The Trouble with Pilots

by Kristi Ahlers

  “What will make you realize this is real?”

  “I want to get to know you. I mean right off the bat, I can’t stand the one thing you’re passionate about . . . flying.”

  “How do you know I’m passionate about the flying, maybe it’s just a job.” Trey nuzzled her neck.

  “Really? I don’t even have to know you to know you love flying.”

  “Fair enough.” He chuckled. “However, it is a job and you don’t have to fly with me, just like I don’t have to be a dress designer for us to get along. They’re just our jobs, not a reason for you to decide it’s a basis for a relationship.”

  “True.” Sarah nibbled on her lower lip before facing Trey. He was so handsome and her heart fluttered like a manic butterfly whenever she met his piercing blue gaze. There was no point in ignoring the instant attraction. Heaven knew she’d been trying to make excuses and find explanations for the truly unexplainable.

  “I can hear the wheels turning in your pretty little head. You’re over thinking things, darlin’.”

  “Yeah, one of my faults. I like nice and tidy explanations for things.”

  “Why, I think part of the fun of life is not knowing what to expect all the time. You never know when you’re going to find something interesting.”

  Sarah stared at him, stunned by his romantic sentiment. It was the very last thing she expected from him—a pilot and a man with a fair amount of ego. And yet this wasn’t the man she was getting to know.

  “This has never happened to me before, Sarah. I’ve never been so instantly attracted to another person as I have with you. Will you please give this a chance? Take a risk. You’ve already tackled flying. Now take a chance with me.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Trey couldn’t believe what he was saying and yet it was straight from his heart. And more importantly, he didn’t feel as if he’d turned a wrong corner. In fact, at this moment in time, everything that had been wrong up to this point in his life now seemed centered. Before he boarded that plane, he’d been questioning the choices he’d made. He could now admit he’d been envious to learn that Damien was happy with a woman and he secretly wanted that too.

  And now that he had it, felt that rush that only came with a connection to another person, he understood what Damien had and why he’d been willing to let go of his playboy lifestyle and hold on to Hannah.

  He couldn’t explain it but being with Sarah made him feel happy and content. He liked her sassiness; he loved her melting against him when they kissed. Trey knew he could spend the rest of his life getting to know her and he’d never be bored. He’d found ’the one’ and he wasn’t going to let her get away.

  “Give me a chance to prove to you I’m more than a cocky flyboy with an attitude.”

  He watched her nibbling on her lower lip, something he realized she did when she was thinking. Well, if anyone was going to nibble on that delicate skin, it was going to be him. Pulling her closer, he settled his mouth on hers, enjoying the sweet and sassy taste of Sarah on his tongue. She tasted of peppermint and sunshine. He could spend forever kissing her and wished in that moment he had forever.

  But, he was pragmatic, and knew if he was going to win Sarah’s heart and trust he needed to prove a few things. The biggest thing he had a feeling he had to prove was he wasn’t a playboy willing to hurt her.

  He also wanted her to make this decision freely, not muddle-headed by the desire and pure lust he knew had to be rushing through her body as it was with his. So with reluctance, he sat back against the sofa cushions and gazed at her for a long moment.

  “Give me a chance, Sarah. Let me prove to you I’m not him.”

  Her gaze widened with surprise. “What do you mean?”

  Sarah quickly stood and walked over to one of the large windows to stare out at the gardens. Trey spun in his seat as she moved.

  “I mean, I’m not the man who hurt you, who made you think all pilots are ego-driven adrenaline junkies who aren’t concerned with anyone but ourselves.”

  Trey wanted to hold her and make all sorts of promises and then he wanted to find the idiot who dared hurt her so much she was afraid to take a chance on a relationship.

  “How did you know?” she asked without turning to look at him.

  “I figured there had to be a reason behind your feelings about pilots. Your comments haven’t exactly been flattering.”

