Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 141(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 94(@300wpm)
“Oh, I wouldn’t fire you.” I tip my glass of wine toward her, watching the way her throat moves when she swallows. “I’d just find creative ways to keep you… motivated.”
She presses her lips together to hide a smile, but it still curls the corners. “That sounds suspiciously like sexual harassment, Mr. Boss Man.”
“Adrian,” I correct gently. “And it’s only called sexual harassment if you tell me to stop.”
Her cheeks flush again, and she looks down at her plate, trying not to smile, cutting her meat too carefully, pretending she doesn’t feel the heat between us. I could swear the air around us thickens with it, humming and alive.
“Maybe I should send you my resume,” she says, giving me a flirty gaze. “It sounds like I’d fit right in.”
“Like I said, I’m retired. But I can think of some better things to do with you.”
The flight attendant returns and refills our wine, giving us a knowing smile. She’s been watching us flirt this whole time. My girl takes a sip as she watches my glass getting refilled.
“Ready to give me your name?” I ask my dream girl once the flight attendant has left.
“Maya,” she says. “Maya Howard.”
I smile as I whisper it, just wanting to see how it feels on my lips.
“And what do you do for work, Maya? What brings you into first class?”
She laughs. “A free upgrade. I work for a non-profit, so this is out of the norm for me.”
I ask her about it and she tells me all about her meaningful work giving kids who might never have left the city throughout their childhood the opportunity to go to summer camp in the woods. They get to experience nature, lakes, hikes, canoeing, swimming, catching frogs, and campfires under the stars with spooky stories and s’mores.
“I know it’s not curing cancer or saving starving kids in Somalia,” she says with a shy shrug. “But I find it important. It’s so fun to see these kids’ faces light up when they walk through a real forest for the first time. It’s magical.”
She’s magical. I just stare at her in awe, wondering if she’s real.
“My job is to get funding and set it all up,” she says. “It can be hard. People often blow me off, saying there are more important things to donate to, and it’s hard to argue with that, but giving kids a nice childhood and a new perspective on the planet is important as well.”
“I think it’s amazing what you’re doing,” I tell her. “Those kids are lucky to have you.”
I make a note of the name of her charity and as soon as this plane lands, I’m going to call my accountant to write a fat check and send it over.
“You really retired at forty-two?” she says after a moment, her voice lighter again. “What’s that even like?”
“Quiet,” I say honestly. “Until about two hours ago.”
Her fork pauses. “Oh yeah? What happened two hours ago?”
I grin, letting my gaze linger on her lips. “You sat down beside me.”
She shakes her head as she leans back on the window, turning her body so she can stare at me. “What did I get myself into sitting next to you?”
I grin as I let my hungry eyes roam along her leg that’s propped up on her seat. The plane is humming around us as we soar over the clouds.
“Best seat on the plane,” I say, my voice rougher than expected. “You just don’t know it yet.”
“Oh, I do,” she whispers.
Our eyes meet and our heated gaze lingers until I’m worried this whole plane might burst into flames.
Around the three hour mark, when Maya is feasting on a succulent brownie and my eyes are feasting on her seductive lips as she chews, the plane hits a little bit of turbulence.
“What was that?” she asks, her bright blue eyes darting around. She grips her armrest when the plane shakes again.
“Just a bit of turbulence,” I tell her softly. “It’s normal. The plane can handle it.”
I hope.
I hate that she’s flying with this discount airline. How old is this plane? We should be flying private. We should be on my brand new jet. She will be from now on, I guarantee it.
I’ll tell my pilots to avoid turbulence at all costs. I don’t ever want to see this fearful look in her eyes again.
“It’s okay,” I say when she whips her head around and looks out the window to make sure that the wing is still there. I take her hand and squeeze it. “You’re safe. You’re okay.”
She turns back to me and those eyes soften as she gazes into mine. I get in nice and close, keeping my voice low and soothing. “I got you, Maya. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“You promise?” she asks, her voice trembling a little.