Wedding Party Collection: Here Comes The Groom: The Bridegroom's Vow / The Billionaire Bridegroom

They were dropping out of the sky as if being pulled toward a giant lodestone.

Please, God. Don’t let anything happen to him.

CHAPTER THREE (#ua495a853-9402-577c-845c-447c34a388f0)

“HE’S coming around.”

“Don’t let him move his head.”

“No. I’ve got him.”

“An AirMed helicopter will meet us when we land.”

“The bleeding’s stopped.”

“That’s good. Keep that compress over the wound.”

“Do you think his arm is broken?”

“No. Nothing’s broken that I see, but he’s going to have an ugly bruise on his shoulder for a while.”

Dimitrios had been hearing voices for the last few minutes. Now he was aware of stinging at the crown of his head. Slowly his body was coming back to life.

Mingled with the smell of alcohol was a delicious scent, like pears, that permeated his nostrils. It came from a smooth, cool hand cupping his jaw along the side of his face. He seemed to be resting on something soft and warm. His eyelids fluttered open.

Waves of dizziness assailed him. He blinked several times until his gaze focused on a pair of soulful green eyes staring down at him. They seemed to take up her whole face.

Good Lord. What were they both doing on the floor of the plane with his head in her lap?

“Ms. Hamilton?”

“Thank heaven you know me,” she whispered emotionally.

“Welcome back,” came the voice of his copilot. Both he and the steward had to be standing somewhere near his feet.

Dimitrios blinked again. Maybe it was the angle of the recessed lighting that made him think moisture clung to his secretary’s long, silky lashes. He’d never seen her without her steel-rimmed glasses. She had flawless skin and a beautifully shaped mouth.

“What happened?”

“We hit an air pocket before you could make it to your seat,” she explained.

“I remember now,” he muttered on a groan. “How soon before we land?”

His copilot hunkered at his side. “We’re approaching Macedonia International now.”

Dimitrios started to get up, but all three of them held him down. “Don’t move,” his steward ordered. “You have a lump on the top of your head and must be seen by a doctor.”

“I heard you say nothing was broken. Let me up,” he ordered.

Still they restrained him. Damnation.

He felt the tightening of his secretary’s diaphragm before she asked, “How many stones are there in my ring?”

What?

She held the top of her hand in front of his eyes so he couldn’t possibly miss it.

“Five.”

“Good. There’s nothing wrong with his vision, gentlemen. I think Kyrie Pandakis is recovered enough to get to his seat.”

His steward shook his head. “I don’t know—”

“Well I do! Don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility if anything should happen to him. Now if you’ll both assist me and we’re all very careful, we can get him strapped in before we begin our descent.

“Don’t you dare pass out on me now,” her lips whispered against his ear before she told the two men to support his elbows so he could stand up.

Dimitrios could count on the fingers of one hand the times in his life when he’d been filled with wonder. To see his steward and copilot cowed into submission without further remonstration qualified as one of them. Once helped into his seat and buckled in, he gripped the arm rests, fighting not to succumb to his dizziness and fall over again.

His head felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. In fact it hurt like hell except for that moment when her lips brushed his ear. Then all he could feel was a little explosion of electricity shooting through his system.

“You see?” He heard her speak to his staff from her seat. “He’s fine. Tell the pilot to cancel the helicopter. If Kyrie Pandakis isn’t well after he gets home, his family will send for his doctor.”

After more hesitation, his copilot went to the cockpit to do her bidding. The steward remained nearby, still looking unsure about things. It had to be a first for him.

“Is this your wish?” he demanded

“As my secretary said, I’m all right. Thank you for your help and concern. Tell the pilot everyone is grateful he was able to stabilize the plane in time.”

The other man gave a reluctant nod before disappearing.

“When the world stops spinning, Ms. Hamilton, remind me to give you a bonus for keeping a cool head. It must have been a terrifying experience for you.”

“Only when I saw you go flying.”

The Fasten Seat Belts sign went on. They were beginning their descent. His head swam.

“It won’t be long now.” Her voice seemed to come from a long way off.

The next thing he was aware of was his secretary bending over him to undo his seat belt. He could smell the pear scent once more.

“We’re home, Mr. Pandakis.”

“What happened to Kyrie?”

She ignored his question. “Stand up and lean against me while we exit the plane.”

His dizziness was as bad on the ground as in the air. He put his arm around her shoulders and they started for the door. A few steps from the entrance he had to cling to her.