Chapter Twenty

Jewell’s heartbeat thrashed in her ears as she looked at the tiny plane. She rocketed immediately into fight-or-flight mode — except that flight was the last thing she wanted right now. She wanted to know which way to run.

“Do you honestly think I’m going to get into that thing?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t you?”

“Because it’s a death trap on small wheels!” Her face ashen with fear, she began to pace, trying to think of some way out. This wasn’t something she could do. There was no possible way. What good would she be to her brother if she died either of a terror-induced heart attack or from landing in a fiery heap on the runway of Blake’s private airstrip?

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve been flying for years without even minor mishaps. My mechanics certify this plane, and it’s inspected before and after each flight. If the smallest thing is wrong, the problem is fixed right away.”

“I’m not going.” It wasn’t the first time she’d refused him outright, but it was the first time she was certain she wouldn’t change her mind. She didn’t know if she was more panicked at the thought of flying or at the thought of what his reaction would be. But he couldn’t make her go up in that thing. Her brother wouldn’t want her to.

“You can do this, Jewell. There’s really nothing to fear.”

“Please don’t make me. I can do anything else you ask — just not this.”

He was silent for a full minute before his expression changed. It wasn’t anger or frustration on his face; it was patience, something she hadn’t seen from him before.

“Come sit inside,” he told her, holding out his hand.

“No, please,” she said in a tear-choked voice.

“We won’t go anywhere. I just want you to sit in the plane, feel it, see that it’s not so frightening.”

She eyed him with suspicion. Was this a trick? He hadn’t lied to her so far, hadn’t told her anything and then taken it back. Could she trust him?

Though she could barely manage even to give him her hand, she found herself being propelled forward, and then she was climbing onto the small front seat. It was at least thirty seconds before she let out her breath, and that was only because he’d left the door beside her wide open. He went around the front of the plane and climbed in beside her, his thigh touching hers as he got situated.

“See? It’s not so bad,” he said, his voice soothing.

“It’s not bad because we aren’t going anywhere,” she choked out.

“Why don’t you ask me some questions? I’ll tell you whatever you’d like to know.”

How could she ask any questions when her throat was completely closed off? Since he had fallen silent, she began looking around the plane, gazing at all the dials and knobs and screens and not knowing what any of them meant.

“There are so many buttons, so many different functions for you to perform. What if something fails? Or the screens go out? Or the wheels fall off? Heck, what if a wing pops off?” She didn’t give him time to answer anything before she blurted out the next question.

He waited until she stopped, and then he sent a blinding smile her way.

“I can almost guarantee you that the wings and wheels won’t pop off. They’re on there pretty damn tight.”

“Almost? You said almost.” Of course she latched on to the one worrisome word.

“I wouldn’t risk my life just for a cheap thrill. I know this plane better than I know my car. I guarantee you that I will take you up in the sky and then safely land you back on solid ground. I also guarantee that you will be in pure heaven while we’re up there.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Yes, I can, Jewell. I’m confident in my ability to control this plane, just like I control my entire life — and, for that matter, your orgasms. Even if the engine stalled, I could land us safely.”

Her breathing grew quicker because she now knew that she was going to go up in this plane. The door was going to close and they were going to speed down the runway and then lift off into the sky. There would be no more talking.

Blake climbed from the plane and walked over to her side. “Trust me,” he said before leaning in and coming within inches of her lips — not that she really noticed.

She felt her seat belt locking and the door closing. She should say no again, should jump from the plane, should give up on the entire thing that was happening between them, but she couldn’t even breathe, let alone speak.

He was soon back in the pilot seat and saying words which she couldn’t comprehend.

“…clear prop…”

“…pressure good…”

“….cleared for takeoff…”

And then they were moving. The small Cirrus emerged from Blake’s personal hangar and sat at the end of his runway while the engine revved, gaining power. Jewell’s eyes were wet with worry, her vision blurred. Then they started forward; the small plane quickly picked up speed.

As the plane lifted off and rapidly rose up, up, up in the sky, she held her breath, and she was sure her face was turning blue. She had no doubt that they were going to come down in a fiery blaze of glory. Where would that leave Justin?

As they climbed higher, a gust of wind shook the plane, and her hand shot out and gripped Blake’s thigh. Her throat closed again and she was unable even to think any longer. A cry for help? Not possible. Who could help her anyway? They had no 911 number for the sky. Maybe he could try a mayday call over the radio, but what good would that do?

Then the most amazing thing happened. After making a large arc, Blake leveled the plane off and faced it toward the setting sun. The sky was filled with color, and his softly spoken words registered in her brain.

“Look at that. Just take a deep breath, and look.”

She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the view. She knew they were barreling through the evening air, but it felt like they were barely moving. The only sound she heard was his whispered words through her headset, and the only thing she could see was the brilliant reds and oranges lighting up the horizon.

“It’s spectacular,” she said, jumping slightly when she heard her own words echo back into her ears.

They were both too awed to say anything else as they zoomed along and watched the sun set, and then they were in the pitch-black sky, flying over fields and small cities. Blake reached down and adjusted the lights on the dashboard, and Jewell turned to see the glow outlining his handsome face.

His eyes were shining as he looked intently forward, his lips turned up in an almost secret smile, a smile that told her he was happy, he was where he belonged. He loved this — it was obvious. Her fear then evaporated because she realized she was safe. She realized that she trusted his word, trusted him to protect her.

And that filled her with an entirely new fear.

“I’ve always loved to fly,” he said, “from the very first moment I sat left seat and took the controls of the airplane for the first time — that was when I was twenty-one and taking lessons. But my favorite time of all is at night. Everything after the sun sets feels different. It’s like the rest of the world has disappeared and I’m free. Free from the chaos, the noise, the work, the anger — free from it all. I’m up here and my worries disappear for the hour or two — or five — that I decide to stay in the sky.”

“I wouldn’t think a guy like you, a guy who holds the world in the palm of his hand, would have a single worry you needed to forget about,” she replied, her own voice quiet, not wanting to shatter this moment. Right after saying it, her conversation with Bill popped into her head, making her regret her words, especially when he snapped at her.

“I don’t,” he said almost harshly, but then she could hear his clear sigh through the headset. “Sorry, Jewell. I…it’s just that I have to be perfect. I have to do everything right. That’s what’s expected, and that’s who I am.”

She turned and looked out the window, fighting tears. “I don’t expect anything from you, Blake. I know that when our time is up, you will be gone and I will move on to whatever comes next. But thank you for helping me beat my fears, and thank you for sharing this with me.”

He turned toward her, his eyes gleaming as their gazes connected. “You are a dangerous woman, Jewell. You make me think things, feel things, and do things, that I can’t and don’t want to do.”

His words seeped in and a deep sadness overtook her. This man was holding in a past full of what had to be indescribable pain. But she was nothing to him, and she didn’t need to know his secrets. They had only a few more days together. That was all. And in that time, she couldn’t fall for him. It was an impossible situation.

When shutters went over his eyes, she almost felt relief. She couldn’t afford to become acquainted with Blake’s vulnerable side or to start to care about him. She had to remember that. If she forgot, she risked being burned so badly, she’d never be able to heal.

So when he spoke next, she shut off her heart, and let her body take over.

“Take off your clothes, Jewell.”

“Of course, Blake. I was wondering when you would go back to being yourself.” She unlatched her seat belt and stared him straight in the eyes while unbuttoning her blouse. What was about to happen had nothing to do with caring.

He flinched at her words, but the expression was gone so quickly, she thought she’d imagined it. He programmed something on the screen in front of him, and Jewell lost one more small piece of herself as her shirt fell from her shoulders.