  “Trey, I’ll admit I’m attracted to you but this is happening way to fast. And I have a dress to design.” She ran her hand through her hair and sighed then turned to finally look at him. “Please, just give me some time to do what I came here to do before I even think about this.”

  Although he wanted to push, he also knew when to back off. He didn’t want to scare her off or lose her because he couldn’t be supportive. “Okay, darlin’. That’s fair.”

  He rose from his seat and closed the space between them. He ran his fingers around the back of her neck and held her gaze with his. “When we get back to New Orleans we’ll figure this out. But you have to promise to give us a chance.”

  “I promise.” Her smile was sincere and Trey knew Sarah spoke the truth. He wondered if he could stand the anticipation.

  Before either of them could say anything more they both heard the front door open and Hannah’s excited chatter.

  “We’ll talk later. I want to take you to dinner before you leave France.”

  “Okay. I’d like that.”

  Trey leaned down and quickly kissed her once more. This trip to France was exactly what he needed.

  CHAPTER 6

  Hannah and Sarah sat at a sidewalk café on the Champs-Élysées people-watching and enjoying their lunch.

  “So how was your morning?” Hannah asked as she took a bite of salad with a self satisfied look on her face.

  “You didn’t have anything to do this morning did you, brat?” Sarah pointed her fork at her friend and narrowed her eyes. “Hannah, you’re going to pay for that.” She laughed, sitting back in her seat. “The morning was amazing.”

  “And?” Hannah leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. “Dish! I want all the details.”

  “Well, we had sex . . . sweaty, raw sex.”

  “What!”

  Sarah took a sip of her wine and fought to hide her smile at Hannah’s reaction. She loved teasing her friend.

  But she couldn’t hold back and started laughing. “You should see your face.”

  “Sarah!”

  Sarah calmly took another bite of her salad and watched as her friend sputtered and decide if she was teasing her or not.

  “You’re lying.”

  “Am I?” Sarah was having a good time at her friend’s expense.

  “Yeah, you’re not going to sleep with Trey, not yet anyhow.”

  Sarah mulled that over. In truth, her best knew she would never sleep with someone without having a connection. Thing was, she couldn’t ignore the magnetic pull Trey had on her. If he’d pushed her this morning, he could have had her separated from her panties with one more of his amazing kisses.

  “Okay, we kissed and it was good. Really good.”

  “And?”

  Sarah let out a sigh, “And we’ve decided to get to know each other better.”

  “Really? Oh, Sarah I’m so happy for you. Trey is a great guy. You’re going to be very happy. I just know it . . . just like Damien and me. I’m so freaking happy for you.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  “Are you sure you can’t stay a little longer? You were hardly here.”

  Hannah had insisted on accompanying Sarah back to her hotel in the limo. Her week in Paris had gone by far too quickly.

  “I know, but I’ve got a wedding fair I need to get ready for. And I need to get on to the actually sewing on your dress. I promise I’ll be back in six weeks and we can visit more.”

  “Okay.” Hannah hugged her. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Well, I kind of assumed you would, but . . . will you please be my maid of honor?”
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  Tears filled Sarah’s eyes, choking her up. She was so happy for her friend. “I’d be honored.”

  “Stop crying or you’re going to make me cry.”

  Sarah laughed as she wiped her tears away. “You know me. I cry at Hallmark commercials.”

  “Yeah, you do.” Hannah hugged her. “Thank you for coming to see me and for designing my dream dress. I love you so much.”

  “You’re welcome. I love you too. You’re my best friend. How could I not come when you called?”

  “Okay, get going before I refuse to let you leave.” Hannah made a shooing motion. “When you’re ready to come back, let me know and I’ll make all the arrangements.”

  “I will.” Sarah slipped out of the limo and shut the door, waving as the vehicle slid into the flow of traffic. She was going to miss her friend and couldn’t wait to return.

  Sarah went up to her room and flopped down on the bed and let out a sigh. The last few days had been emotionally draining, but they were also the most amazing of her life!

