Coffee and Cockpits

by Jade Hart

  Laughter bubbled in my chest, but I swallowed it back. He thought I liked Nikolai? Sure, he was a nice guy and could dance, but that was all he was. A dancer.

  Trying to make him understand, I said, “What you saw on the dance floor wasn’t real. When I dance the projection of lust and sex is shown through the steps and music. It’s what happens when people who are passionate dance together.” I pressed closer, creeping nervous fingertips along his exposed hip-bones. “Believe me when I say you’re not interrupting anything.”

  He muttered something under his breath.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

  His skin puckered with goose bumps under my touch and I was desperate to taste him again. To transform his worry into gooey-eyed happiness.

  “I said it sure didn’t look like it was just a dance from where I was standing. Nikolai wants you.”

  I snorted. “That’s the illusion of dancing. Watchers believe we’re madly in love with our partner. Sometimes, for a split moment, you believe it yourself.” My voice drifted as I recalled being in Nikolai’s arms. How strong he was. How confident. He’d jerked me against his hardness before flicking me out for a spin. Hang on—was there a bit too much hardness in his pants than strictly necessary for dancing? I brushed the thought away.

  Liam stared deep into my eyes. “You do know he has the hots for you.”

  I shook my head. “No, but if it’s true, then I won’t dance with him again.” A surge of confidence took over my motor control, and I swam against his chest.

  His arms wrapped around my slippery skin to stop me from floating away.

  “I’m only interested in one man on this island.” And I meant it. Completely.

  Liam’s lips twitched as I pressed mine against his.

  We arrived back at the hotel not long after our swim. The horizon turned dusky with a tropical storm on the horizon. My headache faded, but it left me weirded out. Perhaps Nina was right, and I should get it looked at.

  We drove into the car park. I left the engine idling as Nina clambered off. Her hands rested on my shoulders for balance, and my skin clenched. The kisses we’d shared were imprinted on my very existence. Every moment with her was better than I could’ve imagined. And who would’ve thought it—I’d found a flaw to the faultless Nina: she was a hopeless swimmer. For some reason, knowing she wasn’t accomplished at everything made me relax a little. It still didn’t help knowing she danced as well as Nikolai and fit into his embrace perfectly, but I was the one to kiss her. So take that.

  Nina was my Kryptonite. I never thought I’d become so besotted by someone so fast, nor stoop to the levels I’d gone to find out things about her. But every kilo of guilt was worth it. She liked me, too.

  “Aren’t you coming into the hotel?” she asked as she rearranged her bikini top, jiggling her boobs in the process.

  My mouth went dry. As much as I didn’t want to say goodbye, I had work to do. The thought of leaving her was hard. What if she started thinking about what I’d said? She accepted me at the waterfall; it didn’t mean she couldn’t change her mind. If she had time to think, she might re-evaluate and categorize me as a stalker after all.

  Damn plane investigation.

  I reached out, caressing her cheek. “I have to speak to operations. They want regular updates on the engineer’s progress, and the Civil Aviation Authority arrives today to oversee the investigation.” That meant going to the airport and seeing Nikolai again. Awesome. Not.

  Disappointment shone in her eyes which made my heart do some silly stutter. She’d miss me.

  “Oh, okay. No problem.” She turned to leave; my fingers dropped from her cheek. I had every intention of letting her go, but my hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. With a sharp tug, I jerked her back. She landed in my lap. Her ass fit snugly against the one place she shouldn’t touch. Not yet, anyway. I wanted her to know me, and she had a lot of catching up to do. Holding the motorbike up with my legs, I wrapped my arms around her. “One goodbye kiss.”

  Her lips tugged into a shy smile and my breath caught. Eyes-locked, I kissed her. She tasted of fresh water and temptation. Her lips parted, and my arms squeezed tighter as her tongue darted into my mouth. My eyes snapped closed as I threw myself into her. She moaned as I massaged her tongue with mine.

  It was true what people said: that there was one perfect person—a soul mate. I never believed in such flowery stuff, but kissing Nina was unlike kissing any other girl. She fit; even without learning each other’s preferences and quirks. She kissed me as if she’d kissed me all her life.

