Free Fortune's Legacy by Maureen Child Page B

that full-wattage smile again. “Hey, I like old doctors. That kind of experience is handy. But old pilots? No, thanks. Do I really want to be alone in the plane with him if his heart stops?” She paused, thought about that and asked, “How old is our pilot, by the way?”
    â€œForties.”
    â€œOh. That’s probably okay, then.”
    â€œI’m sure he’ll be happy to hear that,” Garrett said. “So the old saying about how you’re safe unless it’s your time to go doesn’t mean anything to you?”
    Kyra released her stranglehold on the armrests and leaned forward in her seat. “That’s fine and dandy, unless it’s your pilot’s time to go.”
    Garrett looked at her in stunned surprise for a long minute, then grinned again. “You’re a fascinating woman, Kyra Fortune.”
    Oh boy, that grin of his was really powerful. It punched at her unexpectedly and rocked her right down to her toes. But maybe it wasn’t as sexually charged as she thought. Maybe it was due to her stark terror at being in the air, for heaven’s sake, combined with her long bout of celibacy and solitude.
    If so, she’d better get a grip on her nerves and make a date the minute they got back home.
    Oh yeah. Fantasizing about the boss? Not a good career move in anybody’s book.
    â€œThanks,” she said finally. “I try.” Then, because she was still nervous and her mouth was pretty much running wild here anyway, she added, “And that smile of yours is a heck of a weapon.”
    He blinked at her.
    â€œRight. Never mind. Shouldn’t have said that,” she muttered, and gave in to a sudden, restless urge to move around. Actually, to run away from what she’d just said. Unfortunately, that was another downside to plane travel. There was nowhere to run when you needed to. “Sorry. It’s just… You smiled and I thought, wow. It surprised me. I shouldn’t have said it out loud, though, but to be fair, I warned you about the whole nerves thing.”
    â€œYes, you did.”
    He watched her as she unsnapped her seat belt and pushed herself to her feet. She felt his gaze on her, hot and steady, and her stomach swirled.
    Oh, boy.
    The same nerves that had prompted her mouth to charge ahead at full steam were now pushing her to move. Sitting still only seemed to make her more nervous, which would mean more talking, which could hardly be considered a good thing.
    Especially now.
    She walked up and down the wide aisle, with long, sure steps. More like a forced march than a stroll. Shetrailed her fingertips across the high backs of the leather seats she passed, hoping for a nonchalant sort of feel. It didn’t work, since she could still detect Garrett’s gaze boring into her back with every step. She wished she knew what he was thinking, but at the same time, she thought maybe it was just as well she didn’t know.
    She couldn’t believe she’d told him he was gorgeous. Or that he had a killer smile. Heck, she couldn’t believe she was here, trapped in a plane with a man who only the week before she’d considered public enemy number one. And now…she didn’t.
    At the rear of the plane, she knew, there was a completely outfitted bedroom, for those long, uncomfortable flights when one of the Voltage execs would need to catch up on his sleep. She’d peeked in before, and though it wasn’t as plush as the bedroom on the Fortune family private jet, it was pretty nice.
    Of course, at the moment, with just her and Garrett Wolff as passengers, Kyra turned her mind away from all thoughts of that bedroom. It was safer that way. Instead, she did an about-face and walked back toward him, still talking.
    â€œIt’s a nice jet.” Not as nice as Ryan Fortune’s, she added silently, but still pretty impressive. At the thought of Ryan, regret whispered through her again. She should be at