by Aliyah Burke
“We’ve got two MiGs approaching from the South.” Lizard spoke calmly.
“Keep on target, Dusti, we’ve got this.” He banked starboard.
“Roger that, Alpha One.”
“One-sixty degrees heading in fast. Contact in one hundred miles.” Lizard kept him apprised.
Checking the array of gauges on his instrument panel, he adjusted. “We’ll come in high.”
It would be a challenge. These were bombers, not the smaller, easier to manoeuvre fighter jets. Didn’t change the fact that he was first and foremost a fighter pilot. So he responded accordingly.
It didn’t take them to long to take out the MiGs with their AGM-69A SRAMs. Over the radio came Keel’s victory cry of “Target destroyed.” He and Lizard joined in.
Levelling off beside Jaydee’s Spirit, he glanced over. He was proud of her.
“Nice job, Dusti.”
“Right back at you, Casanova. Thanks for keeping us alive.”
“My pleasure.” And he meant it one hundred per cent.
The rest of the trip went by in silence. He didn’t mind, for he took the time to appreciate how much went into these planes. The massive bomber cut through the air flawlessly and to be nigh invisible…well, even more impressive.
What topped it all, though, was the fact that Jaydee—his woman—was instrumental in making it all work. His crazy, super-genius, incredible woman.
After landing, he and Lizard climbed down, grateful there had been no incidents. Spying Keel and Jaydee striding away from their bomber, he released a loud whistle. Both of them spun around and stared at him. He jogged over, unable to maintain distance from her.
“You up for a celebratory dinner?” His words may have been for both of them but his eyes were only on Jaydee.
“Sure,” Keel said.
“I’m sorry, I still have company.”
Evasion tactic. “Come on, Dusti, think of it as a farewell dinner. Bring Lexy.” Seconds ticked by until she nodded. “Great, Kerrigan’s? Nineteen-hundred?” He waited for another nod. “See you then.”
He loped off and vanished before he did something like pull her close and nibble on her plump lower lip, then slide his tongue…
Shit! Looked like another cold shower was in his immediate future.
He arrived at Kerrigan’s about thirty minutes early. After he got seated at a table by an overly attentive waitress he nursed his drink and waited for everyone else to show. He purposefully positioned himself so he could view those entering, a habit of his when waiting to see Jaydee. That was the reason he noticed her the moment she strode through the door.
In a millisecond, his life became slow motion. The bounce of her hair, the sway of her hips, everything. It all magnified, rocketing him to a new level of his own personal hell. She was coming closer. Close enough to touch and yet he couldn’t.
Jaydee wore slightly baggy khaki cargo pants and a white oversized T-shirt. Despite her attempt to disguise her femininity, he knew what lay beneath her attire and it made him harder than titanium. Beside her, turning every red-blooded male’s—and some women’s—head was Lexy. Tight leather pants and a skimpy cornflower-blue halter top that exposed her flat midsection and belly-button piercing.
Lexy had this presence about her that drew men like flies to honey. And she deserved it, she was a gorgeous woman. Thick black hair, dark brown skin, and a killer figure.
None of it mattered—those guys could stare at her all they wanted, so long as they left Jaydee alone.
He knew the moment she spotted him. She stilled briefly before touching Lexy and continuing towards him. He ran his gaze appreciatively over her figure. God damn it! How long would he be able to keep this up?
Two weeks before she leaves.
The mental reminder sobered him in an instant. The women approached and he smiled. “Evening.”
“Gio.” Jaydee barely looked at him and he wanted to force an eye connection. A longer one.
“Hey, handsome. Thanks for the invite. Jay, order my usual, I’ve got to hit the ladies n’ make sure I still look okay.” Lexy was gone in a flash, leaving behind a trace of floral perfume.
It was the two of them and he stared at her. Remembered how it had been in her arms and let it leech into his gaze. The responding heat in her eyes when she finally glanced at him educated him that she knew his train of thought.
