Page 50 of An Enchanted Spring

“Dull. Boring. Uninspired,” Aidan said as he joined them. “An apt description of Reilly, in fact.” To Reilly, he added, “Back off Les. He does a fine job of flying this beast, and you could learn a thing or two from him.”

“If he let me at the controls, I might,” Reilly muttered petulantly.

Aidan ignored him. “Mandy’s loading the food and we should be in the air shortly.”

“Who’s Mandy?” Emma asked.

“The flight attendant,” Reilly replied, pulling out a book and popping in earbuds.

A flash of something raced through Emma at thenickname, and her eyes narrowed as she remembered the woman who’d handed her the mimosa. The attendant’s name tag clearly readAmanda.Not Mandy.

“Easy,” Aidan murmured, amusement lighting his eyes. “I’ve no desire to see bloodshed over a mere name.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mmmhmm,” was all he said.

“Mr. MacWilliam, it’s a pleasure to serve you again. Would you care for a drink?” Amanda asked, oblivious to Emma’s stiffness.

“Please, Mandy, an orange juice would be fine. How’s Paula?”

The flight attendant’s eyes lit up like the fourth of July. “She’s wonderful. I can’t believe she’s six months old already!” She grinned at Emma. “Paula’s my baby. Named her after my husband, Paul. I have pictures!” She gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I get a bit carried away when it comes to them.”

“No worries,” Emma managed to say. “Congratulations.”

Amanda went off to get Aidan’s drink, and Emma refused to look at him.

“Mmmhmm,” he repeated.

She ignored him and settled the small sleep mask over her face. Unfortunately, it didn’t block out his infuriating chuckles.

As they flewover the Atlantic, Aidan reluctantly put thoughts of Emma, naked in his bed, aside. He needed to make plans. Contingency plans, in case things went awry.

Aidan pulled out his phone and powered it on. A flood of voicemails, emails, and texts came through, prompting Emma to remove her mask in surprise.

“I thought I was the only one who had your number?”

“This is my work phone,” he said, holding up the device. “You have my personal, American one. When we land, I’ll obtain a mobile for you. With mypersonalIrish number.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m disappearing, remember?”

“To everyone else,” he reminded her. “Never to me. I’ll get you a secured line.”

“Sometimes I forget just how wealthy you are,” she murmured, then turned her attention back to the screen.

His defenses rose. “It’s just money, Emma. It doesn’t define me,” he snapped.

“I didn’t mean to imply it did,” she replied, taken aback. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to him, lass,” Reilly said, walking toward them from the front of the plane, a Guinness in his hand. “It’ll just go to his head.”

“Les still won’t let you in the cockpit?” Aidan guessed.

Reilly’s face darkened. “He threatened to call the bobbies when we land if I didn’t return to my seat,” he growled. “As if they could ever stop me.”

Emma watched Reilly silently.

“What?” he asked, shifting under her gaze.

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