  My thoughts disintegrated, and she became the focal point of my everything. Why was I leaving again? Work? Screw work. I’d much rather hold her hand and stroll on the beach, or sip a cocktail while watching the pending storm chase the last tendrils of sun into hiding.

  But I had to go.

  Not only would the CAA expect me there, but I was an obsessed idiot who needed to reign himself in and get a grip.

  She sighed as I broke the kiss and pushed her upright.

  “Can I see you tonight? Dinner perhaps?” My way of subtly making sure she wouldn’t see Nikolai.

  Her face brightened. “Sure. Dinner sounds great.” Giving me an endearing wave, she disappeared up the lobby stairs.

  Sighing like a lovesick fool, I revved the bike and darted out of the hotel grounds.

  I didn’t fancy being cooped up in a car when I could zoom wherever I wanted. Not that it was a fast bike. I doubted the Honda would excel above sixty kilometres per hour.

  The airport was a lonely building as I pulled up and parked. As I made my way toward the hanger, I was struck by the eerie quiet. I wasn’t used to being in an airport without the bustle of coming and going. Samoa really was a small island. Idyllic, but quiet enough to appreciate the slow ebb of island living. It was a place I could live. I enjoyed flying, there was nothing I would rather do, but I didn’t like traffic or stress of city living.

  In fact, that was my dream—to move away from chaotic cities and live as life intended: with a good woman, great food, and a job I loved. There was also another fantastical element to my dream that I hadn’t shared with anyone. Even Joslyn.

  Maybe I’d met the one person I could tell. My goals all hinged on whether the woman I ended up with loved me enough to be part of it.

  “Liam. Fancy seeing you here. Again.” Nikolai looked up from probing a dismantled piece of landing gear. Everything was tagged, catalogued, and looked like the man went ballistic with fluorescent post-its.

  My eyes darted to the Boeing. It was a morbid science experiment, complete with oily puddles of airplane blood and chunks missing as if someone didn’t know when to stop wielding a scalpel. The dissection was in full swing.

  Ah, the CAA had arrived. I counted three official-looking men in high-vis jackets huddled around the stripped engine. I didn’t know why they were looking at the engines, they weren’t what failed. How come I hadn’t been interviewed? Why had no one asked me what happened? How else would they know to look in the right area?

  Turning to Nik, I asked, “When did the bigwigs arrive?”

  He scribbled something on his clipboard; his writing looked like an octopus squirted ink all over the page. How anyone could read his scribble, I didn’t know.

  “About two hours ago.”

  “Why wasn’t I called? Isn’t it protocol to interview the crew before viewing the wreck? Aren’t we supposed to be sworn to secrecy and warned not to speak to the media?” Not that I had any intention of blabbing.

  Nik shrugged. “Guess they haven’t got to you yet.” He made eye contact, his shoulders tensed. “What did you do today?”

  I crossed my arms. “What’s it to you?”

  “Did you see Nina?” Jealously flashed in his brown eyes.

  Good. I was glad he was jealous. It meant he viewed me as serious competition. Not that there would be a competition. Nina wasn’t a carnival stuffed toy ready to be claimed by whoever could thu
mp their chests the hardest. Plus, she said she chose me. I just didn’t quite believe her.

  “Yes. I kissed her, too.”

  His nostrils flared, and he clenched his jaw. “I’m seeing her tonight, you know. You heard her agree to dance with me.”

  Animalistic possessiveness took hold at the image of Nina in Nikolai’s arms, dry humping on the dance floor. “Not if I can help it. She agreed to have dinner with me.” Maybe I’d have to do something drastic like piss in a circle around her and mark my territory.

  He snorted. “Dinner over dancing? There isn’t any choice to make there, Mikin. You think you know her, but you don’t. Dancers are different. We flock to rhythmic-like people. I bet you Nina is far deeper and saucier than you think.”

  Hearing him call Nina saucy did odd things to my insides; twisting, coiling things that hissed with the need to punch him.

  Changing the subject before I broke my knuckles against his teeth, I said, “I’m going to talk to Ops. Do you have a report for me?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Nope. And I’ve already talked to Ops. They know the deal, so no need.”

