She nodded quickly, trying to pull herself back into focus. “Right. Authentic stories and topics. Local stories. Success that usually gets overlooked. Just small stuff for now.” Her voice sounded too fast, too small, even to her. Rambling. Rookie shit. He already had her thrown off.
Why was she nervous? Men didn’t usually shake her—she’d perfected the art of professional distance, of keeping attraction compartmentalized.
“Sounds big to me.” Rolani’s eyes stayed locked on hers. The tone wasn’t slick. It wasn’t dismissive. It was… genuine. Which somehow knocked her off balance even more.
“G, this her?” he asked, never taking his eyes off of her. Her eyebrows bunched, and curiosity flooded her mind. What did that mean, and what was said?
“Yeah, bruh,” Giovanni scoffed with a chuckle.
“Good looking out.” His stare could burn a hole through her with its intensity. The sweat resting at the nape of her neck told her this was going to be a long weekend.
“You two can get acquainted during the flight,” Paige sang, dropping into Giovanni’s lap with that damn smug smile. “It looks like that’s the only seat left.”
Kennedi wanted to kick Paige in the shin. Both of them were acting like this was an episode ofThe Love Connection.
Rolani moved first, sliding into the seat and looking up at her. She cleared her throat and took her seat. He stretched his long legs slowly, sliding them until they bracketed hers. He leaned back, arms relaxed, gaze steady, settling in to watch her squirm.
She shifted in her seat with nowhere to go. She was making notes about his arrogant ass.
“Are you comfortable?” she asked with a slight attitude. He didn’t even know her to be crowding her space the way he was.
“Very.”
His cologne wrapped around her as he shifted. It was the good shit, but soft; she didn’t expect anything less. His outfit said money, but the calluses on his hands said he didn’t mind hard work. She leaned back as if distance would save her, but it didn’t matter. His eyes tracked every move she made.
“You good?” he asked, pulling out his phone like he didn’t have a care in the world. “You’ve been staring at me since I sat down.”
She straightened, narrowing her eyes. “Areyougood? Seems like you’re the one doing the staring.”
A slow smirk curved his mouth. “Yeah. And what if I am Kennedi with an I?”
Her name slipped off his tongue before she was ready for it. “Well, Rolani also with an I, maybe you should look elsewhere. I don’t want anything you’re selling.”
The sound of his first name, all intimate, was music to his ears. His smile sharpened into a predatory smirk.
“Get some sleep, gorgeous. We got a long weekend.”
Gorgeous. It wasn’t a line, just a fact. Kennedi was gorgeous, sitting across from him in grey biker shorts that showed off her meaty thighs. The crop hoodie showed off her tight midsection. Caramel skin going for miles. He licked his lips, pure lust… for now.
She bit back a smile, staring hard at her laptop screen. This was a disaster waiting to happen. How was she supposed to work under this kind of pressure? If her laptop crashed, she would crash with it; she needed a buffer, and for now, her laptop would have to suffice.
It seemed as if the cabin came alive again—Paige tucked under Giovanni’s arm, Taylor and Blake chatting, Brooks and Emon joking across the aisle. But not her and him. They sat in silence thick as peanut butter, staring, both pretending they weren’t cataloging every detail.
As the jet lifted, Kennedi pulled out her phone, her fingers flying to the group chat she hadn’t touched in a few days.
Kennedi: I’m in trouble. I just met the finest damn man. I can’t think straight.
Shadow: Who?
She glanced up to make sure he wasn't watching, then quickly angled her phone to snap a discreet photo. The camera flash lit up the cabin, and her whole cover was blown.
Shit.
Her eyes went wide, and every head turned. Paige burst into laughter. Giovanni shook his head. And Rolani leaned forward with a slow grin.
“Did you just take a picture of me?” His voice carried dangerous levels of amusement that made her want to disappear into her seat.
“No,” she lied, clutching her phone to her chest.
