Free Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll by Mia Dymond Page B

done.”
    “Glad you approve. How long have you been an
architect?”
    Rachel paused for a brief moment, partly to
curb her panic as the plane left the ground, but mostly to consider
her response. “Ten years.”
    “You’ve been in Diablo that long?”
    She shook her head. “No. I moved here from
New York.”
    “Must’ve been quite a change,” he said. “Why
did you leave New York?”
    Suddenly his questions hit a little too close
for comfort. “Change of scenery. What about you? Why Diablo?”
    “You.”
    The plane gave a slight bounce. “Me?” she
squeaked.
    Hawke nodded. “The first time I laid eyes on
you, I knew Diablo was the place for me.”
    Rachel rolled her eyes. “Sounds like there’s
a song in there somewhere.”
    Hawke grinned and her stomach flip-flopped.
“Diablo seems like a nice place. I like the location, away from the
spotlight, yet close enough if I need a fix.”
    Rachel gave a slow nod. Away from the
spotlight. She so understood. The only difference – she wouldn’t
need a fix. “What do you usually do during these flights?”
    Hawke gestured with his head behind them.
“There’s a king size bed in the back.”
    Rachel’s pulse jumped. Once again, she failed
to think before she spoke. Yet, heat flooded her thighs and she
wondered just how firm the mattress was on that bed. In the back of
the plane. Away from everyone else. She lowered her gaze to her
hands just in case he could read something in her eyes.
    Her skin tingled when he lifted her chin with
one finger and caressed her eyes with his own. “I sleep,
Rachel.”
    She sat hypnotized by his admission, not sure
how to respond.
    “Would you like to see it?”
    “I’m not sure there’s time,” she whispered
before she could stop herself.
    Hawke’s brow furrowed for a split second and
then his eyebrows rose with realization. Her cheeks warmed when his
lip curled in a smirk. “I only meant I think you’ll appreciate the
design.”
    Rachel fought the urge to bang her head
against the seat as Hawke unsnapped her seatbelt. Deciding silence
would be the best option, she stood from her seat and followed him
to the rear of the plane.
    Hawke opened a door and waved her inside.
“Well?”
    Rachel took a moment to glance around the
room. The cabinets and closet were ornately carved from oak and the
carpet actually massaged each footstep but it was the king sized
bed in the center that drew her attention. Although the headboard,
footboard, and all four posts were equally beautifully carved from
oak and the top was adorned in a black and white checkered
comforter, it was the shiny black sheet peeking from beneath the
blanket that stroked her curiosity. Most likely silk. The kind that
would feel cool and crisp against a heated body and wrinkle easily
with movement.
    “Rachel?”
    “Hmm?” Her gaze scanned the length of the bed
and back again.
    “Do you like it?”
    Rachel shook herself free from thoughts of
tangled bodies and wrinkled sheets. “Oh, yes, it’s beautiful,
Hawke.”
    She traced her fingers over the ridges in the
closest bed post. “I’m fairly sure this is hand-carved.”
    Hawke braced one hip against the armoire.
“You really know your stuff.”
    Rachel gave a weak smile. He wouldn’t be
quite so impressed if he knew that fine craftsmanship wasn’t
exactly what she’d been thinking about up to this point.
    The door squeaked and Max poked his head
around. “Sorry to interrupt, but we’re ready to land.”
    Rachel tilted her head to one side. “How did
you know we were back here, Max?”
    Max nodded at Hawke. “You want to take this
one, Hawke?”
    Rachel felt the blood drain from her face and
resisted the urge to smack her hand against her forehead.
    Hawke took her elbow and guided her back into
the cabin. “He just assumed, Rachel. Not too many places to go on
an airplane.”
    Rachel heard Max’s muffled laughter as he
headed back to the cockpit.
    Within the next hour, Max pulled the rented
Suburban to