Page 51 of Confessions of an Apache Pilot

CHAPTER 29

Jen

Aweight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had made amends with Mark and the constant anxiety that was ripping me apart had abated. It was nice to be able to relax and enjoy myself again.

He wasn’t pushing me, and the last few days had been easy enough. My crew had met with them for chow a few times, and tonight we were heading over to play some card games after both our shifts were over. My heart leapt at the thought of being near him, while a permanent ache took up residence in my lower abdomen.

For now, I decided to try and relax and settle into my shift. We were in our office, our gear staged at the helicopter, the usual. Nick and Sarah were sitting in the corner reading, Karolyn watching a movie. My mind was racing so much I couldn’t focus on a book or movie. Instead, I opened my computer and pretended to be working while I let my mind run away with my thoughts.

The mental privacy I’d been hoping for splintered when Brady burst through the door. “Get off your asses, you gotta come check this out!”

I should have noticed the way he was smiling, but his normally high energy combined with the urgency in his tone had all of us leaping up into the air and running to keep up.

“What is it? Are we under attack?” I shouted to him.

“Better!” he yelled over his shoulder.

I came to a brief stop trying to comprehend that. “Better?” They were quickly outdistancing me so I started running again. I picked up the pace as I went out the door onto the flightline, catching back up.

Sheppard, Artie, Laura, and Santos were already out there on the flightline, looking straight up. Brady kept running until he was next to them. He pointed to the sky. We slowed to a walk, but we all looked up. A pair of A-10 Warthogs, the Air Force’s primary Close Air Support fighter plane, were flying overhead, getting ready to land.

I brought my head down and scowled. “You brought us out here for an airshow?”

“Airshow?” all five of them responded as one. The look Mark gave me though, was like I was speaking heresy. “Do you have any idea what’s going to happen tonight?”

Brady didn’t give me a chance to answer. “We're gonna blow some motherfuckers up!” His grin was contagious and I had to bite back an answering smile.

“We have a few hours before the mission. Come on over, we’ll have the pilots give you a tour of the aircraft.”

“I’m in!” Karolyn exclaimed.

Of course you are. Ever since we had come back from Pamir she had been behaving. I didn’t know what had happened, but she was being completely professional around Mark and the others. Maybe she had calmed down. Having some new men on our base might bring her…enthusiasm back. I hoped not.

Nick and Sarah shrugged and started to follow. The overt hostility between Nick and them wasn’t gone, but it wasn’t so blatant anymore. There was still the underlying resentment, but they were keeping it to themselves.

“You boys have fun with that, I’m going back in.” I turned and made it one step before I felt a tug on the back of my belt. “Let go, I’m- Whoa, whoa, let me go!” I cried, as I was dragged backward and rose into the air. Mark had thrown me over his shoulder.

“A-10s don’t come up here very often. Might not get another chance to see them. Don't be such a stick in the mud.”

Sighing, I knew I’d end up giving in. How could I do anything else when he was physically carting me over to wait on the planes? My lips twitched, but I wasn’t about to let him see. Besides, my body was keeping me distracted with the ache that thumped between my legs. His damned muscley arm was wrapped over my ass, I could feel it flex to keep me anchored in place. My arms fell to his back. It was hard and sculpted...dammit. How was I supposed to remain friends with him if every time I was around him this was my reaction? That was the reason I’d been heading back inside. A little thrill shot through me at the thought of getting to see the planes. I’d just figured it’d be best to put a little space between us. Mark had other plans. His hand slid over the back of my thigh and my breath caught. Even through my thick uniform pants his touch sent electricity sparking through me.

Why did this have to be so hot?!

Laura smiled and gave me a quick thumbs up. Like this was part of some plan.

“Put. Me. Down… I’ll walk,” I conceded. He bent over, dropping me back on my feet. He leaned in and pinned me with those damned smoldering eyes of his.

“See? Was that so hard?”

So hard? It was all I could do not to melt into him, in front of everyone. What had I been thinking? How the hell could I keep my distance from him when every encounter had the promise of being this sexy?

“Here we are,” he said.

We stopped next to the runway. I was grateful for the distraction. The A-10s were just pulling into parking and shutting down. The pilots hopped out and came over to shake hands.

“Captain, this is Rage and Hammer. Guys, Captain Walker and her MED team.” We shook hands and introduced all the crewmembers.

“Captain, Rage and I-”

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