The interior was subtl
e, beige and cream and unassuming. To the left, behind a locked door, was the cockpit. Directly in front of them was the attendant area, and to the right was the passenger area. A bench seat lined the right side of the plane and there were two rows of two seats to the left.
He motioned for her to sit on the bench and he settled himself down next to her.
The attendant, a tall, lean man, approached with a tray of champagne. “The pilot has advised that everything is ready and we should be taking off in the next five minutes.”
Jack nodded and grabbed two glasses from the tray, handing one to Sterling. This was all too much. There was no need to impress her. That’s not what their relationship was about. No, not a relationship. An arrangement. Impressing her with his money was not why she agreed to the short-term fun.
“You look nervous.” Jack grinned, then took a sip of his champagne. “Are you afraid to fly? Maybe I should have asked first, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“I’m not afraid to fly. Just…overwhelmed.” That was an understatement. “This is not just a regular date.”
He set down his champagne, turned toward her, and grabbed her hand. “I wanted to do something for you that you’d never forget. Something that will force you to come out of your shell.”
“Mr. Vaughn?” The deep voice over the intercom addressed her date. “We’re set for takeoff. Our estimated time of arrival in Miami is fourteen hundred hours.”
“Miami?” Sterling cried. “What on earth are we going to do in Miami?”
He took another sip of champagne and smiled. “We’re going to dance.”
“But I—” Looking down at her outfit, she sighed. Maybe she should have changed before they left. She definitely wasn’t sexy enough for Miami.
“You look beautiful.” Jack leaned forward, resting his hand on her knee. As usual, he knew exactly what she was thinking and knew just what to say to put her at ease. “You’re the most gorgeous woman in the room.”
“I’m the only woman in the room.” She gave him a sly stare. “You have to stop saying things like that, especially when—”
His hand slid up her thigh and rested between her legs. Her stomach fluttered and she fell back against the seat.
“Relax, Sterling. Just enjoy.”
A Jeep waited for them on the tarmac when they landed in Florida. They drove down the interstate, the wind whipping around them. She definitely wasn’t the polished woman whose hair blew back elegantly. Oh no, her tresses flew every which way.
The air filled her lungs, the fresh scent of salt and sea invigorating. Water surrounded them on both sides of the highway, the water crystal clear and still.
“We’re going to have to make a quick stop and pick up some supplies,” Jack said, his voice straining over the sound of the wind.
“What kind of supplies?” She hooked a piece of hair that stuck to her mouth and secured it behind her ear.
“A bathing suit, for one.”
“So we’re going to the beach?”
He nodded. Soft sand. Warm water. She sighed. This trip just got even better.
They parked at a roadside gift shop. Signage advertised beer and cigarettes, souvenirs and gifts. Fluorescent noodles sat in a large bin by the door, turtle and shark blow-ups hung from the warped awning. T-shirts and bathing suits blew lightly in the breeze from their position on clothing racks next to the entrance.
He parked and jumped out of the Jeep. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you naked.”
“I’ll be wearing a bathing suit, Jack.” She shook her head. The man always had sex on the brain.
“We’ll see about that.” He winked, grabbed her hand, and guided her into the shop.
What did that mean? He just said they needed to buy bathing suits. Nervousness churned inside her stomach. He had something else up his sleeve. Despite her growing unease, she couldn’t help but be excited about whatever else he might have in store for her.
“First things first.” He guided her to the back of the store. “Pick one.” He gestured to the wall and the few racks that displayed all types of bathing suits.
Sterling sifted through the racks. Actually, there was only one type of bathing suit. They consisted of mostly string. Thong bottoms and triangles cut out for the bra. The racks of tiny pieces of fabric could barely be considered utilitarian for swimming purposes.