Twenty-four hours later and we’re on a cross-country flight bound for Hawaii, flying first class courtesy of Spine’s marketing budget.

Blair’s not on our flight, of course. She’s flying private. I can picture her riding on the back of a broomstick, a black cat perched on her shoulder as she cackles the whole way. The reality is probably more boring.

I glance to my left and catch Remi eyeing me. She looks away and I smile at her, leaning over across the seat. “Having a good flight?”

“We’ve been in the air for ten minutes,” she says.

“Yeah, true. But first class…” I waggle my eyebrows at her.

She laughs a little bit despite herself. “Only twelve more hours to go.”

“We’ll get a break at LAX.”

“Oh, yay. We get to spend time in LAX, I’m sure it’ll be super relaxing.”

I grin at her and lean back in my chair. “Better get comfy then,” I say to her. “You’re in for a long, shitty day.”

She sighs and we lapse into silence. I grab a book from my bag while she pulls out her Kindle. I try glancing at what she’s reading but I can’t make it out as she flips through the pages.

I bet it’s some dirty romance novel about fucking her boss or something. I smile to myself, trying to engage with my own book about Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile for the first time, but I can’t really concentrate.

I keep glancing at Remi’s legs in her shorts, at her lips pursed slightly as she reads, at her body nestled in her first-class seat. We pass a couple hours like that in silence before I lose patience and ask the stewardess for a drink.

Remi raises an eyebrow as I sip on my vodka and tonic. “Drinking already? Really?”

“Really,” I say. “What else do we have to do? We’re stuck in this giant metal Twinkie, just trusting in the laws of physics and the skill of our pilots. Might as well drink.”

She arches an eyebrow. “You’re not a nervous flier, are you?”

“Guilty.” I drink half of it down in one gulp.

“I never would’ve pegged you as afraid to fly.”

“I’m not afraid, exactly,” I say. “I’m just intensely aware of what flying actually means, and I fucking hate it.”

“Sounds like scared to me.”

I laugh a little and lean toward her. “Okay then, big shot. I’m afraid of flying. What are you afraid of?”

“My boss being my age.”

“Ouch.”

“You’re my worst nightmare.”

“I probably am.”

“But not in the way you’re thinking.”

“What way am I thinking?”

She hesitates. “I shouldn’t say.”

“Sure you should.” I lean closer to her and she doesn’t lean away. “Are you thinking of the time I kissed you last week?”

I say that last part softly, almost right in her ear. I watch as she reacts with her entire body. She stiffens, but she doesn’t pull away, and I can tell she’s tense and wrestling with something.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I laugh softly. “You don’t remember when I kissed you and you kissed me back?”

“I did not kiss you back.”

“You absolutely did. I think I even heard a little moan.”

“I didn’t moan.” She leans toward me sharply, eyes narrowed. “Absolutely not.”

“Defensive. I think you really liked it, didn’t you?”

“You shouldn’t have kissed me,” she says. “You’re my boss, remember?”

“I remember. I think about it all the time.”

“About what?”

“About being your boss. Ordering you into my office, stripping off your clothes…” I trail off, speaking softly. She doesn’t pull away but her breath is coming faster. “I think about making you taste my cock, making you swallow my cu. I think about burying my tongue between your legs until you scream my name and I taste your orgasm.”

“Stop.” The word comes out strangled, almost choked. “I get it.”

“You do?” I smile and I want to kiss her neck so badly it almost hurts. She tilts her head toward me. “I think you’ve been picturing it, too.”

“No.” She looks away from me though, not meeting my eyes.

“You really have.” I can’t help but laugh softly. “You dirty girl. You want to get fucked by your boss.”

“No,” she says again. “Not at all. You asshole.”

“I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering if you can handle being on a flight with me right now, and you know what?” I smirk and lean back. “It doesn’t matter, because you’re stuck with me.”

She rolls her eyes and looks away. “Just don’t be an asshole and we’ll be fine.”

“I’ll do my best.” I watch her squirm for a second longer before picking up my book and starting to read again.

This time, I can concentrate just fine.