One Night with the CEO by Mia Sosa Read Free Book Online Page A

her suitcase down the aisle, she mentally practiced what she would say to Mark about upgrading her seat to first-class.
    Thank you, but you didn’t have to do that. No, what would be the point of stating the obvious? Of course he didn’t have to do it. He’d chosen to do it. Probably on a whim.
    Thank you, that was really sweet of you. No, that would sound desperate, like she was attaching more significance to the gesture than was warranted. The man had the money to pay for the upgrade, or a bajillion frequent flyer miles to cover it. Surely the upgrade wasn’t a big deal to him.
    Thank you, I’ve never sat in first-class before. If she needed a neon sign to highlight her lack of sophistication, telling him she was a first-class cabin virgin would do rather nicely. Uh, definitely a no.
    So she settled on thank you . And when she drew back the curtain, Mark rose from his seat and reached for her carry-on. His smile could not have been more appealing.
    “Let me help you with that,” he said.
    “Sure, thanks. Listen, about the upgrade, I appreciate it. You didn’t have to do it, of course.” She crossed her eyes. “I mean, I know you didn’t have to do it, and that was really sweet of you. But maybe not such a big deal, right? What, with all your frequent flyer miles. Still, that was a nice thing to do. Not that I’m reading anything into it. Yeah, that wouldn’t make sense.” She gave a weak laugh. “I’ve never been in first-class before.” Why the hell were her ears burning all of a sudden? She clapped her hands together like a seal, hoping to snap herself out of her mental runs. “Should be an experience.” And as if that stunning soliloquy were not enough, she ended it with a sigh that came out as a horrendous wheezing sound.
    Good Lord, she needed a muzzle.
    Saving Karen from further embarrassment, the flight attendant tapped Mark on his shoulder. “We’ll need you both in your seats, please. The plane will be ready to leave the gate soon.”
    Karen whipped her head around and searched for her seat. Mimi had already finagled a spot next to the Marine, after asking his original seatmate to switch places.
    Because they’d all apparently decided to play musical chairs, Mark’s seatmate rose. “Since you guys know each other, I’ll move. That way you can sit together.”
    Karen glanced at Mark in time to see the tic in his jaw. Well, he might not appreciate the opportunity for them to sit next to each other, but she’d take it anyway, because the alternative was to sit next to the creepy dude in 3B. “That would be great,” she said to the Suit. “I really appreciate that. He’s the best man at my sister’s wedding, so we can chat about the toasts and stuff.”
    Mark nodded. “Right. And stuff. ”
    “Okay if I take the window seat?”
    Mark hesitated. “Sure.”
    “Great.”
    She took a gingerly step around Mark and scanned her upgraded accommodations. Very nice. Big, comfy seats made of buttery gray leather. Tray tables trimmed in wood paneling. And flight attendants who rushed to bring the passengers drinks even before takeoff. Oh, and the airline spared first-class passengers the risks of injury associated with maneuvering around a pesky beverage cart to get to the restroom.
    She wiggled her butt on the padded chair and stuffed her purse under the seat. A side-eyed glance revealed that Mark was tapping his fingers on his tray table.
    “I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m sure I’ll be out within minutes.” She stretched her arms and yawned. “You won’t even know I’m here.”
    Mark sighed. “Somehow I doubt that very much.”

CHAPTER SIX
    M ark watched Karen as she made her way to the plane’s restroom. He wanted to block her image from his vision, but the sway of her hips pulled him in. Just before she disappeared through the tiny door, he realized what he was doing: moving his head from side to side, too—in perfect rhythm with her steps.
    His reprieve from being tortured