Stepbrother Romance 3 - Addicted: A New Adult Alpha Billionaire Romance by Tawny Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

held my breath. The plane was zooming down the runway way too fast. What if it didn’t take off? What if something was wrong? What was I doing on a plane in the first place?
    Queued in to my terror, Kent placed his hand over mine. “It’ll be okay. Haven’t you flown before?”
    I shook my head. We hadn’t left the ground yet and already my stomach was doing loop-the-loops.
    I felt an odd sensation, that dipping feeling you have when you drive fast over a bump and the car goes air born for a second or two. And another. And yet another. Pressure pushed me down, into the seat. We were in the air. I knew it. But I couldn’t look outside. In fact, I couldn’t look anywhere. My eyes were closed and I had no intention of opening them until we landed. I couldn’t open them. Even if I wanted to…which I didn’t.
    “Easy, Shayne. The worst part’s almost over,” Kent said in a smooth and totally reassuring voice. I was not happy to be on a plane right now. Nor was I happy that Kent had arranged this without asking me first. But at the same time I was glad he was with me now because he was being incredibly understanding and sweet.
    “Thanks,” I squeaked, my eyes still clamped tight. Now I wished I’d drunk more of that champagne.
    “Can I get you anything? Drink? Food? Pillow and blanket?” When I didn’t respond, he added, “There’s a cabin in the back with a bed, if you’d like to stretch out and get comfortable.”
    “Oh, you’d love that, wouldn’t you,” I said on a hollow chuckle. “Get me drunk, toss me into a flying tin can, and then off I go, to bed with you. I have news for you, Valmont. It’s not going to be that easy.”
    “I didn’t think it would. I was just trying to make you comfortable. You look like you’re about to throw up.”
    Yep, that was about right. I was mighty glad my stomach was empty now. “I’m fine.”
    “Very well.”
    I heard a click and then felt him move away. Was he leaving  me? My eyelids snapped open.
    Yes, he was! He was walking away.
    “Where are you going?” Oh wow. So my voice was about three octaves higher than normal. That was terror, right there. Pure terror.
    He returned to his seat. “I was just going over here.” He pointed to a couch-like seating area. “Would you like to come with me?”
    “Is it safe?” I asked.
    “Of course.”
    I looked down at the seatbelt, snugged reassuringly against my pelvis. I touched the buckle. It was only a couple of strips of woven material. If we crashed, it wouldn’t do much to keep me alive. So why was it so hard to unfasten it?
    Kent pushed the button and eased the two pieces away from each other. Then he offered his hand. “I’ll help you.”
    I placed my hand in his and our gazes tangled.
    My heart jumped around in my chest. Not because I was unbuckled. But because of the expression on Kent’s handsome face.
    It was no use. There was no way I would win this bet. Absolutely none. Zip. Nada. I was cooked. If I could swoon at just a simple touch while in the midst of terror, there was no hope.
    Tempted to throw up the white flag and hurdle myself into Kent’s arms, I stood. My legs wobbled. My knees were soft, like marshmallow.
    “You’ll be more comfortable over here,” he said, gently pulling me toward the couch.
    I hoped he was right. Seven hours was a long time to feel this awful. How I wished I could blink and be there.
    Kent turned to face me, the couch behind my legs. “Have a seat. I’ll call for some drinks.”
    I plopped down. “Thanks.”
    He pushed a button on the wall and within seconds a uniformed young man was standing in front of us, eagerly awaiting our requests. Two sets of male eyes focused on me.
    “Water, please,” I said.
    Kent’s brows lifted. “Are you sure that’s all you want?”
    “No. I want a big glass of that champagne you had earlier. But I know that would be stupid. So I’ll stick with water for now.”
    “Very well,” Kent said then asked for some coffee. The