“Sure you will.” His gaze took a reflexive tour of her trim figure. “Wait a minute. Do you intend to try?”
She laughed, and he loved the sound.
“Not this time of year,” she singsonged.
“If I come back in June?”
“Maybe.” She twirled neatly around.
“You’re pretty good yourself.”
“Flatterer.” But her smile was bright.
“You’re beautiful, too.”
“I’m not interested in a one-night stand.”
The statement took him by surprise. “Excuse me?”
“Just so you know. I wouldn’t want you to get to the end of the night and be disappointed.”
“Is that what you think this is about?”
He didn’t know whether to be insulted or just plain disappointed. He hadn’t invited her out to get her into bed. But he didn’t deny he’d give pretty much anything for an unbridled night of passion in her arms.
“You’re not staying in Atlanta,” she said.
“True,” he agreed, even though he kind of now wished he was.
“And you’re putting in an awful lot of effort flirting with me.”
“Also true.” But only because flirting with her was so much fun.
“So the options are limited.”
“Maybe I’m trying to romance the Pacific routes out from under you.”
“You know that will never work.”
It was true. Cole couldn’t imagine her falling for something so simplistic. Then again, he wasn’t remotely interested in the Pacific routes.
He and Luca were following a carefully planned and meticulously orchestrated expansion scheme for Aviation 58. It was on track, and he had no intention of deviating from it for the next few years. He’d never make a knee-jerk decision based on random availability.
“You’re great with Zachary, you know.” Cole didn’t want to talk business.
“You’re great with Zachary. I’m mostly treading water.” Then she frowned. “But if you’re ever called to testify, the correct answer is that Amber is fantastic with Zachary.”
“I’ve never seen such incredible natural mothering instincts,” he said.
Her frown deepened. “I’m not his mother.”
“I didn’t mean that,” Cole quickly corrected the innocent comment. “I only meant that it’s obvious that you love him.”
She skated in pensive silence for a moment, the lighthearted music and bright lights suddenly seeming out of place.
“I’m sorry,” he offered, moving back to her side, reminding himself that she had grown up without the love of either of her natural parents.