didn’t object to any of those things, exactly. She just preferred them packaged in a suit and tie, and paired with a short, styled haircut and clean-shaven face. She didn’t want a man who looked as if he’d rolled out of bed, bypassed the razor and brushed his fingers through his hair as an afterthought.
He glanced up at the plane, at the window she stared out of to be exact. His gaze met hers. His eyes, the same color of her favorite dark chocolate, made her heart bump.
Uh-oh.
She hurried back to her seat, sank into the comfortable leather club chair and fastened her seat belt. The temperature in the cabin seemed to rise even though the door was still open. She removed her coat, picked up her sketch pad and fanned herself.
What was the matter with her? Of course, she hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Or eating, either. One good meal, and she’d feel better.
She’d like to take a bite out of Kane.
“Hot?”
Her sketch pad fell onto her lap. She looked up.
Kane stood at the entrance to the plane. The interior suddenly seemed smaller. He appeared larger. She gulped.
“Excuse me?” Serena asked.
“Are you hot?”
“I—I…” Something about him made her flustered and tongue-tied and heated. She didn’t like the feelings, either. “I’m a little warm.”
“I’ll take care of it.” He closed and latched the door. “Are your dresses okay?”
Serena heard the challenge in his voice. She raised her chin. “They are fine. Now.”
The intensity in his dark eyes sent heat rushing through her veins. She sucked in a breath. Looked away.
“Seat belt fastened?” he asked.
Not trusting her voice, she nodded.
“The same rules apply on this flight as your typical commercial flight,” Kane explained. “When we reach cruising altitude, you can visit the lavatory or help yourself to whatever you would like in the galley.”
“No flight attendant?”
“Not unless you want to fly the plane while I serve you lunch and a beverage.” He pointed out the exits and where the oxygen masks were located. “If we lose cabin pressure, place the mask over your nose and mouth and breath normally. Did you bring a laptop?”
“No.” She’d wanted to escape from the constant pretending of her life in Boston. Her prying friends, her fake phone calls…even e-mail was a hassle these days. “Just my cell phone. I know not to use it during the flight.”
“Even if you miss your boyfriend?”
She tried not to cringe, but the thought of lying to a total stranger left a bitter taste in her mouth. “It won’t be a problem.”
“Not using your cell phone or missing him?”
“Either.”
At least that was the truth.
“If you need anything,” he said, “let me know.”
Serena could just imagine his reaction if she asked for, oh, a bag of pretzels and a fiancé. She bit back a smile.
No matter how desperately she wanted to maintain her image with her friends and family, she would never ask someone like Kane—someone so obviously wrong for a woman like her—to help in her quest to find a new Mr. Right and one true love.
That was something she could do on her own. And would.
CHAPTER TWO
“THE doors will open in ten minutes,” announced a feminine voice over the convention center loudspeakers.
Ten minutes? Kane scanned the large hall, balancing the gold-wrapped box he’d promised to deliver to Serena. He’d thought he had more time.
Little-Miss-I’m-In-Charge Serena had sounded really upset when she’d called and asked if the box was still on the plane. When Kane had finally found the package in the tail-cone baggage compartment and brought it over, she’d told him she’d be right out. But he was already there, wasn’t he?
And—admit it—he’d been curious to see the blonde in action. Curious enough to volunteer to deliver the box himself.
Man, was he sorry now. This wedding stuff gave him the heebie jeebies.
He might as well be standing in the middle of a wedding nightmare. Instead of fire, heat and screams, this place reeked with flowers, tulle and as much pipe organ music as the soundtrack of some cheesy Dracula movie.
A woman dressed in black with spiked red hair, flushed cheeks and a clipboard in her hand raced up to him. “Are you a fashion show model?”
“No.”
“Where could they be?” Her face scrunched, then, as she studied him, brightened. “Would you want to be one of the models?”
Kane pictured himself dressed up like a penguin and escorting models in white dresses down a runway. He didn’t mind models, but the other stuff…Not his thing. “No, thanks.”
With a frustrated sigh, she ran down the aisle and disappeared out of sight.
She wasn’t the only one in a hurry. Exhibitors rushed around, putting finishing touches on their booths and applying their lipstick. Kane didn’t see many men, not like yesterday when he’d dropped off Serena to set up, but a few guys remained. This seemed like the last place any male would choose to spend an hour. Let alone a day. Or two.
Once, he might have thought about settling down someday, but now, after all he’d seen, Kane knew better.
As he searched the booths, every company seemed to have the word wedding somewhere in its name and everything looked sort of similar. He felt lost and out of place.
“Kane.” He turned to see Serena waving at him. “Over here.”
Relieved, he walked across the aisle to her booth. Whatever panic he’d heard in her voice wasn’t visible on her face, looking fresh and rested with expertly applied makeup.
That’s right, dummy, look at the lipstick. Keep your eyes on her face. She is so not your type.
But man, she looked good in that dress.
Her gaze was intent on him. “You made it.”
“With minutes to spare.”
“Minutes?” Serena asked.
“A few. Were you getting worried?”
Kane already knew the answer was yes. She seemed to keep a tight hold on her responsibilities, on pretty much everything within her sphere of influence. He happened to be the exact opposite,
