Chapter 57: Airport
Nora felt that her IQ had dropped considerably in the last few weeks. She’d never been a very bright bulb to begin with, but now it was going down further and further. Why did she assume that she would know their destination when they reached the airport? She knew Demetri was super-rich, so she should have remembered that he would not travel on a commercial airliner.
The early morning sun bathed the airport tarmac in a warm golden glow, and Nora was momentarily distracted by the sight of the gleaming aircraft with the Frost Long etched on its tail. The sleek, silver plane gleamed like the symbol of luxury and privilege that it was. She noticed a few people standing at the bottom and thought that they were the flight crew. She, who had never been on an airplane before, felt that this was an entirely different world.
As distracted as she was, she stumbled slightly, her heel catching on something, making her lose her footing. Her heart raced as she felt herself teetering off balance, but before she could fall, a strong hand shot out and gripped her arm, steadying her.
Demetri’s quick reflexes prevented her from taking an embarrassing tumble, and she quickly smiled at him with a murmur of gratitude.
His hand let go of her and moved to her lower back as if it were the most natural thing in the world. For a brief, heart-pounding second, Nora was acutely aware of his touch through the thin fabric of her t-shirt. Her skin tingled where his fingers rested, and she couldn’t help but tremble ever so slightly.
Acutely self-conscious, she looked at him from under her lashes, still finding it difficult to see him in his casual attire. Demetri had abandoned his usual impeccably tailored suits in favor of a simple, dark button-down shirt and neatly pressed trousers. Far from making him look ordinary, they seemed to amplify his charm. She blinked, trying to shake off the unbidden thoughts, but they lingered.
Demetri guided her up the remaining steps and onto the private jet while the flight crew offered welcoming smiles. Nora quickly took a seat, trying to make herself as small as possible. She was not used to this kind of fawning attention.
As they sat, an older man approached them. "Good evening, Sir. Good evening, ma’am. I am Rowlins, your host for today and the First Officer for this jet. We are ready to fly out. The flight plan has been logged and approved. And Passport control is on alert."
They were flying out of the country in a private jet? Why hadn’t she realized that this might be the case, Nora questioned herself. However, she quickly consoled herself that she was being ridiculous. After all, she was not used to people whose lifestyle included private jets.