“Jaydee—”
“Don’t. We can’t.”
Devastation filled him. “Why not? I should have argued this before with you when you first spouted the shit. Why do we have to ignore this between us? We’re good…damn good. Hell, we’re fucking amazing together, Jaydee. And you damn well know it.”
Her eyes closed, those sinfully thick lashes resting upon satiny skin. He bit the inside of his cheek and willed his body to—for once—to behave.
She exposed those incredible eyes to him and he was witness to the stark frankness of her own desire. Unfortunately, as fast as he saw it, it faded, leaving him to stare into cool and impersonal tortoiseshell eyes.
“What we had was a mistake.”
Lexy reappeared and halted his response. A mistake? Like fucking hell it was.
“So,” Lexy said. “How did y’all do today?”
He ripped his gaze from the ever-tantalising view of Jaydee and focused on something safer. Lexy.
“Fine, thanks.” The waitress came with their drinks and left after dragging her hand up his arm, blood-red nails vivid against his black shirt.
“Well now, she was right friendly.” Lexy arched a brow at him. “She’s a hot little number.”
He truly didn’t know how to respond. She wasn’t a guy, but Jaydee’s best friend. Not to mention she’d threatened a vital part of his anatomy.
“You’ve fucked her. Are y’all still an item?”
His mouth moved but nothing came out. Lexy’s grey eyes stared at him over the rim of her Martini glass. Was that humour in there? Or a warning?
“Leave him alone, Lexy.” Jaydee’s statement shocked him. “It’s no one’s business but his own who he does what with.”
No emotion in her words. Hell, she could have been commenting on the weather for all the sentiment her tone contained.
He stared at Jaydee, only to be met again by that coolly impersonal regard. There were so many things to say, but Lizard and Keel picked that time to show up. Lizard had a hot little redhead on his arm.
At least Lexy laid off him and soon everyone had drinks and appetisers while they waited on their food. Because of Lizard’s date, they’d had to shift down, which had put Jaydee right nice and close to him. Close enough to touch.
He’d held out as long as he could but had given in by the time their food arrived. Shifting slightly, he’d moved his left leg until it pressed against her right one. She’d stiffened and pulled away. Lowering his hand, he’d settled it along the upper part of her thigh and determinedly repositioned her leg so that the physical contact was back between them. Lifting his hand, he’d waited. Sure enough, she’d gone to move it again and he’d halted it. It took four times before she’d allowed the contact between their thighs to remain. So, reluctantly, he’d set his hand back on the table.
Lord help him, all he wanted to do was caress her and slip his hand up…
“What about you, Casanova?”
Damn. He’d lost track of the conversation. Shaking his head to bring himself back in the moment, he sighed. “Sorry, what, Lizard?”
“Man, I was asking how long it had been since you went to a movie. Veronica here asked if we went a lot.”
“Been a long time,” he replied, moving his leg along Jaydee’s while he watched surreptitiously for her reaction. Nothing.
Instead, Jaydee fished her phone from a pocket and answered. The others continued talking but he focused partially on the one side of her conversation he could hear. When she said “Ivan,” he ground his back teeth but continued to talk as if he didn’t pay her any mind.
But he did. A
nd he cared. Too much. Which was why it made him green with jealousy to hear that man’s name on her lips. Especially with such affection and familiarity.
Just how well did she know Ivan Vinokourov?
* * * *
Jaydee finished putting her hair back in the bun she would wear today. There was the unpleasant nagging feeling inside her. All her logical reasoning didn’t do a damn thing about it.
The bed dipped when Lexy threw herself down beside her. “You’re glum, hon. Why? You’ve been pulled from flying before.”
“I know. It makes no sense.”
“Sure it does. These guys were your family. You almost died with one, met his wife and kid, and they treated you like family. Then there’s your hunky man, Giovanni Cassano. You shared a lot with him both physically and mentally. Cut yourself some slack, Jay. Better yet, admit the truth to yourself that you’ve fallen in love with him.”
