Page 28 of Daddy Billionaire Dragon

“Are you serious?”

“I never joke about Paris.”

“But Lex! We can’t!” I object, half-laughing.

“We’re not moving there permanently! It’s just for the weekend. Please?” he says, making puppy dog eyes at me. I laugh out loud.

“Fine!”

“Please? I promise I will behave. If you want me to,” he adds in a seductive whisper.

“I already said yes,” I grin.

“You did?” His face lights up and he lifts me up in his arms.

“Lex! No! Somebody might walk in! Put me down!” I half-laugh and half-scold.

He puts me down reluctantly.

“We’ll fly out Friday night. Pack light. If I play my cards right, you might not end up using a lot of your clothes,” he says with a sexy wink.

My lips form an ‘O’ and color tinges my cheeks.

“You are incorrigible!” I rush out of his office, grinning from ear to ear. I’m going to Paris with Lex. And I’m going to enjoy myself. Damn the consequences.

Chapter 13 - Lex

The limo I had arranged to take us to the airport drops us off right at the hangar where my private jet is parked. I step out and open the door for Nic. We stand side by side, admiring my Gulfstream 250. She is a beauty, even if I say so myself. She’s painted a pearly white, except for the outlines of the window that have a black and gold border. On the tail fin, the letters SQ are painted in black and gold.

I can’t believe that Nic actually agreed to this. She is looking even more stunning than usual in her black cropped pants, a sleeveless silk blouse, and a button-down jacket. The long ropes of soft red hair are loose today, framing her beautiful face. She has taken my advice to heart and is just carrying an overnight bag. Dare I hope that I’ll get lucky in Paris?

From the way she’s wiping her palms on her pants, I believe she’s somewhat nervous.

“What does SQ mean?” she asks, squinting at the letters.

“They are the initials of my family name. Of sorts,” I say, hoping I don’t have to explain any further. I don’t want to lie to Nic, but I can hardly tell her that I am a Smoky Quartz dragon shifter. I am saved from answering any further questions when the captain, the co-captain, and the flight attendant come to greet us. We are soon walking up the stairs into the Gulfstream.

“Whoa, you’re tall,” Nic says, noticing that I have to crouch when we get inside the plane to stop my head from touching the roof.

“You noticed it just now?” I say, raising one eyebrow.

“No, but watching you in here has really driven home the point,” she says in a squeaky voice. She has that deer-caught-in-headlight look in her eyes and seems rooted to the spot. We are standing right outside the cockpit, blocking the captain’s way. I take her elbow gently and lead her inside.

“Wow, we’re actually in a living room. I didn’t know living rooms existed inside airplanes. I have flown first-class only once before when I was working in my previous job, but this is next level,” she says, sitting on the edge of the off-white leather upholstered couch.

I smile and sit next to her, taking both her hands in mine.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I say, looking deep into her worry-tinged eyes. She nods uncertainly.

“It’s all so overwhelming. I have never been on a date like this!” she says in a whisper.

“It’s okay,” I repeat, cupping her face. I want to erase the worry from her eyes.

“It’s not about that. It’s just that I’m not used to such grand gestures,” she says sighing. “Nobody has ever done something like this for me. In all of the three years I was with Manuel, he made zero grand gestures. Not even little ones,” There is a slight tremor in her voice and her eyes are looking unusually bright. I don’t know what to say, so I just pull her into my arms and hold her close. She puts her arms around my waist and rests her head on my shoulder. She feels like heaven in my arms. I gather her closer, resting my cheek on top of her head. Closing my eyes, I let her soft, silky hair brush against my cheek. The perfume she’s wearing is driving me crazy. She smells like sweet peas and stars and something magical. I never want to let her go.

My eyes fly open. What am I thinking? Of course I am going to let her go. I can’t be seriously thinking of a long-term relationship! This is a one-time only thing. I don’t want anything permanent.

When she sighs softly and nestles closer to me, I grit my teeth and untangle myself from her arms. Then I abruptly stand up and hurry to the polished wooden credenza where a bottle of champagne is chilling in a bucket of ice. I needed to put some distance between us.

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