Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98469 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98469 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Speaking of which …
My gaze lands on the beautiful, green-eyed beauty standing in the taxi line with her rolling luggage next to her.
I should leave her alone, walk away, and never look back since I know Matteo is going to take care of that asshole for her. But I can’t help the way I gravitate toward her.
“Where are you off to?” I ask when I step up behind her.
She jumps and spins, a cute shriek leaving her lips. “Jesus,” she breathes when her eyes land on me. “You can’t be sneaking up on people like that. I’m headed home.”
“Does that mean you won’t be serving me my old-fashioned on my flight home later?”
She shakes her head. “I picked up a trip for a crew member. So, unless you’re going to the Dominican Republic tomorrow morning, you won’t be on my flight.”
“That sounds an awful lot like an invitation,” I joke, making her eyes bug out.
“What? No,” she splutters, shaking her head. “That’s not what I—”
I bridge the gap between us and lean in close so only she can hear. “The DR is beautiful this time of year. Maybe I’ll have to take a trip there.” And it would be the perfect distraction from the bullshit that has become my life.
“I’ve never been,” Peyton chokes out. “We have a one-night layover, so I’m hoping to spend tomorrow seeing some of the sights.”
“I could show you around,” I tell her, lifting her chin so she’s forced to look at me. I have a few business associates in the DR, so I’ve been there several times over the years. “Would you want that?”
“I told you that I have a lot going on and my mom is—”
“I’m not asking you to marry me,” I say, placing two fingers against her plump lips. “And whatever is going on will still be there when you are back. I just want one day with you. Could you give me that?”
She swallows thickly, and then after several seconds, she nods.
“I need the words.”
I need to hear that she wants me the way I want her. That despite neither of us being in a position to see where this could go long-term, neither of us can deny the chemistry sizzling between us. And it would be a waste to not let it burn.
“If I were to see you in the DR, I wouldn’t be opposed to letting you show me the sights.”
I nod and smile, so damn intrigued by this woman. “Well, maybe you’ll see me on the plane tomorrow.”
The line moves forward, and Peyton’s taxi arrives. With a quick glance back at me, she slides into the back seat and takes off.
Since I didn’t book a town car—too busy dealing with Peyton and then the phone call from my brother—I grab a taxi to take me to my meeting.
Me: You think the commercial flight was bad? You should see me inside of a taxi.
Matteo: Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?
I arrive at my meeting on time, and it goes smoothly. The other investors and I sign the contracts, and it feels good to know that the deal has none of my father’s tainted blood on it.
I’m walking out of the meeting, toward the town car that’s waiting for me, unsure if I’m going to head to the airport or book a flight to the DR, when a notification catches my eye, alerting me of a new email from Victor Rosa. He’s a business associate of ours in the DR. We’ve been handling his shipments into Harbor Point for years, and our contract with them is due to be renegotiated.
Usually, Victor would make the trip to Harbor Point, and I’d have my brother with me since he recently started handling the port, despite our father’s objections.
But my brain goes to a certain red-haired, green-eyed woman who will be flying to the DR tomorrow, and my decision is made.
I shoot a text to my brother, hoping he won’t see through my lie, and then tell the driver I’m going to be staying in Coral Bay tonight, so I’ll need to be taken to a hotel.
Me: I have some business I need to attend to in the DR, so I’m going to handle Rosa’s contract renegotiation while I’m there.
It shows he read it, but he doesn’t respond for several minutes. When he does, I can’t help but groan because it’s like he’s Big Brother.
Matteo: Any chance the flight attendant is accompanying you to the DR?
Me: Focus on handling the fucking pilot.
Matteo: Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you haven’t mentioned her name. But I’ll let you keep your little secret for now. Have fun, bro … but not too much.
Since I don’t have any clothes with me because it was only supposed to be a day trip, after getting checked in to my hotel, I have Janet order me clothes and a carry-on suitcase to be delivered to my room, and then I spend the rest of the evening working.