I rolled my eyes at Chloe’s rambling. “There’s nothing sexy about being a dick.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Hearing, ‘Ms. Tate, get in here and suck my sexy dick’ might in fact be both a dick thing to say and sexy all at once.”
I burst out laughing. “It seems you’ve given this some thought.”
Once we were back in the apartment with the boxes, she flopped down again on her sofa. Like me, Chloe was a student at night, a full-time employee by day in an office, and a weekend moonlighter. She was the only person who knew about my part-time job on Friday and Saturday nights—at the same hip dance club where she worked as a waitress. I preferred working behind the bar.
“Considering I’m a virgin at twenty-one, I’d say my imagination is all I have,” Chloe said.
It had been over a year for me, but I still wasn’t about to think about my boss in that way. “Liam Davenport is more than a dick. He’s an ass, too.”
Chloe huffed out a long sigh. “I bet he has a sexy ass.” Her romantic notions were hard not to smile at. As beautiful as she was, looking like a Grace Kelly throwback, it wasn’t as though she couldn’t have her pick of men, but she was focused on working and obtaining her degree in the next year as a graphic designer.
I was shaking my head while taking off my shoes. “You have a one-track mind. Maybe you need a boyfriend?”
“After graduation maybe. Currently my only free night is Sunday, which means I don’t have the time. Plus, the last guy I dated was completely freaked out about me being a virgin. I do not want to have another awkward conversation. Wait. So, you’re leaving tomorrow, meaning you’re out of town for the weekend?” She got up to make tea.
I sighed. “Yep. And I’m billing the bastard overtime for it.” The last thing I could afford was to lose both Friday and Saturday night paychecks from the club. “I’m not sure what I’ll do about Nan. I was supposed to go down Sunday to spend the day with her.”
My grandmother looked forward to my weekly visit where we’d watch an episode or two of Little House on the Prairie and talk about our weeks. Frankly, without knowing how much longer she’d be on this earth, I hated not being able to spend the time with her.
“I’ll go there for you on Sunday,” Chloe said. “I like your grandmother.”
“I can’t ask you to give up your free time.” As generous as it was for her to offer, Sundays truly were our only days off.
“You’re not asking. I’m offering, so long as I can borrow your car. You’d do the same for me. I’ll miss seeing your face at the club this weekend, though. It’s not the same when one of us is gone.”
No, it wasn’t. I liked having a friend at the club. “Of course you can borrow my car. Use it for work, too.” I didn’t like the idea of her taking the bus at that hour. “You’ll make sure to have Mikey walk you out to the garage?” I always worried when we got off and took up the bouncer’s offers to see us out. But Chloe could be naive. What could I say? She was from Canada which meant she was way too trusting when it came to other people and their motives.
“Yes, Mom,” she joked.
“Thank you. And thank you for spending time with my nan. You know you’ll have to suffer through Little House.”
She smiled. “I don’t mind so long as it isn’t the blind school fire episode. That episode scarred me.”
I laughed because she was right. “I’m hoping this funeral is over by Thursday, so I’ll be back by next weekend.”
Her big blue eyes widened. “What funeral?”
After I filled her in on the details about my boss’s father, she sat there with her mouth open. “You actually told him to pick up the fucking phone?”
“I did. I apologized later. He reminded me not to make a habit of calling him by his first name.” I rolled my eyes at the memory. “At least he didn’t fire me. By the way, can I borrow your large suitcase?”
“Yeah, of course. Wait. You have to take all of these files with you?”
I didn’t see any other option. “Yeah. He didn’t give me a choice considering he told me to deal with it.” Again, it irked me. Most of the files had already been scanned in electronically.
She sighed. “At least tell me you’re staying in a posh hotel for the week?”
“Hardly. Although it should be interesting to see my boss’s face when he discovers what I booked.”
Not only was Liam Davenport messing with my weekend plans by insisting I go on this trip with him, but he was also causing me some serious back pain. I had to lug my medium suitcase with my clothes plus the large suitcase borrowed from Chloe, full of about fifty pounds of case files. Of course, that didn’t include my carry-on suitcase which had the most confidential files in it along with a change of clothes. While I was pulling my bags inch by inch through the hour-long check-in line for economy, I had no doubt my boss was probably in the first-class lounge enjoying a cocktail.
Bastard.
I winced at the internal thought. Maybe he was sad in his own robotic, icy, dickish way. Who wouldn’t be after losing a parent?
Finally, after dropping off my two bags at the check-in counter and paying the extra bag fee, which I needed to remember to expense back to him, I got in the security line. Once through that, I put my shoes back on and glanced at the time. I was cutting it close. Frowning at my phone, I read the text message from Liam. He was formal even now.
“Ms. Tate. Where are you?”
“Coming up on the gate now.”
Since he was tall, standing over six foot, it wasn’t difficult to spot him. Of course he looked devastatingly handsome in his charcoal gray suit with a soft blue dress shirt. Damn, I hated when he wore the blue shirt. It only served to highlight his eyes of the same color. Not fair since the devil should really have black, beady eyes.
“Cutting it close, aren’t you?” Those were his first words which he coupled with a frown of disapproval.
