The Tycoon's Bought Fiancée by Sandra Marton Page A

legroom.”
    The clerk smiled and batted her lashes at him. “Here you are, Mr. Chambers. Have a pleasant flight.”
    * * *
    At the far end of the airport, Stephanie smiled and walked straight up to the ticket counter.
    Seconds later her smile was gone. The only direct flight to Atlanta was the one she was ticketed on. It didn’t leave for another four hours.
    â€œI’m really sorry, Mrs. Willingham,” the clerk said. “Unless…” The woman’s fingers flew over the keyboard of her computer. “Let me just check something.” She looked up, beaming happily. “I’ve got one seat on a flight to Washington, where I can put you on a connecting flight to Atlanta. It’s a window seat—”
    â€œThat’s fine.”
    â€œAnd it’s in first class.”
    Stephanie hesitated, thinking of the cost, thinking, too, of how Avery would have laughed at her for hesitating, but you didn’t change the habits of a lifetime that easily.
    â€œMrs. Willingham?” The clerk looked at the wall clock. “The plane’s about to board.”
    Stephanie nodded. “I’ll take it.”
    * * *
    The flight was leaving from the opposite end of the terminal. It wasn’t easy, rushing to get to it with high heels on.
    Fortunately, she only had a garment bag to carry. That made things easier. Still, by the time she reached the gate, the lounge area was empty, and the attendant was just starting to shut the door that led to the boarding ramp.
    â€œWait,” Stephanie cried.
    The man turned, saw her hurrying toward him, and swung the door wide.
    â€œAlmost missed it,” he sang out cheerfully as she shoved her boarding pass at him.
    Stephanie ran down the ramp. The flight attendant smiled when she saw her coming.
    â€œAlmost missed it,” she said as Stephanie stepped into the cabin and showed her her ticket stub. “Seat 3-A. Right over here, Mrs. Willingham. Why don’t you give me your luggage and I’ll tuck it away for you?”
    Stephanie smiled her thanks, collapsed into her seat, and puffed out her breath.
    Maybe it was just as well she’d had to go with such last-minute arrangements. She sighed, kicked off her shoes and stretched out her legs. She’d almost forgotten the luxury of first class. The soft, wide seat. The legroom. She turned her face to the window and shut her eyes. Mmm. This was exactly what she needed. Peace. Quiet. The opportunity to purge the arrogant, overbearing, disgustingly macho David Chambers from her mind…
    The handsome, vital, sexy David Chambers from her mind.
    She felt someone sit down in the seat beside her, heard the faint clink of a seat belt—heard a sharply indrawn breath.
    â€œI don’t believe it,” a man’s husky voice growled softly. “I leave my seat for two minutes, and I come back to this? Great God Almighty, I don’t care how small the world is, I can’t be this unlucky twice in one day.”
    Stephanie shot upright. It couldn’t be… But it was. David was sitting in the aisle seat, looking at her with the same horrified disbelief she knew must be stamped across her face.
    A sob of desperation burst from her throat, and she fumbled for the buckle of her seat belt.
    â€œStop the plane,” she yelped, but it was too late.
    Even as the words left her lips, the sleek jet lifted into the late afternoon sky and headed toward Washington, D.C.

CHAPTER FOUR
    â€œI S THERE a problem, madam?”
    David dragged his gaze from Stephanie’s flushed face. The flight attendant stood over them, brows lifted, a concerned smile stapled to her lips.
    Yes, he thought, reading her look, you’re damned right there’s a problem.
    â€œMadam?”
    â€œNo,” David said before Stephanie could answer. “There’s no problem.” He smiled, too, though it felt as if the attempt might crack his skin. “We’re