Arrogant Savior
Terri E. Laine
First Edition
Copyright 2020 Terri E. Laine
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used factiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. The scanning, uploading and distribution of the book via the Internet or via any other means without permission is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support for the author’s rights is appreciated. For information address to SDTEL Books.
Michele @ Michele Catalano Creative - cover design
RafaGCatala - cover picture
Author’s Note
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
Cocky Hero World
Thank You
If you loved this book…
Acknowledgments
about this author
Also by Terri E. Laine
One
Jolene
All of my concentration went into putting one foot in front of the other as tears streamed down my face.
The news that my beloved grandmother was in the hospital and could die had me on shaky legs. Add to that a major weather system was causing havoc in the Northeast, and most flights to New York were grounded.
Thankfully, my father, who hadn’t been around much of my life, stepped in and got me a seat on a chartered flight.
Unfortunately, the red gauzy cover-up I wore would do nothing against the harsh elements of a New York winter, but I hadn’t been given much time to pack to make this flight. The pilot had insisted on leaving immediately to have a chance of beating the storm that was set to batter the Northeastern Coast.
“You know we’re going to New York, right?”
I glanced up from my position at the top of the stairs that led into the well-worn cabin of the plane. Storm gray eyes held my gaze from a face that could grace any cover and looked way too young to be flying this plane. Yet, the uniform he wore was clearly intended for someone sitting in the pilot’s seat.
“I do. I didn’t have time to pack,” I admitted.
His barely contained scowl deepened as his eyes dropped down and back up again.
“Too busy shopping, I’m sure,” he said before muttering, “Rich girls.”
“What?” I spat. “For your information, you didn’t give me a lot of time and I have to see my grandmother.”
He had no idea of my circumstance. I wasn’t rich despite my father’s bank account. I was more like the dirty secret he kept well-hidden away. If my father’s mother hadn’t asked for me, I wouldn’t be on this plane.
“Whatever, Little Red Riding Hood. If we don’t leave now, we won’t make it. As it stands, chances aren’t good.”
I stood my ground.
“The question is, if you’re that good. You don’t look old enough to buy alcohol. Why should I put my life in your hands?”
He shrugged, saying, “Your choice,” before turning to leave me standing just outside the plane’s door. He had to duck, as the height of the plane didn’t suit his frame.
“Wait. Don’t you have other passengers?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “What? Rich girls like you aren’t used to flying solo? Do you need an entourage?”
“It’s not like that…” I trailed off, not understanding. My father wasn’t known for his generosity. Not when it came to me. “Christian—” I began using my father’s first name.
“Look, if you want to make it to Grandma’s, you’re going to need to strap in. I’ve got many things to do.”
I stepped inside. The leather seats looked well-loved and were still like butter when I strapped myself in the right forward-facing seat. There were four seats behind that, club style, but there was no one with me.
A guy with a yellow vest and clipboard strode in and followed the pilot, who hadn’t given me his name, into the cockpit.
As a flight attendant, I knew the drill. I probably could have helped, but FAA rules didn’t permit such thing, as I wasn’t on the manifest as an attendant but a passenger.
When the yellow vest guy walked out, the pilot was on his heels, bent down, as he couldn’t stand completely upright. As soon as vest guy left, the pilot turned to me.
“Last chance. Are we going?” he asked.
I nodded and he pulled closed the door.
“No flight attendant?” I asked out of curiosity.
He turned, annoyance radiating off of him. “Sorry, Your Highness. It’s just you and me. You’re going to have to get your own drinks.”
Before I could answer, his eyes dropped to my bag and I sighed. I’d forgotten to stow it.
He marched over and snagged it from the floor. “Let me take care of that,” he said with a mocking smile and false cheer.
He walked it over to a small closet located near the door and tossed it in all while watching me.
I would have apologized if not for his complete arrogance. He assumed he knew me and probably wouldn’t care if I told him the truth. I didn’t bother, just rolled my eyes, wanting this flight to be over as soon as possible.
“I should probably go over the safety rules, but my guess is you know the drill. This is a Cessna Citation V. There is the exit there.” He pointed at the door I’d entered. “The rest I’m sure you’re familiar with. Stay seated and buckled unless I tell you otherwise.”
