“You would think I would have considering the first few books I wrote, that was the central theme and it’s still pretty much what drives my books, but no. I can’t say that I have experienced true love. Not what it sounds like you had with Shamus.”
“As much as that hurt, I wouldn’t want to go through life without experiencing it.”
Bobby gave him a little punch in his good shoulder. “Now you sound like my sisters. Well, except Rose. She’s the female version of Fitz and while I’m sure she’s been in love, she’s never had her heart broken. If anything, she’s the one causing all the pain.”
“I got that impression about her after talking to her for fifteen minutes.” Navy rolled the ladder to the passenger side of the plane. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
“Where have you been all my life?” Navy regretted the words the second they left his lips. “Just have a seat and I’ll explain what to do in a second.” He quickly made his way around the other side of the plane and climbed into the cockpit. “Put your arms through the harness like this.” Navy demonstrated how to strap into the seat and then reached over and helped Bobby, trying not to brush his hand over his firm biceps or accidentally press against his chest.
But that proved impossible. “There you go. Now we just need to put your headgear on.” Navy took the mic piece and instead of just handing it to his passenger, he placed it over his head and adjusted it, palming the side of his face. He held his gaze for a long, intense moment.
Too long.
His heart lurched to the back of his throat. He tried to swallow, but his muscles defied his brain. It had been a very long time since he wanted to hold a man. Just have them in his arms. Nothing had to happen.
With Bobby, he craved intimacy.
Not sex.
And that fucking terrified Navy.
Bobby curled his fingers around Navy’s wrist. “You’re a very attractive man and I find myself in uncharted territory.”
“I’m sorry.” Navy yanked his hand away.
“Please. Don’t be.” Gently, he traced a path across Navy’s hairline with his index finger before taking his headset and placing it on his head and smiling. “I was recently told the only place I take risks in my life is in my writing and today I find myself stepping out of my comfort zone in two very different areas. I’m honestly terrified of flying in small planes. I had a bad experience once with an emergency landing going to a very small island a couple of years ago and ever since, I’ve avoided them.”
“We don’t have to do this. I get it. But I promise I won’t showboat or do anything crazy.”
“I trust you,” Bobby said, taking Navy’s hand and placing it over his heart. “Flying today isn’t really the biggest risk I’m taking. Being here with you is.”
“Then we better get this out of the way or it’s all I will be able to think about and we don’t want me distracted.” Navy pushed Bobby’s mic up and then did the same to his own. He leaned in and pressed his lips over Bobby’s. This had to be the single most biggest mistake of Navy’s life, but he couldn’t help it. He told himself it was just a kiss. It didn’t have to lead to anything more.
Only, Bobby deepened it with the slip of his tongue, prodding and probing. He twisted it and twirled around Navy’s, causing a deep guttural moan.
Even though he didn’t want it to end, Navy pulled back and lowered his mic. “Let’s get this party started.” He began his checklist and fired up the single engine. The prop on the front of the plane turned slightly before sputtering to life.
Bobby held his mic. “Don’t you need to radio the tower or something?”
“This place doesn’t have one. It’s basically a club.”
“What about other planes taking off and landing?” Bobby’s semi relaxed nature turned stiff and he glanced around as if he looked for something to hold on to. “Don’t you need to know that stuff?”
“There is a radio frequency that planes landing here will use so we can talk to each other. No one is anywhere near us right now.” Navy navigated from his spot off the side of the runway and made his way to the far north corner where he made one eight maneuver. “I can tell you everything I’m doing and why I’m doing it. Or I can just fly. It’s up to you.”
“I really don’t want to know about gizmos, gadgets, and how any of this works. And if I were you, I’d take off now before I change my fucking mind.”
Navy bit back a chuckle while he prepared for takeoff.
Destiny bounced down the pavement, which was in sore need of some repair. He hated asking Casper for favors, but it was a safety issue and Casper often enjoyed being a passenger as well. He’d spend the money.
“We’re getting awfully close to the—whoa.” Bobby pressed his hand against the window.
The nose of the plane lifted off the ground and Navy pulled back on the yoke, though he kept it slow and steady.
“This is very different from flying in a small commercial plane.” Bobby sat up a little taller.
“It’s more like floating.” Navy inhaled through his nose and let it out slowly. “I always feel like I’ve come home every time I come up here. It’s so peaceful.”
“I agree. When it’s like this.”
Navy leveled the plane out at forty-five hundred feet before banking to the right and heading down the coast of California.
“I have to admit, this is amazing.” Bobby turned his head and smiled. “Thank you.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” He dipped the nose a tad lower, taking them down about five hundred feet. “On days I’m not working, I either take up Destiny or Dreamer and I just fly the coast. I love how the water looks kissing the land from here. There is no better place.”
“I think I’m going to have to find a way to weave in a pilot or have one of my heroes know someone who is a pilot and use this in my book. Would you mind if I did that?”
“I can’t stop you from using your own experience up here, but I would appreciate it if any aspect of me, my plane, or my life never finds its way onto your pages. I understand writers often use people they know, but I’m a very private man.”
Bobby leaned forward, practically pressing his face against the window as he peered down at view below.
“I have no intention of using any aspect of the person you are, but if you’d like, anything I write about a pilot, or flying, I’d be happy to share with you, giving you the option to ask me to make changes and I will honor your wishes. I do that with all my family and friends. It’s really hard not to have my personal life bleed onto the page.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Navy reached out and laced his fingers through Bobby’s. “You’re a special man.”
“So are you.”
“Do you have plans for dinner tonight?” Navy gave up trying to push his desires down. There was no point since they shared such a passionate and tender kiss. Even though his heart kept screaming at him to cool things down and keep Bobby in the friend zone.
He just couldn’t do it. It was time to do exactly what Bobby had described.