I suppose I can sacrifice a hand occasionally if you feel the need.”
Her insides warmed at the offer, evidence the grouch did have a heart. But, oh, not good. Warm feelings for Rick were too much of a distraction. She’d better stick to the chocolate.
“Thanks.” She held up a second cookie. “But I’m feeling better already.”
“Good. Because it’s a long flight. Do you think you’ll be able to sleep?” He licked a smear of chocolate off his finger, a sensuous move she followed with her eyes.
This relaxed Rick fascinated her, which made him very dangerous indeed.
“Savannah?”
“Huh?”
“Do you think you’ll sleep?” he repeated.
“Oh. Eventually. I can sleep anywhere.” She zipped the bag of cookies and tucked it in the seat back in front of her. “How about you?”
“I’ll doze.”
“Maybe you need the Valium.”
He laughed. A hearty sound she realized she’d not heard from him before.
How sad, she’d worked closely with the man for close to two months and had never heard him laugh. She immediately wanted to make him laugh again. He really needed lightness in his life, but this was another thing she couldn’t fix, not without putting herself on the line emotionally, something she couldn’t risk. And it didn’t even have to do with the job.
She couldn’t risk opening her heart to a man obsessed with work.
The loneliness, the lack of support, the disappointments—she wouldn’t, couldn’t go through that again.
So, instead of continuing the conversation and coaxing another laugh from him, she said, “Do you mind if I read for a while? I think it’ll relax me.”
The laughter faded from his eyes and he shook his head. “Go ahead. Will it bother you if I work?”
“Not at all.”
With a curious sense of letdown, she lowered her tray table and opened the hardback to page one. Luckily, the characters soon drew her into the action and before long she was caught up. Flying, Rick, the sound of him typing all faded to the background as she outright giggled at what she was reading.
Rick couldn’t sleep. Not with the soft scent of honeysuckle tickling his senses, a constant reminder of the woman occupying his companion seat.
At least she finally slept. She’d read for a while, and had a great time of it, too, if the musical sound of her laughter was any indication.
He glanced at the book, wondering again what she found so amusing. Since she appeared dead to the world, he reached for the book and read the front blurb—and then the first page.
An enjoyable hour had passed when he next looked at his watch. Stifling a yawn, he returned the book to where she’d had it stowed.
To stretch his legs he walked to the restroom at the far end of the plane. When he got back, he stood looking down on Savannah.
She sat half-turned toward him, a hand tucked under her cheek, so young, so sweet, so lovely. Cinnamon curls caressed creamy-white skin while dark lashes fanned over her cheeks. She shifted in her sleep and a pretty pink tongue swept over full, bare lips leaving them damp and as inviting as the smudge of chocolate above the corner of her mouth.
Fatigue must be getting to him because he wanted to lick her, first to eat the chocolate beckoning to him and next to taste the plump line of her lips, to sink inside and share the treat with her.
What on earth?
He rubbed his eyes. Pull it together, man.
To escape further temptation he slid into his seat and stared at the boring weave of the blue-and-gray fabric of the seat in front of him.
What had possessed him to bring her on this trip? He’d have been better off with someone from legal, someone fifty and comfortably thick.
Okay, so she’d been a great help prepping for the upcoming meeting, but she was still more optimistic than organized, totally unpredictable and distressingly unafraid of anything. A little healthy trepidation would make her so much easier to control.
She had yet to meet a stranger. The woman made friends wherever she went.
When was the last time a woman had made him laugh? He couldn’t remember. More importantly, when had he become such a staid old man? So he cared about the business, cared about providing for his family. Did that have to mean he gave up on fun, gave up chasing all the enjoyable pursuits life had to offer?
Of course not. He determined to broaden his horizons when he got back. Spend more time with his brothers, read for pleasure and find a new woman friend.
Right. He closed his eyes and hoped by the time he got home—with the international deal sealed—the idea would hold more appeal.
The plane suddenly shook and then dropped, startling Rick out of a light doze. Instinctively, he grabbed the armrest before he even opened his eyes. His fingers closed around flesh and bone rather than hard plastic.
Savannah. Concerned, he glanced her way. She slept on but a slight furrow creased the fine porcelain of her brow. He pulled his hand back, granting her use of the armrest. She immediately became restless and the frown deepened.
He covered her hand again, twining his fingers with hers and she stilled and settled back into slumber.
She was as soft as he’d known she would be. Not that he allowed himself thoughts of her.
Another shake, a lift and then a sharp drop. Someone screamed and Savannah came awake with a start. She blinked at him.
“What happened?” Husky from sleep, her voice stroked along fine nerves, causing the hair on the back of his neck to tingle in aroused awareness.
“Just a little turbulence.”
“So I didn’t dream a scream or that the plane was shaking?”
“Ladies and gentlemen.” A calm voice came over the public-announcement system. “We are experiencing some heavy turbulence and the pilot has turned on the seat-belt light. Please remain buckled in your seats until he turns off the seat-belt light. Thank you.”
Savannah’s trembling fingers tightened on his. “Are we going to be okay?”
“I’ve heard no plane has ever gone down because of turbulence.”
“Really?”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” he said reassuringly.
“Right. Oh, gosh.” They were thrown back in their seats as the aircraft dipped and swayed.
“It shouldn’t last long.” He sought to relieve her distress. “The pilot will try to get either above or below
