Chapter 25
25
The Indigo Lounge plane took off mid-afternoon on Monday. Bethany’s first time on the trip, she’d been so overwhelmed by Zach that she hadn’t really found time to experience the unique concept he’d created.
Of course, he was no less overwhelming now, and she would probably never get used to the force of his magnetism, but at least she was learning to absorb the mind-altering shock that he was hers, without it affecting her thought processes too much.
The seatbelt sign winked out at thirty-thousand feet, and she stood up from where they’d been watching the clouds from Zach’s suite.
“You wanna buy me a drink at the bar, big guy?”
He remained seated and eyed her attire, a frown starting to form. “You sure you want to go out like that?”
She looked down at her leather dress, the same one she’d worn when she’d accepted his indecent proposal three weeks ago in this same suite. “There’s nothing wrong with my dress, Zach. The only change is that I don’t have any pantyhose on.”
His frown deepened. “But you’re wearing panties, right?” he bit out.
She sighed and linked her fingers through his, choosing not to remind him that there’d been a time when he’d forbidden her from wearing any. “Yes. As ordered to.” She pulled him up. Or tried to. He looked intensely irritated.
“God, what now?”
“I’m wishing I hadn’t burned that chastity belt.”
She laughed. “Sorry. Can’t help you there.”
His mouth twitched, and he finally rose. Tightening his fingers around hers, he brought them to his lips. “I’ll just have to be your human chastity belt, then.”
The image his words evoked made her cheeks burn. He quirked a brow at her.
“I see that turns you on, Peaches. I can give you a demonstration right now if you want?”
“You know that the more you try and keep me here, the more I want to go out, right?”
His jaw tightened. “Unfortunately, I do. Come on.”
They left his suite on the third deck of the plane via the private lift. Zach bypassed the second floor in favor of the first, and she tried not to let her smirk show. They had seven hours on board before they landed in Rome. She was dying to see how he intended to keep her from the second floor.
The lift opened onto the main lounge. The venture capitalist CEO she’d met at the pre-flight drinks, Mike Henson, was at the bar with his Russian girlfriend. Zach steered her to the bar and pulled out a seat for her. His narrowed gaze fell to her bare thighs as she perched on the stool, and his mouth pursed.
“Behave,” she whispered.
He gave a low growl, turned to the bartender and ordered a caipirinha for her and a beer for himself.
Mike straightened from where he’d been leaning against the bar and came toward them.
“Hey, Savage, I was just saying to Olga that I think this plane is your best one so far,” he said.
The bartender placed their drinks in front of them and Zach handed over hers. “Glad it’s living up to your standards,” he replied.
“Shit, it’s a dream! If you ever want a partner in any future venture, you know where to find me.”
“Thanks, I’ll bear it in mind.”
Another two couples drifted in. Gabriel Antonelli introduced his stunning girlfriend, Angela, and Damon Sinclair introduced his wife, Birdie.
As the introductions were reciprocated, Bethany noticed how Zach kept his body between hers and the men and curbed a smile. Her guy was unashamedly territorial. She had no problem with that.
Although, she was beginning to get irritated with Olga subtly eye-fucking Zach.
The conversation inevitably drifted to business, but she noticed there wasn’t that same aloofness present as when Zach had interacted with the guests on her first Indigo Lounge flight. When the other couples drifted away, she looked at Zach.
“They’re your friends?”
“We move in the same circles and get together every now and then.”
“So they’re your friends.”
He shrugged. “More like business acquaintances I’m familiar with.”
She frowned. “Do you have any real friends?”
His eyes shadowed as he stared down at her. “Yes. You.”
She should be used to the way he frequently kicked her feet from under her with his revelations, but Bethany had a feeling she would never get used to Zach’s power with words. “I seriously like you, you know that?”
His smile was a little forced, and the hand drifting down her cheek trembled slightly. “You more than like me, but I’ll take this for now. You want another drink?” he asked.
She drained the last of her cocktail and shook her head. “I want to keep a clear head. Technically, I’m supposed to be working.”
“Not while we’re flying.”
Stepping off from the stool, she tugged down her dress. “I know, but getting to know the guests now will help me service them better later.”
He froze. “Fucking wrong choice of words there, Peaches.”
“God, are you going to be like this throughout the whole trip?”
His nostrils flared. “Things are still unsettled between us. I can’t help think something’s around the corner waiting to fuck us up even more.”
