Page 20 of Flyboy

“Okay, Tenderfoot. Show me what you can do.” He grinned behind his mask, intuitively sensing she wouldn’t like that challenge. Ivy had a daring edge, a competitive glint that Colton could not resist, but she was governed by the strongest sense of dedication to structure and governance he’d ever seen. It was like the woman raged inside a spreadsheet. And right now, she was probably up there biting her delectable lower lip, trying to figure out just how much to show off and still follow all the rules.

He waited, grinning.

“I can see your smile, you know.”

He laughed. “No, you can’t.” His mask covered half his face.

“It’s beaming out of your eyes. I don’t know why taunting me is so enjoyable for you . . . but hold on.” She pulled back so fast he felt like his whole body was thrown to the back of itself against the seat behind him. The Gs hammered against him, and his skin felt like it might stretch and sag when they were done.

They rode straight up until even Colton wondered if he should say something. Then she shifted again and let them free fall, the tail dropping, the nose twisting, the plane picking up speed from gravity alone. His stomach dropped to his toes. “Wuh!” No time for laughs, he watched their readings.

When she engaged the throttle again, they shot forward, and the momentum felt comforting. She tore across the horizon, finding her way out to the ocean.

They went through all the basic training exercises, and Ivy performed them all with precision.

“Well done, Tenderfoot. It’s time to bring her home.”

Her soft sigh found a way to his heart where it caressed him for a moment. “It’s hard to land.”

She turned the craft. “Even though I know I’ll go up again, at least I hope so, I’m always sad to quit.”

They began to lower in altitude.

“I like the way it smells too.”

She lowered the plane the rest of the way in silence. She was probably mourning the end of the flight, and he was mourning seeing this side of her.

“You’re an excellent pilot. I would fly with you any time.”

“Thank you.”

“But next time we’re trading places.”

She didn’t answer, and he couldn’t even begin to guess what she thought about him taking the controls next time. She probably didn’t trust him. Then he realized part of her problem with him was trust. In everything. She didn’t trust him because he moved outside of her expected boxes.

When they walked in together, Ivy picked up her pace.

“What?”

“We left Omar to handle orientation all by himself.” She glanced back over her shoulder like he was a dufus for not remembering.

“I think he can handle it.” Colton checked his watch. “It’s only been going for twenty minutes. They’re in the middle of the welcome video. Or they should be. Watching Ace’s face is always so motivating.”

Ivy smiled and then fell back into pace beside him. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just . . . I would normally have been here early, have greeted all the pilots. I know their names.” Her voice trailed off, and she shrugged. “You do things differently than I do.”

“But maybe different isn’t always so bad?”

“Maybe.” The gaze she flicked in his direction was unsure.

“I would never begrudge time spent up in the air, especially not in exchange for twenty minutes early for class . . . Ivy, these pilots are going to be with us for months.”

Her conflicted expression pinged at his heart. She was correct, as well. He knew it. They gave a much more favorable impression if they were on time, all standing together as a team. It just didn’t seem like a good enough trade-off to miss that time with Ivy up in the air. The look she’d given him, filled with yearning . . . he couldn’t resist. He knew he couldn’t. So he’d given in.

If only one day, such a look could be directed at him.

He cleared his throat. Ivy watched him too closely. Could she read his mind? They approached a door, and he placed his hand on the knob. “Like I said, I have to submit quality ratings of your flying. That flight was work too.”

She frowned.

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