Page 11 of The Pilot & the Athlete

Shay gave a little gasp, and he regretted going so fast.

“You all right?” he asked as he leveled off a bit and took the rise in altitude more gently.

“Yes, that was lit!”

He chuckled, working the controls until he was soaring at forty-one thousand feet, his favorite spot for cruising speed and less traffic. He set the controls to the familiar location of Kalispell, Montana’s small airport, south of the picturesque Coleville Montana and the generous and welcoming cowboys, the Coleville family. He appreciated and respected all of the Colevilles, especially Mama Millie.

“Sorry about the teenage vocab,” she said, not sounding sorry at all. “I spend all my time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with swimmers much younger than me and coaching Cheyenne Mountain High’s swim team. I’ve foundknowing their lingo helps us connect and them not seeing me as some icon.” She shrugged. “Their language has become a part of me. At least I used to spend all my time with them.” She plucked at the side slit of her dress.

“I hate that you’ve been isolated from your dreams and your friends,” he said, impressed she learned the teenager’s jargon to help them be comfortable with her.

“It bites.”

He understood. He was often alone. Could they conquer the loneliness together? Instead of saying something so cheesy, he kept an eye on the controls and the sky. Everything was quiet.

“I’m sorry you missed the Olympics.”

“You and me both. But I’m alive, so that slaps. It hits different when you go from a happy, busy life to a nightmare.” Before he could comfort her, she asked, “You said the plan imploded. On the phone. Rescuing me wasn’t in the plan?”

“No, beautiful Shay. You were not part of tonight’s plan.” Paul glanced away. Nothing like revealing how interested he was in her. “I took their pilot’s place. I was hoping to have the men who kidnapped you lead me to their boss.”

“Big T? But he’s in prison.”

“You’re certain they were affiliated with Big T?” Aiden’s tech team had been ninety percent sure they were working for Benjamin Oliver.

“Why else would they have kidnapped me? They had to be planning to stop me from testifying next week. They said they were taking me to Big T’s lawyer to get some answers before they killed me.” She sucked in a breath.

Paul was very prepared to comfort her. This jet could fly itself for a long time.

“I think they killed my friends Agents Meacham and Turner.”

“Maybe.” Paul realized she was worried about her agents, not scared for herself and needing comfort. It was impressive how unselfish and brave she was.

If she’d been discovered by Big T’s cohorts, her agents were either dead or they were in on the plan and were dirty. “Did you see their bodies?”

“No.”

“Okay. Aiden will sort it all out.”

“Aiden …?”

“Porter,” he supplied.

“You know Aiden Porter?”

“He’s my boss, and a good friend.”

“Bussin’.” She looked him over appreciatively. “That’s a better flex than your flying skills. Is that why you have so much rizz?”

He chuckled. He could guess ‘bussin’ meant great and he did know what ‘rizz’ meant. “Aiden has more charisma in his little finger than I’ve exhibited my entire life.”

“I don’t know about that. You’re ultra charming to me. Oozing rizz. You have a magnetism about you …” She trailed off and gave him a smile like a deer caught in headlights. “Okay. I’ll stop now. It’s getting cringy.”

Her thinking he was charming, rizzy, or magnetic wasn’t cringy at all, but he could only imagine how she felt being so transparent. It appeared she returned the feelings he was fighting so hard. That didn’t give him a green light to act on them, but it did make him feel good. Really good.

She smiled, but it looked more forced than earlier. “Do youlowkey need any more information from me? Maybe I’ll head back to a recliner and see if I can get some shut-eye.”

He wanted to ask her to stay. He liked being around her. He liked knowing she was attracted to him. His mind traveled willingly back to the kiss they’d shared. His eyes fastened to her mouth and held there. “Um …” He couldn’t remember what they’d been discussing. “That should be fine.”

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