Page 39 of Playboy Billionaire

The headsets crackled as messages were relayed. He smiled when he was finally cleared for take-off. “Just sit back and enjoy the view. Nothing beats it.”

“I’ve never been to Savannah before,” she held up her index finger, “however I want you to know that I did read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. That has to count for something.”

He smiled, “We’ll be there in about forty-five minutes tops.”

His hands skimmed confidently over the controls, his movements fluid and sure. The smaller planes were much louder than commercial jets, but the headsets buffered much of the noise. Once they were cruising, Penelope gazed out the window like an excited child. She laughed out loud when he banked the plane so she could get an even better view of the coastline.

He was happy that they had such great weather; the views from this altitude were stunning. Penelope’s eyes were glued to the window and she pointed out something of interest every other minute. The inlets and white sandy beaches, the water sparkling like diamonds, the waterways, were all amazing to see from the air. It was magical.

“This is great! The rivers are amazing, all that lush vegetation surrounding them…so green,” she said. Her enthusiasm was contagious and reminded him of how jaded he’d been feeling lately.

“Our company has a private jet and I’ll choose this every time if the distance allows it. This has a four-hour fuel capacity. It’s like a road trip only in the air.”

He was acutely aware of Penelope’s every movement. The cockpit was a tight fit and their thighs kept brushing against one another. Her smooth bare legs had him itching to reach over and feel just how soft they were.

The thin strap of her sundress had slipped down one shoulder. The back of his hand brushed up her arm and he hooked a finger underneath and pulled it up. When she moved, he caught tantalizing glimpses of her cleavage.

He liked this view even better than the one out the window. She had pulled her hair up in a high ponytail and as far as he could tell she had worn minimal makeup…if any. She didn’t need it. She took his breath away. He couldn’t wait to show her Savannah and was grateful that he had her all to himself for a whole day.

The landing was textbook perfect and in no time at all they were parked in the small aviation airport hangar and loading their totes into the rental car waiting for them.

Penelope seemed different somehow…lighter…free…Happy. He hadn’t really noticed until now, but she usually seemed subdued on set. The contrast was breathtaking. Her face animated, her smile frequent and dazzling, her laughter sexy as hell. His heart felt like it was lodged in his throat, touched by her childlike delight. He wanted to show her how to play, how to have fun, make her laugh.

“I don’t know about you but I’m starving,” Griffin said.

“Me too.”

“I have a great little place lined up for brunch. A chef friend of mine owns it. It’s a Michelin-star restaurant. You won’t find better food in the world than you will here in Savannah.”

“I believe you. What are we waiting for?” She flashed him a wide grin. He put the convertible Porsche Boxster in gear and sped off.

Griffin regaled her with some of Savannah’s rich history and pointed out historical points of interest as they wound through the old city.

“It’s really beautiful. I love the Spanish moss and all the old statues. It’s so mysterious. Makes me believe in ghosts.”

“Is that even a question?” he said laughing. “They even offer ghost tours here.” He loved the way her nose crinkled when she smiled at him. “After breakfast we can do the walking tour if that sounds good to you. Then we’ll head on over to Tybee Island for some beach time. You know that’s where they filmedThe Last song?”

“I remember hearing that.”

“You know what happened during the filming?” He winked at her. Her cheeks turned pink. She obviously knew he was referring to the love affair between the co-stars. He found an empty spot and parallel parked in front of a beautiful old red brick building. “Here we are.”

The landscaping around the restaurant beautifully incorporated statues and a fountain with Koi fish swimming lazily at the bottom of the pool. The zinnias lent a riot of color and the purple coneflowers had bees and butterflies sipping the nectar.

He slipped his arm around her waist, resting his hand on the swell of her hip.

“This way.”

They walked up the cobblestone pathway and around to the back. A beautiful, covered courtyard with outdoor seating and not a soul in sight awaited them. Griffin pulled out a chair for her and said, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to tell Pierre we’re here.”

“Okay.”

Penelope took a long look around, marveling at how different the vibe was in the south compared to anywhere else she’d ever been. Her encounters since she’d arrived for filming had shown her that the southern hospitality, they were so famous for was the real deal. As much as she could tell anyway.

Her fame kept her apart and altered her experiences compared to what most people had. When she was in public, she often felt like she was looking through a glass window, with everyone else on the outside looking in at her. She could rarely let her guard down. Another reason why her Montana ranch was so important to her.

She watched as Griffin approached with a man in a white double-breasted chef’s jacket. Griffin looked good enough to eat for breakfast, his faded jeans slung low on his hips with his white polo shirt tucked in. He hadn’t shaved…just the way she liked him.

She bit her bottom lip when he threw his head back to laugh at something the chef had said. What was she doing here? This was a mistake that would cost her. He was way too desirable. Those annoying warning bells were going off in her head again like a fire alarm.

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