She readjusted a bit so she lay beside her friend and chewed on her lower lip as she mulled over her words. Admit she loved him. She shook her head, nope.
“Stop thinking so hard, Jay, and feel. Just let yourself feel. You’ll know when the time is right. Just don’t force your feelings for him into a box and throw it away.”
Ankles hooked and knees bent, she rested her head against Lexy’s shoulder. “I don’t know if I can do that. Besides, I don’t have time for a relationship, Lexy. I’ve got too much left to do before I leave.”
“Bullshit. You can and we both know it.”
“What? You know I’m leaving.”
“You can come up with any excuse you want, hon. I can’t force you to face this. But I happen to think he’s perfect for you. There’s always time if you make it. Your job doesn’t have to be twenty-four-seven and you damn well know it. You give them everything, and for what?” Her tone was sharp.
“A man died, Lexy!”
They stilled, legs settling against the mattress. “I know, hon. And, as cold as this sounds, people die all the time. It doesn’t mean you kill yourself next. You work for them, but don’t think for one second they own you.”
“I’m good, Lexy.”
She snorted. “You’re fuckin’ awesome, hon. But listen to me. You keep going like this and you’ll not be any use to anyone. You can’t keep going like this. I heard you last night out there working on things when your ass should have been sleeping.”
Jaydee frowned. She’d tried not to wake her friend. “It’s just there’s something going on at work and—”
“Not gonna change, Jaydee. There will always be something. And you need to take care. I’m fuckin’ selfish, I’ll admit it. I want…no, need you around.”
“Things will get back to normal once I return to the lab.” She heard Lexy mutter something under her breath. “What?”
“I said bullshit. It is inevitable that something else will come up, be an ‘emergency’ and they’ll send for you again. What about Gio?”
Just the mention of his name made a flutter rise up in her belly. “He drives me crazy.”
“But in a good way.”
She wasn’t so sure. “I don’t know, Lexy.”
Lexy brushed her lips along her forehead before rolling off the bed. “Well, you have fourteen days to figure it all out.” She waved a hand. “Now, go on, get to work. You said you needed to be in early today. We’re having dinner with Ivan tonight. I’ll have a bagel for you to eat on your way.”
Jaydee got to her feet. There just wasn’t any motivation here. She was going in for her last flight. As Lexy had said, it wasn’t the first time she’d been pulled from flying but, damn it, this hurt. It didn’t take her long to leave the bedroom and she found Lexy waiting with, as promised, a bagel. She sent a grateful smile to her friend, hurried to the door, and headed in to work.
Much to her surprise, Sedin was waiting for her when she left the locker room. She gave him a brief nod.
“Sorry to bother you, ma’am.”
“You’re never a bother, Sedin. What can I do for you?”
His eyes shifted around before he met her gaze again. “Can you come with me for a moment?”
“Of course.” A quick glance at her watch. “I’m here early today.”
He began walking to the door and she followed him out into the pre-dawn. She watched him. Agitated, he constantly glanced around as he led her to the picnic tables.
“Something on your mind, Petty Officer?”
He reached into the side pocket of his utilities and withdrew a PDA. She waited while he pulled something up and then turned it so she could read it.
A sinking feeling rushed over her. This…was not good news at all. With a groan, she glanced back over to the mechanic who stood there waiting, that same uneasy look on his face as well. After all the stuff they’d been sifting through, this final bit connected all the pieces.
“I need this sent to my tablet, Sedin, and I need you to not breathe a word about this to anyone. And I mean anyone.” She looked at his expression, it was as if he had recently finished chewing on a lemon. Too bad, she needed his affirmation. “Petty Officer!”
“Yes, ma’am. Not a word to anyone.”
“I will handle this today, Sedin. I promise you that. But I have to make sure he doesn’t run. And, for that, I have to set a few other things up.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he responded immediately.
