Page 22 of Billionaire's Fantasy
“Thank you for trusting me,” I finally say, my voice soft and sincere. “I appreciate it.”
I feel a small sense of relief wash over me. Maybe things aren’t as awkward between us as I thought.
“You know,” he says, turning to face me again, “I never really got to hear you talk about yourself.”
“I’d like to tell you more,” I say, smiling at him. “Maybe after horseback riding.”
There are some crinkles around his eyes when he beams at me. “Okay. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
My heartbeat stutters and I immediately realize I need to get out of this room before I do something stupid, like apologize again for the spill on his plane, or maybe, crawl on his lap and smooth out the crinkles with my lips.
Okay. I think the alcohol is getting to me.
“I should call it a night so I am well-rested for tomorrow—beauty sleep and all that.”
“You’d look beautiful either way,” he says surprising me.
Did he just—
Am I drunk?
What is happening right now?
I pass the halfway empty bottle to him and stand, “Goodnight, Jackson,” I say, not bothering to address what I assume is a hallucination I just had of him complimenting me.
“Goodnight, Amber.”
He doesn’t rise from his spot on the bed, but I can feel his eyes on me as I walk to the door, open it, and walk outside.
I have no idea what just happened, but I think something slightly shifted between me and the pilot once again.
***
As I mount my horse, I feel a little nervous, but Jackson’s reassuring presence is enough to make me feel safe. I look over and take in his scruffy outfit—a pair of faded jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a cowboy hat that’s seen better days. He looks so effortlessly cool.
I, on the other hand, am dressed in a bohemian outfit—a flowing maxi dress with embroidered details, a floppy hat to shield my face from the sun, and a pair of leather boots that go up to my knees. I feel like I’m in a movie or a dream, the scenery around us is so breathtaking.
“Wow, this is amazing,” I say as I snap a picture of the sunrise on my phone. “My followers are going to love this.”
Jackson laughs. “You’re always working, aren’t you?”
“I have to,” I reply with a smile. “It’s my job. But I’m glad I get to experience this sunrise with you.”
He smiles at me as he pulls on the reins of his horse. We ride on the beach, the sound of the horses’ hooves and the waves crashing against the shore creating a soothing rhythm. Jackson takes a few pictures of me as I ride, capturing the moment perfectly.
“This is definitely going in my vlog,” I say as we stop for a breather. “Thank you so much for being my photographer.”
Jackson grins. “Anytime. You make it easy.”
There it is again. This man is definitely flirting with me. There is no way I can be this delusional. Fighting back a blush I thank him and ask him about the whereabouts of our flight attendant.
“She came by in the morning. She is still struggling with a bit of jetlag. I don’t get how long it takes before she finally gets the hang of it all.” There is so much warmth in every comment he ever makes about Olivia. Some part of me wishes that someone talked about me so genuinely in my absence, while some part of me feels a tiny flicker of jealousy.
Olivia is absolutely stunning, and they are used to spending hours with each other. I would not be surprised at all if they were more than friends. Speaking of more than friends, I remember that I was supposed to tell him more about my life, more about Mike. Even the thought of his name made my stomach queasy.
I am still trying to figure out how best to broach the topic when a few moments later, Jackson gets off his horse and helps me to do the same.
“Cancun is breathtaking,” I whisper, taking in the beautiful scenery before us.
