I open my eyes and they instantly lock on his cool blue ones. I take a deep breath and whisper, “No.”

His brows shoot up, like he can’t believe he’s just been turned down.

“No?”

My chest begins to heave. For some strange reason, turning him down is hard. It’s like my body is defying my brain and becoming aroused, even though my head is screaming for me to run as far away as I can.

Xavier sucks in his bottom lip and slowly pulls it between his teeth. “You don’t seem so sure about that no, beautiful. You want to change your answer? I’ll be gentle with you, I swear. You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“I, uh…”

I, uh…what? There’s nothing to even consider here. I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time giving him a firm no—one that sounds like I mean business. Even I realize I’m throwing him mixed signals by allowing him to touch me and whisper dirty promises in my ear.

Desperate to get myself out of the intense mess I’ve allowed to go on too long, I push him back a bit and turn to the middle-aged, brunette lady sitting across the aisle from me. “Do you have any blank paper, please?”

She nods and reaches under the seat in front of her to retrieve a bag. After digging around for a moment, she finds a small notebook and rips out a page. “This is all I have.”

I return her smile with one of my own. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”

I turn and redirect my attention to Xavier, who watches me with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “The only thing I would like from you is your autograph. Nothing more.”

I lay the paper on his tray, but he doesn’t take his eyes off me. “That’s all, huh?”

“That’s all,” I confirm.

He adjusts the paper on his tray and then glances back up at me. “We’ll see.”

This little game with him is exhausting. If we keep this up, by the end of the flight I’ll either want to kill him or screw his brains out, and neither of those things are on my scheduled to-do list on the path to starting my new life.

I lean my head back and shut my eyes, and pray I can sleep my way through the rest of the flight. Ignoring the dangerously sexy man sitting only inches away from me is the only way I’ll stop my body from taking him up on his offer.

A gentle nudge on my forearm startles me, and I’m quickly jerked back to reality. I’ve just fallen asleep while sitting next to a ridiculously delicious man. Quickly running my fingers around the corners of my mouth, I make sure I haven’t drooled all over my face.

God, this is so embarrassing. I just pray I wasn’t snoring. I got very little sleep last night while I lay awake in my bed, dreading the thought of facing my father. The possible scenarios of what he would say when I told him I was leaving Portland to move across the country had played on a continuous loop through my mind, all of them ending with my father not supporting my choice and trying to stop me—which is exactly what happened. I’m just glad I knew enough ahead of time to make arrangements for my neighbor, Kayla, to wait outside my house with the motor running so I could make a quick getaway. Father had no intentions of allowing me to follow through with my plans, which is exactly why he left me no choice but to sneak out of my house and into Kayla’s car the moment he turned his back.

Leaving home was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to go. I couldn’t take being smothered any more.

“The pilot just announced that we’ll be landing in approximately thirty minutes, so I thought you would like to know,” Xavier says. “You fell asleep so quickly I figured you were exhausted, so I didn’t bother you. I have to say, you’re different from most women I’ve met, Anna.”

Curiosity gnaws at me as to what exactly he means by that, and I can’t help asking, “Different how? Because I refuse to sleep with random men who proposition me?”

He shrugs. “No, not that. I just don’t recall that I’ve ever bored a woman to sleep before. You didn’t even seem the slightest bit fazed with me sitting next to you when you zonked-out. Matter of fact, you seem indifferent toward me, which is refreshing…in an odd way.”

I laugh. “You prefer when people deny your requests?”

The corner of his mouth turns up, revealing what I’m sure is his best panty-soaking smile. “No, but I admire how you stick to your principles and don’t back down. Most women aren’t like that.”

I smile. “I do believe that’s a compliment, Xavier.”

His grin gets even bigger. He’s clearly pleased with himself. I bet in that sex-crazed brain of his, he thinks he’s getting somewhere with me.

“So, what’s in Detroit?”

My mind stumbles, not ready for such a simple question. I was fully prepared for more sexy banter.

“A fresh start.”

His expression turns quizzical, so I explain. “I need to start over, I have family there. My cousin Quinn and Aunt Dee have offered to help me out.”

Xavier glances back to coach, where his manager occupies my old seat. “I know the old man you were next to isn’t your boyfriend, and the woman on the other side of your assigned seat isn’t your girlfriend, so I’m thinking your boyfriend isn’t on this flight with you. He’s not a part of this fresh start?”

I take a deep breath. Since we’re off this plane in a few minutes, and I’ll never see this man again, I may as well come clean. A little truth can’t hurt.