Liam followed soon after, his release muffled by the press of her lips against his.

Panting, they straightened their clothes. Sophie glanced around. "Shit. Where are my panties?"

Liam smirked. "Maybe they got… misplaced."

She rolled her eyes, blushing anyway. "You’re terrible."

Walking back to their seats, Sophie shifted uncomfortably. "I swear, they must’ve fallen in the bin. Or worse - flushed away."

Liam feigned innocence. "Tragic."

They were oblivious to the fear that someone could have witnessed them both exiting the lavatory as the same time.

The rest of the flight passed in a haze of shared glances and secret smiles. By the time they landed in Sydney, they’d exchanged numbers and made plans for a proper date.

"Next time, maybe with more space," Liam murmured as they walked through customs.

Sophie laughed. "Where’s the fun in that?"

With a final, lingering kiss at the arrivals gate, they parted - two strangers no longer.

At home, Liam unpacked his bag - and paused. A sly grin spread across his face as he pulled out a tiny and crumpled item from his trousers' pocket.

Sophie’s red lace panties....it was only now that he discovered the colour and material of the sexy undergarment. It was some consolation for the fact that he had not even seen nor felt her breasts as the session in the lavatory was done in such a hurry before the rest of the passengers and cabin crew noticed anything amiss.

He brought them to his nose, inhaling deeply—her scent, their encounter, the thrill of the chase still clinging to the fabric. He licked the gusset which had a streak of dried residue of Sophie's juices.

Not the last time, he thought, tucking them into his drawer.

A trophy for next time.