Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
I desperately wanted him to say no, but he disappointed me.
“I have. With all of them. The women, that is.” When my brows rose, he added to his statement, “It’s not something I’m proud of and don’t recommend.”
“All of them. How can you be sure?”
“I know who the crew is. And trust me, if I could take it back, I would. The past has a way of catching up with you. It cost me a chance with the one woman I could potentially see a future with.”
He wasn’t joking. He wore seriousness like his life depended on the expression.
“What’s her name?”
The playboy pilot, as he’d been dubbed, that I’d heard so much about wasn’t the man that stood before me now.
“Crystal. Trust me, if you’re ever so lucky to find the one, take my advice and don’t let her get away.”
Our conversation was interrupted by a man in a reflective vest and a clipboard. After we went through the final flight checks, I made an excuse to leave the cockpit.
When I exited, there was a man hovering by Jolie, whispering something that made her laugh.
So much for wondering what kind of woman she was. I jerked on the bathroom door, folding it in because I couldn’t just walk back to my seat next to Cal so soon after my excuse.
Once I was back in the cockpit, I was left to listen as Cal make jokes over the intercom to the passengers, as I’d heard he was apt to do. I ignored him while the images of what I’d witnessed played in my head.
Women. Cal was wrong. You couldn’t trust them, especially the gorgeous ones.
17
Jolie
As much as I tried not to notice Grant when he exited the bathroom, I could feel his eyes on me. At the same time, the passenger crowding my space let his hand slide from my waist to my ass.
I stepped back, trying to avoid the situation. The airline frowned on sexual harassment from anyone. But it would end up being his word against mine. Because he was a first-class passenger, his voice could have more weight than mine whether HR admitted it or not. And like my aunt said, I was my father’s dirty little secret. No one in the company knew I was related to the Sky family.
“We’ll be taking off soon. You should probably get back to your seat,” I said.
The passenger, who wasn’t yet ready to give up, let his eyes skim over me, and even though he was quite attractive, my skin crawled.
“You’ll let me know the places I should check out in Dubai?” he asked.
“I’ll look into it for you,” I said because it was my job.
Finally, he walked away, but not without another leer he expected me to find endearing.
Jack came over. “You want me to take care of him?”
“You can’t take all my problem passengers,” I grumbled. “Even if he’s a little handsy.”
Jack chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving you with the cockpit.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t start.”
“The new co-pilot is quite hot. The girls are circling.”
“Let them have at him.”
I might have said that, but I felt a little sick to my stomach as I said it. To avoid the thoughts spinning in my head, I threw myself into my job. By the time I had to start dinner service, my cheeks hurt from the faux smile that was congealed on my face.
Happenstance, I turned my head and caught Sophia headed toward the bathroom. Only she didn’t stop there. I moved and caught her hand before she could knock on the cockpit door.
Her expression screwed up as she threw dagger eyes at me and yanked her hand out of my grasp.
“Don’t,” I warned.
“Who made you boss? I’m Sophia Sky, remember?”
I reached for the patience I didn’t feel. “FAA rules trump you being part owner of this airline.”
“Fine. I just want to talk to my boyfriend.”
I almost bit my tongue, shoving it against my teeth to keep me from saying my initial response. “If you tell me, I’ll pass him a message for you.”
She stared at me several seconds before speaking. “Tell him I have a car for us to ride to the hotel when we arrive.”
“I will.”
She glared at me a moment longer as if in warning before walking away. Though it made me ill to think of my sister with the guy I thought there might have been a connection with, I would pass on her message. His reaction would be telling for sure.
I finished making coffee and poured two cups of hot water for tea before I took the tray and knocked on the cockpit door.
Grant opened it and I quickly glanced toward Cal. “Coffee or tea?” I asked.
Cal lifted a hand and Grant turned so I could step in. The area was too small for me not to brush against him, which I tried to ignore.