and his eyes were shut. He could not only smell her aroma, which would stay with him the rest of his life, but he could feel her.
“How did I get back there?” she asked, as she took her seat across from him.
“I carried you, you were out cold,” he replied without looking up.
“Oh, uh, thanks,” she mumbled. The flight attendant walked in, breaking up the awkward silence.
“Would you both like some breakfast?” she asked.
“That would be great,” Trenton said. Jennifer was starving and glad he’d said yes.
“What would you like to drink?”
“I would love some coffee, extra sweet and also a big glass of milk,” Jennifer said.
“Black coffee,” Trenton added and then the flight attendant left to get their orders. She returned quickly with their drinks and some pastries, which Jennifer gulped down. Trenton watched her with a smile on his face.
“We have a few days before the meetings will start. We purchased some land over there about a year ago and are developing a new resort. Everything was fine until about a week ago, when some companies threw a few last minute wrenches in the works, trying to say there are environmental factors to consider. We did our research long before we ever bought the land and it’s all smoke screens from people trying to get more money out of us. This could take a while, but I have a feeling it will be solved quickly,” Trenton informed her.
Jennifer felt a shudder travel down her spine at the look in his eyes. She wouldn’t want to be his enemy, or on the wrong side of a business deal with him. He hadn’t become the corporate shark he was by backing down. She didn’t know what to say, as she didn’t even really know how she’d gotten the job in the first place. She was greatly lacking in the coldness factor required for her type of position. She couldn’t bluff her way out of anything - she’d end up losing a company millions by caving in on issues.
“So what are we going to do?” she finally asked.
“We’re going to meet with my attorneys, who have been working on this non-stop and then put the plan I’ve created into effect. I’ve been going over the complaints all week and there are many holes in the claims and we should be able to come to a mutual agreement,” he told her matter-of-factly. He didn’t seem to be in the least concerned.
“Why did you need me to come?”
“There’s a lot of work to do, Jennifer. You were told there was a lot of travel involved when you were interviewed,” he reminded her.
“I know,” she snapped. Luckily, the flight attendant appeared with the rest of their breakfast so she was able to break the glare he sent her way. He may be her boss and she may have a horrible crush on him, but he’d soon find she wasn’t easily walked on.
They finished their meal and before long the captain was announcing they’d be landing soon. Jennifer hated landing worse than taking off. It was especially bad when the aircraft bounced on the runway.
She gripped the armrest on her seat and started panting. She was fighting to not panic when Trenton moved seats to the one right next to her. He didn’t say a word, but his hand gripped hers and she felt the panic ebbing and she could breathe again.
It amazed her how the simple gesture was able to comfort her so much. She didn’t take her hand away, or even acknowledge it was there. She simply let the touch relax her. The jet touched down more smoothly than she’d ever experienced before, and she let go of the breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding.
“You have nothing to worry about, you know,” Trenton said with a chuckle and she looked at him with surprise. She’d forgotten he was there for a moment.
“I know a person is far more likely to die in a car crash than an aircraft accident, but there’s something terrifying about being so high up in the air in something weighing so much,” she said with a self-depreciating smile.
“There are many people afraid of