The Billionaire's Masquerade Page 0,22
car so she could get to the airport. It wasn’t even as if she were late. She was just too eager to see Jack again this weekend.
Her phone pinged and she lifted it up, smiling as she read the text. “Go get him!” from Nikki. She was about to text Nikki back when her phone pinged again. “So you’re missing our weekly run again? Slacker!” from Brianna but with a smiley face at the end. Bri was referring to their Saturday morning run along the Potomac River. There was a pathway that meandered along the banks of the Potomac, through the few sets of wooded area still left in the Washington, D.C. area and along grassy expanses that would later fill up with soccer games and picnickers. In the spring and fall, the path was packed with other runners but it was an easier run in the summer and winter when the temperatures weren’t as idyllic.
She laughed as she hurried through the airport, texting back, “I’ll get my exercise!” and laughed at her joke.
A moment later, the reply came back, “We know you will!” from both of them and she laughed out loud at their implication. And hers!
“I meant that we’d be walking along the coastline!” she texted back to both of them since Bri had included Nikki in the message trail.
“Sure you will!” both of them replied back almost simultaneously.
Standing at the gate, she shifted from foot to foot, trying to hurry up the boarding process. She wanted to be on her way as quickly as possible!
When she glanced down at her seating assignment, she was shocked to find that she was in first class. “Excuse me,” she said to one of the flight attendants, “I think this is a mistake.”
The flight attendant smiled and looked at the ticket, then at her flight manifest. “Ms. Carson?” At Rachel’s nod, the woman shook her head. “No mistake. You’re seated right here in the first row,” she explained. “Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked politely.
Rachel was flabbergasted. First class? Jack didn’t have the money to spend on a first class ticket! Or maybe she just got a bump up? Yes, that had to be the issue. Jack didn’t strike her as the kind of man who would waste his money on frivolous expenses. It must have just been an upgrade. She settled back in the wide, comfortable chair, feeling a bit like a fraud but also grateful to not be stuffed back in the coach area. She wasn’t a big fan of flying, especially the takeoff and landing, but this was definitely nicer than she was expecting.
When the plane landed, Rachel just about ran down the ramp, eager to see Jack, not feeling her usual panic as the plane touched back down to earth because of her excitement. And when she exited the restricted area, she saw him and just about flew into his arms.
“Hi beautiful,” he said, chuckling even while his arms wrapped around her, lifting her up against him. “You feel incredible,” he growled, setting her on her feet and bending low to kiss her.
When he lifted his head, she smiled up at him. “Thank you for sending me the ticket. I was starting to become pathetically depressed when it arrived. It brightened up my entire day, gave me something exciting to look forward to!”
He laughed again, grabbing her hand and her carryon bag. “I have no idea why you bothered to pack anything,” he said as he pulled her out of the airport. “I intend to keep you naked until you have to fly back on Sunday night.”
She laughed, but wasn’t completely opposed to the idea. “Sounds perfect,” she said, then felt the blush immediately stain her cheeks.
Emerson looked down at her, surprised by her daring response. When he saw the shocked look on her face, he threw back his head and laughed, pulling her close and kissing her senseless, completely ignoring the other passengers rushing around them as they hurried to catch their flight.
In the end, he didn’t keep her naked the whole weekend – just a great deal of it. They left the cottage to eat and actually got some exercise by going out in his small sailboat. He taught her how to throw in cages to trap lobsters, how to steer the boat and how to gauge the wind to get to their destination. Initially, she was opposed to catching the sea creatures, but when he hauled one of them up out