If I ever wondered if I could be attracted to my boss, he only needed to open his mouth to assure me that would never happen. “Yes, well, I had a load of bags to check, and it took a while.” I blew my bangs out of my face, feeling as if I’d already sweat through my navy jersey knit dress. I regretted not wearing pants.
“How much stuff could you possibly need for a few days?”
“Most of it are the files you wanted to come with us.”
Both his brows shot up. Then his face did this thing I could only describe as between a twitch and a cramp. Yep. Definitely a face cramp.
He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please tell me you didn’t put confidential case files in your suitcase, which is now being tossed around before getting shoved into the baggage compartment?”
I was tempted to say: Fine. I won’t tell you I indeed put the case files in a large suitcase to be gently handled and put safely in the belly of the plane.
I didn’t often get defensive, but what did he expect? “Yes. I did. You didn’t give me a lot of options when you said not to ship them.”
“I’m sure if we looked at the statistics, we’d see airplane luggage is lost more often than FedEx packages. Jesus.”
Huh. The vein on the side of his cheek was throbbing. Evidently, he was really pissed off about my choice to put the files in a suitcase. Hoping it might mitigate his annoyance, I offered up, “I have the red, confidential files in my carry-on.”
“With you?” He glanced down at my small pink suitcase.
It would be what carry-on means. “Yes. In my carry-on.”
“Then, what’s in your other suitcase?”
“All the rest of the files.”
This time there was no mistaking his throbbing temple. “You brought all of the files?”
“You said to bring the important ones. I had no idea which ones those were.”
“You couldn’t have simply asked me?”
Was he serious? Forget paper cuts or voodoo dolls, I was bound to snap. I only hoped the documentary on the Oxygen channel showed all
of the compelling reasons why a nice girl from Orange County had absolutely lost it at LAX.
I was saved from my murderous thoughts when the loudspeaker announced first class was now boarding. It meant he could finally leave me alone.
“Fine. All the files are better than none. Let’s hope they arrive without an issue. Let’s go.”
“Go where? They asked for first-class passengers to board.”
“Yes, and that’s us.”
Was he high? “No, it’s you.”
His handsome face seemed to be in a perpetual state of confusion this morning. But now it showed complete shock. “You didn’t book yourself in first class?”
“Of course I didn’t.” Why would I ever presume to do so on his dime?
His exasperated sigh was the response.
By now you’d think I’d be used to his sighs, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.
However, he shocked me with his next words. “Then, let’s upgrade you.”
“What? No.” Frankly, I didn’t want to sit next to him during the flight. Wasn’t even worth the free cocktails and extra leg room. Besides that, it was way too expensive.
“Why the hell not?”
“Because there was a three-thousand-dollar difference between the tickets. I’m fine in coach.”
Again with the vein-throbbing thing. It was telling how much he didn’t care about the money when he walked up to the counter and asked the woman there, “Excuse me, do you have any room in first class, so I can move my assistant’s seat assignment?”
The redhead took a look at him and smiled. I was sure a lot of women reacted similarly before they got a load of his non-charming personality. Or maybe it was just me who was lucky enough to evoke it.
“Sorry, sir. First class has checked in full. Do you wish to board now?”
“Yes. Fine.” He sighed fully, pointing at my carry-on. “Make sure it doesn’t leave your sight. I don’t need to worry about another suitcase not arriving.”
With his departing criticism, he turned and boarded.
Mentally I was flipping him off with both middle fingers.
Chapter Six
Liam
Working hard was something on which I prided myself. I’d been doing it since I was old enough to have a paper route at age eleven. Therefore, now that I had the money, I rewarded myself with certain things like flying first class. But I wasn’t a complete asshole to expect my assistant to fly coach on the same flight. The fact she’d assumed I was didn’t sit well. Not well at all. Neither did the guilt I was experiencing. I briefly entertained the thought of insisting on switching seats with her, but I didn’t think it would send the right message about who was the boss. Besides, I was still irritated about her checking her suitcase with an entire year’s worth of work in it. Here was hoping they made it all the way to Virginia.
Who did that? Of course, I had to admit I hadn’t given her a hell of a lot of other options when I cut her off as she’d been asking questions yesterday afternoon. I should’ve been more clear about only needing the red folders. Or I could’ve been more reasonable and let her simply ship them. The thought of her having lugged all of those files from the office made me feel like a complete ass. I should’ve been the one lugging them, not her with her small frame.
I smiled at the pretty blond flight attendant. She offered to take my jacket and then came back with a hot coffee and a Wall Street Journal. Although I might be tempted to drink a bourbon, I had to remember it was only seven o’clock in the morning. Something told me there would be plenty of liquid numbness in my near future in order to get through this next week. No need to start now, especially if I hoped to get some work done while in the air. Having the confidential files in Kendall’s carry-on would help.
So I waited for her to board. And waited. And waited some more while the plane filled up, and she was not amongst the passengers walking in. I had a flicker of panic, thinking she might have changed her mind. Quit on the spot. I could swear sometimes she wanted to. I wouldn’t blame her. No way I could constantly try to keep another human being organized the way she did.
