Sin City Lights (Sin City #1)

Chapter 14

Eve

Something was weighing her down.

Eve opened her eyes and moved to roll over but felt as if a tree limb had fallen across her middle.

She blinked and, for a second, had no idea where she was. It was the scent that clued her in, the delicious scent of Adam. It was everywhere, including on her skin.

Ah, yes.

This was his bed, and the limb wasn’t that of a tree. It was his arm.

She should have been horrified, but the feeling that overcame her instead was one of utter joy. Butterflies did a happy dance in her belly as memories of the night came, one more erotic and exciting than the last.

Adam had taken her repeatedly, the whole night through, almost until dawn, when they had fallen asleep, exhausted, tangled in each other’s arms. Aside from going to get some Voss for the two of them and a couple of trips to the bathroom, he’d never left her side.

This morning, she felt…well, content. It was an unfamiliar feeling.

A slow smile spread across her face at the sound of his deep, even breathing. Of course, he didn’t snore. She wondered if the man had a single flaw. He didn’t even have ugly feet. She’d checked. She brushed her cheek against his forearm, inhaling deeply. She pressed a kiss there. He didn’t budge.

She would have been perfectly happy to stay there longer, but the bathroom was calling, and she really had to go. She began wriggling away.

He made a growl of protest, arm tightening even more around her waist, hauling her to him.

Her eyes widened as she felt him, distinctly, at her backside. Her body responded instantly. If only he knew how unusual this was for her and how, before him, she had been sexually indifferent.

Men were a task. Clinical. A job. What would he say if he knew she’d never had an orgasm with a man before?

In many ways, he was her first. And he was the only one to evoke these unfamiliar, tender feelings.

Tender feelings or not, she would have to wake him up because there was no way she could extricate herself out of his vise grip.

“Adam.”

Nothing.

“Adam,”

she said louder.

Forget the proverbial rock; the man slept like a boulder.

She rolled her hips.

That did it.

He started, inhaling sharply. For a second, he went still. His head came off the pillow, then fell back when he saw her.

He smiled. “Well, hello, there.”

Oh, my. Morning Adam’s voice definitely made her ears happy. “Good morning.”

He turned, and the look he gave her made her insides warm. “Indeed, it is. You’re in my bed.”

She made a move. “I’ll be right back.”

“Mm. Promise?”

She gave a little laugh and pushed at his forearm, and, thankfully, he understood and let her go.

She felt his gaze following her as she headed, naked, to the bathroom, smiling as she spotted their clothes, no longer strewn across the floor but laid atop the ottoman. The shoes were by the bed, arranged in matched pairs. He’d done this while she slept, most likely on a bathroom break. Adam was a neat freak, or, at the very least, not a slob.

Right then, she vowed to find his flaw. Everyone had one. Right?

She washed her hands and, catching her reflection in the mirror, was shocked that she couldn’t recognize herself. The woman who looked back at her positively glowed. Her hair was a mess but in a tousled, loved-all-night way, and her cheeks were flushed, she supposed, from being held against Adam’s tall furnace of a frame. But it was her eyes that were so different. Never in her life had she seen that bright expression looking back at her.

Grabbing a large towel, she wrapped it around herself sarong style, then headed back out.

She found him where she’d left him but different. He’d combed his hair, which made her want to muss it right up again, and as she approached, she smelled the distinctive scent of mint.

Jeez, this man. At least he hadn’t shaved.

“You brushed your teeth,”

she said, almost accusingly.

He gave her a fake horrified look. “You’re into morning breath?”

She laughed. “It isn’t fair. I have nothing here.”

He tipped his blond head, and she decided morning stubble really suited him. “You have me.”

“How did you brush your teeth?”

“Guest bathroom.”

She grinned, shaking her head. “I need a toothbrush.”

“Check the closet.”

Her brow furrowed.

He motioned with his chin. “Open it.”

She did.

On the floor in the corner was the white Rimowa she’d had in the Caymans.

She swung a questioning look at him. “What is this?”

“I saved it for trips on a whim.”

“Well.”

A tiny smile curved her lips.

“I had everything dry-cleaned and laundered. You should have all you need for the rest of the weekend. If not, we can always swing by your place.”