His eyes slid down my body, which wasn’t exactly hidden underneath the dress, which doubled as a coverall for the swimsuit I wore.
I should have been put off, but fire burned a path of his perusal of my body to where it stopped at the juncture between my legs after coming back from the length of my legs.
“I hope you brought something else to wear,” he said, a sneer on his face.
And that broke the spell.
“Don’t worry about what I’m wearing,” I said, chin lifted high.
“I’m not.”
He spun around, although a bit awkwardly, as he was hunched so his head didn’t bump the ceiling.
I couldn’t help the snicker that escaped me. He stilled but didn’t turn. A second later, he closed himself into
the cockpit, leaving me alone.
Forget about him, Jolene, I told myself. Remember what happened the last time you fell for a pilot.
Carter, “Tripp” as he was often called, Clynes had broken my heart into a thousand pieces and I would be damned if I let that happen again. Besides, this asshole had no interest in me. Not really. He liked what he saw. That much was obvious. But like all the other men—those who constantly hit on me and thought of me as some sort of slut—he didn’t really know me at all.
Two
Grant
Rich girls thought they owned the world. I was looking forward to the day I didn’t fly another one on a spur-of-the-moment trip.
This one claimed to be going to see her grandmother. More than likely she needed more money to shop or travel or cement her claim on some inheritance. Whatever this was, this was the last time no matter how much my father begged me.
Monday wouldn’t come soon enough. My dream of flying the friendly skies on a Boeing 787 were coming.
My phone rang. I pressed the speaker. “Dad.”
“Is she on board?” he asked.
“You realize I’m not supposed to be talking on the phone.”
“But you are. You haven’t left yet.”
“No. Waiting on clearance, which could happen at any moment.”
“So she’s on board?”
“Yes. Jolene Jameson is stowed in the back.”
“Good. Get her to New York.”
“You realize I might not make it. If that storm gains momentum—”
“Get her there. We need this client.”
“Dad, you need him. I’m done after this. We’ve talked about it. Besides, he owns a fleet of airlines. He’s never going to use you outside of the odd job.”
“And you’re going to work for him,” he retorted.
“This was never my dream and you know it,” I said.
“You wouldn’t have this job if you hadn’t hooked up with his daughter.”
I didn’t bother to correct him for how he saw my relationship with her. He saw things his own way. Besides, explaining what happened between us couldn’t be done in the short time I had before takeoff.
I gritted my teeth and instead gave him the short version. “We’re friends.”
She’d become a little too clingy even after I’d made it clear where we stood. Still, she’d offered to get me the interview.
“Whatever. Get Jameson to New York,” he commanded.
While I should have hung up, curiosity made me ask. “Who is she to him?”
She being Jolene.
“Does it matter? He paid for the trip.”
Disgust filled me as I realized she was likely his mistress. What some women did for money. I shook my head. “I have to go.”
The tower was radioing me. I hung up and settled in. The first seven minutes of the flight were always a rush. It was one of the most adrenaline pushing times. Most planes that failed did so at takeoff or landing.
I pushed the leggy brunette from my thoughts. She was a stunner, especially in that red see-through number with a swimsuit underneath. The spiky flesh-colored heels with matching red bottoms made her legs appear like they went on for days. It was like she walked off the beach and decided to go to New York where a massive snowstorm was on the way. I shouldn’t care she wasn’t dressed for the weather. Likely whoever picked her up would have a wardrobe waiting for her.
As I taxied to the runway, I cleared my thoughts. Though my dick wasn’t in agreement. It had risen to the occasion imagining her straddling me on this very seat and showing me just how grateful she was that I was taking her to see Grandma.
Picturing a little gray-haired woman was all it took for me to get my thoughts on track as I lined up on the runway.
“Alfa Romeo Tango Zulu. You are cleared for takeoff,” came through my headset.
And so it began. I pushed up on the throttle. The speed increased, as did my excitement, and what I loved about flying began.
When I hit our cruising altitude, I flipped the switch so I could speak to my passenger.
“You are now free to move about the cabin. When seated, please keep your seat belt fastened for any unexpected turbulence.”
I smiled at myself, wondering if that’s what I’d say when I captained my first flight for Skyland Airlines in a Boeing 787 or an Airbus A330.
