With the ten-hour flight, including drive time from the airport, and six hour time difference, we were experiencing serious jet lag. It was three in the morning when we checked into The Chester Residence, luxury apartments they rent out like hotel rooms but you have the entire home, separate door entrance, backyard, modern interiors with the best amenities, yet an old world stone exterior to let you feel the history of your surroundings. And a maid still came every day to clean up and make your bed.

I’d stayed there before and thought it nicer than some of the five star hotels in Edinburgh, whose rooms I felt were pretty damn bland. All of the money had gone into the foyers and restaurants, but I wasn’t about to bring Charlie up to a room that had bad wallpaper and no style.

She slipped off her shoes the moment we walked in, glancing around and nodding that she approved. Jet lag is a powerful thing and it had her eyelids drooping. She was trying not to show it. Always the lady. That is when she wasn’t bouncing on my cock.

I’d rented the best apartment, ‘The Owners Residence,’ and I knew it had a black Jacuzzi bathtub that was incredible. “You want a bath before bed?”

She inhaled, thinking about it as she slipped her purse off her shoulder and laid it on a modern leather couch. “That sounds perfect,” she whispered.

“It’s this way.” She followed me into the master bedroom and I set the suitcases down.

As I walked to fill the tub she asked, “What’s in those?”

“Just live frogs and bowling balls.”

“What?” she laughed.

“What do you think is in them?”

I disappeared into the bathroom on my own, started the water and smiled at the bottle of Champagne and two flute glasses they’d left for us. Ice was a little watery but that meant this bottle was chilled chilled chilled.

I called out to Charlie, “Open them and find out. But if you open mine first you have to wear my clothes!”

Amused she called back, her voice bouncing gently off the door, “You ready to wear women’s panties, Ethan?”

“Yours is the black suitcase!”

She laughed and I heard her say under her breath, “Thought not.”

As the tub filled I glanced to my reflection in the mirror and saw a look in my eyes I hadn’t seen before. I was really excited to be here with her. Should have felt tired, too, but I was the opposite, every molecule in me was awake. I ran a hand through my hair and tried to act cool as I strolled out to find her sifting through the clothes I’d had picked out.

She held up a pale pink dress, and I could tell she liked it. “They say redheads shouldn’t wear pink but I disagree,” she smiled, turning it around to view it from all angles.

“They haven’t seen how pretty you are when you blush.”

Cobalt eyes flashed with happiness, and I felt extremely self-satisfied that I’d made them shine like that.

“Did you buy these, Ethan?”

“I had a personal shopper do it. I would’ve had you in lingerie on the golf course.”

She laughed and shook her head as she laid the dress down and picked up black lace panties. “Like these?”

“Yep. I liked her choice in those.”

Charlie paused. Instinct told me she didn’t like that the person shopping for her was female. I caught a glimpse of jealousy there, but she’s fighting against it.

Got a charge out of knowing that.

When we’d debarked, she’d asked my pilots where they were staying and what they had planned. They explained that while they waited for our trip back they’d soak in the city and stay away from the pubs.

I watched Charlie chatting with them. She looked like the women of my family, all except for maybe Sofia Sol who wasn’t like any woman I’d ever known – too wild to tame. But Charlie was like the others, a woman who could carry a conversation with anyone, especially because she asked them questions and really listened. She was curious and interested, and the pilots relaxed and respected her.

She surprised them because she knew about their policy, how they don’t order the same food when they’re working, ever. I didn’t know that so I asked why, and she explained that it was a safety precaution against food poisoning.

Captain Gardner nodded, “That’s right.”

And Talia added, “If one of us were to get sick, the other could still fly.”

They said goodbye and Charlie and I took a cab. As we rode to where we were staying, I said, “You’re good with people. They like you.”

She waved the compliment away, “People just want to be seen,” but her eyes were a little haunted as she turned to stare out the window.

Now she had that same look as she ran a hand through her hair again, staring at nothing.

Was she having second thoughts about all of this? I wanted to ask her, or do something to fix it, but I did the smart thing instead – I left the room to give her space. “Bath is ready in a minute.”

She was still thinking I’m a man-child, not to be taken seriously. The guys at the country clubs were like Brock Tyson, ‘Ken’ dolls groomed to carry on family names and all that crap. Charlie with a guy like that would become even more hidden inside her own skin. But I’d gone too far on the plane, told her too much. Almost lost her for a second and when she jumped off the bed and got dressed I wished I could take it all back even though I meant every word. I’d been playing around. And I’d forgotten you don’t move too fast around a bird or it flies away.

I went downstairs to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and uncapped it, downing the thing in one shot. I sat on the back of the couch thinking about everything.

