Page 25 of The Husband Game

“C’mon, if we’re doing this, let’s go.”

CHAPTER SIX

Charlie’s eyes went wide when the town car pulled up to a small hangar. “You have a private plane?”

“No.” Dustin’s smile was brilliant. “But I do use a private jet share company at times.”

“Right.”

Charlie felt a little numb when the driver held the door open for them, then unloaded their luggage.

Walking the short distance to the plane, the hot, dry wind fluttered his shirt hem, everything becoming surreal and almost dreamlike as he put one foot in front of the other.

At the top of the stairs, he stopped in the doorway and felt the gentle thud of Dustin’s body against his back.

Dustin steadied himself with a warm hand on Charlie’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Everything okay? You aren’t afraid of flying are you, kitten?”

“No.” Charlie looked around the jet.

Chartered flights were nothing new but this was a different level of luxury.

He tried not to stumble as he slipped into the plush cabin. It was on the small side, with seating for eight people, and a lounge area set up with a table. Charlie glanced over his shoulder at Dustin, unsure of where he was supposed to go.

“It’ll just be us on the flight,” Dustin said, touching his lower back. Barely a brush of warm fingertips through his clothing but it made Charlie’s skin prickle with awareness. “Sit wherever you’d like.”

Charlie headed toward the back and randomly picked one of the four seats toward the back. They were arranged with one on either side of the aisle, but rather than all facing front, each pair of seats faced the other. Dustin chose the one facing him and it occurred to Charlie he’d be flying backwards.

He stifled a rueful laugh.

That felt all too apt. He’d felt nothing but backwards since he’d woken up in the hotel room this morning.

Charlie settled against the supple tan leather, scrutinizing the creamy beige carpet and the entire back wall lined with warm cherry-toned paneling.

The jet was luxurious but understated and if there was one thing Charlie knew, it was that it cost a lot of money to achieve that.

The irony was he’d grown up in a wealthy family.

Charlie’s parents lived in a towering condo building on Chicago’s Gold Coast with stunning views of Lake Michigan. He’d had a nanny and endless private tutors and everything a child could ever dream of.

Flying first class was the only way his parents traveled.

He’d left that lifestyle behind when he’d cut his parents out of his life and here he was, right back in it.

After they were seated, a svelte blonde in a trim black skirt and crisp white shirt appeared. She introduced herself, pointed out the various amenities, briefly ran through the safety instructions, then asked if they needed anything before takeoff.

“A water?” Charlie managed. “Please.”

“The same for me, please,” Dustin said. “Thank you.”

Charlie sipped at his water while the plane slowly crept onto the tarmac, building up speed for takeoff.

He stared out the window as they ascended.

Las Vegas was a strange place.

This was his first visit and he was pretty sure he didn’t like it.

It wasn’t the glitz and glam or the kitsch. He loved that.

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