Chapter Fifteen

EMILY

I bit my lip as I stared at my suitcases sitting in front of the door. Monday had seemed so far away when I’d read that first text from Logan, but now that the day of reckoning was here, my heart pounded furiously and sweat coated my palms.

All weekend long, I’d bounced back and forth over going on the trip with Logan. I mean, it was insane. He wasn’t a weird stranger, so I knew he wasn’t a serial killer, but we’d gone out a few times, and now we were taking a trip across the world.

True, he was already going there anyway, but it wasn’t like he had to invite me. No matter how I looked it, this little jaunt to Japan meant our relationship, whatever it was, might becoming something more, and I didn’t know how I felt about that.

“Stop with that face,” Mama said.

I sighed and looked over at her. She’d come to see me off. She said it was about making sure I had everything, but I suspected she wanted to make sure I actually left.

“And you think this is a good idea?” I said.

“Of course, I do.”

“Logan. Me. All alone in Japan?”

“You told me he reserved you your own room.”

“He did.”

A faint smirk appeared on her face. “Then you don’t have to do anything you don’t want, dear. Besides, even if you’re not interested in Logan, you can see the country. You’ve always complained to me about how you didn’t get to travel much when you were married to Lionel.” She gestured vaguely toward my front door. “Now’s your chance.”

“But I don’t know what I feel about Logan.” I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m not going to say I don’t like him. I do. But our kisses weren’t about each other. They were about making Lionel mad.”

“Hush, you.” Mama wagged a finger at me. “There’s something there. You’re just afraid of it because you think everyone is Lionel.” She narrowed her eyes. “Not every man is Lionel. Your father was loyal to me his entire life. You need to give Logan a chance.”

“Just because I’m going on a trip with him doesn’t mean I’m going to marry him.”

She laughed quietly. “Of course not, Emily, but it at least it means you’re trying.”

A loud knock came from the door. I swallowed and looked over at it. “It’s him.”

“Too late now to run.”

“But what if there’s a problem with Juniper?”

“I will handle it.” She shook her head. “I can handle my granddaughter if her foolish father can’t.”

Another knock sounded. Mama hurried over to throw open the door. Logan stood there, a smile on his face, handsome as always. This time he had on a pair of dark slacks and a cream-colored shirt. I realized it was the first time I’d seen him in something more casual.

I liked it. For one thing, it better showed off his arms.

“Good morning, Logan,” Mama said, beaming at him.

“Good morning, Mrs. Jolie.”

“She’s all packed and ready.” She nodded my way. “And she’s been talking about how much she’s been looking forward to this.”

“Really?” He shot me a grin. “I’ve been thinking about this all weekend.”

“So have I,” I said. It was the truth, after all. He didn’t need to know I was panicking about the trip the entire weekend.

“Ready to go?” Logan said, heading over to grab my suitcases. He nodded toward the front.

I peered out the front door. A black limousine waited on the street. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised, but I guess I’d gotten used to him driving himself everywhere. He’d save money on long-term parking, at least. Not that it would be more expensive than a limo.

Mama walked over and pulled me into a tight embrace. “Don’t overthink it, Emily,” she whispered into my ear.

Logan headed toward the limo with my bags. I hugged Mama back and then hurried after. The chauffeur popped the trunk and then stepped out to grab the bags from Logan.

Lord help me, I was about to fly to Japan with Logan Hawkins.

 

* * *

 

The trip through the airport security went swiftly. Logan had some sort of expedited approval already set up. It made sense for him, as he traveled all the time, but I didn’t understand why I got through as quickly, but I also wasn’t going to complain.

As we pulled our bags through the terminal, I watched Logan, my heart thumping the entire time. Could I still run? What would he think if I did? Once I got on the plane, it’d be a long time to think over my choice. Sixteen hours with only one stop in Chicago.

I’d never been on a plane for so long. We hadn’t talked much about the actual flight. I hoped he sprang for First Class, but I wasn’t about to ask and seem like some sort of greedy gold digger.

He turned a corner, and I realized we were heading away from the main terminal area.

“Is this the right way?” I said.

“Yes. I fly out of this terminal all the time.”

I let the matter drop, not wanting to seem ignorant.

Five minutes later, I found myself in a much less busy part of the airport. I saw a pretty dark-haired flight attendant and a weathered-looking older pilot waiting near a doorway. They waved to Logan in the distance, bright smiles on both their faces.

A small jet sat outside on the tarmac. The size surprised me. For a cross-world trip, I thought we’d be flying in some huge jumbo jet, not something that looked like it probably could hold fewer passengers than Juniper’s school bus.

We closed on the flight attendant and the pilot, who shook Logan’s hand.

“Good to see you again so soon, sir,” the pilot said.

“You too.”

“Just leave your bags here and head on in.”

Logan let go of his rolling suitcase. I did the same.

“Are we late?” I said. “Are the other passengers already seated?”

A look of confusion appeared on the pilot’s face for a moment, but then he and the flight attendant shared a laugh.

Logan smiled at me and shook his head. “There are no other passengers, Emily. This is my private jet.”

I blinked several times, processing that. I knew that Logan was rich. Mama wouldn’t have pushed me at him otherwise, but I’d assumed he was more on the level of my parents. I’d grown up in a house of privilege but not one that owned a private jet.

