Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
I thanked the driver when he loaded my luggage into the open cargo hold and gestured to the compact set of stairs leading up to the open hatch of the plane. I eagerly climbed the steps but jolted to a stop the moment I was through the door.
Stupid. I should have known.
Any excitement I’d had died when I discovered the pair of warm, brown eyes waiting for me on board.
6
KARA
I fought hard not to lose it completely at Shawn’s victorious smile.
“No.” I wasn’t ready to face him so soon after what we’d done in the back of his limo. “No. You said you weren’t going back today.”
“My plans have changed.” He stood in the aisle between a desk and a seat that looked far nicer than anything I’d ever flown in before. He gestured to the space around him. “Why don’t you have a seat?”
I tore my gaze away, unable to look at him, all smug in his beautifully tailored suit. I glanced around as if searching for an escape route, even though I already knew there was one at my back. In any other situation, I would have thought the cabin was spacious, but it looked too impossibly small to contain Shawn Dunn. I couldn’t spend the next eight hours locked in this metal container with him.
He hadn’t given me time to regroup.
“No,” I said. “I’ll take a later flight.”
He latched a hand onto my wrist, stopping me when I tried to back up, and he pulled me shuffling forward, deeper into his plane.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said lightly. “You’re already here, and we’re ready to go.”
The pretty female cabin attendant I hadn’t noticed until that moment moved to the doorway and began to retract the stairs.
“Wait,” I said as the hatch thudded shut.
She must have been instructed to ignore my protests and kept her focus on Shawn. “I’ll let the captain know everyone’s on board.” A British accent flavored her words. “Can I get either of you something to drink?”
“Bourbon and a water for me. Kara?”
I shook off his hold and gaped at him, still reeling. “It’s four in the morning.”
He shrugged. “Not in Munich.”
I wanted to point out that it was still too early, but when I didn’t speak immediately, his attention returned to the attendant.
“Nothing for her,” he said. “Thank you, Victoria.”
She nodded and disappeared around a corner into her station.
“You’ve got some nerve,” I snapped, “canceling my flight. How the hell did you do that?”
He didn’t even have the decency to look guilty. If anything, he seemed quite pleased with himself. “I saw your confirmation number when you were checking your departure time yesterday.”
“You . . .” Anger made thoughts clog inside my head. “Why did you do this?”
“You gave me the impression you wouldn’t see me again.”
“So, you trapped me on your plane?”
There was a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Yes, I suppose so.”
His answer was infuriating.
And worse, there was a tiny part, deep inside me, that was sort of excited by what he’d done.
I stood in the center of the cabin, surrounded by oversized white chairs that were wrapped in soft leather, and an Osterhägen logo danced on the screen of one of the built-in monitors. Every inch of this aircraft screamed luxury and expense.
Shawn watched the hurried rise and fall of my chest but pretended he was indifferent. That he didn’t care how displeased he’d made me, even though it obviously mattered to him. He’d taken a big risk and was hoping it—meaning me—wasn’t going to blow up in his face.
He lowered into the chair closest to us and motioned for me to sit beside him, but I stood in defiance, towering over him.
If I sat, I knew this would be the last time I’d be in a position of power. I should run. Demand they open the door, and I’d take a later flight just to spite him.
It was like he could read my mind, and his tone was surprisingly genuine. “No strings with this one.”
Victoria emerged with a tray carrying two glasses of water in fancy goblets and a tumbler half full with bourbon and ice.
Shawn snapped up his glass and promptly drained the entire thing like he couldn’t get it down fast enough.
Something was wrong.
He looked uncomfortable. Nervous.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He hesitated. “I don’t enjoy flying.”
“You don’t—? Really?” I could hardly believe it, a CEO of an international company who was a nervous flier.
“Yes, it’s only the takeoffs.” He checked to make sure there wasn’t any bourbon left in his glass. “And the landings.”
“And everything in between?”
He gave me a tight smile. “Join me.” There was a hint of desperation. “Distract me.”
Victoria hadn’t batted an eye when he’d slammed his drink. She exchanged his now empty glass for a goblet of water before handing the other to me. “Can you take your seat, please?”