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She started at the sound of Grant’s voice. She hadn’t seen him sitting there on one of the sofas.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“No problem. I was in my own little world. Good morning.” She deliberately stood with her back to him while she poured herself a mug of coffee. She didn’t want to look at him. He was too damned swoon-worthy! He shouldn’t be allowed to look like that this early on a Monday morning. The first few days he’d been here, he’d stuck with his sharp suits, which she hadn’t minded a bit. Toward the end of last week, he’d gone more business casual, which had held its own appeal. Now he’d taken it a step further and had adopted the unofficial Zosca uniform of blue jeans with a white shirt. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly before she turned around. She didn’t want to come off as hostile. “What are your plans for the week?” she asked brightly.
“I’m lined up to spend the day in the sales office today, and with distribution tomorrow.”
“Great.”
“And can I come in with you on Wednesday?”
She pursed her lips. There was no reason to say no. At least, no good, valid, logical reason.
“I can wait if you prefer?”
She shook her head. “No. There’s no point delaying the inevitable. We may as well get it over with.”
He gave her a sad smile. “I’ll try to make it as painless as possible.”
She shrugged. How could she tell him that it wasn’t his scrutiny of her operation that she was worried about? She was so much more concerned about being stuck in her office with him all day. She’d have to leave the door wide open. “Thanks.” She checked her watch. “I should get back to it. I need to finish up a few things before the morning meeting.”
He nodded and raised his coffee cup to her. “See you later.”
For a moment, she looked into his eyes. She felt like a rabbit being mesmerized by a snake. His eyes made her want to agree, that yes, she would see him later—after work, for a drink, and after a drink for another night in his bed. She nodded briskly and turned away. She couldn’t blamehimfor that. It’d all come into her own head. She had to stay away from him! Right from the beginning, she hadn’t been able to control her body around him—couldn’t stop it from reacting to his nearness. Now, she couldn’t control her mind either; it was coming up with all sorts of deliciously naughty thoughts and images. She had to stop it. She hurried back to her office.
It was ten-thirty when Gene popped his head around her door. “Are you busy?”
She looked up with a smile. “I’m never too busy for you, Gene. Come on in.”
He came in and took a seat with a smile. “How are you doing?”
She laughed. “Shouldn’t it be me asking you that question? You’re looking well, but how are you feeling?”
“Great. At least, physically I am.”
“It must be so tough for you. How long do you think it’ll be before you know if you can fly again?”
He shrugged. “I’m trying not to think about it. Even if I get my license reinstated, if I can fly again, it won’t be the same.”
“I want to say positive things, but I don’t know enough, Gene. Will you ever come back to work?”
He shook his head sadly. “Even if I can pass a medical exam, I’d only ever get authorized to fly passengers in a two-pilot scenario. I’d have to have or be a co-pilot.”
“Oh.” Chelsea’s heart sank. She didn’t know much about flying and all the regulations that surrounded it, but one thing she did know was that Gene had always flown solo. The Hamilton-Groves plane wasn’t the biggest or the fastest corporate jet, and that was simply because it was one that could be flown by a single pilot. The bigger ones needed two people in the cockpit. She looked up hopefully. “You and Piper get along. Could the two of you fly together?”
He smiled. “We could, but that’s not the point, Chelsea, and you know it as well as I do. I like Piper well enough, but she wouldn’t want to spend half her career in the right seat any more than I would. And besides, there’s no need for the company to pay two pilots when the aircraft only needs one.”
“But that’s not the point!”
He chuckled and held up a hand. “You need to think with your head more and leave your heart out of it. I know you’re only trying to think of what’s best for me, and I love you for it, but I’m fine. It’s that kind of thinking that’s gotten you in trouble with Zosca, isn’t it?”
“Zosca’s not in trouble.”
He gave her a stern look. “I didn’t say it was. You’re the one who’s in trouble.”
She shrugged. “Not really. I’m just not seeing eye to eye with Dad. That’s all.”
“And so, your dad brought in this Grant guy. I have to admit, I like him. He’s not what I expected.”
