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Trusting she’d do as she was told—although not entirely convinced—he noted the time, then pulled out his phone to quickly check his emails. He was scheduled to view several properties around Denver over the next couple of days, but he’d pulled strings with the realtor to be the first to see one property in particular.
All being well, he wouldn’t need to see any more.
When he heard light, hesitant footsteps padding down the carpeted aisle, Evander set his phone in the holder in the table, and turned to look at his sub.
Callie really was stunning. Even pale and clammy, her fear growing by the minute, she was a woman who radiated childlike innocence. It was the first thing he’d noticed about her at Black Light, and he’d prayed to anyone who’d listen not to be paired with her.
His prayers had gone unanswered, thank God.
By the end of Roulette night, he’d been sunk.
Was it only four damn days ago? Each morning when he woke with her spooned in front of him, her curvy ass nestled into his erection, he felt as though a year had passed. The sense of rightness, of naturalness, became as familiar as breathing.
Holding his arm out, he gave her a reassuring smile. “Come on, sweetness, your stuffies aren’t the only ones who need to be strapped in.”
One hand clutching the back of the leather seat, Callie bit her lip and stared at him. “There’s a bedroom.”
“There is indeed.” One he intended to make use of once they were in the air.
“The bed is bigger than my kitchen.”
He’d seen her kitchen, and she wasn’t exaggerating. “I’m six-foot-seven, baby. I take up a lot of room, if you haven’t noticed. When I sleep, I prefer to be comfortable.”
Her fingers curled into the leather harder. “D-Do you bring a lot of w-women on here?”
Was that a spark of jealousy or insecurity? He didn’t mind jealousy as long as it was controllable, but insecurity…no, he wasn’t going to let her believe she was lesser than any other woman.
Reaching out, he snagged her wrist and yanked her down beside him. “This is my private jet, Callie. I use it for work, to get me from one place to another so I can do my job without waiting on commercial flights. The only women who’ve been on here were either employees or business associates. None of them ever saw the inside of that room.”
The pulse in her throat was hammering. Sweat glistened at her hairline, down her temple. Her breath hitched when he casually leaned over her to draw the seatbelt across her waist, then resumed its panicky rhythm.
“Sir?” Elias called out. “Are we ready?”
“Tell Robert to get us up as soon as we’re cleared,” Evander ordered. As an afterthought, he asked, “Could you please bring me a brown paper bag?”
“Absolutely, sir. One moment.”
Callie fumbled with the catch on her belt. “I think I need to stay here. This is wrong. If we were meant to fly, we’d be born with wings. God strikes down sinners. We’ll be sitting ducks in a flying tin can. What if we hit a goose? Or many gooses?”
He covered her hands, pressing them flat beneath one big palm. “Geese, pretty girl. The plural of goose is geese, which you’d remember if you stop panicking. What did I tell you at Black Light about being afraid?”
Huge gray eyes glimmering with tears met his. The terror in them took his breath away. “I can’t…I don’t…”
“Shhhh.” Gently, he brushed his lips over her mouth. “Think, Callie. Take a long, slow breath and think back to Roulette. What did I say?”
Trembling, she simply stared at him, mute.
“Being afraid of something new is okay…” He prompted, then took pity on her when she strangled herself on a sharp inhale. “…as long asyou’re no longer frightened of it when it’s over.” He glanced up as Elias strode down the aisle, bag in hand. “Thank you, Elias.”
When Callie cringed back into her seat, his friend paused and carefully held out the bag from a distance. Voice low, like a wounded animal was in the seat instead of a woman, Elias murmured, “We’re cleared, sir. We’ll be in the air momentarily.”
“Perfect. Thanks.”
Elias made a hasty retreat as the low hum of the idling engines grew stronger.
Callie made a sound in her throat that dug claws into Evander’s heart. “Evander.”
“Everything’s just fine, baby.” He made a circle with his thumb and index finger, trapping the neck of the bag. Blowing into it, he puffed the paper body out, then brought the opening to her mouth. “Breath into this. Close your eyes, and just breathe. I’ve got you. I’m right here.”
