Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 196

Chapter 196

Turns out, I didn’t die.

“Hello? Is someone in there?” a woman’s voice called from the other side of the door. It was definitely a flight attendant.

“Oh, crap!” I hissed, right before Nathaniel’s hand covered my mouth as he tried, and failed, not to laugh.

“Please return to your seats and fasten your belts,” the attendant said, her tone clipped but polite. “We’re preparing for landing.”

“Of course, miss. We’ll be right out,” Nathaniel replied smoothly, buttoning up his shirt like this was just another Tuesday.

“We’re?” I squeaked. Was he kidding me? Couldn’t he at least pretend to be alone?

“You really think one of us can walk out of here without her noticing the other?” he asked, not looking the least bit concerned. “Relax.”

“Relax? Relax? They could deport me or… or—”

“Well,” he said, smirking, “that’s still a lot less scary than thinking you were going to die ten minutes ago, isn’t it? Honestly, Annie, are you always this dramatic?”

I wasn’t dramatic. I was practical. I was supposed to have landed at Heathrow over an hour ago, where a Kensington company driver would’ve been waiting to take me to my hotel for the weekend before my big meeting Monday morning. Instead, I was headed who-knows-where, with no clue how to get to London-and possibly about to get arrested for joining the Mile High Club.

If this ever got back to my family… Zoey would laugh herself breathless, the same way I did when she told me

she’d mistaken a billionaire for a gigolo. But Christian? Christian would never trust me with another opportunity again-not after finding out I’d acted like some hormone-driven teenager on my very first business flight.

What on earth had possessed me to think this was a good idea?

“I think worrying about dying and deportation are perfectly reasonable concerns,” I muttered.

“What I think,” Nathaniel said lightly, bracing one arm against the door and caging me between him and the wall, “is that you clearly need to have sex more often.’

Before I could form a comeback, he pulled a business card from the inside pocket of his blazer and slid it into the front pocket of my blouse. His lips brushed dangerously close to my ear.

“I can help with that,” he murmured, with a wink. “Call me.”

And just like that, he reached down, unlocked the latch, and opened the door. I stumbled backward, straight into the flight attendant’s arms.

“What in the-?” she began, clearly about to scold us, but her expression softened instantly when she recognized him. “Oh! Mr. Carter. Uh…” Her cheeks flushed pink. “If you could, please return to your seats.”

Of course. That explained everything. He wasn’t worried because of course he was a regular flyer-a VIP, probably. And not just in business class. Judging by her reaction, this wasn’t his first time getting caught in the lavatory with someone. I should’ve known. No man would carry a condom in his pocket for purely theoretical reasons.

“What have I done?” I groaned under my breath, grimacing.

“Of course, darling…” Nathaniel said smoothly to the attendant. “Could you bring us two glasses of whiskey? Annie here got a little shaken up from all that turbulence.”

“I am not shaken up!” I blurted-way too loudly. “And I don’t even drink whiskey!”

“One whiskey and one champagne, then,” the attendant said with a knowing little smile, clearly remembering my earlier order.

Before I could protest again, Nathaniel’s hand found the small of my back, guiding me gently but firmly toward our seats. His touch burned even through the thin fabric of my blouse.

God, what had I been thinking? How had I fallen for his smooth talk so easily?

“Shut up!” I hissed, my voice jumping several decibels. I glanced around-two girls nearby were whispering and stealing glances at us, but thankfully not close enough to hear. “That was different! I thought I was going to die. Now that I know I’m not, I’m definitely not getting into a car with a stranger.’

“Really?” Nathaniel took a small step forward, closing the distance between us. His voice dropped to that dangerously smooth tone that made my pulse skip. “What exactly do you think I’d do to you, Annie Bennett? Or better yet…”

He reached up, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing just long enough to graze my skin. “What would you want me to do to you? Because if I could make your legs shake in that bathroom, imagine

what I could do with time… and a hotel room.”

My breath caught, and I immediately stepped back, reclaiming space and what little dignity I had left

“Not happening,” I said firmly.

He just shrugged, that infuriating smirk still on his face. “Your loss.”

“You’re unbelievably full of yourself!”

“And you know I can back it up.” He flashed one last confident smile. “Well, since you’re refusing the ride… see you around, Annie Bennett.”

“No, you won’t!” I shouted after him, but he was already walking away toward the exit, hands in his pockets like a man who’d just won some unspoken game.

I let out a long breath, dragging my red suitcase off the floor with more force than necessary.

London was huge with millions of people, hundreds of neighborhoods, and endless possibilities.

Surely it was big enough that I’d never, ever have to see Nathaniel Carter again.