  He didn’t have authority on whom I could and couldn’t call. “I’ll speak to them anyway.” Nice way to come across as an argumentative brat. Not saying goodbye, I disappeared into the small office and shut the door in his smirking face.

  I couldn’t fall into the trap of competing for Nina’s affection, that wouldn’t end well, but I’d be damned if I let him walk all over me. If his skillset was dancing; mine was flying.

  Rather than call Ops, I made a new plan: find Mack, the air traffic controller, and see if I could commandeer a plane.

  Nikolai could give Nina a dance floor. I could give her the sky.

  Let’s see who enticed her more.

  I lay on my net-swathed bed, staring at the fan oscillating in the rafters. It had been two hours since Liam dropped me off and dashed off to work. Who could work on this island was beyond me. My body had absorbed the sun and wanted nothing more than to chillax. Apart from when Liam was near, of course. Gone were my worries about people thinking I slept my way to the top. I didn’t care what rumours would say. It all seemed so insignificant.

  Liam had wormed his way into my armour and fissured everything I thought I knew about myself. One, I wasn’t immune to chemistry, and two, Liam was the exact mix I needed to sizzle.

  And now I was open to a physical relationship, Liam was the one holding me at arm’s length. If it were up to me swimming this afternoon would’ve turned into skinny dipping and other enjoyable activities. But he’d kept it chaste. Sweet. Innocent.

  My stomach rumbled and I eyed the room service menu. I didn’t know if I could wait for our dinner date. Maybe I should hunt down Joslyn and see if she wanted to have a sneaky burger and watch some cable. What had she done with the rest of her day? Would she care if I’d been lip-locked with her stepbrother in one of the most romantic settings in the world?

  The notes of music wafted in through the open door of my fale, teasing me with images of dancing with Nikolai. I pursed my lips the moment I thought about him. Liam admitted today that he wanted me, but only if he wasn’t stepping in the path of something. I didn’t like Nikolai like that. Did I?

  Someone knocked on my door and I was wrenched from my thoughts. Groaning, I dragged myself off the mattress, gasping as I made eye contact with my visitor.

  I winced, clutching the back of my neck as my vision went black. Large bright spots danced in front of my eyes. What the hell? Was I low in iron? I blinked and blinked, trying to coax vision to return. The pain in my neck didn’t subside, but slowly my eyesight replaced the darkness and orbs of light. Maybe the whiplash was worse than I thought?

  A hand on my wrist wrenched me back to the present. “Nina. Are you okay?”

  My heart thumped, and I dropped my arm, disrupting Nikolai’s hold. “Yes, I’m fine.” I blinked again. “What are you doing here?”

  He grinned. “I hope you don’t mind, but I found out your room number.”

  I gulped. Away from the pulse of music and flashing party lights he was even more attractive. Rougher around the edges than Liam, with a barely contained sexual edge that sent unwelcome awareness whizzing in my blood.

  Nerves scurried over my spine. Nikolai’s in my fale and we’re alone.

  I stumbled for a subject. “How’s the investigation going? Any news?”

  He laughed. “Liam asked me pretty much the same thing. Are you so anxious to hear a bunch of technical terms and long-winded-paper-pushing jargon?” He leaned in; I leaned back. “It’s not a simple matter of saying it was ‘x’ that caused the crash. The CAA will compile a novel on the reasons why.”

  Why did I feel like an idiot? “Oh.”

  His smile softened. “Sorry. Just had a stressful day. I’ll let you know as soon as I do. Okay?”

  Seeing as I spent the day at the waterfall, I couldn’t relate to stress. But I did know what he needed.

  “You need to dance.”

  His lips tugged into a grin; his shoulders relaxed. “Am I that obvious? Here I am bitching and moaning—my roundabout way of making sure you were still planning on dancing with me tonight.”

  Guilt settled over my shoulders like fine gauze. “I eh, would, but I, um…”

  Nikolai stepped closer, his gaze dropped to my lips.

  My heart sped up, already thinking it was spinning around the dance floor. Even though I liked Liam, I couldn’t deny how much I liked Nikolai, too. He could dance. He was fun. He was simple in a no thinking kinda way.

