We walk out onto the tarmac together. A cream-colored plane gleams under the bright California sun. A uniformed ground crew member comes out to grab my carry-on, and I go up the steps with Dominic following. A smartly dressed cabin attendant smiles in welcome and takes my coat.
I study the luxurious décor—wood, gold and leather. The basic color scheme is earth tones with burgundy accents. There’s an ergonomic workstation big enough to accommodate two, plus a lounge with a low table and two couches further back. The cabin ends with a door that probably opens to a bedroom suite. It’s a must for busy executives who want to sleep while flying.
One of the armchairs probably cost more than all the furnishing in his old duplex ten years ago. Admiration and pride fill my chest until I’m afraid it’s near bursting. I know he’s become a huge success. Newspapers and magazines publish feature articles about him—the financial and business periodicals focusing on his entrepreneurial achievements, and the gossipy ones focusing on his bachelorhood, youth and good looks. But seeing what he’s accomplished in person… It’s something else.
“This is a lovely plane,” I tell Dominic after we’re seated and buckled in side by side on one of the sofas. The cabin attendant’s already served us a preflight drink of Veuve Clicquot.
His piercing eyes study me for a moment, then a genuine smile pops on his face. It’s so unexpected that air sticks in my throat for a second.
“Thank you.” He takes a sip of his drink. “I’m sure yours is just as nice.”
I blink. Didn’t he dig into my background? “I don’t actually have a plane. That’s for my brothers and cousins.”
He looks surprised. “Interesting.”
“Not all heiresses have expensive flying toys.”
“So what’s in Hawaii?” he asks.
Drinking my champagne, I give him a sidelong glance. I haven’t told him exactly which doors I plan to open for him yet.
“A huge birthday bash,” I say. “A close friend of mine is turning twenty-seven today.”
He frowns. “And your friend’s birthday has exactly what bearing on my business projects…?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
* * *
Dominic
Elizabeth falls asleep as soon as the plane reaches cruising altitude. She doesn’t stir even when the cabin attendant walks about, or when the plane shakes a bit during turbulence.
Although she’s put on makeup and managed a lively mien, it’s obvious she’s exhausted. She lost a track of the conversation a couple of times, which she covered up with a self-deprecating smile. And when she thought I wasn’t looking, she swallowed a yawn, her gaze going unfocused.
She slowly slumps toward me until her head rests on my shoulder. Her lips part, and her breathing stays even and deep.
I should push her away, but I can’t bring myself to move, lest I wake her up. That would be petty.
Besides, Elizabeth is hardly heavy. She’s lost weight since our dinner at La Mer, not that she had much to spare in the first place. And she smells nice—vanilla and lavender. I have no real reason to move her…except for the familiar stirring her scent incites in me, or the bittersweet taste in my mouth.
If only she’d come clean from the beginning… If she hadn’t caved into Dorothy’s demands…
Still… I can be the bigger person.
The cabin attendant asks me if I want anything to eat, and I ask for a roast beef sandwich, something the crew prepares every time I fly.
“What about your guest?”
I hesitate. Food or sleep? “How long before we land?”
“Four more hours, sir.”
“Then let’s wait until an hour before landing.”
I read a few business documents that require review and decisions before tomorrow. The deals in China are becoming a major pain. Some regulatory issues, which really translate to: I don’t know the right people in the government to grease. My Chinese partners also seem unable to reach the necessary officials.
They’re highly profitable deals, and I want them done. But if I can’t do them in the next four weeks, I’ll have to accept they’re a lost cause and move on. There are other projects demanding my attention.