  She’d taken her first flight, found a guy she could actually see spending forever with and she was excited about all of that for once things were going to work out for her.

  After packing her bags she ordered room service before stepping out onto the balcony and enjoyed the view of the Eiffel Tower. She realized she’d been in Paris for a week and hadn’t seen any of the sights. Even though she would be back in a six weeks, she wanted to see Paris before she left.

  A knock at the door meant her dinner had arrived and went to let in the porter. But it wasn’t the porter with her dinner. Trey filled the doorway, handsome as ever.

  “I thought you were going to let me take you to dinner before you left Paris.”

  “Time just wasn’t on our side. Maybe we can go out when we get back to New Orleans.” Sarah squeezed her eyes tight for a moment. “I never thought to ask if you lived in the city or was just passing through”

  Trey chuckled. “Yes, darlin’, I’m a New Orleanian, born and raised.”

  Sarah laughed lightly. “That’s a relief. I’d hate to think I could only see you when you flew through Louis Armstrong Airport.”

  Trey glanced at the dining cart in the hall. He must have tipped the porter and sent him away. He lifted the lid on her entrée and winced. He pushed the cart against the wall and said, “I can do better than this.” He held out his hand to her.

  “I’ll get my coat.”

  On the sidewalk Trey asked, “Well, mademoiselle, what shall we see first?”

  “The Eiffel Tower. I want to go to the top.”

  “Ah, the symbol of Paris.”

  “Oui. I think it’s so romantic and I want to see it up close.”

  “Then follow me, darlin’. Consider this our first date.” Trey held out his hand for hers.

  Sarah smiled, slipping her fingers into his warm hand. A total sense of completeness filled her.

  They stepped out into the Parisian evening and began walking towards the taxi stand.

  “When do you return with the dress?”

  “Well, I’ve got all the measurements and my assistant said the bolts I ordered from the Paris fabric market have arrived already, so I’m hoping I can have the dress done and return in about six weeks.”

  “When are you leaving for home?” Trey put his hand at the small of her back and guided her through the throng of tourists.

  “Tomorrow afternoon.” Sarah relished the heat from his touch, wanting to feel even more. “When do you go back.”

  Trey smiled. “Turns out I’m flying back tomorrow too.”

  “Really?” Why was she sounding so hopeful? “I mean, really? What a coincidence.”

  “I can’t very well let you fly back without me. Someone has to keep your mind off your fear for flying.” Then he added, “And I have to be sure you don’t kiss someone else.”

  Sarah laughed. There was little chance of that happening now that Trey was in her life. And the fact he had arranged his schedule so he could fly back with her told her more than she needed to know about him or how he felt about her. He cared. He wasn’t teasing her over her fear and was, instead, willing to help her face her fear. It showed he was a good man.

  “Thank you.” She stopped and pulled his head down to her and kissed him softly.

  “You’re welcome, darlin’.”

  Together, they made their way to the Eiffel Tower. The closer they got the more excited Sarah became. They passed a carousel, the colorful animals in various poses and she promised herself when she came back to Paris she’d go for a ride.

  By the time they reached their destination the sun had set and the Tower was fully lit. The view stole Sarah’s breath. She couldn’t believe she was here.

  “Do you want to go to the very top or the first stop?”

  Sarah looked at Trey “I want to go to the top!”

  “The top of the Eiffel Tower it is.”

  Trey paid for their tickets before they joined the line for the elevator.

  “We’re in luck. Last time I was here, the wait was over an hour.” Trey wrapped his arm around her. “It pays to come here during the off season.”

  “Paris has an off season?” Sarah laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”

  Within five minutes they were ensconced in the elevator for the quick ride to the top of the tower.

  “Did you know that this year the tower is one hundred and twenty-three years old?” Trey asked as they stepped off the elevator.

  “No, I didn’t realize that.”

