Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
For some reason, she looked him over closely before asking in accented English, “Are you Salem Hunter?”
“Uhh…yes, I am.” The hell?
“Your seat has been upgraded to first class.”
Salem stared at her for a full second, not quite registering. First class? Salem had settled for economy, not willing to spend the extra money. Oh, maybe Sam had done this for him. He’d married into a filthy rich family, after all; a few hundred dollars wouldn’t faze him much. That was sweet of him.
“Sounds great.” It honestly did. Not having his kneecaps pressed up against the seat in front of him for hours sounded lovely. Salem would take first class any day.
She escorted him to the second row, window seat, which was his preference. Salem stowed his bag overhead, only taking his Kindle out, and settled in with a sigh of decadent pleasure. He could stretch his legs. He had actual elbow room. Oh my god, this was awesome. Also terrible, because with this knowledge, how was Salem ever supposed to convince himself back into economy seats? Salem didn’t see it going over well with future him.
He really owed Sam a hearty thank-you for upgrading him.
Someone plopped into the seat next to him. Salem looked up automatically to track who it was and just about came out of his chair.
“Gregori!” Salem hissed, shock crashing through him in waves. “The hell are you doing?!”
The rat bastard grinned at him like his reaction was funny. “I was going to fly myself up, but I thought it might scare the pilot, so I did this instead. This is better, right?”
Salem knew Gregori was speaking English, but he still wasn’t making any sense. “What do you mean you were going to fly up?”
Gregori’s brows twitched into an almost frown. Like he was confused by Salem’s confusion. “You didn’t think I had just let you go?”
“Uhhh…I said no. An emphatic no. So yes?”
“I’m all for consent. For the record. But I finally found you after waiting for centuries. I can’t accept a no.”
Salem slumped in his chair. First class no longer appealed. Its appeal had flown right out the still-open door, in fact. “You’re the one who upgraded my seat, aren’t you?”
“I am, yes. I wanted you to be comfortable on the flight. Besides, I don’t fit in economy.”
Salem could believe it. Gregori had the stereotypical build of a dragon with long legs. Trying to cram him into an economy seat would be akin to squeezing more sardines into a can.
“Gregori. What can I say to get it through to you? I am absolutely not going to be your mate.”
Gregori smiled—the boyish grin he’d used to charm Salem into taking him to bed to begin with—like Salem had said something funny. “Not a blessed thing.”
Kinda figured.
The captain spoke in Portuguese over the speakers, and while Salem didn’t speak anything of the language, he could decipher it well enough. Everyone had boarded, please fasten your seat belt, yadda yadda. Salem glumly buckled up. This flight was going to be awkward as hell.
Gregori also buckled up, but his attention was on Salem. “Explain to me why you fight this idea.”
Salem side-eyed him. It didn’t sound like he was trying to provoke him. More like he wanted to honestly understand. All right, fine, he’d play along.
“I’ve already told you, I’m not going to throw my life topsy-turvy for a guy.” Salem made his tone firm. Unwavering. No arguments allowed here, bucko.
The confused frown was back on Gregori’s face. “I already told you, as well, I would not demand you do so. Has someone tried to before?”
“Eh…once. It was a disaster, and I’m not going into it. My point is, I have a life. I’m not throwing it all aside to move to Brazil.”
“That’s fine, it’s why I’m coming with you.”
Salem looked at this man and, for the first time in a long while, felt the urge to violence. Gregori really wasn’t backing down an inch. “You seriously think it’s a good idea to live with me?”
Gregori blinked like he’d said something so far out of left field, he actually had to think about it. “You’re my mate, so where else would I be?”
“Ha, you’ve clearly never lived with me, so you don’t know better. I’m horrible to live with. The only people who have put up with me long term are family, and even they don’t choose to do it now I’m an adult.”
“I think you are making yourself out to be a villain, and you are not.”
“I promise you, this is reality. Especially with my career and its demanding hours, I do not make for a pleasant roommate.”
“You are a doctor, yes?”
“Yeah. Pediatric surgeon. Which means I also have crazy student loans to somehow pay off. My schedule’s insane, I work long hours, and I’m often deadbeat tired the second I get home. I’m really not great dating material.”