His lips curled up in the sexiest grin. “See it stays that way, darlin’. And I’m keeping an eye on Fain. Just because you insist on bringing that pretty boy Marine along doesn’t mean I’m not still watching your back. I’m going to consider him your stubbornness personified. You’re still my responsibility. Let’s get you on the plane.”
He picked up his bag and settled his jacket over her shoulders again. She found herself walking to the hangar with him, allowing him to open the door and then give her a hand up to the plane. The flight attendant was there in her crisp uniform, a smile on her face. Her eyes widened when she saw Case behind Mia.
The flight attendant was lovely, slender and graceful. Just the type to catch a cowboy’s eye.
“Welcome aboard, Ms. Danvers.” Her voice turned distinctly breathy. “And your friend.”
Mia thought about vomiting, but then a hand slipped into hers.
“It’s Taggart, Case Taggart, and I’m a very good friend of Ms. Danvers. But you should meet Ezra. I would bet he’s just your type.”
Hutch was walking up behind them. “I’m her type, too. Hi, I’m Hutch.”
“Keep walking, buddy. We’ve got work to do,” Michael said. “Keep it in your pants.”
“But Big Tag changed the company motto to We Don’t Keep It In Our Pants,” Hutch complained.
Case’s brother was as crazy as her own.
Case followed her as she moved into the body of the jet. When she took her seat, he sat down beside her. He pointed to the seat in front of them as though forming a phalanx around her with his own men. Case had herded her to the window seat. He’d taken the seat next to her and Hutch and Michael had boxed her in.
Clever Taggart.
No wonder he’d let Ezra go and talk to the front office. He’d managed to make it so she didn’t sit with her own security guard.
“How long is this flight?” Case asked. He seemed perfectly satisfied with the outcome.
“A little over six hours,” Michael said, leaning back in his seat.
Case held out a hand toward the flight attendant. “Could you please get Ms. Danvers a glass of Pinot Noir? The rest of us will have beers. Whatever you have is fine, but she prefers a Sonoma wine.”
He remembered that?
“Of course. We have all of Ms. Danvers’ favorites on board. I’ve had the kitchens send us extra meals. Your choice of filet mignon or a seafood paella.”
She already knew his answer. “He’s going to need both. You should pretend like you’re feeding eight people instead of five.”
“Except when it comes to dessert,” Hutch pointed out. He sat back and seemed to be flirting hard with the flight attendant. “Then add in an extra man because I was denied cake. Don’t worry though. I have a ridiculously high metabolism. Though I do like to work off all that sugar.”
Michael rolled his eyes. “I’m surrounded by men who have no idea how to handle a woman.”
“We’ll definitely need some dessert.” Maybe something chocolate and rich would take her mind off the forbidden fruit sitting beside her.
He’d said he wanted to start over. Was he being honest with her?
“Yes, ma’am. They’ll have us stocked in the next twenty minutes and then we can take off.” The lovely brunette who Case hadn’t looked at with anything but professional courtesy strode to the kitchen area.
Ezra walked on the plane and glanced around, taking in the seating arrangements. “We’ll be leaving in twenty minutes. I don’t suppose I could convince you I need to sit with my employer.”
Case was already leaning back, his whole body relaxed. His hand moved over hers possessively. “Not a chance.”
Ezra sank into a seat across the aisle.
It was going to be an interesting flight.
He had to take care of her. That was the key. He’d been right the first time around. Mia Danvers needed a Dom. She craved a man who she couldn’t push around. So much of her life was about the people around her deferring to her every need and want that she deeply desired one who would challenge her and yet who also ensured she got what she needed.
Once he’d decided to take a real look at Mia that went past his butt hurt, he’d seen what he needed to do. He needed to move Mia into a D/s style relationship. Not for the long term, of course. That would never work since he wasn’t exactly her type. But he needed to use her attraction to him to ensure her safety.
Getting her into bed would actually do them both good. For however long it lasted, she would be bound in some small way to him. She would be more inclined to turn to him for help and guidance. She might listen to him over that obvious lothario asshat she’d somehow managed to hire.
“Another drink, sir?” The flight attendant knelt beside his chair, her perky breasts on display. She’d hovered around him all night, seeming to show more interest in him than the others.
He’d made himself plain. He’d been polite. “No thank you.”