Page 17 of Mile High Addiction

“Say yes, Bethany.It’s just dinner and conversation.”

They both knew it was a lot more, but she went along with the ruse.

“Jeez, I don’t know—a boring dinner or an evening with a rock band.”

His smile was self-assurance personified.“Dinner with me won’t be boring.I guarantee you that.”

She believed him, although she didn’t give him the satisfaction of saying that.A man with his charisma could read the dictionary backwards and make it sound sexy.“Be that as it may, I make my own decisions.And I didn’t quite hear you ask me to dinner.I don’t respond well to demands.”

“Come anyway, I have a proposition for you.”

“We only just met.How could you possibly have a proposition for me?”

He sobered and regarded her with a look that held a hint of reproach.“We can do a merry dance around this if you want, Peaches.But all we’re doing is wasting time.”His gaze hardened.“Unless you’re not free to be with me?”

“If I wasn’t, do you think I’d come on a trip like this on my own?”

He swallowed, a look of sheer relief on his face that sent a pulse of emotion through her.Why had she thought him enigmatic when she’d first seen him and read about him?Zach Savage wore his emotions on his sleeve.

No, that wasn’t quite correct.There were some emotions he wasn’t afraid to exhibit.She’d seen the way he behaved with his employees and with the guests on the plane.To them, he wore a smile that said “friendly, but keep away.”And yet with her, so far he’d displayed displeasure, annoyance, pride and an ever-present, all-encompassing hunger.

“Then there’s nothing to stop you.”

“No, there’s nothing.Except me.”

“You’d stop yourself from enjoying my company just for the sake of proving to me that you can?”

She shrugged.“I may not want to.Don’t think you know me just because our bodies react a certain way to one another, Zachary.”

His eyes darkened.“I love the way you say my name.I might let you call me Zachary after all.”

“Why, thank you for the honor.”

Her snarky tone caught his attention.He sighed.“Bethany, what’s this about?All I want is your company.”

“No, I seriously doubt that.”

“You’re right, I want a whole lot more.But for now I just want dinner.”

She sighed.“Okay.Just dinner.Your place at eight?”

He inclined his head in a way that made him look almost regal.“I’ll come and collect you.”

“No.Philip, my very able bodyguard who I met so very briefly before you commandeered my attention, will escort me.”

His eyes gleamed a hint of displeasure, but he nodded.“I’m going to enjoy making you turn all these nos into yeses.”

She summoned a smile from somewhere, despite the fact that looking into those eyes of his made her head spin.“Good luck with that.”

He stepped closer, lowered his head as if to kiss her.

Bethany’s lungs seized, her whole body poised for the contact, but at the last moment, he froze and stepped back.

In silence, he escorted her back to her suite.She passed Tracy, her hostess, who smiled at them, but Bethany read the questions in her wide-eyed look.

At her door, he leaned against the doorjamb as she entered her code.“Right, see you later,” she said as the door clicked open.

He straightened then slowly brushed his fingers over her cheek, a caress that stroked every single nerve in her body.Against her better judgment, she started to sway toward him.But again, he froze and jammed his hands into his back pockets the way he had before.“See you at eight.Don’t be late.”

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