“Oh,” I managed to get out. “That’s interesting.”

He chuckled and motioned toward the doorway. “We’ll have to take some stairs down and then walk to the plane.”

“How horribly like a peasant,” I joked.

Logan laughed.

 

* * *

 

We chatted the first hour mostly about business. Logan flew all over the world setting up investment deals.

He told me how he thought it wasn’t all that necessary to meet face-to-face in the age of the internet for details but how he couldn’t commit to some million-dollar deal unless he could look the other guy in the eye. He trusted his gut, and his gut made him a lot of money. Or so he said.

As we reclined in our seats, finishing our chat about his work, I was a little unnerved by the whole environment. It was pleasant, more than pleasant. Swanky. Decadent almost.

There were about a half-dozen lounge chairs and a beautiful wooden table connected to the wall. The chairs were more comfortable than any chair I had in my house. A large flat-panel TV hung on the front of the cabin, and there was even a huge bed in a back cabin.

This wasn’t a plane. It was an apartment with wings.

That gap between my observations and what I’d expected freaked me out a little. I’d been expecting a bit more leg room and a few free cups of wine, not a comfortable lounge chair, a bottle of chilled wine, and some delicious chicken in a flying apartment.

The flight attendant came in a few times but didn’t hover, which surprised me because we were the only passengers on the plane.

“You’re being quiet,” Logan said, taking a sip of his wine.

“I’m just taking it all in.” I picked up my glass of wine.

“What? The trip?”

“I suppose. Just thinking about how much things changed. I used to be married years ago. Now I’m not. I used to have a daddy, now he’s passed on.” I took a sip of my wine. “I’m still getting used to it.”

“So am I.”

I nodded. I knew he’d lost his father. Mama had attended the funeral. It was another thing we shared in common, even if it was sad.

“It’s kind of strange how things change.”

“That it is.” He tilted his head, staring at me for a moment. The intensity of those dark eyes summoned a flash of warmth from my center, and I found myself wondering what kind of thoughts were going through the man’s head.

Then I wondered what it’d be like to kiss him, rolling around on the bed in the back. Passion at thirty-five thousand feet. I’d never thought about joining the Mile-High Club before.

What would it be like to run my hands over his chest, feel those nice arms? Had I already? We’d kissed at Mama’s dinner, but I didn’t remember any of it. Whatever had happened, it’d obviously been more than a peck on the cheek. Logan wouldn’t have been as interested in me otherwise. I was sure of that.

When we kissed, maybe we’d pressed our bodies together, my soft breasts against the hardness of his chest. A pulse of fire shot from my center.

Heat flooded my face, and I gasped. What was I thinking? This was just a trip. A few kisses didn’t mean I needed to share Logan’s bed, flying or otherwise. We weren’t an item. Not that kind. That’s what I kept telling myself.

He looked at me with concern. “Everything all right?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” I put down my wine glass and waved my hands in front of me. “Just, uh.” I bit my lip, this time hard. I wasn’t ready for this conversation. I needed something else to distract me. Another glance around the cabin brought a question to mind. “Just how rich are you?”

Logan stared at me for a second, his mouth quirking up in a smile like I’d told the first part of a joke, and he was waiting for the punchline. “You seriously don’t know?” he asked after a few seconds.

I shook my head. “You’re obviously doing better than me. You’re a businessman, and it seems like you’re doing well, but it would have been rude just to ask. So, I didn’t.”

This brought out a smirk. “And it’s not rude now?”

“Not when I’m a private jet with you and on my way to Tokyo. No.”

He nodded once and leaned back in his seat, watching me with newfound curiosity in his eyes. “I assumed you would have looked it up if you didn’t know.”

“This all started with our mamas arranging a date. It wasn’t something I’d planned.” I sighed. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “I felt the same way, but now something good has come out of it.” He took another sip of his wine. “To answer your question, I’m a billionaire.”

My eyes widened. It’s not that I’d never talked with a billionaire before. I’d rubbed shoulders with a few at my mother’s charity events, but I’d never kissed one. That much was for certain.

Another thought struck me, and I burst out laughing. Logan furrowed his brow but said nothing.

When I finally calmed down, he asked, “I don’t understand why that amuses you so much.”

“You’re a billionaire. So you’ve got a lot more money than Lionel.” I shook my head. “Even if I didn’t look into it, he would have.” I swirled my finger in my own wine glass. “He probably already knows. No wonder he’s so angry you’ve been kissing me. He thinks I’ve traded up in the world.”

Logan snickered. “Then I’ll be sure to kiss you in front of him every chance I get.”

I laughed, even though a few naughty thoughts snuck back into my head. If I kept kissing him, something more was bound to happen. Maybe I wanted that though.

Yawning, I stretched. Saved by exhaustion.

“Tired already?” Logan asked.

“I just didn’t get a lot of sleep. A bit excited about the trip.” And worried, but I wasn’t about to say that.

He nodded toward the back cabin. “Feel free to get some sleep then.”

I rose and smiled. “Thank you for everything. I’m sure this will be one of the most memorable trips I’ve even gone on.”

“I hope so.”

Walking toward the back, I turned my words over in my head. I knew I’d remember this trip for years to come. I just didn’t know if I’d remember it as a disaster.