“Friend of mine hooked me up.”
“Uh-huh. And does that friend happen to be a former Army pilot named Devon?”
The corner of his mouth tipped up as he slid on his own headset. “Maybe.”
She couldn’t even be mad at Devon. Her friend’s heart was in the right place.
Settling back against the plush leather seats, she watched as Liam went through the pre-flight list using the manual inside the cockpit. When he was done he glanced over at her, his eyes concealed by his dark shades but she knew they’d be gleaming with excitement. Hers must be too. “Ready?” he asked.
“Ready.”
He started the engine. Not nearly as loud as the helos she worked with, but the pulse of the rotors throbbed in time with her rapid heartbeat, muffled by the noise-canceling headset. Liam radioed the tower, got clearance and glanced over at her once more. “Here we go.”
He nosed them forward, gaining speed before pulling collective and raising them into the air. The familiar rush of adrenaline flowed through her as it always did when she flew, magnified because it was Liam at the controls.
She’d never flown with him except the day of the base attack, and then she hadn’t been able to see him much. Now she watched him at the controls, smoothly and expertly guiding them away from the airport and out toward Puget Sound. He was in his element here, totally confident of his skill, and with his training and experience he had every right to be.
Sexiest thing she’d ever seen in her life.
She waited until there was a lull between him and the control tower before speaking into her mic. “This is so much better than the last time I flew with you.”
At that he gave her a sexy grin. “I like the view up front much better this time too.” His tone made it clear that he didn’t mean the spectacular view of the green land and sparkling blue water below them.
Gorgeous as it was out there today, she’d much rather look at him as well. “Yeah, me too. I always wanted to fly with you. So where are you taking me?”
“Little spot I picked out a long time ago. I’d wanted to do this back when we were together and never got around to it. Another mistake I’m not making again—being lazy with you.”
Aww! Man, how was she supposed to keep her emotional distance from him when he said incredibly sweet, insightful things like that? “Liam, you were never lazy. You were busy and I understood. We spent time together when we could and made the best of it. I never felt neglected, I promise.”
“Yeah, and that’s another thing I took for granted and shouldn’t have. I was so damn lucky to have you, someone who understood and put up with my crazy schedule. Most guys in my regiment aren’t that lucky. I should have appreciated you more.”
Her protective walls had already fractured; now they were crumbling. He was literally dismantling them brick by brick with the things he was saying, because he truly meant them. It was clear he’d thought about their situation a lot and he was ready to act. She’d been hoping for that for so long, since she’d first reached out to him after the breakup. She could hardly believe he was ready and wanted back in her life again.
The tower contacted him again with an update on traffic in their area, effectively ending their conversation. Honor didn’t mind. Now that the most important things had been said aloud, she could just relax and enjoy the afternoon.
A little over thirty minutes later Liam landed on a helipad at what looked like a secluded resort set right on the water. The pad was set off behind a grand, log-style hotel that overlooked the water. He powered down the engine, waiting the two minutes until the fuel was flushed from the lines, and turned off the rotors.
She pulled off her headset when he did, and smiled at him. “It’s beautiful here.”
“Wait ‘til you see the view from the beach,” he said, and hopped out. He rushed around to help her out of the cockpit, his hands lingering at her waist for a moment as he stared down at her. Honor’s pulse sped up as sparks danced up her spine and spread out all over her body, tightening her nipples and sending a rush of warmth between her thighs. “I’ll get the bags,” he murmured, lowering his hands and stepping back.
Dragging in a lungful of air, Honor followed him. He took his ruck and the duffel out of the back then led the way to the edge of the manicured lawn where it gave way to rocks and boulders on the way down to the beach. “There’s a path just over here,” he said, heading to the left. “You should be okay in those shoes but if you’re not, I can carry you.”
Oh my God, she’d never survive it. She’d be all over him by the time they reached the beach. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
The narrow pathway wound down a fairly steep incline lined with Western Red Cedars and Douglas Firs. Two-thirds of the way down the rocks gave way to pebbles and sand, a band of dried seaweed and sun-bleached driftwood marking the high tide mark. The briny scent of the water was stronger now and gulls cried as they circled overhead, a bald eagle trilling from somewhere nearby.
At the bottom of the trail he turned right and headed up the beach, picking his path with care and glancing back every so often to make sure she wasn’t having trouble walking on the uneven surface. They walked around a point and came to a finger of land that stretched out into the water. Gentle waves lapped against the leeward side, adding a rhythmic pulse to the soothing atmosphere.
“This okay?” he asked, glancing at her over his shoulder.
“It’s gorgeous,” she answered, coming up alongside him. She stood back while he opened up his duffel and took out a heavy camo-pattern blanket.
He spread it out over a smooth spot on the ground. “Go ahead and sit down while I unpack the rest.”
She did, curling her legs beneath her and settling the folds of her dress. Liam took some containers and what looked like bakery or deli boxes out of his ruck. “A picnic?” she asked, grinning like an idiot. The whole date was ridiculously romantic and she was loving every second of it.
“Yeah. Thought we could sit here and eat while we talked for a bit.”
It was the perfect place for it on this deserted stretch of beach. She wasn’t nervous anymore, but looking forward to spending quality alone time with him here.
He sat down finally and handed her a paper plate with utensils. “There’s a spinach and strawberry salad, some cold cuts and cheese with fresh buns, chocolate dipped fruit for dessert, and this for you.” He pulled out a bottle of her favorite white wine and a crystal glass he’d wrapped up in one of his old T-shirts. “You still like this one?”
His thoughtfulness touched her so much. “I love it, thank you.” She accepted the glass, waited while he poured it for her. When he took out a bottle of water for himself, she raised her glass in a toast. “To new beginnings.”
His answering smile was like an arrow dead center to her heart. “I’ll definitely drink to that. Cheers.”
The afternoon passed quickly while they ate and talked about all kinds of things from work to current events, both being careful to stay away from the topic of them. Without giving away too much information about them, she described the situation with Ipman and Andrews, though Andrews had been almost pleasant to work with the past couple weeks.
After half a bottle of wine she began to feel pleasantly drowsy. Out over Puget Sound the sun was slowly sinking toward the sea, still casting warmth but the breeze coming off the water was chilly and her sweater wasn’t enough to keep her warm.
Liam must have noticed she was getting cold because he sat up and dug in his duffel for a second, coming up with a hoodie. “Here.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, draping it around her shoulders. It smelled like him and she couldn’t help burying her nose in the fabric and inhaling a deep breath. “It’s so peaceful here.” She felt so comfortable here with him. No pressure to do anything but enjoy his company. The past few hours had without a doubt reinforced why she’d fallen in love with him in the first place. “I feel like I could curl up and nap like a cat in a puddle of sunshine.”