Lisa felt her heart palpitating. She wasn't sure because of whether Jackson Rippner was so hot or whether he was threatening her with her father's life. Possibly both. She usually wasn't the adventurous type. Especially not after being raped and permanently scarred which for some reason, she never felt like going to a plastic surgeon, using scar cream or suing the doctor who did such a sloppy job on her stitches. Besides, she rather liked it like that. It was like being 5 years old again and skinning her knee. Then she got to show everyone at school her gory wound under the band aid. This was her war wound.

So what if he was threatening her father. She had a hard time focusing because she was so riveted by his beautiful blue eyes that seemed to focus on hers like polar ice caps. He really couldn't be so bad. Logically, movies told her that these days, villains were heroes in disguise and could be redeemed. They were just waiting for the right person. Still she needed to focus on his words.

The airline attendant had delivered the bottle of water and tissues. There was nothing like tears to gain a man's sympathy and remind him he was still a man. He held out the bottle of water to her and she turned her head away. Just like how she wouldn't admit he guessed corrected her favorite drink and ordered a Bay Breeze instead, she knew how to play the game. One has to play hard to get.

He seemed stumped. Good. Finally he spoke.

"I need you to call your hotel."

My hotel? All this for a room? I mean, I know we are overbooked but still, there are easier ways.

Lisa's thoughts were interrupted as he continued. "It's very simple. Just use your managerial pull to move Keefe from suite 3825 to suite 4080. I'll leave the details to you." He smiled. She was tempted to smile in return. "You just sell it."

He wants to stay in 3825? Well, I've had odder requests but the Keefe's are sort of fixed on that suite and…. She started looking around the seats and then the rest of the plane and felt a fierce anxiety build up in her. She suddenly realized something.

"You need me to write it down?" His tone was belligerent but she could tell it was edged with desire.

"No." Her response was sly and she looked down at her lap trying to stifle the laugh that was building up within her.

"Then what's the delay?"

Lisa shook her head incredulously. "Well you've certainly got the wrong person."

"Yours is the only voice that can get this done by the time I need it done." Jackson replied.

That was when Lisa started to laugh. Jackson appeared utterly perplexed. "What is so damn amusing to you?"

Lisa's eyes were streaming. She used one of the tissues to dry them. "Jackson, how did you plan on me making the call?" She gestured to the seats. "We don't have individual phones."

Jackson was taken aback and he looked at the front of his seat as if he was noticing it for the first time. "But my brilliant plan…"

Lisa snorted. "Brilliant plan? Really? Majority of planes do not have individual phones on them." She glanced at his face. He seemed so downtrodden. "But hey, there is a phone by the flight attendant. We can go up there and you can make me call…."

"What the hell? No!"

"I don't want you killing my father because you can't stay in suite 3825. I mean, Dad is pretty annoying but that's not a good reason to kill him."

Jackson stared at her blankly and then turned away and put his hand to his forehead. "Just forget it.'

"Forget what?" Lisa asked.

"This was all a joke."

"Really?" Lisa twiddled with a strand of her red hair, peeking up at him proactively.

'Anything is possible." Jackson's coy smile returned.

Lisa was confused. "So, you don't manage high profile assassination jobs?"

"I take the fifth."

She laughed. "Oh well. You got me. You had my heart pounding for a while."

"Out of fear or something else entirely?"

She put her hand on his arm. "Anything's possible. Want to go to the bathroom and find out?"

Twenty minutes later, it became one of the most enjoyable flights Lisa had ever had. The flight attendant had shot them both dirty looks. She overheard one tell Jackson that 'this was not a hotel'. Lisa bit her lip. What a prude. She obviously had never flown the mile high club.

"Why don't we share a taxi." Jackson suggested. Lisa felt the blood rush into her face. "Of course. I can't wait for you to meet my father."

When Jackson was able to place a call, he told his company briefly it was time for plan B. "What's plan B?"

"Another joke." Jackson replied. "I'm quite the comedian."