Falling For My Playboy Boss
Chapter 44

Collin's

POV

Well, I am truly a bastard. I feel terrible. Cora wasn't eating, she was just having coffee for several days straight. It was her first flight, and she probably had no idea that she could pass out due to not eating. I could have warned her, I could have remembered that she was just at her desk, and not going to lunch the last 3 days too, but no. I apparently don't care enough for others to check on them when I know that they are truly upset. I could have prevented this by not trying to break her and Michael up, but how was I to know how upset she really was? They hadn't been together that long. I didn't think that she was so attracted to him yet, then I remember their little make-out session on her front porch. Yea, I could see where they had chemistry and I just messed everything up for her. I had an opportunity to swoop in and be the hero, and I failed her again, by going to look for Shea, instead of being there for Cora, for me to catch her when she fell. I have been messing up right and left with her. Thankfully, Adam was there. Since we have long flights for some of our trips, I have two men on the longer flights who are not just flight attendants. They are also EMTS/Firefighters, and unfortunately for me, Adam lives close to Cora. He was really good with her and helped her out, got her unfocused on being sad, and got her to eat the sandwich he made for her. I am glad we had the fridge stocked for the flight. It really pissed me off that I got upset with her, and I may have raised my voice because I was worried about her. When I looked back after, we leveled out and saw her laid out half in her chair and slipping onto the floor. I was terrified something terrible had happened to her and called out to Adam to help. He went to get her some water and a cold cloth because he at first thought that she was just dehydrated until he spoke to her. I am just glad she didn't throw me under the bus, telling him the reason that she hadn't been eating was directly because of me and my interfering in her love life. It was a terrible thing that I had done to her.

I felt bad that I was the reason for all of her troubles and made a mental note to be a better boss to her. I watched the soft rise and fall of her breasts, letting me know that she was breathing just fine, and she didn't have any nightmares, so it was all good. I laid down another seat across from her for me to get some sleep and told Adam to periodically keep an eye on her. I just hope he didn't get too attached to Cora. I didn't want to have to get him replaced because he fell in love with her too. I got a little upset watching him rub the back of her hand with his thumb, but he did calm her down, so I guess it was better than him hugging her or trying to hold her on his lap. Because that would not have ended up well for him, he would have lost his job with me for that. I don't want to see Cora in anyone else's arms. I need to let her know that I would like to take her out for a date. I plan on being attentive to her, especially when we go to see the sites on Friday. I lay back and look up at the roof of the plane, but sleep doesn't come to me. So, I lay on my side and watched Cora sleep. She is so beautiful. How could I have missed this before? I see the crescent moon of her eyelashes lying on her cheeks, and even without mascara, they are long. Her full lips beckon to be kissed and I guess I didn't notice them before because she doesn't wear makeup and they just didn't stand out to me, plus I really haven't been able to just look at her like I can right now. I have really never looked at Cora very well, at all. She is just naturally gorgeous, her skin is flawless, and her big brown eyes, which are closed right now, are innocent and doe-like when they look at you. How could I not have noticed how naturally beautiful she is? How could I have been blinded to it? Was it because I was so angry at her for Catherine hiring her and giving her a raise that I believe was undeserved? Or because she just walked into my office and she caught me having s*x with Maddie? Did that make me blind to how really attractive Cora was? As a man that dates and is always around beautiful women, how could I have missed this beautiful woman? I watched Adam walk up and watch her sleep and see him smile at her, and I already knew I was going to stop this right now. I coughed and when he looked at me, I raised my eyebrows at him as if asking him what he was doing. Adam quietly said, "Just checking on her, as you asked me to Mr. Lauder" before he walks away from us to go sit in the back. At least from there, he won't be able to see her sleep. I don't want to have to replace him. He really does good work, and he was really helpful to Cora and her episode. So, I don't want to have to lose him over trying to get with Cora. I have decided, I want Cora, and I will start to pour on the charm for her while we are in Paris. It is very hard to say no to me when I am charming, and maybe I can get her to agree to date me while we are here, and I can bring her back to Team Collin, and she can forget about Team Michael. I stop watching Cora and finally nod off myself for the last few hours of the flight. I woke up to a hand on my shoulder and it was Adam. I see Cora, already sitting up in her seat and buckling her seatbelt, so I see that he woke her up first. That was a pretty slick move. I have to hand it to him, and I won't call him out on it, as I did tell him to watch out for her on this flight. I won't make that mistake again. Cora will be well fed and hydrated when he sees her again, and she won't need his assistance for the flight back.

