Page 63 of One Hot Chase

I slide into the co-pilot's seat, overwhelmed by the array of dials, switches, and screens before me. Declan's voice is low and steady as he walks me through the pre-flight checklist, his hands moving confidently over the controls. I try to focus on his words, but I'm distracted by the way his muscles flex under his shirt and the intensity of his focus as he explains each step.

"Are you listening, Sabrina?" he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I blink, realizing I've been staring at his lips. "Yes, of course. Checking instruments. Very important."

He chuckles, patting my thigh. "You know, if you wanted to stare at me, you could have just asked."

I roll my eyes, pushing his hand away playfully. "Just fly the plane, Captain Wilde."

As we roll down the runway, I feel a mix of excitement and nerves bubbling up inside me. The engines roar to life, and suddenly we're hurtling down the tarmac at ever increasing speed. I instinctively reach for Declan's hand but then realize that might distract him. I don't want our plane to crash because I'm feeling him up. As the plane lifts off the ground, he gives me a reassuring smile.

"Breathe, love," he tells me, his gaze fixed on the sky ahead as we climb higher.

I force myself to take a deep breath, my grip on his hand loosening slightly. As the ground falls away beneath us, a sense of wonder replaces my initial anxiety. The sprawling city of Marrakesh shrinks into a patchwork of terracotta and sand, the Atlas Mountains rising majestically in the distance.

"It's beautiful," I breathe, unable to tear my eyes away from the scenery.

Declan glances at me, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Not as beautiful as you."

"You don't need to romance me anymore. I'm already yours." I can't believe I said that, but I meant it. As I relax in my seat, I allow myself to enjoy the high-altitude scenery. "So, are you going to tell me where we're headed now?"

Declan squeezes my thigh gently. "Patience, darling. All will be revealed in due time."

I huff, but secretly, I'm thrilled by the mystery. As we soar higher, I can no longer see the bustling city we left behind us, and I feel a sense of freedom I've never experienced before.

"All right, co-pilot," Declan says, interrupting my thoughts. "Ready for your first lesson?"

I sit up straighter, trying to look more confident than I feel. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He guides my hands to the yoke, his touch awakening my body. The softness of his voice doesn't help me focus either. Everything about him gets me horny, but I try to pay attention to his commands.

"Gently now," he murmurs, his hands covering mine on the controls. "Feel how she responds to the slightest movement."

I follow his directions and feel the jet shift tack minutely under my guidance. Being in control of a massive machine gives me both a heady sensation of power and the scary feeling I might send us plummeting to the ground with one false move.

"That's it, love," Declan encourages, his voice low and intimate in my ear. "You're a natural."

I grin, a rush of confidence flowing through me. "Maybe I missed my calling. Sabrina Remington, man hunter, has become Sabrina Remington, ace pilot."

Declan chuckles, the sound vibrating through me. "I'd fly anywhere with you, darling."

The moment feels charged, intimate in a way that goes beyond physical attraction. I turn my head slightly, meeting Declan's intense gaze. For a moment, we're suspended in time as if the rest of the world no longer exists, and we are the only two people in the universe. He sets the autopilot so he can lean in to cup my face in both hands. The moment his mouth meets mine, my eyes flutter shut. When he slips his tongue between my lips, I sag against him and moan.

The kiss lasts only for a moment. But it felt like forever. And the longer we gaze into each other's eyes, the more I realize I need to tell him the truth.

"We haven't been together for very long," I say, "and I know I've been skittish about getting tangled up in another serious relationship. But I now know I want to be with you forever. Is that too crazy for you? Am I too crazy for you?"

"No, love, it isn't barmy at all." He lays his hands over mine. "I've known I want to be with you for the rest of my life since the night we met. I couldn't admit it to myself at first."

The time has come, and I don't even flinch at what I need to say next. "The chase is over. You've got me. I'm yours, Declan, body and soul."

"You've owned my heart, my soul, and my body since that night at the Savoy when I took you to my suite."

My heart soars higher than the jet we're flying on. I press my forehead against his, loving the way our breaths mingle. "So, what now?"

Declan's hands slide down to my waist, and he lifts me onto his lap. The yoke is behind me now, but he doesn't seem perturbed by that fact. "Now, my darling Sabrina, we embark on the greatest adventure of all."

"And what's that?" I ask, my fingers tracing the strong line of his jaw.

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