The plane I flew now was fine and allowed me to fly solo under the exemption granted by the FAA based on my current pilot rating. But my dream was always bigger than private jets.
I’d wanted to laugh in her face at her comment that I was young. She had no idea how long I’d been flying. I’d flown small aircrafts with my father since I was a kid, sitting in the co-pilot’s seat as Dad taught me to fly. Of course, I hadn’t actually flown in the role of captain or alone until I was legally old enough to do so.
Thinking about her reminded me of my duties. I turned on the autopilot and unstrapped myself before getting up. This might be my last private flight for a long time if I could help it, I didn’t want my father’s business to go under. It was best to make nice to the client, or rather his well-taken care of mistress, as the man in question was according to the headlines happily married for over thirty years.
I opened the door and came to a sudden stop. Jolene’s back was to me and her well-shaped ass was high in the air as she bent to shrug jeans on. Instantly, I was hard whether I wanted to be or not.
She stilled about the same time I did, probably having heard the door open. Very slowly, she stood as much as she could with the low ceiling. Gone was the red number that had a hood, reminding me of the classic Little Red Riding Hood outfit. She continued pulling up her jeans to cover that toned ass before turning to face me.
A red single-piece swimsuit that barely contained her generous breasts greeted me before she zipped up curve-clinging jeans.
“Are you just going to stare?” she asked, aiming dagger-filled eyes at me.
“You can’t wear that and expect a guy not to look.”
“Are you slut-shaming me?”
“No,” I said. “But you didn’t wear that and expect not to be noticed.”
I should have said nothing. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t as the saying went.
“I’m allowed to wear what I want.”
“You are. Just as you know how beautiful you are and what wearing that will do to the average guy.” I held up my hands. “Just saying.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re a pig.”
“I’m a guy with a healthy sex life. If you don’t want a guy like me to wonder what it would be like to thrust in between those thighs of yours, don’t come out of your house at all.”
Her jaw dropped and I realized I’d fucked up because she was a client.
“I’m allowed my thoughts. As long as I don’t act on them, I haven’t crossed a line,” I said.
“Well, keep your thoughts to yourself.”
I held up my hands to make peace. “Look. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I came out here to make sure you had everything you needed.”
She rolled her soft looking bottom lip in her mouth to bite on it as if in thought. I resisted the urge to groan. She’s sexy as fuck, but she’s the client, I reminded myself yet again.
“Just point me in the right direction and you go back to flying the airplane,” she said. Her eyes darted to the open door and out the front window.
I chuckled. “You’re fine. I’ve been doing this for a while.” I pointed to the cabinet above the one I’d tossed her bag in. “Drinks and snacks are in here. Sorry, nothing more, as this was a last-minute booking.” I glanced at my watch. “We have less than three hours flying time if all goes well.”
She nodded. “And all will go well?”
Her hopefulness almost allowed me to humanize her, unlike the spoiled rich I usually flew around.
“If we stay ahead of the storm.” Fear crossed her pretty face and I held a hand up. “Don’t worry. I
have an alternate flight plan if the weather pattern changes.”
We stood there for a second longer until I finally turned and went back into the cockpit, closing the door behind me.
She may have been a stunner, but was either rich or taken care of. Neither was my type, I told myself. I’d made that mistake before; I wouldn’t again.
I closed out visions of her bending over and willed myself not to wonder what it would be like to slide my cock deep inside her.
Three
Jolene
The arrogant… jerkface… egotistical man. The nerve of him. I couldn’t believe what he’d said.
Though I had to admit his honesty was refreshing. Okay, the truth was he was crazy hot and my insides went all gooey at the thought of his big hands on me.
Gah… Why was I thinking this way? He was scum. Sexy scum, but scum all the same.
He probably thought he was God’s gift to women. And with a body and face like his, he was close to correct.
What was I thinking? I pulled my bag from the cabinet he’d tossed it in and got out my laptop. Maybe writing a blog post about this misadventure would clear my thoughts about what it would be like to do the horizonal naked thing with the man.
I’m not dating the pilot. I’m not sleeping with the pilot, I told myself over and over again.
Instead, I typed… How to deal with an arrogant pilot? My adventures with the big bad wolf on the way to Grandma’s house.
Arrogant Savior: A Hero Club Novel Page 1