I sent a text out to the driving service that is supposed to pick us up at the hanger to take us to the apartment. I will be my usual charming self as soon as we land. I stop next to her seat and when she looks up at me, I ask, "Are you feeling better now Cora? The apartment is already stocked with food, but if you want something now, I can ask Adam to make you another sandwich. I asked him to keep an eye on you while you slept. You really scared me when I looked back and saw that you had passed out". Cora blushed, and said, "I am fine now, thank you for checking on me. I am sorry I passed out. I had just been a little depressed this week and hadn't been eating like I normally do. I will pay more attention and try to eat at least once every day". I quietly said to Cora, "I am sorry for raising my voice at you and making you cry. I didn't intend to, but I was scared when I saw you passed out, and I reacted badly to it. I will try never to do it again". I then nodded to her and went back to my seat to get my seatbelt on as we were going to be landing shortly. I need to focus on being on my best behavior with Cora for the next two days and maybe she would be OK with going out with me when we get back to New York. She had surprised me the night I followed her and Michael back to her house after dinner. She was much more passionate than I thought that she would be. I just assumed that she would be kind of cold, or standoffish, based on how she reacted to me and Maddie having s*x. But, I should have remembered how many times I had looked at her and she had fire in her eyes, like when I had told Catherine to go get her and take her back to my outer office and stop flirting with Christian.

How many times that she really wanted to say something to me, and it was not going to be nice, and she just looked at Catherine and stopped herself from saying it. My dad was right, she is feisty, and I want to see it, I want to see it when she lets loose and explodes, and I hope that I am there for the show. I keep thinking about my agenda and what I want, which is seeing how passionate that I can get Cora while we are in the city of love. This city is known for being beautiful and maybe I can get to know Cora here, or at least on the way back home and see if she will give me a change. Maybe I will buy her something. The women I date seem to like that a lot, and so I will try that route, as it usually works for me. Maybe a designer purse, as hers is obviously older and in need of replacing. Come to think of it, with the exception of the new clothes that she got after her first week, and a new pair of red shoes she got last month, I can't see where her money is going. She makes a pretty good amount, even if she is paying maximum taxes, she should bring home over 9K a month. I wonder where her money goes. She should have an extensive wardrobe if she wanted to, or at least a little car to get from A to B. But she lives modestly, and I just don't know why she is living so frugally. Maybe if we talk, I can replace out a little bit of her background story and get to know her a little better. I know my friends certainly love her, my family and my siblings do too, my brother a little too much. It is just a little crazy, even Adam, who just met her, was suddenly sniffing around and I wished that I had cleared him out sooner because now he knows where she lives and can come back to ask her out. I am going to have to act fast to try to get her back under my spell. I felt the bump of us landing and I looked back to see if Cora was OK. She seemed like she was OK, so I faced forward again and waited for us to be able to deplane. I see Adam going to get Cora's luggage and garment bag and carrying it down the stairs for her and grinning at her when he hangs the garment bag up and puts the luggage in the back of the SUV. He then tells her that he will see her on Saturday for the flight back, and Cora blushes at him and thanked him for carrying her luggage for her. I gave my bags to the driver and got in the back seat with Cora. I am frustrated again, and I need to let it go so I can sleep when we get in, as we have a business meeting in about 6 hours.