Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Sam will take you. I’ll have him drop you off, then come back and get me, and we’ll pick you up again on the way to the airport. How does that sound?”
“Perfect. Thank you.”
“I need to get in the shower and make a few business calls.” Jagger pulled back the cover and stood. I hadn’t really gotten the chance to check out his bare ass before. It was firm and sculpted like the rest of the man.
“Jeez. You must do a lot of squats.”
He turned, and apparently his ass wasn’t the only thing hard. I licked my lips without even realizing I was doing it.
“Stop looking at me like that or neither one of us is going to make it to the airport on time.”
I nibbled on my lip. “Good point. But save that for later. Maybe I can join the mile-high club.”
***
I’d never been on a private plane before. Jagger was finishing up a last-minute work call before we taxied to the runway, so I took a moment to snoop around. Supple leather seats that swiveled, two full-size couches that faced each other, a conference table in the back, not to mention a private bedroom. And everything was so nicely coordinated—the navy piping in the cream seats matched the throw pillows, and the blankets on the couch and the velvet bedspread in the sleeping cabin had the Apex logo monogrammed in cream.
The captain came back just as Jagger finished his call.
“We should get going. We have wheels-up in seven minutes or we’re going to get stuck behind a band of traffic and get pushed to forty minutes.”
Jagger nodded. “Ready when you are.”
The captain went back to the cockpit. A minute later, the flight attendant came in holding two travel mugs with the Apex logo. She smiled. “Black for you, Mr. Langston, and cappuccino with one sugar for you, Ms. Holland. I’ll serve breakfast after we’ve leveled out.”
“Thank you, Renee.”
She smiled at Jagger and passed me a mug.
“Thank you so much,” I told her.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I have a few more emails to get out,” Jagger said. “Once the girls are with us, I won’t get five minutes again until they crash tonight. The first day they’re with me, they’re always extra hyperactive. I think it’s their nerves, because they usually settle within a day or two.”
“Not at all. Do whatever you have to do.”
I didn’t particularly love the take-off part of flying, so once the plane started to move, I shut my eyes and kept quiet, focusing on taking deep breaths and staying calm. After we leveled out, my grip on the armrest of my chair loosened, and I opened my eyes.
Renee returned with a tray and sat it in front of me. “Breakfast. Would you like another cappuccino?”
“No, I’m good. Thank you.”
She looked to Jagger. “I’ll be back with yours, and I don’t have to ask if you want more coffee.”
He smiled. “Thanks, Renee.”
I waited until we both had our trays to take the silver dome off the plate. Jagger’s had a big omelet and sausage links, while mine had yogurt with a side of blueberries and honey. I’d thought it was coincidence that the flight attendant had brought me my coffee exactly the way I took it, but this couldn’t be one, too.
“How did they know what I like for breakfast?” I asked Jagger.
“I texted them this morning after you left to go to your apartment and get ready.”
“But how did you know? We’ve never had breakfast together?”
Jagger smirked. “The eye in the sky in the office. I’ve spent waaay too much time watching that damn feed.”
Wow. Just wow. The busy CEO who not only watched me but remembered what I liked too. “What else did you learn about me from that thing?”
“Other than a member of my legal team has too much time on his hands and needs to be reminded of the no-fraternization policy in the employee handbook? I noticed that you often put your palms flat on your desk.”
I blinked. “You noticed that?”
Jagger’s eyes met mine. “I notice everything about you, whether I want to or not.”
My chest tightened. “Miles has never even noticed that I do that. Honestly, I didn’t realize it until a therapist pointed it out to me. Dr. French noticed after two visits. The night I was drugged, my hands were at my sides, and I kept thinking if I could only get my palms flat, I could push up and bang my head against his and try to get away. I sort of hyper-focused on it during the whole thing, but of course, I couldn’t move.”
Jagger’s jaw flexed. “I’m sorry I brought it up.”
I smiled sadly. “It’s fine. I just can’t believe you picked up on it. My therapist said it’s called grounding. I actually do it with my feet as well. I don’t even realize it most of the time. But it helps me relax.”