  I couldn’t afford to let myself like two men. It would be messy, dangerous, and just plain wrong. Just come out and tell him. “I have a dinner date with Liam.”

  He took my hand, lazily twirling me. “I know. He told me. He also told me he kissed you.”

  What? Why the hell would Liam tell him that? Words refused to be summoned as I let him spin me again.

  “Liam’s laid his cards out. I think it’s only fair if I do the same.” He stopped me mid-twirl so I slammed against his chest.

  My hands came up to press against his pecs, steadying myself. Beneath my fingertips, his heart raced.

  “I like you, Nina. Ever since you moved me from that God-awful seat on the plane, you intrigued me. Then when we danced, something awoke inside me and I felt something for a woman for the first time in ten years. That’s huge for me, and I’m not going to let you run into Liam’s arms without knowing the extent of what I’m beginning to feel for you.”

  Oh my God. The room breathed in and out as claustrophobia clawed. Nikolai was lovely. I couldn’t deny the attraction I held for him, but I’d told Liam only one man interested me on this island. I couldn’t go back on my word. Not two hours after making it.

  “Nikolai. Let me go.”

  His arm dropped to press against my lower back, swaying us into a sensual swing matching the long drawn out note on the breeze. “Don’t you feel it? You can’t say there isn’t something between us.”

  My body went into hyper alert; I trembled involuntarily. Guilt followed hot on the heels of lust. How could I even think of being with Nikolai like that? I wanted Liam.

  Liam.

  Where the hell was he?

  I tried to untangle myself, but he dipped me. Our hips meshed together and the thrill of the dance, the ache of needing to give in, frazzled my nerves into a fever.

  Nikolai groaned as he pulled me back up, agonisingly slow so every part of me brushed against every part of him. “Kiss me.”

  My breath came in little pants; my heart rabbited. Kiss him? Yes, go on. See if he kisses as well as Liam.

  My eyes hooded as Nikolai titled his head closer. Yes. No. Oh God.

  I jerked out of his clasp a millisecond before his lips touched mine. Trying to gather my scattered senses that were strewn all around my fale, I muttered, “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  Nikolai swiped a hand through his hair. “You’re different, Nina. Ten years I’ve wai
ted to feel again. Ten years is a long time to be lonely. I thought I was ruined for the rest of my life, but you danced into it. I need you to give me a chance.”

  He reached for me, and I bolted back. My neck spasmed, and my vision plummeted into darkness again.

  The hand-woven carpet caught me with a none too comforting embrace and I laid there, half in the fale, half in swampy blackness. Pain licked fire up and down my spine.

  Voices came from nowhere: Give it to her. Now!

  You don’t understand. If we do… it might—

  “Nina!”

  Rough hands pulled me from the grip of unconsciousness. I blinked. Nikolai’s furrowed brow and worried eyes came into focus. Mist danced on the edges of my eye-sight, making it seem as if we were encircled by fog.

  He hoisted me against his chest. “You okay?”

  “What happened?” My tongue was thick and caterpillarish. I tried to push out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let me.

  “You fainted. When was the last time you ate?”

  I rolled my eyes. I knew I should’ve eaten. Stupid low blood sugar. I had a tendency to get the shakes if I didn’t eat enough.

  I gave Nikolai a guilty smile. “Not since breakfast. I’ve been waiting for Liam to take me to dinner.” Big mistake admitting that.

  Nikolai’s eyes narrowed. “So instead of dancing with me you preferred to dine with the co-pilot?”

  “N—no, it’s not like that,” I lied. It was like that. Completely. I wanted to go with Liam over Nikolai. Did that make me a terrible person? “I’m sorry.”

  He rolled his shoulders, dispelling his frustration. “Well, either Liam has forgotten about your dinner date, or he’s stood you up.” He wrapped his arms around me. I held on tight as he hoisted me to my feet. “I’m going to order you room service and we’re—”

  “What’s going on here?” A voice demanded from the entrance.

  I wanted to slither inside a hole and hide. Could this get any worse? I was half-naked in Nikolai’s arms. I hadn’t changed from my bikini I wore to the waterfall.