Page 7 of Boss On Notice
Travel Buddy
DELILAH O’SHAY
Seat belt buckled, I sit on a soft leather seat inside a private airplane. I’ve booked Orion’s charter flights for him but this is the first I’ve ever partaken. It’s quite nice actually. Oh, and I’ve changed my mind.
Mr. Eleventh Floor’s real name is Lynx Grove, he’s Treasure Grove’s brother and he owns the baseball team! What a coincidence! Apparently, he stays in an apartment on the eleventh floor during baseball season because it’s close to his office, which isn’t far from the LTI building. He’s also attending the wedding, but he’ll arrive tomorrow, a few hours before the ceremony starts. Even though he won’t be in Vegas until tomorrow, my outlook on the possibility of getting to know Lynx Grove better in the future has improved. I get the impression that he actually isn’t a true friend of Orion’s. They’ve only been brought together by way of family ties.
Before Lynx walked away, he said, “Goodbye, Lila,” and that he will see me tomorrow. His gaze lingered on my face long enough to make my pulse race.
However, the fact that he knows me as Lila has been burning me up ever since Orion and I got into his car. We didn’t have an opportunity to talk about it. He was on his cell phone from the moment his butt hit the driver’s seat. Instead of listening to his conversations about nothing important, I inserted my earbuds, closed my eyes, rested my head on the headrest, and listened to white noise in the form of a thunderstorm. The car ride was so smooth and I had successfully put Orion in the back of my mind, so much so that I jump startled when he nudged me in the arm to tell me that we arrived at the airport.
Oh my God, I have never experienced such a smooth transition from car to sitting where I am now. I’m also thankful that the two flight attendants are female and pretty. They should be able to keep my flirtatious boss far away from me for the next five hours. Plus, the aircraft is humongous. It’s nearly the size of a regular commercial airplane. One of the flight attendants mentioned a bedroom and shower at the rear of the cabin. It would’ve been nice to relax in bed, but I did the math in my head—Orion plus a bed plus a private airplane, no way. Not that he would ever hop into bed with me, I’m not his type, but if this fine piece of machinery is used by Orion on a regular basis, then I can only imagine the semen-stained mattress. I mean, the guy really can’t keep it in his pants.
I have no idea where Orion is at the moment. Before leaving me in the capable hands of the flight attendants, he said he needed to check on a few last-minute details. At the moment I’m drinking a hot coffee. I’ve ordered lobster eggs Benedict with hash browns and fresh fruit for breakfast, which will be served once we’ve reached cruising altitude. The scent of the food being prepared sits divinely in the air. My stomach growls. I’m going to eat like there’s no tomorrow. I don’t care if Orion gets a front row seat. I’m sure a woman eating as if she’s an actual human being who can get very hungry will be a novelty to him.
My cell phone, which is on top of the wide armrest that offers plenty of space between my seat and the one beside me, vibrates. It’s a text message. I look down and see it’s from Xena.
Did you serve him notice yet?
I groan, feeling the weight of still needing to complete the task and then type:Not yet.
My cell phone immediately dings.
What are you waiting for?
“Cell phone in airplane mode,” Orion says as he glides casually past my seat.
I quickly flip over the screen of my device, pressing it against my lap. It feels as though in slow motion I watch him press a button and the backs of the seats that are in front of me flip and now their front sides are facing me.
Orion sits directly across from me.What?I stretch my neck and search from the front of the cabin to the back, which is my passive way of showing him that there’s so much room, why in the world would he choose to sit there?
My cell phone rings and I know who’s calling.It’s so like Xena to call because I hadn’t responded to her text fast enough.
I quickly answer, turning away from Orion’s quizzical glare. “Hi.”
“What do you mean by not yet?” Xena snaps.
“So, I’m on my way to Las Vegas,” I say overenthusiastically. A forced smile helps me affect the tone much better. “I’m working this weekend.”
“For him?” Xena shouts in my ear.
She hates him and it’s my fault really—too much complaining to her about how awful it is to work for him. And now in her eyes he’s the devil that wears Armani.
“Well, yes,” I say, combining my professional voice with my fake smile. “How about I call you after I land and get settled.”
“Are you going to the wedding?” she says as if it’s the worst thing in the world.
“Yes. Talk to you later. Love you.” I end the call before she could ask another question and then promptly turn off my cell phone.
I stare a hole through my lap. I can still feel Orion’s eyes upon me. Sometimes he can be so nosy. Unfortunately, I can’t avoid eye contact forever. I lift my face and let my eyes meet his.
“I thought you didn’t have a boyfriend, Lila.”
There’s no moment better than the present to address this Lila bullshit.
“Nobody calls me Lila but you, Orion. And I would like it if you’d stop.” There…that should do the trick. My voice remained pleasant yet assertive.
Orion frowns incredulously. “Isn’t Lila short for Delilah?”
