Page 18 of The Flyboy's Girl
Chapter Nine
Before we left the reception, Millie and I found out that Don and Paul didn’t have to report in until zero-eight hundred Tuesday morning. Excited to hear that, we made plans to meet on the beach and watch the fireworks together.
Walking down the beach, Millie stops and asks, “What about here Ruby?”
“That’s perfect. We should have a good view of the fireworks from here.”
Unfolding the blanket, Millie took one end while I took the other to spread it out on the sand, and then we repeated the process with Millie’s blanket.
“I’m hoping to be making fireworks, instead of watching them,” Millie says.
Laughing I shake my head, “Millie Bishop, you’re awful.”
“Oh, come on Ruby, don’t tell me you haven’t thought about what it would be like to be kissed by Paul.”
“Oh, I’ve definitely thought about it,” I say as visions of Paul begin to flood my mind.
“Thought about what,” a deep voice asks from behind me as strong hands rest on my hips.
Turning to face him, I smile and shake my head embarrassed he heard my confession. “It was nothing.”
Cocking his head to the side, he studies me. “Oh, it was definitely something or you wouldn’t be blushing,” he teases.
Playfully slapping his arm, I retort, “I’m not blushing. I’ve just been in the sun.”
“No,” Paul laughs while wagging a finger at me. “You are definitely blushing.”
Turning away and pretending to pout, Paul grabs me around the waist and hauls me back to him causing me to squeal and giggle. “Oh no you don’t. Now Iknowit was something and you have to tell me,” he says as he turns me to face him, still holding me securely in his arms.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and confess to him what I said. “I admitted to Millie that I have thought about what it would be like to have you kiss me.”
Lifting my chin so I am looking in his eyes, Paul says, “Ruby, you’re all I’ve thought about since the night we met. You and what it would be like to kiss you.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“I’m afraid if I start, I won’t want to stop.”
My breath catches at his admission. We’ve only known each other for a few days, but there’s an undeniable connection between us. At first, I thought it was a passing infatuation, but the more time I spend with him, the harder I feel myself falling for him.
“Ruby,” Paul says while caressing my cheek with his thumb. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
Shrugging my shoulder, I ask, “Would you be here now if I had?”
“I don’t think I would have had a choice.”
Smiling I tease, “There’s that charm again.”
His grin widens. “Would you like to go for a walk before the fireworks start?”
“I’d love too.”
Taking my hand, we walk down to the shore. “What made you want to become an airman?”
“I love the idea of flying and the thought of becoming a pilot excited me even more.”
“Are planning a career in the Navy?”
“Nah, I’d like to stay long enough to become a pilot, get some flying experience. Who knows, maybe I’ll find a nice girl, settle down, move back to Nebraska and start my own crop dusting service so I can still fly.” Paul squeezes my hand causing me to look up to see him smiling down at me. “What about you?”