  Exiting the elevator, they walked over to the fencing. Sarah wrapped her fingers around the chain link and looked over the city. Paris at twilight was amazing. Boats bobbed along the Seine, and the city lights were unlike anything she’d seen before.

  “This is wonderful,” she whispered as she slowly walked around the top of the observation platform, looking at the city from every direction. “This city is so amazing.”

  “So are you.”

  Sarah turned to faced Trey. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked into his eyes.

  Whispers near them drew her attention for the briefest moment. She looked around and saw several women pointing and whispering in their direction. They were looking at Trey. He was beautiful to look at and this was part of the reason she was afraid to let herself believe he was really interested in her.

  “I’m going to kiss you right now, Sarah Harper, because there is nothing in this world I want to do more.”

  Before she could respond, Trey lowered his mouth to hers and made love to her mouth. His tongue gently rubbed against hers, causing her to melt into his warm embrace. She hadn’t realized until then how chilly it was this high up over the Paris skyline. Being in his arms, molded the length of his warm body, was the best place in the world to be in that moment.

  Trey deepened his kiss, his tongue parrying and thrusting against hers. She felt the kiss throughout her entire body. The place low in her stomach began to ache and she wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and continue to kiss him until neither of them could breathe.

  Before she knew it, the kiss turned playful and sweet, and she found herself smiling against his mouth.

  “Do you know I think that’s one of the sexiest things?” He whispered against her parted lips.

  “What?” Sarah kissed him again quickly.

  “A smile through a kiss is one of the best feelings ever.”

  “I can’t believe you said that.” Sarah was stunned he said something so romantic.

  “Why, darlin’?” He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “It’s how I feel. You make experiences like this so much richer. I’m going to earn your trust and hopefully your love.”

  Sarah blinked back tears. Here she stood on the Eiffel Tower in the arms of an amazing and romantic man, and she knew in that moment she could trust him, heart and soul.

  She looked into his eyes for a moment. She knew trust went both ways and felt Trey had to know why she was so afr
aid to get involved with pilots. “The reason I gave you attitude about being a pilot is because I dated a guy who was a pilot. I trusted him when he said he wasn’t cheating, even though I felt something was wrong between us. Then one of his layover girls called and let me know what he was doing.”

  “Ah.” He continued stroking her hair before running the back of his fingers against her cheek. “I’m not that kind of man—pilot or not. I promise you, darlin’, if I meet anyone while I’m flying, I’ll say something before anything can happen. But trust me. I’m not going to be looking. Not when I know that after each trip I’ll be coming home to you.”

  “You promise?” Sarah couldn’t believe he was willing to make that promise to her.

  “A promise made is a promise kept.”

  “Thank you.” She stood on tip-toe and kissed him softly.

  “So . . . does this mean we’re dating?”

  “Yes.” Sarah actually wanted to dance a jig. She’d faced two of her biggest fears and was rewarded with a relationship with such a wonderful man.

  SIX MONTHS LATER

  Sarah sat back and smiled as she stroked the velvety pedal of the peony in the bridal bouquet Hannah had pitched directly into her hands. Hannah was anything but subtle with that one and it made Sarah giggle. Hannah’s wedding was beyond perfect and she made a beautiful bride. Although paparazzi tried to get in, Damien made sure nothing spoiled his bride’s day.

  “What are you so happy about, darlin’?” Trey leaned over and nuzzled her neck; chills of want pebbled her skin.

  “My best friend is married to the man of her dreams and I’m engaged to the man of my dreams. Life is beautiful.”

  “You looked beautiful today, darlin’. But I’m tired and I’m ready to escape.”

  “Hmm, me, too.” Sarah stood and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Have I told you how much I love you, Trey Chasen?”

  Trey kissed her softly before saying, “Not today.”

  “Well, I better rectify that right now.” She giggled as Trey swept her up in his arms and started carrying her up the stairs to their room. They were the only wedding guests invited to stay at the château.