Her wrist was so damn soft. If she took the seat next to him, the trip would be so much better.
They’d benched him beside Liam. Mikah wouldn’t say he was sulking about this. But someone in travel had screwed up. He could fix the seating error by offering a first-class passenger money to switch seats with her.
He needed Piper to say the words asking him for the favor, then he’d accommodate her. He just couldn’t be the one to ask. She could even say she wanted to go first class in jest, and he’d make it happen. It was all about the power balance. He stroked his thumb over the blue veins in her wrist.
Her eyelids half lowered.
He had her.
Ask.
CHAPTER 13
As Mikah waited, Piper’s phone beeped. She checked the screen, frowned, and swiped the message clear.
Mikah had no right to ask who she was messaging. He’d look like a controlling asshat and send the wrong signal. His wingman would know what to do. They’d played this round before. He elbowed Liam and pointed at Piper’s phone.
Liam looked up from the app he was messing with. “Who’s pestering you? Don’t they know you’re on a plane?”
Good.
“Gah.” Piper flipped her eyes to the overhead bin. “Warren. Asking me out. I don’t know what he’s thinking. I’ve seen him cheat twice. In what world would that make him more attractive to me? No world.” Her voice was dry as she answered her own question. “And then Willow with another suggestion. Tandem annoyances. But the last message was good. My hotel confirmed a room overlooking the lake. Super cool because I put in the request so late. Guess the organization has some pull.”
“You’re staying at the hotel tonight?” Was freaking Dodo totally incompetent? Well, yeah. “How are you going to assist us?” There, that sounded like professional concern instead of male neediness.
Piper wrinkled her nose. “I’m not your assistant. I’m just on this trip to be in the same time zone in case you two escape your leashes and things go south.” She patted her bag. “I brought the bail money and the numbers for the team’s lawyers.”
Mikah frowned. “Morality Minder duties?”
“Good one.” Liam snorted.
The flight attendant came up to their row. “Drink before takeoff?”
Liam shook his head and waved his bottle of water at her.
The flight attendant smiled at Piper. “Sorry, Miss, you can’t stand there.”
She could. Her on his lap for four hours. He’d like that. Mikah shifted on his seat.
“Sorry.” Piper smiled. “Just organizing our itineraries.” She moved back out to the aisle.
“My family’s place is on the lake.” Take the bait.
Piper nodded at him. “Nice.”
“We have plenty of room.” In the other half of his bed. Make the request.
“I bet it’s great.” Piper took a step toward the back.
“You can stay with us.” There he was saving the organization money, not making the offer to have her near or to put a smile on her lips.
Piper gave him the nod.
Satisfaction soaked through him.
When she was past the curtain into coach, Liam cracked an imaginary whip and made the accompanying sound.
* * *