And Bonnaire’s shouldn’t have been doing business under those circumstances. But they had.
‘Please, sit where you like,’ he said, cutting into her thoughts, before heading towards the cockpit.
She looked about her, trying to work out where she should sit. She waited for a moment for Sebastian to return from speaking to the pilot, but he didn’t. Frowning, she gingerly made her way towards the cockpit and knocked on the door.
‘Enter.’
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ she demanded the moment she caught sight of him sitting in the pilot’s seat.
‘Flying us to the Caribbean,’ he said with a smile that she was sure had dropped a few panties in its time.
‘Ah...no. No, I don’t think so.’
‘You’re more than welcome to follow on a commercial flight. I can have Benjamin book you a seat. You’ll only be about fourteen hours behind me, but I’m sure you won’t mind,’ he taunted.
She was going to need a dentist by the time these fourteen days were up, she was clenching her jaw so much. She cast an eye across the vast number of little lights, some of which were flashing, some white, some red, all of which were too many for her to take in.
‘I am a fully qualified pilot. We have blue skies, calm winds and should have a good flight time.’
The space was small, even with the two pilot seats and...steering wheels, not that she thought they were actually called that.
‘Sia.’ His tone called her attention back to him. ‘I can fly this plane. And I promise you, if you want to get the commercial flight—’
‘No. No. I...ah...’ she laughed a little ‘...I trust you. In this I trust you,’ she said, realising that she did.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Why?’
‘That must have hurt.’
She couldn’t help but slap him on the arm, an action that momentarily surprised them both.
‘You’re welcome to stay,’ he said, levelling her with a gaze she felt to her toes.
She looked at the seat, trying to figure out how to even get into the thing, and realised that she’d already made the decision. There was a feeling of excitement edged with a little healthy fear and something not too far from adrenaline running through her veins as he helped her into the seat and the harness.
She watched, fascinated, as he spoke into the microphone attached to the earphones, communicating with whoever he needed to about taking off. The gentle forward movement as they began to head towards the runway seemed slower than a walk but, before she knew it, they were picking up speed and approaching the runway and she couldn’t take the smile from her face, even if she couldn’t loosen her grip on the arms of the seat. Sebastian took them faster and faster and never had she been more conscious that they were two little people inside a slightly bigger construction of metal and technology and, just when she would have shouted for him to stop, the wheels left the tarmac and they soared.
It took everything in her not to whoop, biting her lip, clenching her hands. None of it worked. When Sebastian looked across at her his smile, pantie-dropping or not, was one of pure joy.
What do you do for fun?
Let billionaire playboys fly me to the Caribbean.
Sebastian was still smiling as he pushed down the steps of his private jet and gestured for Sia to precede him. In truth, the flight had been much more enjoyable than expected, once Sia had relaxed. She’d refused his invitation to take the controls, but he suspected she might agree next time he offered. It’d been clear she had enjoyed it too.
Not that there would be a next time, he reminded himself firmly. They had thirteen days left and he couldn’t lose sight of the threat that Sia posed for each and every one of those days as she pursued her investigation into the Durrántez painting. That alone meant he needed to keep her at arm’s length.
But all of those thoughts disappeared as he caught sight of Ajay, his manager. He’d been looking forward to this moment for the last eighteen months and now the Caribbean hotel was on the verge of opening.
He had one duffel bag in each hand, which he unceremoniously threw into the back of the pick-up-style truck waiting beside the small sandy runway, before walking over to take the man in a strong embrace.
‘It’s good to see you,’ Sebastian said sincerely, seeing the warm smile on his friend’s face.
‘And you, Sebastian. And you.’
‘How are they?’
‘The cabins are perfect