“Okay.” She smiled at him and just tried to take everything in. The last time she'd been in a limo was for a fundraiser several years ago. Although then, she'd had to share it with six other people, so it hadn't been quite this comfortable. She looked around, trying to take in all the details so she could tell her kids and answer their questions about what it was like to be in a limo. She knew they would want to know what color the seats were, if the windows rolled down, and what all the buttons did.
The driver was right; the drive wasn't long at all, and soon he pulled into what Mia assumed was an empty field. She frowned as she looked out and didn't recognize anything.
“We're here, ma'am,” the driver told her, opening her door. She slid forward to the edge of her seat, and there was a hand waiting to help her out.
She took it and stood up, only to find that the hand belonged to Carter. She nearly fell on her face he looked so handsome. She was used to seeing him in jeans and t-shirts with his hair windblown and face scruffy. Today, he was wearing a soft, dark blue suit and his hair was brushed neatly in place. He'd shaved, so there wasn't even a hint of a five-o'clock shadow on his perfect face.
“You ready?” he asked, smiling as he helped her steady herself. High heels on the dirt of the field didn't help with her balance.
“Sure,” she replied with a grin. She looked around and didn't see a building for them to go in. “What are we doing?”
Carter chuckled and nodded to something behind the limo. She turned around to see a small plane waiting in the empty field. She nearly fell down again.
“Something amazing,” he promised, helping her navigate the field toward the runway. “And don't worry, I already cleared it with your boss.”
“My boss?” Mia asked, confused. “What does my boss have to do with this?”
Carter grinned, his eyes sparkling mischievously. “Didn't I tell you this was an overnight adventure?”
“No, no you didn't,” she replied. She gave him a gentle push on his shoulder. “And how did you find out my boss's number?”
His grin got wider. “I'm a billionaire. I can find anything out.”
She laughed at his pride and then focused on navigating the field in her heels. He helped her up into the stairs into
the airplane. Mia felt like a celebrity walking up the steps to the door where a stewardess in a fashionable dark blue uniform greeted her.
The inside of the private jet was not what she expected. Instead of rows of utilitarian seats, there was a white leather couch, two reclining chairs with a table, and from what she could see, a full bar in the back. It wasn't a plane as much as it was a flying apartment.
“This is unbelievable,” Mia said, looking around.
“I wanted to take the helicopter, but it just doesn't have the fuel range. This is faster.” Carter squeezed her shoulders as he passed her to sit on the couch. The flight attendant handed him a flute of champagne before he even had time to get comfortable.
“Fuel range? How far are we going?” Mia asked. She had no idea how far a helicopter could go, but she figured it was a long way. Just how far were they going?
Carter just smiled at her, keeping his secrets.
“Champagne?” the attendant asked, offering Mia a glass.
“Um, sure.” Mia accepted the glass and sat next to Carter. Close, but not so close that the flight attendant would get any ideas.
“Cheers,” Carter said, holding up his glass. Mia tapped hers gently against his and took a sip of the bubbly liquid. This all felt so surreal, she was sure that she was imagining things. She heard the engines start to purr and the plane moved onto the runway.
“You don't have to worry about the kids or work tomorrow,” Carter told her over his champagne. “I made sure they were all taken care of. I want you to have fun.”
“I'm in a private jet,” Mia replied with an excited giggle. “I'm already having fun! Thank you, Carter.”
She reached out and touched his hand. He grinned and held her hands in his. She giggled and laughed, feeling as if she were already flying. She was grateful for his hand, since she was still a little nervous. This was her first time on a private jet, after all.
“You ain't seen nothing yet,” he promised. And with that, the plane took into the sky.
Chapter 17
Carter
The Vegas skyline came into view with all its lights and brilliance. For a moment, Carter wondered if he'd overdone things, especially for a first date. Taking a girl to Las Vegas was a bold move, but he'd wanted to do something that Mia would never forget. He wanted to do something amazing for her, and this was the first thing that had come to mind.
He looked over, afraid she'd be overwhelmed only to find her with her nose pressed to the window like a little kid. She looked over at him and pointed to the city, her eyes full of excitement. She bounced up and down in her chair as she peered back out.