She cracked a smile. “You can’t do that, though. Not until we’re in the air.”
He reluctantly returned his chair to the upright position. It wasn’t at all comfortable either way. The seats were barely made to fit large humans, let alone dragons. “So many rules.”
“I know,” she said. “It seems stupid, but I’m sure there are reasons.”
“Then you have more faith in humanity than I do,” he said.
She raised an eyebrow, tucking a stray, frizzy curl back into her bun. It popped immediately out and she blew it out of her face exasperatedly. “Why do you say that?”
“Nothing,” he said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
He heard her shut her laptop.
“I’m being rude,” she said. “Here, we can talk about what to expect when we get down there.”
“I read the briefing,” he said. “Anything else I should know?”
“Well, I guess one thing is that my sister is beautiful. I don’t want it to catch you off guard.” She removed her stuffy suit jacket and used it as a pillow behind her neck.
Was she uncomfortable? It was somehow important to him that she wasn’t.
“Why would I care if she’s beautiful?” he asked. “I am here only for you.”
“Yeah,” she said, smoothing her hair back on top, taming a few frizzes. “But I mean she’s perfect. I’ve had to hear about it my whole life. I don’t really want to hear it from you.”
“Why, jealous?” he teased, turning toward her with a grin.
She shifted irritably. “No. Because I’m hiring you to support me. Not annoy me.”
“Right,” he said. “Got it. Perfect sister. Contact set to ‘ignore.’ So tell me about the rest of the family.”
So she did, and as the plane took off and ascended into the sky, he listened about her parents, who seemed nice, and things to do around town.
“What about your sister’s fiancé?” he asked when they were both comfortably reclined in their chairs and holding sweet cocktails the flight attendant had brought.
She froze at that, looking down at her drink. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
He sat up straight. “Wait. What?” He tamped down the anger rising inside him. “Did he do something?”
“No, he didn’t, but… I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Why do you really want an escort home?” he asked. “Are you afraid of someone?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with my sister’s fiancé. I just… want to talk about something else.”
He could sense her discomfort and decided he wasn’t going to get more info from her now either way. “Do your parents know you’re bringing home a boyfriend?”
She nodded. “But they’re going to be so shocked when they see you.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I look like this and you look like that.”
“Pish posh.”
She giggled, despite the tension. “No one says that.”
“I just did. But what I meant is, despite your attempts to hide it, you’re beautiful.”
“I know it’s your job to lie, but there’s a limit,” she retorted, turning away from him.
He crowded over her without touching her. “Now wait a minute before you call a guy a liar.” He looked over her, not hiding the heat in his gaze. “You’re curvy and soft, and I wish I could get a look under that suit.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Stop it—” She was flushing and pushing herself back against the window to get away from him, but she didn’t seem displeased by his comments.
“And I suspect you have beautiful hair,” he said, reaching up for a curl and then stopping himself. “I’d be tempted to touch it if I hadn’t promised I wouldn’t.”
“Damn straight,” she said, tucking her hair back quickly.
He looked over her again. “You have a cute face. Pretty, soft skin. A perfect little nose. And those eyes. Huge. Smart. Sharp.”
“Right,” she said with an eye roll. “What every girl wants to hear.”
“Sensual,” he said, leaning in closer, speaking in a quiet voice for only her ears. “‘Fuck me’ eyes.”
She gasped in shock and shoved on his chest, pushing him back. She couldn’t suppress her giggle. “Gross. What does that even mean?”
He put his hands behind his head. “You call a man a liar and he’s allowed to defend himself.”
And as a dragon, he couldn’t allow his mate not to see how much she lit his fire.