LITMIR.BIZ

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moments after the plane’s engine roared to life. All she had to do was press it and she could call the whole thing off.

      The plane vibrated, then moved forward.

      Mac gripped her hands together. Whatever second thoughts she was having, she couldn’t let Sophie down. Things had gone too far.

      Leaning back in her seat, she took a deep breath and held it for the length of time that it took the plane to make its mad rush down the runway.

      There was no need to panic. Years of experience in the lab had taught her that any project became simpler and much less inhibiting if she could just break it down into steps and take them one at a time. All she had to do was view her coming fieldwork in that light. Flying down to Key West to meet Lucas was just the first step. Telling Lucas about her plan would be the next—and a big one it would be.

      The moment she felt the plane leave the ground, she let out the breath she was holding and took in another one. In her mind, she tried to picture herself taking the third step—making love to Lucas Wainright.

      Every time she let herself think about that, a very vivid image of Lucas, totally naked, filled her mind. She could almost feel what it would be like to run her hands over the smooth tanned skin on his shoulders, down his chest to his waist and below. Of course, she’d fantasized about touching a man before. And that all-day seminar had certainly given her fantasies a lot of fuel. But never before had her hands tingled with anticipation. As she glanced down at them, grasped tightly in her lap, the realization streamed through her. She wanted to touch Lucas. Not just any man. She wanted to press her fingers against his hardness, to test his strength.

      She could still recall how lean, how hard those muscles had felt through the thin cotton of his polo shirt. His whole body had been so hard. Even his hands. When she concentrated, she could still feel the pressure of each finger—on her back and, lower, on her hip. And there was that incredible stab of heat, the melting of muscle and bone.

      She was still searching for a word to describe what she’d felt. Hunger was too mild a word for that needy, restless ache that had threatened to consume her. More than anything, she’d wanted him to—

      “Ms. Wainright?”

      Mac started as the voice flowed out of the speaker. Then, unclenching her hands, she pressed the button on the armrest. “Yes?”

      “We’ve reached our cruising altitude. You can wander around the cabin or use your cell phone. Make yourself at home.”

      “Thanks.”

      Reaching into her bag, Mac took out her phone. She was about to press a button to speed-dial Sophie when she realized that it wasn’t her phone. It was the color of white mother-of-pearl. Hers was black. A quick search of her bag confirmed her suspicion. When they’d switched outfits in the back of Sophie’s shop, they’d switched the identical purses they’d bought too. After punching in her own number, she listened to it ring.

      “Mac?” Sophie asked. “Where are you?”

      “I’m in the air.”

      “Lucky you. I’m still on the ground, but we should be moving away from the gate soon. I take it everything went smoothly.”

      “Everything except that I have your purse.”

      “Yeah. I figured that out when I grabbed the phone. But it shouldn’t be a problem. You have my permission to use my credit cards. I doubt that I’ll need yours at the spa.”

      “Go ahead and use them if you have to.”

      “We’re lucky that’s the only thing that’s gone wrong. I can’t believe we’ve pulled this off.”

      “I hate to rain on your parade, but there’s still the possibility that Lucas will send me packing and show up at your spa.”

      “They don’t allow men on the premises. Besides, he’s going to be much too busy engaging in those sexual fantasies you’re going to create for him.”

      What if he doesn’t? What if he refuses to—

      “You’re having second thoughts, aren’t you?”

      “No…well, maybe a few.” Mac sighed.

      “Stick to your first answer. And don’t let my brother intimidate you. He’s a man. And in spite of his numerous and infuriating faults, he’s fair. The moment he realizes we’ve made a switch, he’ll get me on my cell phone and lecture me. I’ll make sure he knows this was all my idea—and then I’ll suggest he have one of his hotshot security people check out the spa. Uh-oh. We’re starting to pull away from the gate. Just remember that when Lucas finds out I’m perfectly safe, he’ll calm right down. The rest is up to you.”

      For a few minutes after Sophie broke the connection, Mac stared straight in front of her. It was up to her. She was used to that kind of pressure in her lab. She could handle it there.

      And she would handle it once she got to Key West. In the meantime, she was going to find something else to think about. An idea bloomed in her mind and she pushed the button on her armrest.

      “What can I do for you, Ms. Wainright?”

      “First, you can call me Sophie.”

      “Only if you agree to call me Jill.”

      “Do you ever fly with a copilot?”

      Jill’s laugh flowed into the cabin. “Frequently. In fact, when I fly with Mr. Wainright, I usually sit in the copilot’s seat. He prefers to be in charge.”

      “A top gun?”

      “You got it.”

      “Could I come up there with you? I’d love to learn about flying.”

      “Sure thing. I’d love the company.”

      “WHERE’S SOPHIE?” Lucas bit out the words as he glanced from MacKenzie Lloyd to the pilot of his private jet. Somehow he’d managed to keep his voice low and controlled—a sharp contrast to the feelings coursing through him. The first thing he’d felt when Mac had walked down the short flight of steps from the plane was pleasure. It had sprung to life so quickly that he’d barely had time to recognize it before he’d discovered that his sister was not with her. Then the fear had struck.

      “Sophie’s perfectly safe,” Mac said. “She’s at a spa in North Carolina. I…we switched places.”

      Lucas shifted his gaze to Jill Roberts who had descended the short flight of steps directly behind Mac. “Are you involved in this deception?”

      Mac stepped in front of his pilot. “No. I told her the truth just as we landed. Before that, I was wearing a blond wig, and she believed I was Sophie. Please don’t blame Captain Roberts. Sophie said you’d be fair.”

      Ruthlessly shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts, Lucas narrowed his eyes. It was a look he’d honed to perfection when dealing with employees who’d displeased him. He kept Mac pinned with it while he considered what she’d said.

      It would have been easy enough to fool his pilot. She hadn’t worked for Wainright Enterprises that long, and he seldom used his private jet to transport family. He’d done it this time to ensure that Sophie arrived safely. And he was also blaming Mac for something he was almost certain his sister was behind. “I want to talk to Sophie.”

      “Of course.” Instead of withering under his glance, Mac efficiently punched numbers into her cell phone, then handed it to him.

      He listened to two rings.

      “Lucas?”

      His sister’s voice had some of his fear fading. “Where in hell are you?”

      “Didn’t Mac tell you? I’m on my way to the Serenity Spa in Serenity, North Carolina.”

      “Hold on.” Lucas cut her off, then directed his gaze at Mac and his pilot. “You

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