A corner of his mouth kicked up in a sexy smirk. “You have a countertop that gave me some ideas.”

She looked at him, eyes widening.

He laughed. “Breakfast in about an hour.”

She rolled the case out of the closet. “Should I take this to the guest room?”

“Tired of me already?”

He shook his head. “No way. You’re staying with me all weekend. In my room.”

He lowered his voice. “In my bed. And by the way, I want to burn that towel.”

?

The man’s idea of starting the day on Sunday was fifty laps in a frigid Olympic-sized pool.

While Adam took his swim, Eve made good use of his shower and what she had in the white suitcase. This weekend, she would wear the lingerie sets she’d left untouched in the Caymans.

She tried not to torture herself too much with regrets of having wasted a perfectly good hotel suite in paradise. Perhaps a repeat was in the near future. She certainly hoped so. She wanted to watch him eat fire again, then take him to bed and ride him as the drums pounded outside.

Heat stirred inside her. He hadn’t been away an hour, and she was already excited to see him again. Smoothing the skirt of her pale yellow sundress, she emerged to meet Adam on the patio, where an elaborate breakfast spread awaited under a huge tan umbrella. The white-linen-covered table was strategically placed to take advantage of the spectacular views.

The smells and sights of breakfast food made her mouth water. The selection contained a little of everything: pancakes, toast, waffles, assorted jams and jellies, plus scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and steak. Fruit was arranged in a colorful display on an oval platter.

A dark-haired waiter bustled nearby, bringing a small pitcher of something very, very green. Spotting her, he hurried to pull out her chair. “Good morning, Miss Layton. Would you care for some coffee? Tea?”

He knew her name. Adam had briefed his employees.

She smiled at the young waiter and glanced at his name tag. “Coffee, please, Trevor.”

She turned over her white china cup.

He placed the pitcher on the table and set about pouring the coffee.

She motioned with her chin. “What is that?”

“That is Mr. Larssen’s green juice,”

he said. “He has it every morning.”

She wrinkled her nose. “What’s in it?”

The waiter paused, carafe in hand, his gaze fixed on something behind her.

“Kale, cucumber, pineapple, and the rest is classified,”

came Adam’s voice, answering for Trevor. “Give it a try, it’s good for you. Good morning, Trevor.”

Trevor’s brown eyes lingered on Adam.

He finally blinked. “Good morning, Mr. Larssen.”

He looked back at Eve. “Cream?”

“Milk, please, if you have it.”

“We do. It’ll only take a minute.”

Throwing one last glance at Adam, he walked away.

Adam eased into the chair beside her, dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt and ivory linen trousers. His collar was open, giving her a tantalizing view of his throat. He had shaved, his hair was still damp, making it look darker, and she could smell the scent of his shampoo and citrusy Hermès cologne.

His eyes met hers. “Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll have you for breakfast instead.”

He motioned with his chin toward the outdoor furniture grouping.

She eyed the rattan bed. “Oh, my. But what will Trevor think?”

Adam unfurled his napkin. “Trevor won’t care. He’s gay.”

Her brows lifted. He really didn’t see it, did he? She met his gaze, lips twitching. “I think it’s you he wants to see.”

Adam shrugged. He overturned his cup, poured himself some coffee, and immediately took a big swallow. He liked it black, she noted, filing that away with the other little things she’d learned about him.

Relaxing in his chair, he gazed over the roofs of the buildings to the horizon, scanning.

She preferred to look at him. His hair was drying in the morning sun and getting lighter by the minute.

She ran her fingertips over his forearm. “How was your swim?”

“Water’s too cold. I need to have them crank up the heat. Join me next time?”

Watching him swim sounded quite appealing. “I think I’ll take you up on that.”

Trevor reappeared with a small silver pitcher.

Eve smoothed her napkin over her lap, inadvertently brushing Adam’s thigh. His jaw flexed slightly, but other than that, he kept his expression carefully neutral. Except those sapphire eyes that suddenly began to smolder.

Trevor set down the little pitcher, then poured the green juice in a tall glass. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Adam shook his head. “That will be all, thank you.”

