Page 19 of The Flyboy's Girl
“I’m still undecided. I’m not sure if I want to continue going to school, or join the work force.”
“Do you want to stay in California?”
“I suppose, if I have a reason to.”
“Would I be reason enough?”
“You’d be the best reason of all,” I answer honestly.
My answer both surprises and delights him, as is evident by the smile on his face. “Then maybe you should leave it up to fate,” Paul suggests. “If you find the perfect job before it’s time to apply to school, you’ll know it’s meant to be.”
“I like that idea,” I say as I mull over his suggestion in my mind. “Fate seems to be treating me well lately, maybe it will continue.”
“I certainly hope so,” Paul says.
As the sun begins to set, we turn around and head back to the spot we had picked out earlier to watch the fireworks.
When we return, we find Don and Millie snuggled up together on her blanket.
“Hi you two,” I say as I kick my shoes off and take a seat on the blanket. “Having a good time?”
“We are,” Millie says casting a glance at Don. “How was your walk?”
“It was nice,” I say as Paul sit beside me.
Watching the sun drop below the horizon, Paul puts his arm around my shoulders and draws me closer to his side. Leaning my head on his shoulder, he turns and kisses the top of my head making me smile.
Along with the setting sun, the temperature had also dropped and now the ocean breeze caused me to shiver.
“Are you cold?”
“A little, but I’ll be fine,” I insist.
Shivering again, Paul moves away from me taking the warmth with him. “Come here,” he says as he scoots behind me. Looking over my shoulder at him, he pulls me to sit between his legs, and wraps his arms around my shoulders effectively cocooning me from the cool ocean breeze.
“Better?” he asks close to my ear causing me to shiver for an entirely different reason.
“Much, thank you.”
When the first firework explodes in the sky, so do the oohs and ahhs from the crowd around us. Each magical display is more beautiful than the last. Leaning in and resting his cheek against mine, Paul points down the beach. “Look.”
Turning my head to see the display from a neighboring town brings me face to face with Paul. Between the fireworks reflecting in his blue eyes and the air sizzling between us, I can’t look away.
Leaning in, Paul kisses me softly before drawing back as if to ask permission to kiss me again. Giving him an almost imperceptible nod, this time I meet him halfway, eager to feel his lips on mine again. Shifting our position without breaking the kiss, Paul pulls me into his lap, my arms wrapping around his neck on their own accord.
Pulling apart to catch our breath, Paul’s hand cups my face as his thumb gently caresses my cheek. “I knew once I kissed you I wouldn’t want to stop,” he says, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t,” I suggest as my fingers weave into the soft hair at the nape of his neck.
Dropping his focus to my mouth, Paul smiles. “You, Ruby Thorpe, are trouble.” He lowers his mouth to mine again.
While the fireworks continue to light the night sky, Paul and I are unaware of anything happening around us.
When the rumble of the fireworks cease, Paul pulls away again. “As much as I want to keep kissing you, we should stop or these beautiful swollen lips of yours are going to get both of us in trouble,” he says while running his thumb across my bottom lip.
“You’re right,” I agree as I lay my head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to have to answer any questions tonight.”
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Paul asks, “How did you two get here?”
