Page 44

“Oh, I remember where you live.”

Here Elle was, hoping they didn’t have to bring it up. While she didn’t regret sleeping with Riley while rebounding from Pam, it had been a mistake in the professional sense. Was it what I needed at the time? She had no idea. Riley’s lovemaking style was so different from what Elle usually preferred that it was either perfect or the wrong kind of medicine.

They had both agreed it would remain a one-night stand since neither were interested in a long-term relationship with the other and they had their jobs to think about. But Elle had sworn not to make sleeping with Royal Asia employees a habit. Until…

Maybe she had a problem.

“How’s the route?” Elle’s voice slightly squeaked when she changed the subject. “Or do you not want to talk about work?”

“What the hell else is there to talk about? I don’t know your hobbies, boss.”

“Ugh, don’t call me that.”

“You’re the head of what… personnel? Aren’t I personnel?”

“I’m the Director of International Relations, but in reality, it’s a holdover title until I’m made Chief Commercial Official.”

Riley’s eyes glazed over. “And I’m a pilot. What about it?”

“Things get complicated the higher up you get.”

“More money, though.”

“True. More time away from home, too.”

“Yeah, think I’ll stick with my role. I get to be the cool woman who pilots a bigass plane while getting to travel everywhere and… wait, why am I telling you this? You poached me from Delta so I could have one route from Seattle to LA.” She grinned. “Until I got last week’s notice! Eh? Did you have something to do with that?”

“Huh?”

Riley scoffed. “Guess you don’t actually make the decisions about who gets what route. I mean, I put in that request for a shuffle a long time ago, but only because I’m ready to get out of Seattle for a while. LA, though… well, that’s something. Rent there is insane. You guys better be giving me a raise while you’re at it.”

“You’ve been reassigned?”

“Think we’ll still be seeing each other, though. I’m joining a couple of the others ‘integrating’ into the Asian routes. Hey, what do you know about a pilot named James Pei Fan? Do you think he’s gonna have a problem with an American woman at the helm with him?”

“That name does ring a bell…”

“Whatever. I’m looking forward to being around the best flight attendants in the business. Why else do you think I went into this gig? To fly cool planes?”

“What poor flight attendant are you dating now?”

“None! It’s a problem.”

“Hm, no wonder you wanted a change of scenery. You’ve depleted the eligible queer women flying in and out of Sea-Tac every week.”

“Including you.”

“Careful what you say out loud around here, huh?”

Riley shrugged. “That’s not the only news I got. Bet you know something about the other bit showing up in my inbox the other day.”

“Oh?”

“Something about me being summoned to some studio in LA in a couple of days to get my headshots done? Sounds fun. Minus the part where I have to dress up.”

“Why, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Please, my boss told me that I was selected by a board member. They wouldn’t say who, but you’re the only one who is aware of how hot I am. I haven’t slept with any of the others.”