Taming Arrogance (MalexMale) 《COMPLETE》

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

With three martinis sloshing around my empty stomach, I manage to sleep throughout the rest of the plane ride...and through the landing. By the time the two of us make our way to the luggage vestibule, my temples are throbbing. Normally I can handle my liquor with ease, but hard liquor with no water? And no food beforehand? And on a plane?

That's a headache just waiting to happen.

Blake walks over when he sees my suitcase coming around the corner. He picks it off the belt and sets it to the side. His luggage follows only a few feet behind mine, and he hefts it off the belt as well.

"Our ride is here," Blake says handing me my luggage.

He leads the way without waiting for me to respond, and in all honesty I'm far too hungover to protest. The coolness of the air conditioning cuts off abruptly when I step outside the mechanical doors. In its place a sticky warmth clings to my skin.

Despite it being so late into the night, the Floridian heat is brutal. One of my buddies recommended we go here for spring break next year. If this sweltering heat is any indication of how it will be during the day, I'm going to give him a resounding 'hell no' when I get home.

"Welcome to Florida," Blake says.

He takes a deep breath, inhaling the moist, heavy air. A lone convertible is parked alongside the curb of the airport, and Blake waves his hand at the driver. The man immediately steps out of the car and comes over to greet us. He shakes Blake's hand in a respectful manner and takes each of our bags of luggage to put in the trunk.

"Safe flight, Mr. Benson?" the driver asks congenially.

Blake opens the passenger side door for me, pushing the seat to a forward position to let me through. I swing my backpack off my shoulders and step into the flashy vehicle. Blake gets in a second behind me and sets his carry-on luggage to the right of him. It forces him closer to me, and suddenly this spacious convertible doesn't have enough room in the backseat.

"It was wonderful, thank you Todd," Blake responds to his driver. "Todd, this is my assistant, Mr. Greene. Callum, this is my dear friend and one of my longtime employees, Todd."

Todd gives me a friendly wave from the rearview mirror. I give a curt nod in return. There's no reason for me to be acting like a prick, but I refuse to allow myself to enjoy the company or the conversation of anyone who seems to be under the 'Blake Benson' trance.

Todd turns off his flashers and flips on his left blinker to get the car away from the curb. "Where to, boss?"

"We have a reservation at the Hilton," Blake responds.

"The one in town?"

"Yes."

Todd pulls the car onto the main highway with ease.

"Need me to stop anywhere for a late dinner or a drink, boss?"

Blake turns to me and raises a brow, as if waiting for me to weigh in my opinion. I shrug and lean back into the leather seats.

"I wouldn't turn down a few slices of pizza," I admit.

"Pizza...?" Blake repeats slowly.

"Yea, pizza. You know – that shit that has dough with sauce and cheese on top of it? Sometimes people even go crazy and add a topping or two."

Blake chuckles and shakes his head. "Oh to have the metabolism of an eighteen year old."

"Nineteen," I correct him icily, though I don't know why the mistake bothers me so much in the first place.