Page 171 of Twisted Knight

“What do you mean stay on schedule?”

“We are on a jet, Rowan.” He winks. “Flight plans aren’t the easiest to change.”

“I—but—why are we on a jet? Are you going to look at property? Are we meeting with a potential client? Audrey said you needed my help on something. Why am I here?”

He angles his head to the side, staring at me in that way of his that makes me feel seen and undressed at the same time. “How about all of the above?”

“That’s not giving me much to go on.”

“Little Miss Always-in-Control Sunshine doesn’t always need to know everything.” He flashes a grin that I hate to admit makes me melt.

I glare at him in response as a small part of me—the romantic part of me that I’ll swear to any and everyone else doesn’t exist—might silently sag, realizing this is just a business trip.

My mind goes back to our dinner on the beach. To being free to kiss him in public and just be normal with him.

The part of me who holds tight to that night, who sticks her head in the sand instead of acknowledging that the “more than sex” part about that night meant something to me, deflates a little.

“Is something wrong?” Holden asks.

“No. Of course not.” I muster a smile.

“You sure?”

I nod. “Yep. Everything is fine,” I say as one of the flight attendants approaches to inform us that we need to put our seatbelts on as we’ve gotten clearance from the tower.

Her eyes linger on Holden longer than they should. Her smile is fake; her cleavage in a conservative uniform is somehow pronounced.

“Thank you,” Holden says to her.

“You’re so very welcome, Mr. Knight.”

Gag. She couldn’t be any more obvious if she tried. I watch her as she walks toward the back of the plane to take her own jump seat. Maybe that seatbelt will get locked, and she’ll be stuck there for the rest of the flight so she can’t come over here and drool all over Holden.

“What’s that look for?” Holden asks, bringing my eyes back to his.

“Nothing.”

“You’re not good at hiding your emotions, Rowan.” He glances over his shoulder and then grins when he looks back at me. “What?”

“She wants you.”

He snorts. “Sweet little Rhonda?”

“She may be sweet, but that doesn’t make her want you any less.”

He shrugs, amusement lighting up his eyes as he narrows them. “And that bugs you?”

“No,” I say stone-faced, even though every bone in my body is rife with jealousy.

“No?” He smiles, clearly seeing the unwelcome emotional response in my eyes. “And here I was turned on by the thought of you being jealous over me.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.” He leans forward. “But we’ll let that slide. If you’re going to take her down when we order drinks, just let me know ahead of time though. I might want to record it on my phone.”

He thinks this is hilarious.

“Is that why you summoned me here? To get back at me for the server room stunt by making me watch your gorgeous flight attendant drool over you?”