I mean, I alreadywantto beg. But I have control of myself. For now.
Morgan tosses me a towel to clean off, but that won’t fix how my briefs are now both shredded and soaked.
“Um…” I say, glancing at Morgan.
“Hm, tough shit.” All she has to do is pull her skirt down, and she’s ready to go.
“Where even is my suitcase?”
“Just skip the briefs.”
I pick up my jeans, surveying the damage. The button is nowhere to be seen. “Yeah, so, about that…”
“You need to get better clothes.”
“So you can destroy them too?!”
“Yes,” Morgan says with a mischievous flash in her eye.
Heat ripples through my chest, and I try to ignore it. “Well… what am I going to do?”
“You could just not wear pants.”
“Morgan!”
“Fine, fine.”
It turns out Morgan knew where my suitcase was the whole time, and she holds it open for me as I grab fresh briefs and jeans. I yank them on right as the pilot blinks the seatbelt sign in reminder.
“All the money in the world and you still have to buckle up during landing,” I quip, following Morgan back into the main cabin.
“It’s not like anyone’s going to kick us off,” Morgan says. “But Cassandra’s a stickler for safety, and that’s why I hired her.”
I stop short as I go to buckle my seatbelt, blink, then wince as I clasp the belt.
“What?” Morgan says.
“Well… I just, I shouldn’t be… but I was surprised your pilot’s a woman. For a second.”
Mogan surprises me by taking the seat next to me, picking my hand up, and running her fingertips down the back. “Don’t feel so bad. As much as we’re trying to change the system, we’re still in it. The unlearning takes time.”
I huff a laugh. “I expected more of a hardass answer from you. ‘No excuses.’”
“I almost didn’t hire Cassandra,” Morgan saysthoughtfully. “She had fewer flight hours, no recommendations. I wanted someone with a track record. But she was hungry. After I declined her application, she sent me back a… strongly worded letter about why I should reconsider, including a three-stage probation plan allowing me to back out of the contract if I wasn’t satisfied. I hired her that day for double what she asked.”
“Wow… I can’t even imagine… it didn’t bother you? Her… pushing back like that?”
“Not in the least. That’s how I knew she’d hold the line on flight plans, fueling. Last thing I needed was some man trying to kiss my ass.”
“What about one toeatyour ass?”
“Oh,” Morgan purrs. “Are you into that?”
“I…” Shit, my cheeks are on fire. Where did that come from?! Morgan brings out this side of me I didn’t even know existed… I clear my throat, trying to pretend it didn’t happen. My eyes dart around for a distraction, and I lean towards the window, spying a ribbon of deep blue. “What’s that river?”
Morgan chuckles, but doesn’t tease me any further as she answers, and I settle in to the rhythm of her voice.
#
