Page 13 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

Clenching her hands into fists, she knew she’d have to redouble her efforts to flirt with Easton and somehow keep her heartdetached from Jarom.

She glanced askance at him. He was studying her with a mixture of concern and smolder that made her stomach hop. He was too good. She was an accomplished flirt, but Jarom took it to epic levels. He’d never commit his heart to her, though, and she only had a heart of iron.

Stay strong, she begged herself. If only God loved her like He did so many of her friends.

She’d been strong on her own for so many years. Sometimes it would be nice to let down her guard and rely on a higher being or a strong man.

No. She had this. Autumn Cardon was a one-woman army. Though she didn’t mind Aiden’s backing and Paul’s friendship, she needed nobody but her own strength.

She definitely didn’t need a pretty-boy, billionaire bachelor.

Even if she longed for him.

Chapter

Five

They landed smoothlyat Kalispell’s airport. Jarom internally cursed the interruption of his almost-kiss with the entrancing Autumn by Pilot Paul. He silently planned how to get back to that spot with Autumn. Soon. Their first kiss had to be ideal, not rushed or interrupted. Maybe he’d praise Paul in the long run. A kiss anywhere would be dynamite with Autumn, but he wanted their first kiss to be one that would throw her world into upheaval and burst straight through her wall of iron.

As the plane taxied to a stop, he could feel and see her distancing herself from him. Their intimate conversation, position, and almost kiss must have rattled her. She was hiding a lot about her childhood and teenage years. What had she gone through, and how could he help her heal? He’d been raised with love and patience. Abuse, neglect, or whatever else Autumn might have been subjected to was out of his realm, but it wasn’tout of the Savior’s. He’d pray for insight for him and healing for Autumn.

For the first time in his adult life, he was intrigued enough to want to seriously pursue a woman beyond his usual casual date or two. He would be alone with Autumn and without any work distractions, so he planned to grow very close to her. She couldn’t resist him for long.

He wanted to lie to himself and claim winning Autumn’s heart was simply another in the long line of women who adored him, but already he felt deep emotions building inside him. It was unnerving—much more nerve-wracking than standing in front of Forbes Leadership Events to deliver a speech, or launching a new clothing line and worrying if it would flop.

He wasn’t going to back down, though. He’d never backed out of a challenging business deal or opportunity to make a new friend.

Brave and strong. Those were his mottos this week. He almost smiled at that. Autumn was much braver and stronger than he’d ever be. What if she looked at him as a wuss because of her superior qualifications and abilities in security and fighting? His stomach clenched at the thought. He’d never win her if she wanted some bodybuilder with no neck, a twenty-inch bicep, the ability to knock a person unconscious with one punch, and the fortitude to sleep in the wild. He shuddered thinking of spiders and snakes crawling over him while he slept without satin sheets.

Paul came out of the cockpit.

“Thank you for a smooth ride,” Jarom said. “You’re an expert pilot.”

“You’re very welcome. Forgive the untimely announcement. I glanced at the cameras too late.”

Jarom let out a surprised laugh as Autumn’s eyes widened and then she gave Paul a dagger glare. “Some friend,” she harrumphed at him.

Paul chuckled.

Autumn hurried to the door and pushed a button. It swung down and out, forming steps as brisk night air rushed in.

Paul winked at Jarom behind her back. Jarom grinned.

She strode to a tall closet in the back of the plane, opened it, and yanked out a small suitcase. Jarom hurried after her and retrieved the suitcase from her. The brush of her soft fingers against his filled him with yearning.

Was this really happening to him? The confirmed bachelor being blindsided by his one true love? It was unexpected and thrilling and had to be from heaven above. Fascination with Autumn pushed all thoughts of his house explosion, betrayal by Garrett, and being pursued by the dangerous Benjamin Oliver to the background. His plans of focusing on his businesses and dating casually for years to come were taking a solid hit. His mom would be thrilled if she were privy to his thoughts right now.

“Thank you, kind gentleman,” Autumn teased.

“Anything for you, exquisite angel.”

Their ploy was in place, flirt and tease but don’t let down walls. He’d see about that. Already his mindset was changing. How could he make certain hers did as well?

He put his free hand on the small of her back, carrying her suitcase with the other hand. They had to go single file down the plane steps, and a wall of cold air slammed into him as he stepped outside. It was chilly in Aspen, but the wind didn’t cut through quite like the sting of an October Montana night.

It was dark as midnight beyond theglow cast by the airport’s overhead lights. He was barely on the steps when he heard a whoop and saw a tall, well-built cowboy in a T-shirt, plaid jacket, tight jeans, a shiny belt buckle, boots, and a ten-gallon hat jogging across the asphalt. Jarom could acknowledge the man was ruggedly handsome, but he needed some help with his fashion sense. The grin on the cowboy’s face and the sparkle in his blue eyes said he owned the rights to one Autumn Cardon.

Jarom had never felt the sting of jealousy before. When this cowboy, Easton Coleville he presumed, reached Autumn, swept her off the ground and swung her around, and then settled down with her in his brawny arms, he wanted to punch the guy’s handsome face and lose his gentleman status. That violent instinct was unfamiliar. He didn’t like the churning in his gut or the desire to ugly up the man.

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