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What? I didn’t expect him to go along with this. I didn’t even think it through. I was just being… well, I guess a glutton for his glare and growl. Now what?
“Confirmation you’re not addicted,” I say lamely.
He studies me, and I barely stop myself from squirming, but I withhold his scrutiny with my chin high. Those dark eyes. A strange feeling coils around my stomach, a cocktail of dread and thrill.
“I stay off the screen during the social occasions of the season and you grant me a wish.”
My eyes widen. This feels oddly personal for the uncomfortable morning-not-after we’ve just had. “What kind of wish?”
“Anything I name.” He shrugs.
“What’s in it for me?” The driver must have turned up the heat because the interior of this car is sweltering.
“I’ll grant you a wish.”
My eyebrows jerk up. “Any wish?” Why is my poor heart struggling to find a healthy beat?
He nods. “I’m a law-abiding citizen, but otherwise, yes, anything.”
There is innuendo in his tone, and I don’t know how to reconcile that with his rejection. Or does he think I’m so desperate for him? Bastard. Yet the challenge is intriguing. What can he want from me?
“How would I know you complied?” I tap my fingers on the leather of my seat. How did we even get here? I wanted to rile him up, but I’m the one taut like a string here.
“I’ll send you a screenshot of my phone use every night.” He shrugs.
I smile at him, unsure of anything anymore when it comes to this man. “I have a feeling I’ll regret this, but okay.”
“Good.” And with that, he returns to his work.
We reach the airport, and the same crew as last weekend greets us. I plop into the seat and pull out my phone and start working. Isn’t that what my boss would expect from me?
He sits across from me and does the same. He seems to concentrate fine, but I can’t. The last twenty-four hours were eventful to say the least, and I’m exhausted on top of it.
The flight attendant offers us lunch, but I refuse. I can’t eat right now. Gio looks at me, but doesn’t dare to suggest I should eat.
I close my eyes, hoping to sleep off this funk I’m in. A few more hours and I don’t have to see him anymore. I keep fidgeting, unable to settle.
“You can use the bedroom,” Gio says.
I fling my eyes open. “What?”
He points to the end of the plane. “There’s a bedroom there. You’ll be more comfortable.”
I look over my shoulder. “Okay. Thank you.”
He’s being kind, but it’s fused with this surgical precision, like he’s executing the motions but making sure he acts as detached as humanly possible. Which, in his case, is almost inhuman.
I open the door and barely swallow a gasp. The queen-sized bed reigns in the small space. What’s lost in square footage is lavishly compensated by the design. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a more luxurious bedroom. The soft lighting soothes around the beautiful finishes of silk, fine wood and leather.
I drop onto the bed and cover myself with the gazillion thread count sheets.
When I open my eyes, I’m slightly disoriented, but the plush bedding reminds me immediately where I am. My watch says I only slept for two hours as my tired mind tries to find its way out of the fog.
While this was the most luxurious sleeping arrangement, the sleep was deep but not refreshing. After a sleepless night, two hours are not enough, but I don’t feel comfortable staying here longer.
My boss is working outside. And while I would prefer staying away from Gio for the rest of the flight, the professional in me wins. I wash my face and return to the main cabin.
Gio is sprawled on the sofa along one side of the plane, his feet crossed at the ankles. His tablet is on the floor. It must have fallen down when he fell asleep. I take a moment to admire his peaceful face.
