"Nope."
I waited for him to say more, but he just gave me an impish smirk that made me want to hit him. I wondered where we were going that he would turn the wrong way.
"Where are we going?" I demanded, looking out the window at the fall foliage flying by. I never came out this direction, so I had no idea where we were headed.
"Some place fun." He shifted into a higher gear, the hum of the sports car singing in the air.
"Where is this 'some place fun’?" I persisted.
"Some place fun. You'll like it." He smirked.
"Argh! Robbie! Tell me where we're going!" I gave his arm a gentle swat, and he laughed.
"Nope, it's too much fun to get you riled. You're pretty when you’re mad," he said. I full-on punched his arm this time. "I promise you'll like it."
I slumped in my seat, crossing my arms and pouting. He laughed and turned onto another road. This one I recognized. It was the road to the small, private airport. Robbie turned the car toward the airfield, a plane starting to emerge on the tarmac. He parked the car next to the jet, popping the trunk and grinning wildly. A worn, blue suitcase emerged from the trunk. My worn, blue suitcase.
"So that's what Avery and Grace were up to last night. I knew we didn't need more milk! They had me go to the store to get me out of the house. You had them help you!" I sputtered, not really angry but definitely amazed that Avery had kept the secret all day.
"Yup. Grace packed it for me so this could be a surprise. I'm taking you away for the weekend." A little bit of pride at his ability to surprise me filled his voice. He took my hand in his and led me up to the steps of the jet.
I paused at the bottom of the stairs. "How did you get Grace to agree to this?"
"We had a conversation. While you were at work after our date in the city, I went to talk to her." He kicked at a small rock, sending it flying away from the plane. "I saw the look she gave me when I picked you up. She had every right to be mad at me. I nearly killed you. We had a long discussion and I told her my intentions toward you."
"Which are?"
"I can't tell you or it will ruin the surprise. But they are honorable. Well, mostly." He gave me a sly grin that made me laugh.
"And she's okay with you now?"
"Avery's princess dresses might have helped, but yes, we're good," he said. I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't even know I had been holding. Then it hit me that I was leaving Grace and Avery to get on an airplane.
"But what about Grace and Avery? Grace has a test on Monday, and..."
"Grace said she could handle it. Plus, I got her a babysitter for Sunday evening so she can study. Grace said it was fine. She wanted you to have a good time." Robbie handed off my suitcase off to a uniformed man who hurried it off into the plane.
"I am going to kill you both," I said, a grin betraying the obvious lie. This was the best surprise I had in a long time. "So where are we going?"
"I can't tell you if I'm dead," Robbie teased. I gave him a playful shove and he wrapped his arms around me, his body solid and strong. I was happy in his arms. We could be going anywhere, but if I was with him, I didn't care.
"All right, keep your secrets. I'll find out soon enough." I gave him a playful glare, his green eyes laughing. He leaned forward, kissing me gently. I closed my eyes, letting his kiss envelop me. Wherever we were going, I was already in paradise.
"Sir, are you ready to depart?" the pilot asked, sticking his head out of the open plane door. Robbie released me reluctantly, lipstick smeared across his lower lip. He grabbed my hand and together we entered the airplane.
It was easy to forget that Robbie was a billionaire. Stepping onto that airplane, though, I knew I was going to enjoy the perks of dating a billionaire.
Comfortable leather couches sat in cozy positions where I was used to rows upon rows of chairs. A big-screen TV dominated a wall, and I could see a fully-stocked bar. It was like our own little club house. This was what I imagined Air Force One must look like. Only nicer.
I picked a loveseat to sit down on as Robbie stowed his travel bag. An attractive stewardess smiled politely, asking me what I would like to drink. I glanced at Robbie and he nodded for me to get whatever I wanted.
"I'd like a Naughty Shirley Temple, please," I asked. The stewardess cocked her head, confused, and Robbie laughed. He thumped ungracefully into the seat beside me, placing his arm over my shoulder.
"She wants a Sprite with grenadine and vodka," he told the flight attendant. Her eyes lit up and she nodded.
"Anything for you, sir?"
Robbie glanced at me and smiled. "No, I'm good. Thank you."
I snuggled into his arm, the smell of leather and Robbie filling my nose. It was a wonderful scent. He kissed the top of my head gently, a smile caressing his handsome features.
The stewardess was back in a moment, drink in hand. A pink umbrella with a maraschino cherry decorated the glass and I grinned like a kid.
"Thank you. Do you know where we are going?" I asked her, keeping my voice innocent.
She gave me a wide smile and shook her head. "Nope." The lie was obvious, but I didn't push it. Robbie gave me a squeeze with his arm.
"You want to know now, or do you want it to be a surprise?" he asked. The engines began to hum a low, rumbling song as they powered up for takeoff. I sipped my drink and thought about it for half a second. While the surprise would be fun, the anticipation was killing me.
"Now. Definitely now," I answered. He laughed.
"We are going to Key Island in the Caribbean."
I recognized the name. "Isn't that where your brother met his wife?"
"Yup," he said. He brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from my forehead, tucking it gently behind my ear. "We are staying at my friend Owen's place."
My brows creased together. While the name sounded familiar, I couldn't place it. Just because I read the tabloids to keep tabs on Robbie, didn't mean I actually paid attention to them.
"Owen Parker," Robbie said in response to my questioning look. "He was the best man at Jack's wedding, and he has this amazing place on the beach. It's got its own private dock, so I've been interested in buying it for a long time, and he's actually thinking of selling it to me."
"So it's a working weekend?" I asked, sticking my tongue out at him. He laughed.
"You got me. My secret dream to be a real estate mogul is now out in the open."
"Why is he selling it? It sounds like a great place." I closed my eyes, letting my head rest against Robbie's shoulder. The plane started to move.