Chapter 296
**Tom**
I watched Sara fidget near the jet, clearly uncomfortable with all the wealth on display. Her awkwardness was adorable - like she thought someone might kick her off the private airstrip for not having a platinum credit card in her pocket.
The crew loaded my bags with practiced efficiency. I'd made this trip dozens of times, but something felt different now. The thought of leaving Sara behind for a week twisted my stomach into knots.
"You're sure you don't want to come?" I pulled her close, breathing in her familiar scent. "Plenty of room in first class. Well, only class, technically."
"Some of us have actual jobs to go to. We can't all jet off to Australia on a whim."
"I could buy the company." The words slipped out before I could stop them. The sad part? I meant it.
She burst out laughing. "Oh my god, you're ridiculous."
"What? It's a viable solution." And it was. One phone call and Westbridge Capital would be mine by morning.
"Normal people don't buy entire companies just to get their girlf- just to get someone time off work."
My heart skipped at her near-slip. "Their what now?"
"Shut up." She buried her face in my chest, but I caught her blush.
"Do I?" I settled my hands on her waist, loving how perfectly she fit against me. "Because it sounded like-"
"Mr. Blackwood?" Joseph, our head flight attendant, approached. "We're ready for takeoff."
I fought back a groan. "Give me a minute."
"Of course, sir." He retreated with a knowing smile.
"So." I traced her jawline with my thumb. "About that girlfriend comment..."
"Shouldn't you be boarding? Important business meetings and all that?"
"It's my plane. It leaves when I say it leaves."
"Abuse of power much?"
"Just efficient use of resources." I grinned. "We could resolve this girlfriend situation right now-"
"Go!" She pushed me toward the jet, but her hands lingered on my chest. "Before I change my mind about letting you leave at all."
"Letting me?" I raised my eyebrows. "I thought you couldn't wait to have the bed to yourself?"
"Changed my mind. Your fancy coffee machine isn't worth the hassle of missing you."
My heart melted. "I'll miss you too."
"I didn't say that."
"Didn't have to." I kissed her, slow and deep, savoring the way she melted against me. Her fingers curled into my shirt as I pulled her closer, memorizing the feel of her lips against mine.
The subtle scent of her perfume, the warmth of her body pressed to mine, the little sigh she made when I deepened the kiss - I wanted to remember every detail. My hand found its way to the small of her back, drawing her even nearer, while my other hand tangled in her soft hair. I could feel her heart racing against my chest, matching my own quickened pulse.
Joseph cleared his throat again. "Mr. Blackwood, the weather report..."
I broke away reluctantly. "I'm coming." I pressed one last kiss to her forehead. "Try not to throw too many wild parties while I'm gone."
"No promises." She wrapped her arms around herself, and I fought the urge to cancel the whole trip.
I walked backward toward the jet, unwilling to look away. "You could still come with me. I'll buy you an entire wardrobe when we land."
"Goodbye, Tom."
"Think about it!"
Finally, turning away felt like physical pain. I jogged up the steps, and my mind was already planning ways to cut this trip short. The familiar leather seat welcomed me, but it felt emptier somehow. Through the window, I spotted Sara still standing there, arms crossed against the evening chill.
I pressed my hand to the glass like some lovesick teenager. To my delight, she rolled her eyes but blew a kiss anyway. God, I was in trouble.
"All systems ready for takeoff, Mr. Blackwood." Joseph's voice broke through my thoughts.
"Right. Yes. Let's go."
The engines rumbled to life. I watched Sara back away to a safe distance, her hair whipping in the jet wash. Even from here, I could see her trying not to look impressed by the whole private jet thing. It was adorable.
As we lifted off, I kept my eyes locked on her until she became nothing but a tiny dot below. The familiar excitement of takeoff felt different this time - more like leaving something behind than heading toward something new.
"Whiskey, sir?" Joseph appeared with a crystal tumbler.
"Make it a double."
"Missing her already?"
I shot him a look. Joseph had been flying with us since I was in college. Sometimes, I forgot how well he knew me.
"That obvious?"
"In fifteen years, I've never seen you watch the ground during takeoff." He set down my drink with a knowing smile. "Usually, you're buried in work papers before we clear the runway."
I grabbed my phone, pulling up the last photo I'd taken of Sara. She'd been laughing at something ridiculous I'd said, her nose scrunched up in that way that made my chest tight.
I sank deeper into my seat, sipping the whiskey. Fifteen hours to Sydney. Already too long.
The amber liquid burned pleasantly but did nothing to fill the Sara-shaped void next to me. My mind wandered to how different this flight could've been with her here. She'd probably be curled up in the seat beside me, pretending not to be impressed by the hand-stitched Italian leather while secretly running her fingers over it when she thought I wasn't looking.
I smirked, imagining her reaction to the bed in the private cabin. "Really? A bed on a plane? That's just showing off." But she'd end up sprawled across it anyway, probably stealing all the pillows like she did at my apartment.
I caught myself grinning at the thought of Sara's imagined reactions. She'd probably spend the first hour pretending the luxury didn't affect her, then cave and start exploring every cabinet and compartment like a kid at Christmas.
The bed would've been perfect for her - she always complained about not being able to sleep on planes. Though knowing Sara, she'd make some snarky comment about rich people and their excessive lifestyles before passing out on the Egyptian cotton sheets.
My smile faded. She could've been here, curled up next to me if the timing had been different. But she'd just started at Westbridge, and asking her to take time off this early would've been selfish. Even if I could've arranged it with a few phone calls, Sara would've hated that. She was determined to make it on her own merit.
It was one of the things I loved about her - wait. Love?
I downed the rest of my whiskey, trying to drown that particular thought. Too soon for that word, even in my head. Way too soon.
The cabin lights dimmed as we reached cruising altitude. Fifteen hours stretched ahead of me like a desert. I should've been reviewing contracts or reading market reports. Instead, I found myself wondering what Sara was doing. Probably at Jessica's, planning some ridiculous scheme or another. Those three were dangerous together.
I dozed off somewhere over the Pacific, dreaming of Sara stealing my pillows and complaining about thread counts.
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