Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 28458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 114(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
He raised a brow at her, giving her the kind of look that only an arrogant billionaire heir like him could get away with. It was the kind of look that easily intimidated many people—-
She raised a brow back at him.
This time, he laughed. “It is yours if you want it,” he said, his voice lowering to a tone of practiced seduction.
Her eyes sparkled. “Really?”
Nic blinked. Apparently, she really did want the throw bag – so much so, he did not even figure in the equation at all.
She was so different, he mused as he gave her the throw bag and she carefully took it from him. He waited to see what she would do with it, but she just smoothed it lovingly with her fingers before placing it on her lap.
“Why did you not just ask for another one from the crew?” he questioned, truly curious.
She shrugged, not wanting to let the guy know that she was too shy to do so.
Realizing that she was not going to answer, he asked her another question. “What are you going to do with it?”
Ayah shrugged once again, pressing her lips together. He looked like some kind of powerful businessman. He would never understand her fascination with travel souvenirs.
The stranger nodded at her, as if understanding and respecting her privacy. In a little while, she sensed him falling asleep. She sneaked a look at him. His eyes were closed now.
She took her phone out as quietly as she could and relaxed when he still didn’t stir in his seat. He must be so tired, she thought as she placed her phone on the table and started taking out more stuff from her bag – all airline souvenirs.
She started arranging them artfully on the table – unused napkins, plastic-wrapped utensils, peanut bags, tickets, and of course the limited edition throw bag that her friends would surely find cute.
When she was satisfied with the arrangement – everything was arranged to form the shape of a heart – Ayah picked up her phone again and clicked on the Instagram icon. Making sure that her camera was set to silent, she focused on the arrangement, waiting for the camera to zoom—-
“You wanted it for a photo?”
His voice had her jumping, Ayah’s knees bumping the table and sending everything in a disarray.
He had an indolent smile on his face when she turned to him. Ayah gasped. “You did that deliberately!”
He had the gall to laugh softly at her accusation. “Yes. I did. I wanted to know what you were planning to do with the throw bag.”
“You could’ve asked.”
“I did.”
Oh, right, he had. She frowned at him for verbally setting her up like that.
The look she sent Nic only made him more inclined to laugh. He could not recall the last time he had been this...amused. With the wealth and power at his disposal, it was easy for Nic to find entertainment. But genuine amusement?
Not in such a long time, he realized, a little disconcerted now. He looked at the woman closely, taking his time to do so now that she was again rearranging the stuff on the table with painstaking care. She was pretty but not stunningly so – light brown hair, dark green eyes, and fair skin that never seemed to have been touched by the sun. Small and curvy too, he thought, his gaze focusing on the way her white silk blouse emphasized her ample chest.
He returned his attention to what she was doing. “What is it for?”
Knowing there was no point hiding the truth now, she explained, “It’s a tradition my mom started. She loved collecting souvenirs and made scrapbooks of it. So I’m just continuing the tradition – but not real scrapbooks. Just digital ones.”
“Souvenirs? Aren’t those supposed to be bought?”
Her smile was amused and mysterious at the same time. He didn’t know why, but that smile made his body react, his cock hardening. It was as if she knew something he didn’t and he would be fucking happy – literally – if he found out what that something was.
“That’s only when you can afford them,” she finally said, her smile widening when he only continued to look at her, his gaze arrogantly demanding an answer. “When you don’t, then you have to make do with this.”
“Are you seriously expecting me to believe that you cannot afford to buy souvenirs?” he scoffed.
“Yes, I seriously am. I’m on an all-expenses paid trip. This is my first time to fly business class.” He looked like he did not believe her still and so she took out her papers from her bag and handed it to him. “See?”
Nic skimmed it, his memory immediately taking in the most important details. Ayah Chambers. 23. Single. Florida, United States. After, he confirmed what she had said. She was indeed the lucky winner of an all-expense paid trip to Europe – the first prize in a grocery draw.