Trevor nodded. Eve swore she saw a look of disappointment before he walked away.

Reaching for the platter of scrambled eggs, Adam heaped a healthy portion on his plate, adding two pieces of steak and one strip of bacon.

“Steak and eggs? No toast, no pancakes?”

“Carbs.”

“You say it as if it were something evil.”

“Carbs are fine, in moderation. I just don’t take mine in the form of toast or pancakes. I’d rather eat something that’s worth it.”

She knew he was referencing the cream pie, and tingles shot through her body at the memory. Her gaze drifted to his mouth. He took a piece of crisp bacon, slipped it between his teeth, and snapped off half. The other half, he offered to her.

She opened her mouth and licked his thumb, swiping the underside with her tongue, before she bit into the bacon.

He shuddered. “I don’t know why I bothered getting dressed,”

he told her. “After food, I’m taking you straight back to bed.”

She took a sip of coffee and licked her lips. “I’m not averse to that.”

“Good. Because that mouth of yours is driving me insane.”

He scooped a forkful of eggs, blue eyes looking up at the cloudless sky. “I was thinking we could go flying later.”

Eve brightened. “I’d like that.”

“Great.”

He reached for his green juice. Something buzzed in his pocket. Adam withdrew his phone, then glanced at the screen and frowned.

“Larssen.”

Eve watched his expression slowly change. Whatever the caller was saying couldn’t be good because the frown turned into a scowl. “And you tell me this now?”

He listened for a moment, then heaved a frustrated sigh. “All right. I’ll be there within the hour. Have Evans fuel the plane.”

He hung up, muttering a curse under his breath.

Eve’s heart sank.

Adam turned to her, his jaw tight. “Sims just called in sick. I have to take his flight to Tokyo.”

“Aren’t you the CEO?”

His smile was tight. “I am.”

“Then why would you be the one they’d call when someone gets sick?”

He pushed back his chair and stood. “Because we have a dozen planes and not enough pilots. Besides, I love to fly. It’s why I started this business in the first place. Now that we’ve grown so much, instead of doing that, I get to sit in an office all day long. It’s the last-minute notice I don’t like.”

Adam

Not fifteen minutes later, Adam stood in his doorway in full uniform, with Eve on tiptoe, hanging onto his neck.

This was the second lingering kiss, and he still was loath to go. He pressed his cheek to her hair, inhaling deeply. She smelled of his shampoo but also of the mouthwatering fragrance that was all her own.

She splayed her fingers over his jacket, hand inching toward his tie. “Don’t touch that,”

he quipped, “or there’ll be trouble.”

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “How long will you be gone?”

“Ten days.”

“Ten days?”

She looked dismayed.

He nodded. “The plane needs to stay there for the duration. The client also has side trips scheduled, to Singapore and Hong Kong.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Even if that weren’t the case, I still couldn’t fly it back and forth. Wouldn’t be cost-efficient.”

She kissed his jaw. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

Her hands slipped down, sliding into his jacket pocket, taking his phone and handing it to him. “Unlock it.”

His lips curved up as he entered his passkey, then gave it back to her. He watched as she quickly found the phone icon, her slender fingers flying over numbers.

She tapped send. “There you go. Now you have me.”

His heart beat a bit faster.

Yes, he had her. For now.

He pocketed his phone. “I’ll text you when I land.”

“You’d better. Oh!”

She grabbed a small blue-and-gold shopping bag from the side table by the door and pressed it into his hands.

He gripped the handles. “What’s this?”

“I had Trevor pack you a to-go breakfast while you were changing.”

He eyed the restaurant logo on the bag, then smiled at her. “Thank you.”

He pecked her on the forehead because he couldn’t take another heated kiss. “I really have to go.”

Her pretty face was somber. “Safe flight.”

He gave her his cockiest grin. “Don’t worry, it will be. I know the captain. I hear he’s pretty good.”

That earned him the sunny smile he wanted to leave with. He bent to pick up his flight bag, then forced himself to head for the elevator.

?

“Good morning, sir. Great day for flying.”

“Morning, Jack. Thanks for coming so quickly.”

“Not a problem. I was close by.”

