Well…shit.
I had a sudden, powerful urge to flee, but Ioniko must’ve sensed it, too, because his hand had instantly tightened around mine. And then he started introducing me to his flight crew, and I found myself putting my jaw to work once more as I smiled and smiled and smiled.
Afterwards, Ioniko took me to a lounge-slash-bar at the back of the plane, and when the captain announced we were about to take off, he leaned over and reached for my seatbelt.
“I can—” But a snapping sound told me he had already taken care of it, and so I stopped arguing. How very alpha, I couldn’t help thinking, and the thought made me want to laugh and knock my head against something hard all at the same time.
When Ioniko leaned back into his seat, his green gaze immediately sought mine and narrowed. “Something wrong?”
“Just…overwhelmed.” I wanted to be as honest as possible with him. “The difference between the lives we lead has been quite…glaring.”
“There are differences,” Ioniko acknowledged, “but since it’s you, they should be a welcomed change.”
“They should?”
“You’re a gold-digger, remember?”
“Oh. Uh. Right.” But the moment I saw his smirk, I totally lost it and burst into laughter. “Jerk.”
“While you, my Schuyler, have no hopes of being mercenary even if it is to save your life.”
“You just wait,” I promised him. “Things like that take practice.”
“Good luck with that then.” Ioniko’s tone was so polite it had me giggling, and it suddenly struck me—
Oh.
Ioniko frowned when my giggling died an abrupt death. “What is it?”
I felt my throat tighten as I gazed at him. Every time I thought about Ioniko being a billionaire, I felt awkward and terrified, but every time I was actually with him, I couldn’t remember feeling happier and more relaxed in any other guy’s company.
“Schuyler?”
It was almost as if…
Almost as if I was…
I squeezed my eyes shut.
It’s not true, Mathers. Whatever you think you feel for him, it’s not that. It’s not.
“Speak to me, koukla mou.”
I opened my eyes. “I still want to date other guys.”
Ioniko noticeably turned rigid in his seat. “I see.”
“It’s the only way,” I told him jerkily, “I can protect myself.”
“Because you’re absolutely convinced you need protecting?”
“Can you tell me honestly that I don’t?”
His lips tightened, and his silence was answer enough for both of us.
“When I say date…it’s just, you know, spending time getting to know another guy, and that’s all.” When I saw something flicker in his gaze, I added emphatically, “There won’t be anything else, like…kissing…”
The tension visibly eased from Ioniko’s form.
“Or touching…”
And the muscle in his jaw finally stopped ticking.
“Of course. Do you want to work here or would you rather work in your room?”
“The latter please.”
Ioniko took my hand as he helped me out of my seat, and when I kept trying to tug free, he bent his head down and murmured, “It’s either you let me hold your hand or I’ll try to kiss you.”
I stopped struggling after that, of course, and meekly followed his lead as he took me to one of the guest rooms onboard. Ioniko only freed my hand when he had to hold the door open for me, and I hid my hands behind my back the moment his fingers loosened.
I heard him chuckle at my actions, but I didn’t care, and only good manners had me ignoring the urge to run past him and slam the door on his face. I’m just going to thank him, I told myself, and that’s it. But just as I lifted my gaze to his, I saw that his head was already lowering—