TheBillionairesPilot (18 page)

“If I recall correctly, the other
objection you had to us staying together was your concern about what other people
think.” Dropping his hands, he paused and studied her. “And that really saddens
me because I thought you were rebel enough—or independently thinking
enough, as you like to call it—to handle what idiots might say about of
us. I never thought you’d back down from a challenge.”

She nearly took the bait. He obviously
wanted her to respond heatedly to his provocation, but she was determined to
remain impersonal. “Some battles can’t be won,” she answered as coolly as she
could manage with her skin heating as it was in his proximity.

“So, you walk away from the entire war?”
he prodded.

“Are you really calling our relationship
a war, now? And this is how you plan to woo me back into your arms?” Okay, that
didn’t sound too impersonal
or
businesslike.

She definitely needed to work on her
neutrality, but she was having such a hard time maintaining her opposition to
him. He was just too damn attractive to her, and not only in a physical way. In
fact, even back in the beginning when she hadn’t thought her physical attraction
to him was reciprocated, she’d still felt as if there was something that had
clicked between them ever since that plane ride down to San Miguel when they’d
found out they shared similar interests and personality quirks.

Evan chuckled briefly. “Are you saying
you want me to woo you?” Then he grew serious, and his eyes darkened as he
stared at her. “Because I would thoroughly enjoy making love to you again.
There are so many more ways I want to take you.”

Blood rushed to Cassie’s cheeks as her
heart stuttered against her ribs. Images of them tangled together on her bed
settled in the forefront of her mind. Oh, yeah, she would thoroughly enjoy
making love to him again, as well, but she wasn’t willing to jump into another
physical relationship with him like the last time.

“But I want more than just the physical
with you,” he continued as if he’d heard her thoughts.

She swallowed hard and abandoned all her
self-talk about resisting him, as of course, it was futile. “What do you want?”
she whispered.

“I want you to be my fiancée, for real
this time, without a timeline or a deadline or an expiration date.”

Cassie studied the man before her, a man
who wasn’t afraid to set his pride to the side to go after what he wanted, and
her father’s words hovered in the air.

Grab on with both hands and never let go.

But did Evan love her? He still hadn’t
said the words out loud she thought he may or may not have whispered that night
in her bed. Sure, she believed he missed her and the hot connection they had,
but he wasn’t professing to anything more emotional than that.

“That’s not enough,” she finally
answered.

“What? What else do you need?” The crease
above the bridge of his nose deepened as he frowned.

She shook her head. “If this was real,”
she waved her hand from him to her in the empty space between the pilot and
co-pilot’s seats, “then I wouldn’t have to spell it out for you.”

His brow furrowed even more as he
appeared to think hard about what she’d said. For an intelligent man, he was
really having a difficult time figuring this one out. She nearly took pity on
him and blurted out the answer to put him out of his misery, but she wasn’t
going to ask for the words and put them both in an uncomfortable position if he
didn’t feel them.

“Can I buy a vowel?” he asked with a
lopsided grin, obviously trying to charm the information from her when he’d
failed to come up with the solution on his own.

“Forget it, Evan. It wasn’t meant to work
out between us.”

“Why are you so willing to walk away?”

“Because this was only meant to be a
business transaction, and somewhere along the way we both forgot the truth.”

“You think I can’t tell the difference
between a lie and the truth?”

“No, I think you started to believe the
engagement was real, as did I.”

“For a few days it was real, Cassie.
Don’t you remember our conversation at your apartment a few nights before the
gala?”

“I remember.”

“Good, then you remember how we both
agreed we wanted to give ourselves more time to get to know each other.”

“Yes, Evan, but why can’t you just accept
that it’s over now?”

“Because apparently, I’m not as willing
as you are to let go of the person I love without a fight.”

She studied him, trying to determine if
he meant the word he’d used.

“What?” he asked when she didn’t respond
to his goading. “Am I the only one here who fell in love?”

“N-no,” she admitted softly.

“Oh, hell. That wasn’t how I wanted you
to hear it the first time.” He dragged his fingers through his hair.

She decided it was time to man up, as he
had. “But this isn’t the first time you’ve said it to me, is it?”

“I thought you were asleep.”

“Nearly, and that’s why I wasn’t sure if
I’d dreamt it. Then I was too afraid to bring it up.”

“I was a fool not to tell you to your
face, but I won’t make that mistake again.” He reached a hand out and gently
cupped her cheek.

“Cassie, I don’t care what anyone has to
say about how you and I met, or how we’re from different worlds, or even if
they ever find out about our mutual passion for kinky sex. I love you.” Then,
for the third time, Evan asked her, “Would you do me the honor of becoming my
wife?”

Blinking back uncharacteristic tears, she
pulled her necklace out from the opening at the top of her flight suit. The
giant diamond ring from San Miguel reflected the lights from the illuminated
control panel of the helicopter.

“Only if you’ll put this ring back on my
finger.” She unclasped the necklace and freed the ring.

Evan’s eyes narrowed as his gaze fell to
the engagement ring resting on her open palm. “I thought I told you to sell
that to pad your bank account.”

She shook her head. “I couldn’t.”

He took the ring and met her eyes. “Will
you marry me?”

She hesitated, wondering if he still
wanted all of her.

“Cassie?” His voice held a hint of a
growl, his patience apparently wearing thin.

She smiled at him. “Yes, I will marry
you.”

He slipped the ring back on her finger,
and she stared down at it. This time it really felt like it belonged there,
just as she belonged with Evan…almost.

He tilted up her face with a finger under
her chin. “Spill it.”

She opened her mouth then closed it. She
couldn’t ask. It was too much. She would be happy with this moment as it was,
but the thunder showing in his eyes let her know he wasn’t going to let her
back out of this. “I was wondering…” She reached into her shirt pocket and
slowly pulled out the infinity necklace. Holding it in her open palm, she
glanced up at him.

His eyes widened. “Ask for what you want,
Cassie.”

Her gaze dropped to the collar she held.
“I-I…” She stopped and cleared her throat. If she was going to ask, she would
do it with her head held high. She looked up at him. “I want to be yours
twenty-four, seven.”

Heat flared in his dark eyes. “If I put
that on you, I’m never taking it off again. Are you sure?”

“Yes. Please, Sir.”

Evan pulled the small silver key from
inside the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

“You have it with you?” she asked
slightly breathless.

He cocked a brow at her. “As did you.”
Then he smiled. “I told you we suited each other perfectly.”

He placed the collar around her neck once
he unlocked it, and it felt so right so snug to her throat.

“With this collar, I claim you as mine. I
will guide and lead you safely in my footsteps. You will belong to me from this
day on, and I will do all within my power to protect you as you join me on my
journey. Will you take this symbol of my ownership to wear as a sign to us and
those we meet on our journey?”

“I accept the symbol of your ownership. I
will wear it proudly for all of my days, Sir.”

Evan fastened the lock on the collar.
“You now belong to me.”

“I now belong to you, Master.”

He opened his arms. “Come here, my
sweet.”

She leaped through the small gap between
the pilot and co-pilot’s seat and buried herself in his chest, knowing he was
hers for keeps as she was his.

About the Author

Suzanne Graham has always
been an avid reader and diary writer. After inheriting boxes of romance books
from her aunt, she decided to try putting her own stories on paper. Suzanne met
her husband, a fellow American, as an exchange student at the University of Warwick
in England. They are proud parents of three boys. In her spare time, you can
usually find Suzanne on the living room couch, reading romance.

Suzanne loves to talk to
her readers and can be found at suzannegraham.blogspot.com.