Page 38 of One Hot Rumor

"It's nice to be friends with a billionaire, huh?"

"You haven't met Evan, so he's not your friend. He's mine, and you are my girlfriend. I suppose that makes him your friend by proxy? Or something like that?"

"Stop racking your brain to sort out that stuff. I need you in top form so I can drag you into the bathroom on the jet and make your eyes roll back in your head."

"We can do better than the loo. Evan's jet has a bedroom."

Her brows shoot up. "Wow, I'm going to love traveling the Scottish way."

"I think it's only Scottish billionaires who travel on private jets. Maybe multimillionaires do too. And a few wealthy Scots who haven't reached millionaire status yet."

Siobhan kisses me and pinches my cheek. "You babble when you're anxious, but it's cute."

Groaning, I rub my eyes. "I haven't been home in a month. Who knows what's happening with that bloody scandal now."

"Your brother and your employees would've told you if anything's wrong."

That's true, but I still can't shake this dread.

Siobhan and I take her car to the airport and climb up the stairs into the Gulfstream jet owned by a Scottish billionaire. The interior is posh and comfortable, but I'm sure I will feel nothing close to comfort during the flight home. I introduce Siobhan to Evan and his wife, Keely. They've brought their infant daughter too. Next, Logan and his wife, Serena, introduce themselves along with Serena's son, Chase. I can tell Siobhan loves meeting them, and she gets commandeered by the American wives of my Scots mates before I can even sit down. The women gather around a small table to chat.

I stretch out on a sofa.

Logan and Evan take the chairs beside the sofa and aim their steady gazes at me.

"Why are you two staring?" I ask. "Did I forget to zip up my fly?"

"No," Logan says with a slight chuckle. "We're under orders from Richard to keep an eye on you. If we notice any signs of mental distress, we're to pour whisky down your throat."

Thank you so much, Rick. You've sicked the Scots mafia on me.

"I don't need whisky," I tell Logan. "But if it's all right with my keepers, I'll have a lie-down."

"Go on," Evan says. "We can watch you sleep and intervene if it looks like you're having a nightmare. Can't we, Logan?"

"Aye, we'll keep an eye on him."

What in the world did my brother tell these blokes? They seem to think I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but I'm not that bad off.

Logan and Evan find a deck of cards and start a poker game. Though they invite me to join them, I decline. A lie-down appeals to me more than poker since I didn't sleep well last night. I can't sleep now either, though.Bugger.

The Scots are enjoying their second game when Siobhan's sweet voice whispers into my ear. "Are you asleep, Nick?"

"No, I'm pretending to sleep. It's as refreshing as the real thing."

"Well, if you can tear yourself away from fake sleep, I have a surprise for you in the bedroom."

I leap off the couch. "Lead the way, love."

Siobhan takes my hand, guiding me between the aisles toward a short hallway. She swings a door open, and we walk into a bedroom that features a large bed.

"I need my own jet," I say. "You and I could live in one like this."

"Are you asking me to move in with you in your imaginary jet?"

"Yes. I'm afraid imaginary is the only sort I can afford."

Siobhan strips off her clothes and crawls across the bed on her hands and knees. "Why aren't you naked yet?"

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