“So you’re an environmentalist?”
“Not a good one.” He held up the plastic bottle in his hand and nodded to it. “But I try to do okay about the obvious stuff. Taking this jet for just me is one of those things.”
“But you’ll take it tonight.”
He shrugged. “You need to sleep, and this one has a bed.”
Huh. That was…nice of him. I’d never had a guy be thoughtful enough to offer me a plane before. Then again, I’d never known a guy with a plane before. Who did?
“Thanks,” I said.
The captain came out of the cockpit. “If you’ll take your seats, we’re about to take off.”
“Thanks, Tom,” Aidan said.
I found a seat in the middle and sank into it. I stifled a moan. It was so dang comfortable. After fighting the demon and then immediately dealing with Aidan, I’d been too distracted to realize how much my whole body hurt. Especially my leg.
“You all right?” Aidan asked as he took the seat next to me. The plane rumbled as it taxied down the runway. He was close enough to me that I could smell the fresh forest scent of him. Most shifters had a slightly musky scent. Not bad, just animalistic. But he didn’t. Because he was the Origin, maybe.
“I’m fine,” I said. “Just bruised up my leg pretty bad in the temple. I heal quickly, though.”
“I’ve got some healing ability if you want me to give it some help.”
I glanced up into his dark gaze. My breath caught. Healing meant touching. Not a lot, but any kind of touching with a guy like Aidan…
“Uhhh….” Wow, I was great with words.
CHAPTER FIVE
“It’s no problem,” he said. “It’ll only take a moment.”
It was a bad idea, but I couldn’t help myself. The plane was now ascending into the sky, and it felt like I was leaving the real world behind. “Okay. It’s my leg. Left shin.”
I held my breath as he laid his big palm against my leg. Even through my tall boots, I could feel the heat of him. Worse, I could feel his magic. I thought just standing near him was sensory overload? Though his hand stayed still, his magic caressed me, starting at my leg and working its way up. It felt amazing—comforting and tingly at the same time. About the best thing I’d ever felt.
I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing. I did not want him to know how much I liked this. If he moved his hand up my leg, I wasn’t entirely certain I would stop him. Normally I was great at shutting down guys who got handsy. But Aidan was different.
I liked him. I even liked that he was a little bit dangerous. Which definitely meant I needed to set up an appointment with a shrink. But for now, trapped in this plane, I just wanted to focus on how good this felt.
Too soon, he removed his hand. Disappointment surged through me. But as my mind cleared, relief came. Touching Aidan had been a bad idea. Something so little had clouded my mind. That was way too risky. I needed to stay sharp. Keep my guard up. I tried to shake the memory of his touch away and moved my leg.
Good as new.
“Thanks,” I said.
That was my cue. I liked him. Too much, and I had to get out of here.
“I’m going to hit the hay.” I stood and eyed the couch at the back of the plane. It looked divine. Squishy and soft. “Is there a blanket for that couch?”
“Take the bed,” he said. “The door in the back leads to a bedroom.”
“Is there only one bedroom?”
“Yes, but I’ll take the couch.”
I eyed his tall frame. “You’re not exactly going to fit on it.”
“I’ll manage. Take the bed.”
I was so tired, and I really wanted some space to myself. A door between me and Aidan would help me get my head on straight.
“Okay, thanks.” I grabbed my bag and headed to the back.
The gleaming wooden door opened to reveal a luxurious bedroom suite. It was modern and sleek, but the bed looked like heaven. I passed out in seconds; the last thought in my head was of Aidan’s hand on my leg.
I got lucky. If I dreamed of Aidan, I didn’t remember it by the time I woke. The jolt of the plane touching down on the runway jerked me from sleep. I scrambled out of bed and threw on fresh clothes. Just a change of underwear and shirt. My jeans were fine. I usually wore them till they were destroyed anyway. Laundry was lame.
When I entered the main cabin, the exterior door was open, and a fresh breeze blew inside.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Aidan said. He stood in the small kitchenette, looking refreshed and way too handsome after sleeping on that tiny couch all night. “I made some coffee to go. Want some?”
“Sure.”
“A lot of cream, right?”
“How’d you know?” I didn’t like him knowing things about me. Even innocuous things like this.
“You ordered a latte last night, so you like wimpy coffee.”
And he was observant. Dangerous. “Wimpy coffee? I suppose you drink yours black?”
“Black as my heart.”
I laughed. I didn’t trust him. But I liked him. “You got a muffin to go with that?”
“Blueberry or bran? There’s a basket here with both.”
“Bran. It sounds healthy, but tastes delicious.”
He pulled one out of the basket and handed it to me along with my coffee.
“Ready?” he asked. “There’s a car waiting. We can head to the coast now. I’ve got a boat on stand-by.”