Adam knew this wasn’t true. It was Sunday, and Jack had probably dropped everything the minute the office had called him to drive Adam to the airport in the company limo. Had it been up to him, he would have just hailed one of the Lark Hotel VIP cars.

He settled in the leather seat. The scent of eggs and steak wafted to his nostrils. He opened the bag. Inside was a clear cup containing berries and two carefully wrapped packages.

Adam reached for one, peeling back the white paper, and took a big bite of what he discovered was a lettuce-wrapped steak and egg roll. He smiled. The romaine had been Eve’s idea, he was certain.

They came to a stop light. Chewing, he gazed out at the gold windows of Mandalay Bay.

He’d had time to chug his green juice but not to eat. He would have grabbed a granola bar and maybe an apple at the FBO, but not much else. The flight was catered, but it would be a while before he and his other two pilots could have some lunch. It was touching that she’d thought to send him off with food; it made him feel cared for.

The light changed to green, and the limo started forward.

He took another bite. She’d also taken care of him in bed. God, had she ever.

His bed.

He’d never taken any woman to his bedroom; he’d always used the spare. But this woman…not only did he want her in his bed, but he liked waking up to her in it.

A vision of her as he’d hiked up her leg and taken her in those sexy sandals flashed across his mind. The noises she’d made…

Jesus.

Thank God his suite was soundproofed. She was, as she herself had said, full afterburner takeoff.

He had suspected, yes, but last night, she’d surpassed every one of his wildest fantasies about her. And, he discovered, it was more than just sex.

He found her particularly alluring. The way she smiled and made eye contact, the way she stood tall with good posture, the way she didn’t shy away from voicing her opinions. This woman also listened, really listened, and truly seemed interested in him. Her laugh… He smiled. Her laugh was beautiful and genuine and lit up her entire face.

But what he had with her that he had never found with anyone else was ease. He didn’t have to try to impress her. He seemed to do it just by being himself, which made it easy to be with her.

He finished the last of his wrap and reached for the cup of berries, flipping the top and pouring some into his mouth, then opened his leather bag and took out the flight plan. It would be about twelve hours to Tokyo. With the right winds, he wouldn’t have to stop to refuel.

He thought to call Sims, but he was probably home, and it being Sunday, he didn’t want to disturb his wife. Lately, Sims had called in sick more often and stayed out longer and longer. It was becoming a problem, having to cover the guy’s schedule, plus those of any others who called off, while running operations too. He could do some office work remotely, but there were things for which he had to be there.

He did prefer flying to sitting at a desk, but not like this, with zero notice. Had it been any other pilot, he might have considered letting him go or relegating him to some cushy desk job. But Sims was sixty-four, quickly approaching retirement age, and Adam didn’t want to sack the guy just before he could secure a decent pension from LarsAir. The man had been with the company for so long, he didn’t remember not having him on staff.

This had to stop, however. He’d have to talk to Sims.

He finished the last of his berries, then turned his attention to the flight plan. He scanned the details.

Aircraft identification: N576LA

Departure aerodrome: KMCO

Destination aerodrome: RJAA

Persons on board: 16

Pilot-in-command: A. Larssen

Who were the other two? His eyes moved to the lower right-hand corner.

Additional information: Crew: M. Rodriguez, D. Thomason

Manuel Rodriguez and… Adam stared at the paper.

He had to fly with Devon.

All the way to Tokyo and back.

Shit.

?

“Positive rate.”

“Gear up.”

Manuel raised the gear, and Adam reached for the glare shield and engaged the autopilot button. “Autopilot is on. After-takeoff checklist.”

As the G550 continued its smooth ascent into the sky, they quickly completed the after-takeoff items.

After a while, Manuel checked the altimeter. “Ten thousand.”

“Lights off.”

Manuel flipped the switch. Adam rolled his shoulders and relaxed into his seat, looking out at the wild blue yonder for a few moments. No matter what, this never got old. He always loved it up here.

“Didn’t you just pull one of these long hauls last week?”

Manuel asked.

“Two.”

Manuel whistled. “That’s tough, man.”

Adam gave him a sarcastic smile. “The perks of being the owner.”

“Yeah, no thanks.”

Adam chuckled. “No desire to start your own charter, Manny?”

