Page 31 of One Night in Alaska

Iwas early as usual. But in this situation, I’d much rather be early than late. I got out of my truck and leaned back against it, my eyes focused on a spot off in the distance. The urge to pace was overwhelming, but I made myself be still and listen.

It didn’t take too long before I began to hear the whir of a small engine in the distance. Immediately, I broke into a grin, so glad to know that Georgia was almost here. This airport wasn’t that busy, and since the small plane I’d hired to pick her up in Juneau was on schedule to be landing in just a few minutes, I was pretty certain it had to be her. In just a few more minutes, she’d be back in my arms.

I couldn’t wait to see her, smell her, and feel her warmth against my chest. Visions of how good the sex had been with her came to mind, but that wasn’t my only reason for bringing her back to me. I’d missed her so much. It was time for the two of us to see if we could make this work. I couldn’t believe I was willing to take such a leap after only knowing her for a few days, but that was what the woman did to me.

I spotted the Cessna in the distance now, and stood to my full height, anticipating it touching down on the runway as soon as it finished making its descent. I’d wanted to send my private jet to go get her. The bird was stowed in a hangar not too far from where I’d parked, but Ryan had talked me out of it. “Make the first time she sees your jet when you’re on your way to Maui. That way, you can get it on when she’s so impressed with how wealthy you are.” I’d rolled my eyes at him, but he might just have a point. That, and I wanted the mechanics to go over everything on the plane one more time before we left tomorrow, so it was better if it wasn’t flying today.

She’d taken a regular airline to Juneau, which I’d happily paid for, and then I had this small operation pick her up from there. This was the most efficient way, other than my plane.

The Cessna landed on the runway and taxied over near where I was standing. I went through the fence and rushed toward her at about the same time that Georgia awkwardly climbed out of the small plane. By then, the pilot was getting her bags out of the back. He waved and gave me a thumbs-up to signal that they’d had a good flight. I waved back in thanks, but my attention was on the gorgeous woman hustling toward me.

She looked as beautiful as ever, even in a pair of jeans and a casual top. Before I could take her in my arms, the wind brought the scent of her floral perfume to me, which made my heart leap into my throat.

“Georgia,” I said, pulling her to me. “I’m so glad to see you.”

She hugged me back and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. “It’s nice to see you, too. Thanks for arranging everything. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

“No, it was no trouble at all,” I assured her. “I’m just glad you were able to come with me on such short notice.” I let go of her, as difficult as that was, and directed the pilot to take the luggage to my truck. As much as I was paying him for his services, he didn’t mind one bit.

“One of the many benefits of working from home,” she said with a giggle. “I can’t wait to hear about where we are going and see your houses.”

All I could do was smile at her. Taking her hand, I led her to the truck. “I think you’re going to love them.”

On the way to the house, we mostly chatted about her flight, which had been uneventful since she’d flown first class. “Usually, when I’m on a plane, someone falls asleep on my shoulder or spills their drink in my lap,” she said with a good-natured laugh. “Thankfully, there’s none of that nonsense in first class.”

“Not usually,” I said with a nod. It had been a while since I’d flown first class. Since I had my own jet, there was rarely a reason for it. “I’m so glad you enjoyed the trip.”

“Yeah, it was amazing. I always wondered what went on up there, in the secret part of the plane.” Her comment made both of us chuckle. I had missed her. She was always so funny and energetic.

We pulled into the driveway and I helped her with her bags. Even though we were leaving the next morning, I wanted to make sure she had everything she needed. Rather than taking them to a guest bedroom, we brought them into my room. I hoped she wouldn’t mind, and she didn’t seem to. I couldn’t stand the thought of her being down the hall.

Georgia threw herself backward onto my bed, bouncing a few times. “Flying makes me so tired,” she explained.

Shaking my head at her but also smiling, I stood across the room for a moment and looked at her, still unable to believe she was back. “Me, too,” I agreed, though that normally wasn’t true for me since I could comfortably sleep on my own plane. Sitting down beside her, I said, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

She sat up and reached for my hand. “Me, too. When you called, I could hardly believe it was you on the line. I’d been hoping you’d give me a ring since the moment I left you at the port in Juneau.”

Her words pulled at my heartstrings. “I’m sorry,” I admitted. “I wasn’t sure how you felt about me, and I didn’t want to pester you if this was just some sort of a fling to you, an unusual adventure that was now part of your past.”

She grinned at me. “Are you kidding? How in the world could I possibly forget about you and move on? You’re an amazing person, Beau, and I had so much fun with you.”

I didn’t know what else to say. I squeezed her hand and continued to smile at her, taking her in. Her hair looked golden in the fading sunlight filtering in through the window, and her eyes were a soft, warm brown like melted chocolate.

“So, tell me where we’re going.” Georgia turned so that she was facing me on the bed.

The idea that we should probably go into the other room to have this conversation or at least have some drinks or dinner came to mind, but I didn’t want to leave the bed. I couldn’t believe I was sitting there with her now. I’d gone over the situation in my mind many times since she’d agreed to come, thinking about exactly how to put my moves on her to get her here, and now, here she was with very little effort on my part.

“Well, the houses we’ll be visiting are in Maui—”

That was all I got out before she squealed and clapped her hands. “That’s amazing! I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii. Ever since I was a little girl and my mom got me one of those tropical-themed Barbie dolls, I’ve been dreaming of stepping off a plane, having someone put a lei around my neck, and heading off to the beach to dip my toes in the sand and feel the warm ocean water lapping at my ankles.”

I couldn’t break her heart and tell her they didn’t really do that lei thing anymore, so I’d have to figure out a way to get her what she wanted. With money, it shouldn’t be a problem. “Right, so that’s where we are headed first.” It would be so much fun to get to show her the beautiful tropical beach for the first time, and I knew she’d like my home there. “After that, we’re off to Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.”

Her eyes widened. “Lauterbrunnen?” She attempted to repeat the name, and I nodded. Close enough. “Tell me about that. I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Well, Lauterbrunnen is located in a valley between the mountains. There’s a lot to do there, besides just gazing at the picturesque scenery. There’s hiking, skiing, and quaint villages to visit. Oh, and you’ll love the glacial waterfalls. They’re gorgeous this time of year.”

“That sounds amazing,” she said with a wide smile. “I’m so glad I got my passport a couple of years ago, even though Mom and I never did take that trip to Paris she’d been planning.”

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