Because He Plays Me (Because He Owns Me, Book Seven) by Hannah Ford Page A

He’d said there was a bedroom on the plane. This was, after all, why I was with him this weekend. He ran his thumb over the inside of my wrist, then let my hand go.
    “I’ve got some business to attend to. Feel free to explore, or eat more or even rest if you’d like,” Madden said.
    I sat down on the couch across from where he sat with his laptop open. Sunlight streamed through the window and he seemed to glow. I chuckled to myself and it hit me just how tired I was. Maybe just a small nap, just a few minutes.
    My eyes fluttered momentarily closed, and then I was startled into alertness by a loud female voice.
    “Ms. Kinsey. I need you to take your seat please. We’re getting ready to land.” Gretchen gently shook me until I opened my eyes.
    “Land?” I asked, blinking. “How long was I asleep?”
    “An hour and twenty minutes to be precise,” Madden said from his seat. “Did you know you talk in your sleep?” he said, a little grin playing around his lips.
    Mortification washed over me and I dropped my head onto my hands. “I talked in my sleep? What did I say?”
    “Nothing intelligible,” Madden chuckled. “Maybe next time I’ll get the answers I was looking for.”
    “Well you’re awake now and if you would please fasten your seatbelt, we’ll see about touching down?” Gretchen asked sweetly.
    I moved over to my seat and pulled the belt around my waist. Every time I looked up, I could see the amusement on Madden’s face.
    “A gentleman would have woken me instead of letting me make a fool out of myself,” I said, tilting my chin up.
    He threw back his head and laughed. “Sweetheart, I am nowhere near a gentleman.”
    I believed it.
    Fifteen minutes later the plane rolled to a stop and Gretchen pushed open the door. Madden stood and waited for me to step in front of him before he laid his hand on my lower back again.
    “I hope you had a nice flight, Ms Kinsey,” Gretchen said with a smile.
    “Yes, thank you,” I said to her.
    Madden guided me out the door and down the steps. A sleek black SUV waited a dozen feet away. A man leaned against the side, and he pushed off as we got closer. “Morning, Sir. Do you have bags today?”
    “Yes, there are three.” The man nodded and jogged over to the plane. He came back moments later with three black bags. I didn’t see mine anywhere.
    “There’s one more,” I said.
    The man shook his head. “’Fraid that this was all there was.”
    “There were only two of us on that plane. How is it possible to lose someone’s luggage? I saw your driver carry it to…” I narrowed my eyes on Madden. “Did he take my bag to the plane?”
    “Apparently not. I’ll have to have a talk with him about that.” Except Madden looked anything but irritated. In fact, he looked quite amused.
    “Is this your way of keeping me naked all weekend?” This was just great. I had nothing with me except for what I had on. At least there wouldn't be any real guests since the place was getting remodeled.
    “I like the way you think, Ms Kinsey. Dinner may prove a bit awkward, but we are a forward thinking resort—I don’t imagine the others will take offense.” He leaned in very close. “I know I wouldn’t mind it at all.”
    I was still stuck on his other words. “People? You said the resort was undergoing remodeling.”
    “It is. We are adding a new building on the west side of the property. The rest is running as usual.”
    I looked down at my faded jeans. “I’m not leaving the room for two days.”
    His grin turned wolfish. “Fine by me.”

Chapter 3
    T he view from our room was breathtaking.
    And I had a feeling that Madden’s suite had the best of everything this place had to offer. I stepped out onto the balcony.
    “It’s beautiful,” I said, knowing that was a huge understatement.
    “That’s the idea,” Madden commented from inside the room.
    The bright blue ocean stretched as far as I could see, not a cloud in the sky. It wouldn’t surprise