20 years ago

Felicia twirled in the middle of the dance floor, sending her skirt swirling high up her thighs. At any other time in her life, she would have worried about that flash of too-much skin, but she was on her third strawberry margarita for the night, it was the first night of spring break, and she was on the verge of finishing her second grueling year of veterinary school. To top it off, she’d assisted with the care of a feral cat today in labs, and her input might have just saved that cat’s life. She deserved to celebrate, and that’s what she planned on doing.

Her best friend and lab partner, Whitney, squealed over the pounding music as she shimmied and leaned in to yell in Felicia’s ear, “Girl, look behind you. Hottie at four o’clock, checking you out. He hasn’t taken his eyes off your ass for the last two songs.”

Felicia glanced over her shoulder, and her stomach did a somersault. Gorgeous didn’t even begin to describe the man. Tall, dark, and handsome, he stood at the edge of the dance floor, watching her with intent. When he saw her looking, one corner of his mouth kicked up, showcasing an adorable dimple in his left cheek. He winked.

She bit her lip. Dang, he was gorgeous. “What should I do?” she yelled to Whitney as they continued to dance to the pounding beat.

Whitney began to answer, but her eyes widened. “Two words, Fe...have fun.” With a jaunty little wave, Whitney turned on her heel and walked away.

Felicia became aware of a tall, strong body standing behind her, moving with her to the music.

“Looks like you lost your dancing partner,” he said, his voice low and sultry. The hot air of his breath flowed over the shell of her ear, sending goosebumps erupting down her arms.

Felicia glanced over her shoulder and met the teasing, silver-green eyes of the hottie. She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but his deep voice made him even sexier. He was more gorgeous close up, and he smelled delicious...a spicy male cologne that made her want to bury her face in his neck and lick.

“Are you going to take her place?” he asked saucily...so much smoother than she usually was with a gorgeous guy. Thank the tequila gods.

***

FOUR HOURS LATER, FELICIA and Gage switched from tequila to coffee and sat in the back corner booth of the local pancake place. She had sobered from the alcohol, but the high from her chemistry with this guy had kept her flying. Never in her life had she felt so immediately at ease with someone, but at the same time, excitement thrummed under her veins with a realization that this guy was different.

Was it too early for thoughts like that? Hell, yeah. But that knowledge couldn’t slow down her speeding heart.

“So, why a veterinarian?” he asked as he stole one of her fries and dipped it in ketchup.

“The girl I was dancing with at the club, Whitney, has a ranch. I spent every summer with her since fourth grade. Their ranch is on the outskirts of a little New Mexico town called Terravista. That’s a couple of hours from my hometown. Going to her place was the best...not only because I got to spend time with her, but because of the animals.

“They raise goats, which are the most ornery creatures in the world. But they also have a few head of cattle they move from the valley where they winter to the BLM lands up in the mountains for the summer. Between the horses, cows, goats, chickens, and barnyard cats, there were always baby animals being born, grown animals to care for. A pure cycle of life happened on a daily basis, right there on their ranch. It was heaven. I knew I’d never make it as a rancher, but I could have a hand in it as a vet.”

“Do you still spend time on the ranch now? I’d like to see you on a horse.” His eyes glittered with interest.

She grinned. “Every chance I get. Her brother, Billy, runs it now.”

“Billy, huh?” He raised an eyebrow. “Is he just a friend, too, or more?”

She laughed. “No, unfortunately for women everywhere, Billy is gay. He’s gorgeous and sexy as all get out, but I don’t have the right parts. Besides, we really did grow up together. It would be like dating my brother. Ew, no thanks.” She widened her horrified eyes theatrically. “So, what about you?”

He shook his head morosely. “No, I don’t think I’d want to date Billy, either.” His eyes twinkled.

She snorted. “I hope not, or else I’m going to have my heart broken tonight.”

He stilled, and she wondered if she’d said too much, too fast.

He grabbed hold of her hand. “I know we haven’t known one another very long, but the man who would deliberately break your heart doesn’t deserve you.  I don’t plan to be that man.”

She couldn’t stop the fluttery sigh from escaping. “Wow,” she whispered. “You’re smooth.”

“Only with you, darling.” He gave her that flirty wink again that lightened the moment.

She shook her head at what was obviously a cheesy line. “But what I was asking was...why the Air Force? Have you always wanted to be a pilot?”

She attended vet school at Oklahoma State University, but Gage had come into town for the weekend from Vance Air Force Base, a pilot training base about an hour away from her quaint college town. He said it was for the nightlife, but she was pretty sure the college coeds were the real draw for the van-full of pilots in training.

“I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie. My older brother is in the Air Force, although he flies KC-10s. Those are the huge planes like DC-10s that are tankers that refuel the other jets in the air. I’m hoping I get a fighter or bomber slot.”

“Is that likely? Do you get a say in what plane you fly?”

“No.” He shook his head at her. “It’s all based on skill, but I’m not worried.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and his mouth spread wide in a complete shit-eating grin. “I have skills.”

“Oh my god.” She laughed as she shook her head at him. “That was so bad. It’s good to see that your ego is completely intact.”

He joined her and laughed. “No, but seriously, I think I’m doing okay. This is the first weekend I’ve taken any time off from studying, and that’s just because we’re in a slight break as we switch our training between airframes.” He traced over her palm sending shivers through her body. “I think I owe fate or the Air Force a thank you, since neither one of us are known to go out like this. What were the odds that our weekends to let go would coincide?”

“Do you really believe in fate?” He didn’t strike her as a romantic, but how well did she really know him?

He drew a finger around the rim of his coffee cup as he considered her question. “I believe that we all make decisions that affect our lives every day...big ones, little ones. Do I think it’s all out of our control? No. Do I think tiny miracles happen every day like meeting the right people at just the right time?” He looked up to meet her eyes, his gaze intense and serious.

Her breath caught. She felt like she was on the edge of jumping off a cliff. She could die, but the adrenaline rush might be worth it.

“Yeah, I do,” he answered. “I think we’re seeing it at play here.” He tilted his head and nodded toward the windows. “I think fate, god, my guardian angel, or some sort of other higher being brought you into my life tonight. And from all the signs, they want to keep me here...at least for tonight.”

In the couple of hours they’d sat in the restaurant, it had begun to snow. There were several inches on the ground, and it was a virtual whiteout with the swirling flakes still cascading out of the sky. He wouldn’t be going back to Vance tonight. The highway would be too treacherous.

Maybe it was fate. Felicia didn’t know, but she was thrilled that their night wasn’t ending, because she wasn’t ready to let him go.