The jet’s engines rumbled softly beneath us, a low hum vibrating through the plush floor as we taxied down the private runway. I sank back into the wide leather seat, the kind that reclined like a throne, while the flight attendant moved with practiced grace.

She checked seatbelts, offered last-minute glasses of champagne, and secured the crystal flutes with polished efficiency.

Everything felt smooth. Effortless. Intimate.

Liam reached over, fingers brushing my waist with maddening ease, ...