Chapter 13 #2
He nodded. “I’ll see to our needs. Unfortunately, I can’t fly this myself, so I couldn’t give you the day off, too.”
Paul smiled and shrugged. “Not a problem. I like Montana and Bozeman, in particular.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Chase guided her to the stairs with a hand at her waist and then followed her up.
Paul entered the plane after them and stowed Meri’s suitcase in a closet just behind the cockpit, which had the door open. Then he walked into the cockpit and shut the door.
Once inside the plane, Meri’s mouth dropped open.
It was beautiful, tastefully decorated with large, cushy, white leather chairs, two side-by-side, and across from an identical pair.
A wooden table, polished to a high gloss, sat between the chairs.
Beyond them was a sofa with tables on either end.
No tables in the middle in front, she assumed, to keep the aisle clear, for safety’s sake.
Chase took her hand and placed it in the crook of his elbow. “Next, we have the dining room, kitchen, and then the bedroom. The bathroom is straight down the hall, a little past the bedroom.”
“Wow! I don’t know what else to say. This is amazing.”
“I’m glad you like it. You should know I’ve never taken anyone to Montana or to my ranch until now.”
“Not even Paige?” Meri couldn’t help the bit of jealousy she felt toward Paige.
She’d been the perfect wife material for Chase.
She was beautiful and had straight platinum blonde hair.
Everything Meri was not. She was of average height, not petite.
She had too many freckles. She sure wasn’t a blonde with long, straight hair and she couldn’t see her toes for her boobs.
As for her hair, she’d gotten it straightened once at the salon.
The stylist worked with the blow dryer and a brush for more than an hour to get it straight.
Meri had to admit it was beautiful, but way too much trouble.
And it only lasted until she washed it again.
“No one.” He walked over to her. “Not even Paige, has been here before you. Now, are you hungry? Would you like a drink?”
“I am a little hungry now.”
“I can whip us up a little soup and crackers or a sandwich. That should hold us over until we get to the ranch.”
“Sounds great.”
“I’ll start that after we get in the air. We need to get buckled up.”
She looked around for seats like in a regular airplane. “Where?”
“The chairs have seatbelts.” He waved an arm toward the white leather chairs. “Shall we?”
“Of course.” She made her way to the chairs and sat in the window seat of one facing forward.
Chase sat facing her.
When the plane was in the air, the captain’s voice sounded on the speaker. “We are cruising at 35,000 feet. You may walk about the cabin.”
“Paul sounds just like the pilots on the regular airlines.”
Chase chuckled. “He came to me from United.”
“Ah. Old habits.”
“Yes. But I don’t mind. I’d rather know when it’s safe than not.”
“So would I.” She unbuckled her seatbelt. “Would you show me the rest of the plane?”
‘“Certainly.” He unbuckled himself and stood.
She stood and made her way to the aisle.
Chase took her hand as they walked toward the back of the plane. “First is my office.”
The small room held just a simple desk and chair with a computer. The chair was on wheels and was currently tethered to the desk which appeared bolted to the floor.
Then the dining room. The table and chairs were all wooden, with seats and backs that were luxuriously padded.
Across from the dining table was a small two top that matched the large table.
“That’s in case we have more people than fit at the table and still keep the aisle clear.”
“I wondered if it was the kids’ table,” she joked.
He laughed. “I have yet to have a child on the plane, but it would work well if only two children were present.”
“True. Over two, and you’ll have a fight over who gets to sit there away from the adults.”
He put his hand at her back and ushered her into the kitchen. “What do you think? It’s all state-of-the art. Judy, my flight attendant, loves it. She likes to cook, and she can make amazing food in here.”
The kitchen could have been in any high-end home. The microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher were all gleaming stainless steel. She realized they couldn’t have a stove, it would be too dangerous.
“Next is the bedroom.” He stood back by the door.
She entered to look around.
She was glad he was being a gentleman and not trying to get her into bed. The bedroom was huge. The aisle zigged a bit to allow the room to be bigger and the aisle to the bathroom single file.
In the bedroom was a king-sized bed with nightstands on both sides.
They and the six-drawer dresser with a mirror attached, were of the same wood as the dining room table; she thought maybe it was cherry.
The sliding door to the closet was next to the dresser.
The doors were mirrors, which had two purposes she could ascertain.
First, they made the room look bigger. Second, they showed the entire body so he could see how he looked before getting off the plane.
Incredibly useful when going straight to a business meeting.
On the wall opposite the bed was a large screen TV.
The plane’s windows were above the headboard. A painting of a ranch house was on the wall opposite the bureau.
“Is that your ranch?” Meri pointed at the painting.
He smiled and his eyes twinkled. “Yes, that’s my home away from home. Although, I’m thinking of making it my permanent home.”
“If you love it, that’s what you should do.”
“I would miss the people I work with and I don’t have anyone special to share the ranch with…yet.”
“I…um…guess that would make it a little lonely. What about the people you have running the ranch now?”
“Oh, they’re there and they’re all wonderful people, as you’ll see. But it’s not the same as having someone special. Like you.”
“Me? I know we’ve spent a lot of time together these last few weeks, but you don’t know me. I could be a bank robber in disguise. Or a money grubbing gold digger, just biding my time.”
He stepped toward her and took her hands in his, pulling her to him and putting her arms around his waist. “Are you a gold digger?”
“Gosh, no. I’m doing well enough with my art, I don’t—”
His lips crashed onto hers.
She heard herself moan, and she wrapped herself around him until they were as close as they could be without physically becoming the other.
She pulled back for a moment and gazed up into eyes that were almost black with passion. Meri knew enough about men to recognize the look, but darned if she wasn’t pleased. “Chase.” Then she fitted her mouth to his again.
When they finally pulled apart, he kept his arms around her. “Meri, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted a woman in my life. I know we don’t know each other well—”
“I know, I feel it, too, but I won’t go to bed with you, so please don’t ask me.”
He rested his forehead against hers for a moment. “All right. I won’t ask, but I have to tell you, I want to take you to my bed very much.”
I’d like that, too, but I can’t and won’t be just another notch on his bedpost. Where did that thought come from? He’s never given me one reason to doubt his intentions are honorable. Even now, I know how much it must pain him, but he’s keeping his wants to himself.
“I want that, too, but I can’t. My self-esteem could not handle it when you left me for someone more your type.”
“And that type is the kind of woman you saw when you Googled me, correct?”
Her face heated. “Yes.”
He closed his eyes for a moment. “Come sit on the sofa where we can talk. Just talk.”
She nodded and followed him to the living room, where she sat on one end of the sofa with her arm resting along the back.
He sat on the other end. Then he, too, placed one arm on the back of the sofa and, with his other hand, he crooked his finger.
She grinned and shook her head.
He laughed and scooted over to her, but he took hold of her arm and drew it down to her lap. Then he placed an arm around her shoulders. “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammad, then Mohammad will come to the mountain.
She took advantage of every opportunity to cuddle and leaned back against his chest. “This is nice.”
“It is. Now. I want to talk to you about us.”