Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“I could have informed Leonora myself,” I murmur quietly after the older woman accepted my resignation. “She’s not my favorite person, but she’s been decent to me during my time at Suncrest.”
Nick lets out a snort.
“Who lets a pregnant woman stand for twelve hours a day? She should have done that ironing herself, rather than making you labor away like a servant. And trust me, the resort will be forwarding your last paycheck,” he says with a gleam in those blue eyes. “Either that, or they’ll hear from my lawyers.”
I was silent because this is what happens when a powerful alpha male takes over. People who wouldn’t give me the time of day suddenly bow and scrape, eager to get into Nick Bannister’s good graces. Leonora even tried to snag an internship for her college-age daughter at Rocket X, although Nick brushed it off easily. I guess it happens to the CEO a lot, and he knows how to parry like a pro.
But the plane ride was something else, and I blush thinking back on it. We boarded his G6, and it was gorgeous inside, like what you see in an influencer’s Instagram story. There were eight cream-colored seats made of the softest, plushest leather, as well as flatscreens mounted on the walls, and fresh flowers in a vase that was welded to a beautiful wooden side console. We passed a gleaming stainless steel kitchen galley as soon as we boarded, and within seconds, a young woman materialized, cheerful and peppy in a smart stewardess outfit.
“Mr. Bannister,” she welcomed with a friendly smile. “It’s good to see you again. Welcome aboard. Can I get you and your guest some champagne before we lift off?”
Nick gestured to a seat in front, and I sank into the soft leather with a sigh. Pregnancy has made me more tired than usual, and I appreciated getting off my feet. His blue eyes gleamed at me, but then he shook his head.
“No champagne for us today,” he said in a smooth tone. “Just some juice. Apple? Orange?”
“Apple please,” I murmured with a smile at the stewardess. “Thank you.”
“Coming right up!” she said before disappearing into the kitchen again. Meanwhile, to my consternation, Nick levered his large form into the seat right next to me before strapping in. I could almost feel the heat of his huge form, and butterflies fluttered in my tummy as I tried to keep calm. Of course, he was completely unaffected by our proximity.
“Does your seatbelt fit?” he asked, casting my belly a sideways glance. “We can ask for an extension.”
I laughed.
“I’m not that huge yet. I think I’ll be okay,” I said with a smile. Nick merely stared at my tiny bump again, and was I seeing things or did his gaze look possessive? But then, the stewardess reappeared with our juices, and put them down on a clever pull-out console with a smile.
“Here you go, Sir,” she said while also depositing a small bowl of warm nuts. “Have a wonderful flight. The captain tells me we’ll be wheels up in five minutes or so, but please let me know if you need anything in the meantime. I see you’ve already got your seatbelts on,” she said with a wink. “Perfect.”
Then, the young woman disappeared again, giving us privacy and I turned to Nick with wide eyes.
“Wheels up in five minutes?” I asked. “Wow, that’s fast. I thought there’d be a lot of hoops to jump through before getting into the air, but I guess not.”
The CEO smirks again, showing off a dimple in his left cheek.
“Not when you fly private,” he says. “Shit happens fast when you own your own plane.”
Sure enough, the captain’s voice comes on announcing our departure, and the G6 begins to taxi on the tarmac. I try to appear normal but there are sparkles in my eyes as jellybeans jump in my tummy.
“Everything okay?” Nick asks, casting me a curious glance. I smile even as my cheeks go rosy.
“It’s just my first flight, that’s all,” I murmur, a little embarrassed that I’ve never been on a plane before. “I’m from a humble background, as you’ve probably already guessed, so I’ve never been in the air before.”
His blue eyes go soft as he takes in my pregnant form.
“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” he hums before taking my small hand in his big one. “Just sit back and enjoy, honey. You’ll love being airborne.”
Unfortunately, his prediction isn’t true because once we begin speeding down the runway, my pulse accelerates. A cold sweat breaks out on my brow as the wheels begin to lift and soon, we’re inclined backwards as Minnesota spirals away below us. My head grows dizzy and my vision goes faint. I concentrate with every cell of my being on surviving even as cold air blasts through the A/C.