Page 98 of Sins of Innocence

But finally, I get to return to my new family.

Chapter twenty

First Class Family

ÁINE

Ihave never been on a private jet before.

I have never even been in the first class cabin of a commercial flight. The closest I got was a peek through the curtain separating the haves from the have-nots on a flight to Florida for my honeymoon with Troy.

He'd booked economy. Because his money was always better spent on things people could see, not experiences that disappeared when you landed.

I shove that thought aside before it can sour the expression on my face and find a smile for Joy, who is currently spinning in a dizzying circle, taking everything in with exclamations of delight. "There's chairs and tables! And a couch! Mom, there's a couch!"

Losing every bit of memory fed sourness, my smile turns indulgent. "I see that."

She stops suddenly and stares at first me and then Kieran. "It's like a flying living room!" Her head jerks one way and then the other. "And a kitchen. Only there's no kettle for gran's tea."

"There is in fact a kettle in the galley." Ellie slides past me to sit down in one of the window seats facing a table.

"What's a galley?" Joy asks, eyes wide.

"It's a kitchen on a plane or a boat," mom answers. "And if this one has a kettle for my tea, it's got my approval."

The plane cabin is full-on luxury with cream leather captain style seats sitting side by side, facing another set across glossy tables on both sides of the aisle. The sofa that has so enthralled Joy is along one wall between the grouped seating and the galley.

To the left of the galley is a short hall that has two doors off of it. A bathroom and…a bedroom?

I am absolutely not thinking about that door and what it implies about overnight flights.

"Are you rich?" Joy asks Kieran bluntly.

"Joy!" I admonish, but mom hushes me.

The woman who would usually reproach my daughter for being rude right along with me is too curious herself. Mom's eyes narrow on Kieran, making it clear she wants an answer.

"Yes. The boss could own his own private jet if he wanted. Although it would more likely be a G200 rather than a G700 like this one," Ellie doesn't hesitate to answer.

"Really?" Neeve pushes her glasses up her nose and stares at Kieran.

He shrugs. "Sure."

"Sure, he says. Like buying a jet is no big deal." Mom shakes her head.

"Whatever we need," Kieran replies.

Which could be taken so many ways, but from the awestruck, hero worshipping looks on my girls' faces, they're taking it to mean he'd buy a jet if we needed one.

Considering the fact he rented this one so we could all fly together in what he considers safety, I'm not sure they're wrong.

"Just you don't go thinking you can buy my girl's affection," mom warns him.

I don't hear Kieran's answer—darn it—because the girls erupt into a flurry of activity and questions as they swarm the plane cabin, investigating.

"Can I sit by the window?" Neeve asks when her curiosity is satisfied.

"Sure," Kieran says again, his big hand warm at the small of my back.