Page 44 of Get Lost

A sick, masochistic part of her, to be sure, but there was no denying their banter was entertaining and sexy. Sometimes.

Mostly it was just annoying because he was annoying.

With a huff, she yanked her eye mask off and looked out the window.

Alexander chuckled.

Jaw clenched, Kelsey turned toward him and leveled her gaze on his dark eyes.

He raised one thick eyebrow. “Everything okay over there?”

She offered him a saccharine smile, pressing herself into the wall of the plane. “Everything isgreat. Thank you for asking.”

He smirked, exposing one stupid dimple, his eyes dancing with amusement.

No doubt this man got off on her discomfort.

The beverage cart rolled to a stop in the aisle and a flight attendant peeked over at Kelsey. “Something to drink?” She reached across Alexander and the gentleman in the aisle seat to hand Kelsey a napkin and a small package of Bischoff cookies. Free food—a rarity on flights these days.

“I’ll have a champagne split, please, and orange juice.”

“It’s six o’clock in the morning,” Alexander said.

Oh, this fucking guy.Kelsey glared at him. “And?”

He raised his eyebrows, feigning innocence. “Oh, no, nothing… I was simply making an observation.”

“An astute one at that.” He was about to observe Kelsey’s foot up his ass.

He flashed Kelsey a grin, then turned to the flight attendant, lifting his debit card in the air. “I’ll get her drink.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Kelsey said quickly, tugging her purse out of the compartment beneath the seat in front of her. “Not again, Arroyo. I can get my own drink.” She pulled her debit card out and extended it toward the flight attendant.

Looking back and forth between them, the woman narrowed her eyes at Alexander then waved Kelsey’s card away. “You know, this one’s on me. Us girls have to stick together.” She winked, then handed Kelsey the champagne split with a little plastic cup flipped over the top of it. She looked at Alexander pointedly, then back to Kelsey before she said, “You’re on vacation time, right, hon? It’s never too early for a mimosa when you’re on vacation.”

Kelsey grinned. “Exactly.”

“Enjoy.” She turned to Alexander, offering him a tight-lipped smile, her face much harder than when she’d been looking at Kelsey mere seconds ago.

“This is a work thing, actually.” Alexander handed her his card. “Not vacation.”

Her gaze flicked to Kelsey, who just breathed deeply and forced a smile.

“I’ll have a coffee, please, with a bottle of whatever whiskey you have.”

Kelsey scoffed. “It’s six o’clock in the morning,” she repeated back to him.

Alexander looked over at her, mirth dancing in his dark eyes again. “When in Rome.” He shrugged one shoulder, then focused on the attendant as she handed him his coffee and whiskey. The look in her eyes said he was lucky Kelsey sat beside him, otherwise he’d probably not get another glance—or further service—for the duration of this flight.

“Miss,” he called as she started to roll the cart to the next aisle.

She swiveled her head slowly toward him, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “Something else, sir?”

“Actually, yes… do you have any Cheetos?”

Kelsey closed her eyes on a long blink and fought back every retort her brain tried to spew at the monster sitting beside her. He was just trying to get a rise out of her, so she couldn’t give him what he wanted, no matter what he did to provoke her.

Just because he poked the bear, didn’t mean the bear had to take the bait.

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