“I’ll use Cole Parker. My middle name.”
“Right behind you, Cole Parker.”
The closer they drew to the Coast Eagle tables, the more beautiful Amber became. Her hair wasn’t brown, but a rich chestnut with highlights that shimmered under the bright stage lights. It was half up, half down in a tousled bundle with wisps flowing over her temples and down her back. The scalloped neckline of her dress showed off an expanse of creamy skin, while the lace across her shoulders played peekaboo with his imagination.
Her eyes were deep blue, fringed with dark lashes. Her full lips were dark red, her cheeks enticingly flushed. He had a sudden vision of her clambering naked into his bed.
She turned as he approached, caught his stare and gave him an obviously practiced smile. He realized hundreds if not thousands of people must have introduced themselves and offered their condolences in the past weeks.
“Amber Welsley?” he asked her, offering his hand.
“I am.”
“I’m Cole Parker from Aviation 58. My condolences on your loss.”
“Thank you, Mr. Parker.” She shook his hand.
The soft warmth of her palm seemed to whisper through his skin. He felt a ripple of awareness move up his arm and along the length of his body. Her expression flinched, and for a second he thought she’d felt it, too. But then her formal smile was back in place, and she was moving on.
Cole quickly spoke again to keep her attention. “This is my business partner, Luca Dodd.”
“Please call me Luca.”
“And I’m Cole,” Cole put in, feeling like an idiot for not having said it right away.
“Aviation 58 was looking to contribute to the Samuel Henderson fund,” said Luca.
Cole’s stomach twisted, and he shot Luca a glare of annoyance.
Where had that come from? There was no way on earth Cole was contributing to something with Samuel’s name on it.
“It’s a very worthy cause,” said Amber. But then she caught Cole’s expression. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” he quickly answered.
“You look upset.”
“I’m fine.”
She canted her head to one side, considering him. “You don’t agree that the pilot scholarship is a worthy cause?”
“I believe what Luca meant is that we’re thinking of setting something up in parallel. With Georgia Pilots, but not necessarily...” How exactly was he going to phrase this?
“Not necessarily in honor of Samuel Henderson?” Amber finished for him.
Cole didn’t know how to respond to the direct challenge. He didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want to insult her, either.
“You have a spare ten million hanging around to match Coast Eagle?” she asked.
“Ten million is a little out of our league,” Cole admitted.
Her blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Did you know Samuel?”