Page 70 of Strictly Business

His gaze sharpens, and a low groan slips out of him as his hand reaches for my chin. He gently tilts my face up to meet his eyes, the intensity there making it hard to breathe.

“And your fiancé,” he murmurs, his lips grazing my jaw.

“Fake fiancé,” I add, reminding myself that this is all part of the deal.

Nicholas’s eyes flicker, something unreadable flashing across his face. “Not to everyone here.”

Before I can say anything, a voice breaks the moment.

“Good morning, sir.” The flight attendant stands in the doorway, her gaze immediately locked on Nicholas with an intensity that I can’t ignore. Her red-painted lips curve into a smile as she looks down at us—or more specifically,him. “I hope you have a great flight. I’m here foranythingyou need.”

I blink at her. Was that just my imagination or did that sound suggestive?

I feel something stir in me as she smiles at him, her attention solely on him. I can’t help but glance at Nicholas, trying to gauge his reaction.

He glances at her for a second, shooting a quick smile. “Thank you, Savannah.”

Savannah’s gaze flicks over to me, her eyes traveling down the length of my body before returning to my face with a smile that is just a touch too sweet, almost condescending. I give her a polite smile, but the slight narrowing of her eyes and the curl of her lips tells me she doesn’t see me as any kind of threat.

Okay, so I wasn’t imagining it.

She wants Nicholas.

Savannah flashes him another pearly white smile before she turns on her heels and walks out. The door clicks shut behind her, leaving just the quiet hum of the jet.

I glance at Nicholas, questions swirling in my mind, but I push them down. Or at least try to.

“Savannah?” I ask, aiming for casual even though curiosity slips through.

His brow furrows, his expression skeptical. “What about her?”

“You know her name?”

He leans back into the couch, one arm draped lazily over the backrest. “She’s worked for me for years. She’s the main flight attendant when I use the jet.”

I nod, trying to keep my voice even. “And how often is that?”

A slow, teasing smile tugs at his lips. “You’re my assistant. Shouldn’t you know?”

“Right,” I shrug. “Except as you’ve pointed out, I don’t know much about your personal life.”

He sighs, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “A few times a month, maybe more. Depends on if I need to be somewhere quickly. I usually prefer the helicopter.”

I hum in acknowledgment, pretending his answer satisfies me. But inside, I’m still thinking about Savannah—about how often she’s around him…alone. It shouldn’t bother me. I’ve been his assistant for two years. I’ve seen the revolving door of women he’s dated. So why does this feel different?

I turn to stare out the window, willing the thoughts to dissolve, but they linger.

Nicholas’s hand brushes under my chin, gently tilting my face back toward him. “What’s really going on, Amara?”

“Nothing,” I lie, my lips pressing together.

“Amara,” he says again, firmer this time.

I exhale a shaky breath. “Did you sleep with her?”

Nicholas’s brows shoot up, his eyes narrowing in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“I know you’ve slept with plenty of women,” I say, bitterness slipping into my tone before I can stop it. “I’m not clueless. I used to pick out the ones you’d take to bed, remember?”

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