Free Work Like You Don't Need the Money by SJ McCoy Page B

cheek. She liked the old guy a lot. He smiled and looked at Pete. “She's a keeper, son.”
    Pete smiled. “You're an old man, not an old woman, we don't need a matchmaker do we, Holly?”
    As he smiled down at her, she felt that hollow pit of disappointment in her stomach again. Why though? She already knew she wasn't a keeper in Pete's eyes. She was just the provider of some hot, easily available sex. She caught Albert's eye, oh, crap! He could see how she truly felt.
    She laughed. “Come on Albert, you don't think I'd let myself get tied down with this smart ass, do you?”
    They all laughed at that, but as he got back in the limo, Albert shook his head and shot her a look that told her she wasn't fooling him. Not one bit.
    Pete took her hand and led her around to the front of the hangar where the plane was revving up its engines. “Sorry about the change of plans. We finally got everything sorted to keep the Lear out here, and it'll save us four hours on the road. Are you okay with this?”
    “I'm thrilled. You already know how much I hate road trips, and I've never been in a private jet before.” She wasn't about to tell him how much this was scrambling her emotions. On the one hand, she was curious to see inside. She felt like a little girl excited to fly in a private plane. She was a little shocked at how much it turned her on that he owned it and was taking her in it. She certainly wasn't going to tell him that. On the other hand, it served as a reminder to her of how different they were. He was Peter the Great, Mr. Bigshot, with his limo, his jet, his mega millions. She was just plain Holly Hayes, proud owner of one small store, one small townhouse, and one clapped out old station wagon. She pushed all that aside. For now they had the weekend ahead of them. She'd fly in his jet, they'd sleep together again, why be greedy? She'd take what was on offer and enjoy it.
    “Let me show you inside.” Pete grabbed her bag and let her climb the steps ahead of him.
    Inside, Holly looked around. It was beautiful. The interior was done out in champagne colored leather. There were four club seats facing each other just behind the cockpit. A dark oak bar with a fridge and sink faced a bathroom. Beyond that, in the rear section, a sofa long enough to seat four ran along one side.
    “What do you think?”
    “It's amazing!” she exclaimed. “I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't anything this luxurious.”
    “Make yourself at home. I'll let Smoke know we're ready.”
    Holly admired his backside and muscular denim clad legs as he popped his head into the cockpit. He smiled as he turned around and caught her looking. “Soon,” he mouthed, then raised his voice as the pilot appeared behind him. “Holly, this is Smoke, Phoenix Chief Pilot and old friend.”
    “Nice to meet you.” Smoke leaned past Pete to shake her hand.
    Oh my God! Another gorgeous man. She’d put him easily on this side of forty, with his steely gray eyes, perfectly mussed gray hair, broad shoulders and muscular arms all presented in a sexy pilot's uniform. Yum!
    “You too,” she replied.
    Smoke went to pull up the steps and secure the door. After giving them a quick safety briefing, he made his way back to the cockpit and closed the door behind him. Pete took the seat opposite Holly and fastened himself in.
    “I'll get us some champagne once we're airborne, but we have to strap down for now.”
    Holly nodded, still somewhat befuddled by this turn of events. Pete hooked his foot around her calf and smiled.
    “You sure you're okay with this?”
    “Yep, I'm just a bit surprised, that's all.”
    They thundered down the runway and up into the skies above the city. After a few minutes, Smoke's voice came over the intercom.
    “You can unbuckle now folks. We'll be cruising at twenty two thousand feet, flight time forty-five minutes. I'll let you know when you need to strap back in.”
    Pete stood. “Champagne?” Holly nodded. “Come help me?”