Finally, her shiny brown hair came into sight. When she’d arrived at the gate, her long hair had been disheveled, but now it was back in a sleek ponytail. As soon as she caught my eye, her entire body stiffened. Not a smile. Not a word. Simply an awareness as if she braced herself for what I might say. It wasn’t a reaction I prided myself on causing.
Deciding to stand up, I reached for her carry-on, thinking I was being helpful to find it a space up here with me and not make her handle it a moment longer. “I can put this up here with me.”
She tugged it out of my grasp. “No. I have it. I’ll keep an eye out for it.”
I pulled it back. “No. I insist. They’re my files, and I may need them during the flight.”
“Fine.” Her smile was tight, but she let me take the suitcase, hurrying by to get to her seat, which appeared to be all the way in the back of the large plane.
Great. Even while trying to be a gentleman in putting the heavy suitcase above in my carry-on bin, I’d managed to be a dick.
Once we reached cruising altitude and the fasten seatbelt sign went off, I used the lavatory and then came back to my seat. Time to get some work done. Opening up the overhead bin, I took out her small pink suitcase.
My window seat companion couldn’t help commenting. “Nice color,” the older man said with a comical smirk.
I didn’t bother with a reply, not needing to give him an explanation. I simply unzipped the hard case and flipped open the lid. What greeted me had me completely freeze.
A low whistle came from the same man beside me. “Damn.”
Damn, indeed. In the case were two thongs. One lacy bloodred. The other lacy black. Along with a black demi cup bra. There was also a small bag of toiletries in clear plastic and slacks and a blouse. An extra change of clothes. Made sense. However, they were on top of the folders I needed. And I was at a loss as to how to move my assistant’s unmentionables without touching them.
“Now that’s something I don’t see much of at my age,” the nosey old man offered up.
I could feel my face heating as I touched the fabric and tried in vain not to think about how it would look against Kendall’s skin. I prayed I didn’t do something worse like hold them up and sniff them. Jesus. How old was I? I’d seen women’s underwear before. Plenty of it. But none tied to someone I didn’t want to associate with sex. I moved the lingerie to the side and took out the labeled folder I needed.
After zipping up the offensive suitcase and putting it back up where it belonged, I took my seat again and tried to concentrate on work. But I couldn’t. I was distracted. By lacy thongs and a sexy bra.
My irritation grew at the fact she’d put these items in here with my folders. I shifted in my seat, thinking about her conservative, yet designer, attire in the office—and what I now knew she wore beneath it.
Something told me it would be a long trip.
Chapter Seven
Kendall
Great. I’d just handed my boss all the personal stuff in my carry-on. I’d been tempted to tug it back, but I knew the action would not only hold up the rest of the line, but it also would’ve made me look like a six-year-old. Here was hoping he didn’t open it during the flight. Wasn’t my fault I’d been obliged to stow his confidential files along with my extra change of clothes.
I still couldn’t believe he’d had the audacity to be annoyed about me bringing all the paperwork with me. What the hell was I supposed to do with it if he wouldn’t allow shipping? And he hadn’t told me which files he’d need. Ugh. Infuriating man.
“You okay?” the guy next to me asked.
I imagined cursing under my breath was getting me some funny looks. “Yeah. Sorry. It’s my first time flying.”
My mind had been so wrapped up with my asshole boss, I’d forgotten this was my first time up—until those words came out of my mouth. But now I was focusing on the
issue and starting to get anxious at the sound of the engines firing up. I was in the aisle seat, and the stranger talking to me was seated in the middle. The girl in the window seat was already asleep. I wished I could be as relaxed.
He was cute with an easy smile. A bit unkempt with his fuzzy beard and longer, curly hair, but probably in his early twenties like me.
“Don’t worry. I fly a lot. And nothing has ever happened. Flying in a plane is safer than riding in cars on the highway.”
“So I’ve heard,” I murmured, changing my curses to a small prayer when the plane started moving.
“Except of course when a plane does crash, it’s normally during takeoff or landing.”
I side-eyed him for that bit of information, taking a deep breath when the pilot told the flight attendants to take their seats.
“Your final destination Chicago?”
“No. A layover on my way to Roanoke, Virginia.”
“Good thing. I heard the windchill is minus twenty in the windy city.”
“Degrees?” It was a stupid question, but when you lived your entire life in Southern California, the idea of negative numbers didn’t compute.
He chuckled. “Yep. That’s why I have my heavy parka and gloves.”
Shit. I didn’t own such things. “It’s warmer in Virginia, though, right?”
“Oh, I’m sure it is.”
I relaxed until his next words.
“Probably at least double digits. Although it is January, so the nights get colder.”
Crap. I’d only brought the sweater I was wearing on the plane and packed a fleecy type light jacket, but I didn’t own anything warmer. Between class and making last-minute travel plans, I hadn’t focused on the fact it was going to be cold. In my defense, late January near the beach meant chilly mornings in the forties, warming up to the sixties most days.
“But no snow?”
He shrugged. “Never know this time of year. You heading into the mountains or near DC?”
Miss Understanding (The Miss Series Book 1) Page 3