“Very good. And, Sedin, thank you so much for all your help on this. I will make sure they know.”
He shook his head. “If it’s all the same to you, ma’am, I’d really rather not be known as a rat.”
“I understand. In that case, I’ll do everything in my power to keep your name out of it.”
“I would greatly appreciate that, ma’am.”
“Carry on.” She returned his PDA to him and he nodded.
“Yes, ma’am. It’s sent to yours now.”
“Good man.” With a tilt of her head, she sent him on his way, then sank to the table and dropped her head in her hands. “This is a clusterfuck,” she uttered.
Worrying her lower lip, she pushed to her feet and began to head for the main facility building. She went and changed into her flight suit then grabbed her tablet PC and made her way down to where Ivan would be working.
Sure enough, he was in there working with Kelly. He looked up at her entrance and gave her a smile that warmed her.
“Morning, Dr Amos,” he said.
“Doctors,” she replied.
He whispered something to Kelly then approached her, a furrow between his brows. “What’s going on?” he asked in Russian.
“I need you to do something for me.” She spoke to him in the same language.
“Anything, you know this.”
She handed him her tablet. When his fingers curled around the edges she said, “Tell no one you have it. Give it to no one.”
“This is your property. I’ll keep it safe.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back for it this afternoon.”
“Are you okay?”
“Last day flying.”
“You know I’m here for you if you need me, Jaydee.”
“I know. I have to get going. Thank you.” She gave him a brief smile and left with a wave to Kelly. Before she got to the room, she placed a phone call.
She was the last one into the ready room and she felt their gazes upon her. “Sorry, sir.”
Fentress scowled at her. “Something more important to do than come here, Amos?”
“No, sir.”
He grunted and she took a seat in the back. Gio glanced at her before he focused again on their CO. She didn’t look at him again. She listened to the briefing and headed out immediately to her bomber, wanting to spend as much time as she could with the large, deadly object.
She was pensive as she flew, cataloguing all she could for her memory banks. There was no doubt she would miss this, but, like with all things, she would move on. Surely, some day she would have the opportunity to fly one again, for, no matter what an
yone said, the simulator just couldn’t compare.
“It’s been an honour, Dusti,” Keel said to her, “a real honour.” His voice conveyed his sincerity.
Blinking back tears, she smiled at him as they readied for landing. “Likewise, Keel.” Her heart stuttered a bit when the wheels touched the runway and she throttled back, bringing the massive bomber to a crawl and manoeuvring it into the open shelter so that the crews could go over it with precision care, and make sure nothing was wrong before the next flight. The flight she wouldn’t be piloting.
Chapter Fifteen
Gio finished talking to his mechanic and waved at the group who had entered to begin going over the bomber as he strode to the door. Lizard had left immediately but Gio had wanted to put in a request for a new seat—the one he was in felt like a spring was digging into him and he was a bit concerned that there might have been something up with the ejection seat. Not something to find out when he needed it to work.
The area was mostly quiet—their flight had been long today and non-essential personnel had already gone home. The sun had begun to set, and bathed the land in a gentle golden glow. He passed the next shelter and gave it a passing glance as he walked.
What he saw halted him. Jaydee was in there. He knew it was her and he adjusted his angle and slipped in unnoticed, stepping into a shadow where he could observe her. Her slender shoulders were slumped and she looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on them.
He watched her climb up the steps to the plane’s interior and, after a minute, he followed. She lay on the cot in the back and he made his way to her side, crouching down.
“Jaydee,” he whispered, reaching out and stroking his hand down the side of her face.
Her eyes opened, yet he could see it took a bit of time before they became focused. He saw the remnants of tears lingering on her face and in her eyes. Then they opened wide and she drew back from him. “Wha…what are you doing here?”
He frowned and slid his hand around the back of her neck and applied pressure so they were closer. The silken strands of her hair teased his skin and he felt the lust he had for her slam into him with the force of a hurricane.