“Hell no. I’m happy where I am. Benefits are great, the boss treats me good—”

he gave Adam a wide grin “—and I get to do what I like. You can keep that huge set of keys you carry around.”

Adam smiled. “You’re a smart guy, Manny.”

People coveted the rewards that came with that set of keys but wanted nothing to do with the work and responsibilities that went with them.

A voice came through their headsets. “November 576 Lima Alpha, contact LA Center on 126.775.”

Manuel cued the mic. “Gulfstream 576 Lima Alpha to LA center on 126.775, good day.”

Manuel reached for the screen and adjusted to the new frequency. He listened for a few good seconds before he could jump in. “LA Center, Gulfstream 576 Lima Alpha, checking in.”

“Six Lima Alpha, LA Center, welcome.”

Adam stared out at the cloud cover for a few minutes. “Have you talked to Sims lately?”

“A couple of weeks ago.”

“He say anything to you about problems he’s having?”

Manuel shook his head. “But, you know, I notice he does it when he gets long flights. Could be his back. He’s about my father’s age, and Dad has problems when he sits too long. Twelve hours to Tokyo… It’s a lot.”

Adam nodded. That did make sense. He was half Ted’s age, and every so often, he, too, could feel it.

“Also, Sims’s wife has that muscle problem.”

“The fibromyalgia?”

“Yeah. I hear she’s in a lot of pain lately. Has to have pain blocker shots in her spine. Sometimes they don’t work. Maybe that’s why he calls out so often?”

“Could be.”

He glanced at Manuel. “Speaking of wives, how’s Alma?”

An instant grin spread across Manuel’s face. “Alma is great.”

He gave Adam a conspiratorial look. “Nobody knows yet…but we have news.”

Adam’s brows lifted. “Yeah?”

Manny beamed. “Yup. Alma is pregnant. Finally.”

Adam reached to clap him on the shoulder. “Congratulations!”

“Yeah, thanks, man. We’re waiting until she’s past three months to tell everybody, but I had to say something. Been ready to explode.”

“Your secret’s safe with me. When do you find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”

Manny groaned. “Not for another two whole months. It’s driving me crazy. Alma says she doesn’t care as long as it’s healthy, but between you and me, I’m really hoping for a boy.”

“Congrats again.”

Adam knew they had been trying for over a year.

Unbidden thoughts of Eve slid in, and for some reason, he envisioned her smiling up at him, her belly swollen with his child. Another time, he would have thought such an idea meant he’d completely lost his mind, but he was pushing thirty-two, and with the right woman…

At twenty-one, his parents already had him and were expecting Ian. That was partially why, when Adam was seventeen, they’d taken it upon themselves to push him into marrying Ingrid.

Ingrid.

What a disaster she’d proven to be.

Immediately, he shoved away her memory.

He thought, instead, of how completely Eve had captured his mind and imagination. Most recently, his body too.

Now, he was left with only one more thing to give.

He pictured her pretty face, that mouth, those huge, brown eyes. The way she looked at him, as if he’d hung the goddamned moon.

She sure as hell didn’t fit the profile of an escort, and he would know because he’d certainly used his share of them.

He was no saint. Quite the opposite. Over the years, he’d taken out the occasional nice woman Jim and Connie had pushed on him but chose to stick to strictly escorts.

Just fucking and, when necessary for business, companionship.

No strings, no obligations. Easy.

Now, with Eve, he was stunned to realize he didn’t mind strings. He wanted to tie her to him so tightly, she’d never get near another man again. And that would be a problem, given what she did for a living.

It bothered him.

A lot.

Adam suddenly felt the need to stretch his legs. Yanking off his headset, he surged to his feet. “I’m going to the head.”

?

Three hours later, it was time to switch, and Manny went to the back to get some rest. Adam stared straight ahead toward the horizon, jaw working, preparing for the long-overdue talk with Devon.

He hadn’t seen him since that evening when Eve had stumbled toward him in that darkened hallway, falling into his arms and into his life.

She’d been with Devon, having dinner, and Adam knew damned well what that meant. He also knew that Devon’s tastes ran on the wild side. The man had developed a penchant for banging in odd places. Adam knew of rooftop parking lots and elevators, to name two.

