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Chapter Five: Knox
We arrive at the airport without further incident, return the rental car, and Hunter leads me to a private jet waiting on the tarmac.
“Go on inside and get situated,” she tells me. “I already did my pre-flight check, but I want to do another walk around.”
“Sure thing. I’m ready to get out of this tux like yesterday.” Hefting my duffel bag over my shoulder, I walk up the roll away stairs and step into the plane. It’s roomy and the passenger seats look comfortable. I should be ready to collapse into one of them, sleep the whole way home, but I’m still wired from our chase through the city.
I wander down the aisle, checking things out, and pass the small bathroom. Instead of trying to change in there and being all cramped, I move to the rear of the plane and find a back area with a table and some chairs. There’s an accordion-style door and I pull it partway closed and shrug out of my suit jacket.
Unzipping my bag, I rummage through it for my jeans, navy blue Henley and a fresh pair of socks. I’d love a shower, and noticed one in the compact bathroom, but I’ll wait until I’m back at my house where there’s no turbulence to potentially bounce me around.
Pulling my bowtie off and tossing it, I unbutton my white shirt and slip it off, drop my pants and grab my jeans. As I’m pulling them up, I hear Hunter enter the plane and close the flight door.
“Knox?” she calls out.
I fold the door back. “Yeah?”
She abruptly stops walking, brown eyes dropping. Her gaze moves down my bare chest like a physical touch, and I try not to react. For a lovely moment, she stares at my crotch.
Well, shit. She interrupted me before I had a chance to zip up.
Her attention jumps back up to my face and she clears her throat. “I, um, just wanted to tell you we’re ready to take off. So, whenever you’re seated and buckled up, we can go.”
“Great.” I quickly zip and button my jeans then grab my shirt. There’s no missing the way her pretty brown-sugared eyes skate over my chest again, and I can’t help but smirk.
See something you like, Hunter?
Even though I want to ask, I keep my mouth shut. I get the feeling she’s skittish. A strong, fierce badass when it comes to fighting the enemy, sure, but maybe not quite ready for a full-frontal assault of flirting from yours truly.
By nature, I’m an outrageous flirt, so I hope she can handle it. Otherwise, it’s gonna be a long flight. Because there’s no way I’ll be able to tone it down around her. She’s a gorgeous woman who caught my interest. Easy, sexy, playful banter is a part of who I am, and I enjoy engaging women and coating them in my honey-dipped words.
I’ve always loved and appreciated women. How could I not? I grew up with five sisters and my mom deserves a Mother of the Year award for putting up with all of us. Eighteen years in a home surrounded by estrogen taught me quite a lot. Every time some jerk broke one of their hearts, I heard all about it. As a result, I’ve learned what women want and expect from a man. Being privy to their secret conversations made me understand quite a few things. Yes, women are complicated creatures, but at the heart of it all, they just want to be loved and respected. And they enjoy attention directed solely at them because it makes them feel special.
At the end of the day, isn’t that what all of us really want? Well, in addition to some mind-blowing sex.
I watch Hunter scurry back up the aisle and disappear into the cockpit. If I’m not mistaken, I’d say Ms. Top Gun is a bit flustered.
Unable to suppress a grin, I saunter over to the seat closest to the cockpit, sit and buckle up. Stretching my legs out, I watch Hunter check various instruments and communicate through a headset to the tower. Her hands move adeptly over the flight panel, flicking switches, reporting readings. I have no damn idea what she’s doing, but I find myself sitting up straighter, absolutely fascinated.
The image of those delicate fingers wrapping around my hard cock and stroking me to a volcanic eruption nearly fries my brain. She glances over her shoulder and I toss her a slow, sexy grin, my mind so far in the gutter, it’s probably written all over my face.
Without a word, Hunter reaches over and shuts the door.
I try not to take it personally. She has a job to do, and maybe she thinks I’m a distraction.Yeah, my ego will go with that.
If I’m being honest, Hunter McGrath has my full and undivided attention. It’s been a long time since any woman has been able to snag my interest so completely.Why is that?Sure, she’s gorgeous. Long, reddish-brown hair I’d love to wrap around my fist, but currently pulled back in a ponytail, and big, brown eyes the color of molasses. Eyes I’d like to stare into as I bring her to a glorious, earth-shattering climax.
But it’s more than her looks making me sit up and take notice.
She doesn’t succumb to my charm like every other female. Actually, a couple of different times, I swear, she seemed annoyed with me. That feisty side of hers is damn enticing, and I know she’s smart as hell.
Beautifulandsmart. That’s a combination I’d love to tangle with.
Crossing my ankle over my opposite knee, I pull out my pencil and puzzle book. Numbers soothe me—they always have—and I enjoy trying to solve complex mathematical problems. Codes and ciphers can be fun, too, but mostly I stick to equations. My mind absorbs numbers like a sponge and it’s easy for me to picture them. My crew calls me the Human Calculator because I usually know the answer to a math problem before they can finish punching it into their phone’s calculator.
I’m not sure how much time passes, but a quick glance out the window confirms we’re soaring above the clouds. I undo my seatbelt, stand up and stretch. Then I curl my puzzle book, tuckit into my pocket and grab the pink box of baked goods. Time to check in with the pilot.
Walking up to the cockpit door, I lift my hand and rap my knuckles against it. The door opens and Hunter raises an inquisitive brow.