He turned and gave the plane a long look before turning back to her. “I don’t quite think he’s finished yet. You could come up with him if you like.”

Uh-oh. That did not sound promising. For Eli at least.

“What’s he doing?”

“A hundred push-ups for bringing a civilian along,” he answered far too seriously. “And if I don’t get back, he’ll cheat on the count. There’s cold drinks in the plane if you decide to join us.”

“I assume you’re the boss’s boss, then?” she queried, knowing he was. “A name would be nice. Even my sister won’t provide the name of the man who dared to invite her out to dinner while my brother-in-law was still trying to seduce her. I believe they consider saying your name bad luck. Rather like Rumpelstiltskin perhaps?”

She wondered if she should just tell him she knew who he was and how much she appreciated him taking her sister out. That was enough to piss her off.

That little twitch at the corner of his lips hinted at a smile of sincere amusement.

“Come along.” As he angled his head to the aircraft, his gaze turned mocking again. “Eli can introduce us properly since he convinced you to come along with him.”

“I just followed him,” she retorted, grinning at his back now. “He does live with me, you know. And I was bored tonight.”

“Get bored often, do you?”

Damn, she wished she could see his face when he asked that question.

“Only on Fridays,” she assured him, wondering if the odd look he gave her was an indication that for her, every day was Friday these days.

“Today’s only Thursday.” Still, he didn’t deign to let her see his expression.

“Oh well. I guess I started a day early, then. My bad.”

She had a feeling she could have fun with this man. It might have had something to do with the little glimpse she caught of a grin he was trying to hide when she nearly caught up with him. Or the fact that he had a helluva backside.

“You’re bad? Sweetheart, with the name Mackay, there wasn’t even a doubt.” He stopped at the steps leading up to the interior of the jet.

She took the first step, then paused and faced him. With the three-inch boot heels and the height of the step, she could stare him in the eye, and she liked that.

It put her close enough to catch the scent of his cologne, a bit of sandalwood, she thought. A very masculine, very intriguing scent that made her want to get closer.

A whole lot closer.

“Well then, at least you’ve been warned,” she pointed out, lowering her voice and giving him a sultry look. “I, on the other hand, am still in the dark. Should I be warned as well?”

His hand lifted just enough to allow his index finger to insert itself under the sleeve of her jacket, where it then stroked over her wrist. A rasp of a callused fingertip against the sensitive flesh had the blood pounding harder through her veins.

“Oh God, Zoey, don’t flirt with him.” Eli barked the demand from the open door of the plane, horrified astonishment filling his voice. “I warned you what he was like. Do you really want to become a notch on his belt?”

“How very chauvinistic of you, Eli,” she accused him lightly. “Maybe I’m thinking about making him a notch in my belt?”

Surprise gleamed in his brown eyes as well as a glimmer of laughter.

“You’re crazy. Get away from him,” Eli all but begged her. “He’s like a damned plague where women are concerned. You never recover.”

The boss’s lips thinned, but she could see the grin he wanted to let free. Zoey leaned forward just a few inches and let a smile curve her own lips. “Why fight it? You know you want to.”

His eyes flicked to her lips then back to meet her gaze.

“Oh, Miss Mackay, there are many things I’d love to do, but exactly to what are you referring?” Carnal, white-hot lust gleamed in his eyes now.

“The smile you’re fighting.” Stepping back, she gave a toss of her head and moved up the steps. “I bet you look really nice when you smile.”

“He looks like an ogre when he smiles. All cracked, broken teeth and evil breath.” Eli was waiting, arms crossed over his chest, his expression forbidding. “You never listen to me, do you?”

She couldn’t help but laugh as she neared him.

“Only when you say something I want to hear.” She reached up and patted his cheek fondly as she passed him. “So stop fussing. I’m just playing a little bit.”

“With an alligator,” he snapped. “Or a shark. You should know better.”

“You’re fired, Eli.” The boss stepped in behind her obviously, his tone rich and deep, without a hint of amusement. He wasn’t serious, though. She knew he wasn’t serious.

Turning, she caught Eli’s disapproving look as he glared at the other man. “Bullshit. Dammit, Doogan, stop firing my ass. You know our dads will just make you hire me back anyway, so why bother?”

“Because you irritate me.” Doogan shrugged, turning to Zoey now. “He thinks because our fathers are best friends that I can’t fire him. He’s wrong.”

“Suits me fine. Zoey already has a job lined up for me anyway,” he shot back, his look daring her to reveal the nature of that job. “I won’t have to worry about you getting me shot at.”

“What kind of job might that be? Mackay jester?” Doogan snorted, though the barest hint of a wink as he passed her belied the seriousness of his tone.

“I really don’t like you, Doogan.” Eli was almost serious.

That was too funny. Eli didn’t actually dislike anyone, but he obviously had a few issues with Doogan. She had a feeling that complications likely filled their relationship.

“He’s annoyed with me right now.” Doogan sat in the executive-style chair positioned behind a work area and facing the front of the plane. “He’ll like me better once he doesn’t get shot at this time before he gets back.”

Now, that one gave her pause.

Zoey gave Eli a frown. “Before he gets back?” She turned the same frown on Doogan. “That’s not going to work. I have to get back to Somerset before Dawg realizes I’ve disappeared.”

Doogan lowered his head, his gaze on the open laptop, though she doubted his attention was there. He seemed to be choosing his words instead.

“You know the way back, I presume?” Doogan inquired then, his head lifting, his gaze locking with hers. “I didn’t ask Eli if he cared to do it, I ordered him to do it.”

“Go back by myself?” she asked, as though amazed he would make such a suggestion. “But I’m a Mackay. I’ll end up in trouble before I’m halfway there and God forbid I should get a bruise and tell Dawg you sent me home alone.” Her eyes widened, a pretense of sudden, fearful knowledge filling her expression. “I’d hate to see what happened then. He’d come looking for you, though.”

Doogan’s eyes locked on hers. “Then I guess you better stay right here until Eli gets back. It would be terrible if you caused your brother to end up . . . hurting himself. . . .” That wicked smile he flashed her was completely misbegotten. He didn’t care in the least to stir up a little trouble, now did he?

Eli groaned, a defeated, painful sound.

“Eli. Go.” Doogan’s voice changed. It wasn’t holding that playful little undercurrent any longer. He was dead serious.

Eli groaned again. “There goes my chance,” he sighed.

“Your chance at what?” Doogan’s tone deepened at the grin Zoey couldn’t hold back.

Her gaze slid to Eli’s, daring him.

“Living,” Eli grunted.

A second later he left the plane, stomping down the steps like a two-year-old in temper. Though, admittedly, Zoey wondered if perhaps she should be a little worried herself.

“Sending him away really wasn’t nice,” she sighed. “He’s terrified of your little side projects.”

“Which is why he brought you. I’m no fool, Ms. Mackay,” he told her with a softness that belied the steel beneath it. “Eli likes to think he can fool me sometimes. He doesn’t.”

There was more than a handsome playboy that existed beneath that implacable expression, she guessed. And far more than just the boss’s boss.