My phone vibrated and I pulled it out to see Emma had texted me:

Vortex for burgers and comedy. Come with.

Smirking I tucked the empty plastic bottle under my arm and thumbed out a quick reply:

Can’t. Burgers at 3:00 am aren’t good for my waistline.

Where the fuck are you, you spoiled brat!

Scotland. Jealous?

I hate you.

You love to hate me.

I hate to love you!

I laughed at her flipping it around like that, and slid my phone in my back pocket, looking up as I heard Charlie call down, “Ethan?”

Tossing the bottle in the recycling bin I walked up the stairs at a leisurely pace. Didn’t want to come off as interested as I was. Rounding the bathroom door I leaned against the doorframe. “Yeah?”

She had the jets on, steam wafting through the air. Her cheeks were flushed that pretty pink I’d mentioned and the tips of her hair were wet, the rest still dry. She looked beautiful. Blow my mind gorgeous. I chewed on my lip as we stared at each other.

“Are you coming in or not?” she smiled. It was a tiny smile, almost shy.

Slipping my clothes off I climbed in. “You’re making me feel like a piece of meat.”

She tilted her head and started to speak but stopped herself.

The water felt so fucking awesome, scalding hot to where I could barely stand it. I closed my eyes and groaned, “Oh, yeah, this is the life,” as I submerged everything but my head. “You were going to say something?” I asked her, voice heavy as relaxation took hold. “About how you want my meat?”

“I was going to say, good thing I’m a carnivore, but it was stupid so I shut up.”

I drifted toward her, the tub massive. “Lame is good.”

“I know!” She splashed me.

I bit at the water like a dog and then attacked her, pretending to eat her, gnawing on her neck and fake growling. “I’m a carnivore, too, but I only eat hot redheads! Watch out! ARGHHH!”

“Oh my God, that tickles! Keep doing that!” she cried out. I pinned her arms and gave her a bear hug, licking her earlobe once.

“Mmm…human female taste good!”

She laughed and I loved the sound.

“Soooooo good,” I growled like a Muppet-monster. “Mmm mmm mmm good good good!”

Her legs wrapped around me. I spun around to sit with her on my lap so fast she yelped, a wake of water circling behind her body. She laced her fingers into my dripping hair and smiled at me a quiet smile that stilled my heart. “You ordered champagne,” she whispered.

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t know me and you did all this? Why?”

“You were worth impressing.”

She cocked her head, side-eyeballing me with amused suspicion. “No, your ego was bruised and you wanted to show me I should be impressed.”

Shit, she got me. “Maybe. But I’m having fun, and it has nothing to do with my original intention.”

“Which was?” she asked, genuinely curious.

“Doesn’t matter. This thing has taken on a life of its own. It could have gone pretty badly.”

On a laugh she said, “It could have been horrendous!”

“You never really know someone until you travel with them,” I agreed.

She ran her fingers down my wet cheek. “And if you’re stuck with someone you don’t travel well with, it’s the worst.”

“Sucks so bad,” I smiled, gaze dropping to her lips.

She closed her eyes. I leaned in for the kiss she was waiting for and again felt a connection I hadn’t known with anyone. It seemed stronger every time. Charlie and I made out with the jets blowing bubbles all around us, our lips molding and floating, changing sides, increasing pressure then being gentle. All of it was amazing, like I was on a drug.

She nibbled my bottom lip and I ran a tongue across hers. She kissed my nose, my cheek, my chin and then our tongues came together again, dancing and exploring like there was no rush and nowhere we had to be, her jet lag forgotten. I was hard but did nothing but enjoy the feeling of being aroused while running my hands down her feminine form, all slippery from the water and also the sweat. We forgot about the champagne entirely, not getting out of the water until the pads on our fingers pruned. I couldn’t get enough of it.

I pulled back to check her out. “You ready to sleep?”

She nodded, a happy smile on her face. I kissed her nose and lifted her off me. We both stood up to walk to the edge and climb out, but Charlie turned around and lay her hands on my chest, both of us dripping and steam floating around our faces. “Let’s not golf tomorrow.”

“What about the bet?”

“Who cares about the bet? Let’s spend the day exploring this city. I’ve never been here, and I’ve spent too many hours hitting a ball over rolling hills that lead only to one place. Everything in my life has been a goal, Ethan. Can we just get rid of goals for one day? Let’s have some fun and just be.”

I covered her hand with mine and pressed it into my chest, the other slipping around her lower back and bringing her closer to my naked body. “What her Highness wants, her Highness gets.”

Charlie kissed me gently then pulled away with a relieved smile, beads of water on her eyelashes from the misty air. I stared at her and knew in that instant that I was going to make Charlotte Reed fall in love with me.