He didn’t even want to know where else.

What had Devon done with Eve? The mere thought of him touching her made him see red. The idea of him making her do degrading things made him want to punch Devon in the throat.

There were two problems with that. One, Eve had been hired and had agreed to do…whatever.

And two, Devon was co-owner of LarsAir, his chief pilot, and one of his oldest friends.

They’d been roommates in college and worked on an aviation app they’d sold, making them hundreds of millions. With that, plus optimism, two used planes and Tim, they’d opened LarsAir. Devon had enough old money from his trust fund to buy a country and do nothing, yet he chose to work because he loved to fly and was a damn good pilot.

“Hey, man.”

Speaking of the devil. “Devon.”

Devon seated himself in the second-in-command chair. Adam briefed him on the flight up to that point. “Any questions?”

“Nope.”

Devon reached into his pocket and withdrew two Kind bars. He kept one and held out the other.

Adam took it. “Thanks.”

“They should be bringing us lunch soon, but I’m hungry now. Figured you must be too.”

Adam nodded, unwrapped the bar, and took a bite, saying nothing.

An awkward silence ensued, broken only by crunching and the crinkle of cellophane.

Devon cleared his throat. “Haven’t seen you in a while. Where’ve you been?”

“Picking up Sims’s slack.”

He took another bite.

“Yeah, you’ve been busy. Tough break last week. And now, this one. What’s his deal?”

“Hell if I know. Been trying to find out. He tell you anything?”

“Negative. He and I don’t talk much, though.”

Another long silence, where the only sound was that of the turbines and munching.

When Devon spoke, it was carefully toneless. “I tried to book Eve last week.”

Yeah, well, good luck with that.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. They told me she would be unavailable for three whole months. At first, they refused to give me any more info, but I kept bugging them. They finally told me one guy bought the whole block of time.”

He turned to look at Adam. “Was it you?”

Had it been anyone other than Devon, Adam would have told him it wasn’t his business and to go screw himself. As things were, he folded the empty wrapper and put it in his pocket, then turned to meet Devon’s stare head-on. “It was.”

Devon’s green eyes showed no surprise. “You serious about her?”

Was he?

The honest answer was it was too early to tell.

“I like her.”

Adam shrugged.

Devon nodded slowly, his gaze scanning the clouds. “She’s a good girl.”

After a beat, he grinned, and Adam glimpsed a spark of the familiar mischief in his friend’s eye. “Although I’m not so sure about her judgment, seeing as she agreed to spend twelve whole weeks with the likes of you.”

Now Adam said it. “Screw you, Thomason.”

“Thanks for the offer, but Eleet already hooked me up. Identical twins, man. They’re smokin’. Legs for days. Can you believe it?”

Oh, he could believe it, all right. Devon had gone off the rails since college. “Good to hear.”

“They can suck—”

A knock sounded on the cockpit door. “Lunch, gentlemen,”

a flight attendant announced.

“About time,”

Adam grumbled.

?

Adam: Landed

He wasn’t expecting a reply, but he had promised to text her.

Three bubbles instantly appeared, and he smiled, waiting.

Eve: Hi :)

Adam: Hello.

Adam: It’s after midnight there. Why aren’t you sleeping?

Eve: Because of you.

Adam’s smile widened.

Eve: I followed your plane on FlightAware.

Still needlessly worried. Adam shook his head.

Adam: Where are you now?

Eve: My place.

A part of him was disappointed. Then again, he couldn’t have expected her to stay alone at his apartment.

He pondered for a moment, wondering if he should ask the question but found he had to know.

Adam: What are you wearing?

Nothing happened on the screen for a few moments, and he almost regretted sending that, but then, a photo popped up. It looked dark.

Heart quickening, he tapped it.

And then he laughed out loud.

Eve was wearing his “the only six-pack I’ll ever need”

shirt. Although huge on her small frame, she definitely wore it better because her large breasts made those round instruments pop.

Adam: Stealing my clothes, already?

Eve: It smells like you.

Something warm spread all inside his chest.

Adam: You take anything else?

Eve: Yes. Your tie.

Jesus.