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“You know, I should call the police on you,” she greets me, as she comes to a halt in front of me.
“And why is that?”
“Because you are, in fact, a stalker,” she says in a matter-of-fact voice, tilting her head to the side. “You know what my first thought was, after reading your note?”
I shrug and shake my head no, curious to hear her answer.
“That it’s pretty bold of you to assume that I could just up and leave town for a few days,” she says. “As if I don’t have a company to run, meetings to attend, work to do…”
She pauses and takes off her sunglasses before she pins me with her blue eyes, framed by winged lashes and a hint of sparkling eyeshadow.
“So, imagine my surprise when I called my assistant to make sure my schedule is clear for today and tomorrow, and she told me that my schedule has been cleared for the next couple of days, as requested, because I’m on a ‘work retreat with Mr. Keaton’.”
She arches her eyebrows and sucks at the straw of her iced latte while casting me a contentious look.
“Well, I had to make sure you didn’t have any excuses not to come,” I retort. “But I must warn you, I may have told your assistant that this is a business trip, but that’s not what this is about.”
“What is it about then?”
She flinches when I take a step closer, but doesn’t move away from me. Her lips part as she looks up at me, practically inviting the kiss that was coming either way. As I reach out, my fingers gently graze her cheek, and she leans in, closing the distance between us.
Our lips meet in a passionate kiss, a simple connection that carries the promise of something deeper. It’s calmer this time, less greedy and a little more cautious, but still eager for more. The hint of a moan blends with the sound of our lips touching, and I almost lose myself when she rises on her toes, seductively arching her back as she grinds against my body.
She sighs with disappointment when I break our kiss, the need for more clearly written in her eyes as she looks up at me.
“So, I guess we’re on the same page then,” I say.
“Depends on what you mean,” Madison responds, and the early harbinger of a frown adorns her features.
“That this will not be about business,” I clarify.
“I don’t even know what this is. You haven’t even told me where we’re going, or for how long,” she laments. “We are going somewhere, right?”
Her gaze trails to the building behind my back. It looks quite plain from the outside, concealing the luxury that awaits within. This is the private aircraft fixed base I like to use when flying out of Los Angeles. They are usually quick to service my demands, which often arise from a spontaneous spark—just like this one.
“Yes, we are going somewhere,” I tell her. “And you will find out more about our destination soon enough. Let’s go inside for a little welcome drink first.”
She rolls her eyes at me and laughs.
“Alright, Mr. Mysterious. Can I at least know for how long I’ll be gone? My uncle will—”
“Don’t worry about him,” I cut her off. “We’ll only be gone for four days. Think you can handle that?”
Her lips move, as she contemplates her response, her eyes moving anywhere but to me, before they rest on the entrance to the private charter base.
“This is crazy,” she whispers, seemingly more to herself than to me. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
That’s all I needed to hear. She doesn’t object or try to fight me when I gently hook her arm in mine and take the carry-on from her as I guide her through the open doors.
Chapter 24
Madison
I’m tipsy by the time we reach Inouye Honolulu International Airport. We step off the plane after a luxurious journey that brought us to Hawaii—as I found out only while we were already piercing through the clouds. The Gulfstream private jet was a masterpiece of opulence, with sumptuous leather seats that cradled us in comfort. The interior gleamed with polished wood accents, and there was even a small dining area where we enjoyed a gourmet dinner and way too much champagne.
“You’re trying to get me drunk,” I commented as Chase emptied the remains of a bottle into my flute.
“And you’re letting me,” he said with a wink.
