Tags:
Fiction,
General,
Romance,
Contemporary,
Adult,
California,
Arranged marriage,
loss,
Custody of children,
Mayors,
Social workers
for a flight that may or may not be available to Las Vegas rather than just get on the plane thatâs right there in the hangar and can have you in Las Vegas in less than an hour?â
Sofia opened her mouth to confirm that was exactly what she preferred to do when the ridiculousness of such a response hit her. She was a busy woman with a million things to do before Sunday nightâs award show and she was about to throw away a whole day just because she didnât want to be on a plane with Ramell.
âI think I see your point,â Sofia acquiesced. She handed the woman back her pen and then rushed out ofthe hub. âRamell! Ramell!â Sofia raced as fast as she could in heels. âDid anyone see where Ramell Jordan ran off to?â
A few of the guys in the hangar just looked up and smiled as she darted by. When she finally spotted Ram strolling casually toward a white and red single-engine plane, she sped up, screaming his name. âRamell, wait!â
âSeems like Iâve been doing that half my damn life,â he mumbled under his breath before he forced on a smile and turned around. âYes? What can I not help you with now?â
Sofia pulled up, out of breath, which once again drew Ramâs attention to her heaving breasts. Good thing his eyes were hidden behind his shades or he wouldâve really embarrassed himself.
âAbout that, um, flightâ¦?â
âYes? What about it?â He was not going to make this easy for her.
âWell, I was thinkingâ¦â She smiled. âSince youâre here and Iâm hereâ¦?â
Ram folded his arms. âYeah?â
âWellâ¦I guess it would be pretty silly of me to try to book a commercial flight and fight traffic and whatnot.â
âThat sort of crossed my mind, too. Well, I actually thought it was more like ridiculousâ¦childishâ¦juvenile.â
âAll right, all right. I get the picture.â She frowned. âSo can I hop a ride or not?â
It was definitely her attitude that rubbed Ramell thewrong way so he said, âNo,â before he turned away and continued toward the plane.
âNo?â she echoed and then had to chase back after him again. âWhat do you mean ânoâ? You just offered me a ride back there in the hub.â
âThat was then. This is now.â He reached the door of his beloved plane and pulled it open.
Sofia huffed out a frustrated breath. âWhatâs the difference between now and then?â
Ram tossed in his lone overnight bag and turned to face her. âBack then I sort of felt sorry for you. Nowânot so much.â
âW-what?â she sputtered.
Taking a deep breath, Ram crossed his arms. âHas any one ever told you that you really have a nasty attitude?â
She blinked.
âWell, it canât be towards everyone, I suppose. Seems that most people I talk to actually like you. Your clients and studio executivesâthey all rave about your work and your professionalism. So that must mean this frosty routine is designed just for me. Though I canât imagine why. Iâve never been anything but nice to you.â
Sofiaâs eyes narrowed. âIs this about to become a sermon?â
Ram pulled in a deep breath, shook his head and turned away from her. âGoodbye, Sofia. Undoubtedly, Iâll see you in Vegas.â When he started to climb up into the cab of the plane, Sofia panicked and grabbed him by the arm.
âWait!â
Carefully removing his shades, Ram turned his head and looked down at the slim fingers that were clutching his biceps.
Sofia tried to swallow what felt like a sharp-edged rock in the center of her throat while an intense wattage of electricity singed through her fingertips she could practically see the fine hairs on her arm stand up.
âDo you mind?â he asked.
His warm baritone managed to break whatever weird trance sheâd fallen into, but just
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro