Chapter 396: Tension at 30,000 Feet

“Alright then,” Maya figured Ellis must want to avoid returning the letter herself. She didn’t argue. “Oh, and aren’t you going on that trip tomorrow? Shouldn’t you be packing?”

At her reminder, Ellis suddenly shot up from the couch as if electrocuted. “Crap!” She dashed into her room, muttering a string of curses under her breath. “F*cking Easton. Almost made her forget to pack.”

Maya watched her vanish down the hall and sighed, feeling sorry for her friend. Ellis really wasn’t the type to procrastinate; if Maya hadn’t said anything, that suitcase would still be empty. One clingy man could really throw off your whole life.

It was a short trip, so Ellis didn’t have to pack too much. Still, it ate up more time than she expected and cut into her sleep. The next morning, her alarm had to go off several times before she could finally drag herself out of bed. She brought her luggage to the office, and before long, she was at the airport with Maxwell.

Naturally, her boss flew first class. As his assistant, she got to sit next to him and enjoy the same perks. She’d planned to use the time to catch up on work, but exhaustion hit hard. Before she knew it, she was out cold.

Maxwell, seated right beside her, occasionally glanced her way. He hadn’t meant to; his eyes just…wandered. Her peaceful sleeping face, the way her lashes curled, her soft breathing—suddenly, the same physiological reaction from yesterday hit him again. Not now. Not here. They were on a plane, a public space. He had to fight harder than usual to get control of himself.

When the landing announcement finally came on, Ellis stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Still groggy, she blinked a few times and turned her head. Her gaze accidentally met Maxwell’s. He’d just been considering whether to wake her, but as she looked at him, he froze. So cute.

Maxwell had never understood what it meant to be smitten. But right now, with her still half-asleep, her cheeks a little flushed, her lips slightly parted… he wanted to kiss her. No—he wanted more than that. He imagined how soft she’d feel in his arms, how sweet her lips would taste, how easily she’d fall apart under him—

Maxwell caught himself. Sh*t. He immediately cut off the thought and forced his mind back to reality. Oblivious to the storm brewing in her boss’s brain, Ellis rubbed her eyes and straightened up in her seat, waiting for the plane to land. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Maxwell was…tense. Was he scared of flying or something? He looked incredibly stiff and uncomfortable.

Whatever. She wasn’t paid to worry about her boss’s moods, not when she could lose her job any day. She sat up straight and said nothing more.

Just as she was about to push it, a pair of hands beat her to it. She blinked. Well…that was unexpectedly gentlemanly of him. She didn’t say anything—just walked behind him. They exited the airport and got into the car she’d pre-booked to head to the hotel.

The hotel wasn’t just where they’d be staying—it was also a property owned by their company. They were here for an inspection. Per Maxwell’s usual style, there was no prior notice. He preferred surprise checks to see the real situation. They checked in like regular guests. A staff member escorted them toward their rooms.

Their rooms were a bit of a walk from the elevator. As they walked down the hallway, a very familiar sound started echoing around them. Rhythmic. Loud. Moaning. Ellis froze for a second, her brain needing a moment to process. Then it hit her. Oh. That. Some guests had clearly forgotten to close their door. Or maybe they just didn’t care.

Mortified, Ellis kept her face neutral and eyes forward, pretending not to hear anything. She wasn’t the only one. The employee leading them acted like nothing was wrong, probably used to this kind of thing. Maxwell, however, wasn’t so lucky. He’d barely managed to suppress his earlier reaction on the plane. Now, this unexpected soundtrack was dragging it back out.

Against his will, his eyes flicked toward Ellis. She was doing her best to act normal, but her stiff posture and frozen expression betrayed her embarrassment. And suddenly, Maxwell wasn’t thinking about strangers behind a door anymore. He was thinking about her. How would she sound? He shoved the thought away. This was ridiculous. He wasn’t some hormone-driven animal. He had control. He had discipline.

He forced himself to focus. No more thoughts. No more distractions. Just the inspection. Just the work. And absolutely no more imagining how his assistant would sound in that hotel bed.