doesn’t kiss and tell.’
He laughs. ‘Okay, but at least you know who I am.’
I reach for another strawberry.
‘Anyway, he’s a nice guy like I said, a great boss, but he’s not someone I’d ever recommend getting involved with. Unless you’re after one night of mad sex—no guarantee he’ll remember your name the next day.’
‘Got it.’ I stand up, wiping my hands on a paper towel before discarding it in the bin.
‘I mean—’
I lift a hand, stalling him. ‘Eddy, we don’t need to talk about this any more, okay? I get it.’
‘Okay.’ His breath whooshes out in relief. ‘You don’t need to see him again. You’ve been working all flight. We’ll take over now.’ I nod distractedly. Is that what I want? To not see Holden again?
Chicken, a little voice inside my mind taunts. As if running away is what I want to do.
What’s so wrong with a one-night stand anyway? Nothing.
That’s what I wanted.
I’m not interested in dating, and I’m definitely not interested in dating a guy like Holden, so Eddy’s revelation shouldn’t have changed a thing for me.
What does that mean? I look towards the curtain uncertainly, doubts plaguing me.
Wanting someone is one thing.
Acting on it quite another.
And yet... I make a tea and try not to think about it. Instead, I focus on the fact I’ll be in Sydney again, my future a blank roll of film waiting for me to mark the image of my future on it as I see fit. That’s what I need to focus on, not the fact Holden’s chest felt like it would be filled with rippling abs.
‘He’s asking for you.’
I jolt at the interruption. One of the other flight crew walks in—a girl, Belinda? I smile, even as my heart is erupting. ‘Says you were halfway through an interesting conversation before and he wants to hear the end of it?’
A smile curls the edges of my lips. Does he indeed?
‘Do me a favour?’
Belinda lifts a brow and says nothing.
‘Just tell him I’m busy. I’ll get to him if I can.’
Her jaw drops. ‘Mr Hart won’t like that.’
‘No, I don’t think he will.’
* * *
Busy? I glare at Belinda but that’s nothing new. Since I found out I’m not a Hart I’ve pretty much had one setting: scowl.
Busy.
Busy doing what? It’s my goddamned jet.
‘Oh? Can you take over from whatever it is she’s doing?’
‘Um...’ Belinda casts a glance over her shoulder. ‘I’ll see.’
* * *
‘He’s kind of pissed off.’
I sip my tea, flipping a page of the magazine.
‘Is he?’
‘What were you two talking about?’
I catch Eddy’s eye over Belinda’s head and suppress a smile. ‘Nothing important.’
‘Yeah, well, he seems to disagree.’
‘Tell him I’ll get to him if I can.’
‘Seriously—’ Belinda shakes her head ‘—no way. He’ll shoot the messenger.’
I sip my tea again. ‘Last message, I promise.’
* * *
‘For God’s sake. Where is she?’
‘In the galley, sir.’
‘Tell her if she doesn’t drop whatever the hell she’s doing I’ll throw her out an emergency exit.’
Belinda’s jaw drops. I’m not surprised. It’s too much, even for me.
‘I—’
‘Now.’ I turn my attention to the paper but the throbbing in my cock makes it impossible to concentrate.
* * *
I laugh. Belinda looks like she’s about to pass out. ‘Just don’t go out there again,’ I say quietly.
‘I don’t get it. What’s going on?’
‘I just think it won’t do him any harm to wait, that’s all.’
‘Yeah, well, I’m not the one he’s threatening to throw out of the airplane.’
I grin, flipping the page of my magazine, pretending to read whilst stilling my beating heart.
* * *
‘What the hell are you playing at?’
I tap my fingers on the armrest, watching as she walks towards me so slowly it’s a form of torture in and of itself. She blinks her huge caramel eyes, her lashes long, her smile a master class in enigma even the Mona Lisa could learn a thing or two from.
‘I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Like hell you don’t.’ I stand out of the seat, moving towards her, stopping just short of touching her. ‘Why didn’t you come in here?’ The words emerge as a petulant growl.
‘I’m on a break.’ She lifts her shoulders, her eyes fixing on mine. ‘In fact, I’ve been working all night and now I need to have a rest.’
‘A rest?’ I repeat, completely confounded.
She nods slowly, a single finger lifting to the top button of my shirt and flicking it. ‘Know somewhere I could lie down?’
Relief pours through me. Whatever game she was playing before, she’s stopped.
‘Yes.’ I lace my fingers