She reached for his hand and slid her other hand around his nape. “Shit is going to happen, no matter how much you might try to prevent it. The only thing you can control is how you live in the moment, right now.”
He swallowed and the fierce light from his eyes burned right through to her soul. “You’re mine. Nothing and no one is going to alter that. I won’t let it happen.”
She smiled, and his breathing altered. Her hand slid from his nape to his chest and as she kissed him, his heartbeat escalated. “I like the sound of that. Know what else I like the sound of?”
“Will I regret asking?”
“I like the sound of you taking me to the second deck. I wanna see who’s getting frisky with whom.”
His breath hissed out. “God. You’re a closet voyeur. How did I not know this about you?” he grumbled.
She laughed and tugged him to the glass staircase.
They entered the bar area, and she felt Zach’s fingers tighten on hers. Glancing at him, she saw his face set in hard, unreadable lines. She noted why a second later.
One of the guests, a young German heir to a sports car giant, was busy fondling his companion who was naked from the waist up. She had both hands tied behind her back, giving him free access to her heavy breasts.
As Bethany watched, he slapped one breast and made a sound of pleasure when her nipple immediately peaked. Cupping her, his other hand reached between her thighs. At the first touch, her head rolled back and her mouth dropped open.
The man’s gaze flicked to them, his eyes glazed. He started to smile at Bethany, then noticed Zach and immediately looked away. To his credit, he became completely engrossed by the sight before him again. Leaning down, he rolled his tongue over his woman’s nipple, sucked hard on it and groaned.
“Seen enough?” Zach rasped. She glanced at him, wanting to see his reaction, but he’d retreated behind an inscrutable wall as he stared down at her, one eyebrow raised.
“Umm… maybe.” Bethany wasn’t sure how she felt about witnessing another couple’s blatant enjoyment of each other. She felt hot and guilty at the same time.
“You don’t have to be ashamed about how external stimulus makes you feel,” he whispered in her ears. “As long as you bring all your wants and needs to me, we’ll be fine. Deal?”
Biting her lips, she nodded. Zach’s hand slid around her waist, and he guided her forward, past the couple who were now completely lost in each other. They passed another couple getting heavy in the next spot and walked through to the games room.
Bethany’s stomach twisted as they walked into the chill-out room and found Mike, Olga, Damon and Birdie lounging in the seats. Two of the screens had descended, and as they moved through the room, Bethany heard hoarse Italian swearing followed by a very feminine cry of pleasure. Gabriel and Angela.
“Join us,” Olga invited, her eyes latching on to Zach.
Bethany had never really tested their relationship against the rigors of close proximity with others. Sure, she knew how Zach felt about Chris, her ex, and she’d made her feelings clear about the belly dancer who’d gotten a little too close in Marrakech. But this was different. Olga was blatantly eyeing up her man. She needed to set boundaries. Fast.
“We’d love to,” she responded.
Zach’s hand tightened around her waist. When she glanced at him, his face was still expressionless. “You sure about this, Peaches?” he murmured.
She sent him a thousand-watt smile. “Absolutely.” She took a seat on the last remaining lounger and slid her hand onto Zach’s thigh when he sat down next to her. Hard muscles bunched in gratifying reaction to her touch.
Olga, dressed in a silver sequined micro-dress, which left very little cleavage and leg to the imagination, stood. Mike’s smile looked a little strained as he watched his girlfriend sashay over to Zach, card in hand.
Zach’s face remained the same as he took the card from her. Again, he glanced at Bethany. She felt her smile slipping, but held her nerve.
Zach shrugged and opened the card. “How many billionaires does it take to screw in a light bulb?” A tiny smirk twitched his mouth.
Olga let out a tinkling laugh that grated on Bethany’s nerves. “Silly question.” She stared straight at Zach. “I say he should forget the light bulb. And screw me.”
Whoa.
Zach barely blinked. “Your turn,” he said to Bethany.
She pretended to tilt her head in thought. “Well, how important is the light to him? Because if he has me, he won’t need to worry about the darkness.”
Lame. So fucking lame. And yet, the change that came over Zach’s face made her want to scream with happiness.
He flung the card away and pressed the screen button on his seat. “Sorry, Olga. Bethany wins.”
Mike had a full-blown smirk in place as the screens descended. Olga looked like she was chewing nails.