John Brison dropped his daughter off at work on Monday morning in his freshly tuned car.
“Thanks for the lift, Dad.” Charlie said, getting out with her work bag as well as holding the box that contained the homemade pie for Jeff.
“You’re welcome, honey. Have a good day.”
“You too, Dad.” She waved as he drove away.
She was walking towards the doors when Ryle walked up beside her.
“Hey you,”
“Hey,” She smiled, her eyes skimming over his attractive face.
Ryle looked down at her like he wanted to kiss her. He took a glance around and turned back to her, bending his head to kiss her.
“Ryle,” She protested half-heartedly even as she responded to his kiss.
“How are you this morning?”
Missing you; she wanted to say. Instead she smiled. “Good. How are you?”
“If we find somewhere private, I’ll show you.” He said huskily.
“Ryle!” She muttered, hiding a smile of pleasure.
“Did your dad drop you off just now?” He asked her.
“Yes.”
“You should’ve called me if you needed a lift.”
“Thanks, I didn’t want to take you out of your way.”
“It’s not, if it’s for you.” He said simply.
“My dad was coming this way to meet friends for coffee, anyway.”
“What’s that?” Ryle nodded to the box she was holding so carefully.
“It’s a pie. For Jeff.” She added.
“Heh.”
“My mom made it for him; it’s his favorite. She thought he would be going to the Sunday dinner, but since he didn’t she wanted me to bring it to him.”
“Hey, you don’t have to explain.” He said softly, bending to give her another quick kiss.
They walked into the building together. After the security checkpoints, she headed to her office while he went to the lockers.
It was early still, but she saw Jeff at his office as she walked by. She walked up the metal steps toward his office area. He seemed engrossed in his work, and she knocked lightly on his door.
“Charlie, hey,” He said, surprised to see her.
“Good morning, Jeff.”
“Good morning.”
“How are you?” She asked. He looked tired. And sad.
He shrugged. “Okay.”
“How’s the E series coming along?”
“It’s coming along slowly.” He admitted. “We’re stuck at the wind tunnel testing.”
“Oh.”
“And you? Is the testing program going well?”
“So far we’re on target.”
“So you’ll make it for this year’s Toulouse reveal?”
“We’re hoping.” She said.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. Then remembering the box she held. “I have a delivery for you.”
“What is it?” He asked, intrigued.
She handed it to him. “Your favorite cherry pie. Homemade.” She added.
“Your mom?”
“Yes.”
He put it on his desk and opened the box. “It looks really good.”
“I’m sure it tastes good too.” She grinned. “She made it because she thought you would be coming to Sunday dinner. She saved this for you since you weren't there.”
Jeff laughed. “I guess I should call and thank her.”
“Yeah, I’m sure she would like to hear from you. In fact, I’m sure my dad would too. They really liked you.” Charlie said.
“I liked them too, they're good folks.”
“Jeff, you know, you’re still very welcome at Sunday dinners, any time.” She told him lightly.
“Thanks.” He smiled.
“And don’t be a stranger, come and join my team for lunch when you get the chance.” She said.
“All right,”
“I’ll talk to you later.”
“Yeah.” He murmured, watching as she walked away.
Today Ryle was working in Bay 8, just across from where Charlie was working with her team. It was a large area, but she still caught glimpses of him once in a while. When she and her team went to lunch, they walked by Bay 8. Ryle winked at her as she walked by and that put a happy smile on her face for the rest of lunch.
She and her team were starting lunch when Jeff and a couple of other guys from his team joined their table.
“Hey,” Jeff said, sitting down beside her.
“Hey,” She smiled.
It was a relaxing lunch. Jeff seemed more like his old self, friendly and easy-going. For dessert, Jeff shared the cherry pie with everyone.
“Yum! This is really good pie!” Julie said.
“Yeah, the best cherry pie I’ve had.” Leo said and the others all nodded.
“Where did you get this? I want to pick one up.” Julie said.
Jeff grinned. “A very special friend gave it to me.” He said, giving Charlie a little smile.
After lunch, the group left the cafeteria together.
“That pie was a hit, huh?” Jeff said, falling in step beside Charlie.
“For you.” She teased.
“Well, I could share the credit…”
“It’s okay, as long as everyone loved it, I’m sure my mom will be happy.” She said.
“She is a good cook with a big heart.” Jeff grinned.
“Very true. And at least I got a piece. She wouldn’t bring out the pie yesterday because you weren’t there. She said it was your favorite and we’re not eating it unless you were there.” She told him and they both laughed.
They were still talking and laughing when Ryle walked into the cafeteria and headed straight towards them. Azure blue eyes narrowed slightly as they took on the happy picture Charlie and Jeff made, the two of them walking close together and smiling.
Charlie met Ryle’s eyes briefly, but looked away as they passed each other. She was tempted to turn around and go back to the cafeteria with him, not so much to explain, but just to be with him. She sighed. It was hard to pretend she didn’t care when she did.
The rest of the day went by slowly. She didn’t see Ryle again, and it wasn’t until she was packing up to go when he called.
“Hey, do you need a ride?”
Her heart sped up at that suggestive question. “Let me think about it.” She answered as coolly as she could.
“Ten minutes, in the parking lot.” Although his words were soft, his tone was commanding, but she didn’t mind. When he sounded authoritative like that, it was actually very sexy.
“All right.”
Ryle was waiting outside the doors when she left the building ten minutes later. He had changed out of his overalls, and was wearing his staple T-shirt, jeans and the lambskin leather jacket.
“Hey,” She started to say, but he didn’t give her a chance to finish her greeting.
He dragged her against him, pressing her back to the wall beside the door, and kissed her passionately. She was too surprised to push him away. Instead, she grasped the soft material of his jacket, holding herself up as her legs seemed to have turned to jelly by his passionate assault.
“Ryle! Someone might see!” She gasped only after he finally released her mouth.
“Good.” He muttered possessively, nuzzling against her neck.
She wiggled out of his arms. But her heart was bursting with happiness at the thought that he could be jealous.
“Can we go? I’m getting cold.”
He sighed, “My car’s this way.”
They were going to Ryle’s place to spend the rest of the evening there.
“Did you have a good round of golf with your grandfather yesterday?” Charlie asked as they drove towards his place. It was close to the plant; less than ten minutes by car.
“Yeah. He might be eighty, but he can still play a hell of a game.” Ryle said, grinning.
“Wow, he must be very fit.”
“He’s been taking more care ever sin
ce my grandmother died of a heart attack twelve years ago.” He told her. “He took an early retirement; and was more careful with his fitness and diet.”
“Twelve years? He would’ve been sixty-eight. That’s hardly early retirement.” She stated.
Ryle laughed, “Believe me, to my grandfather, that is early retirement. He still works a little bit now, even though we all tell him to take it easy.”
“He sounds like an energetic man.”
“He is. He gave us a scare a few months ago when he had an attack. We thought it was a heart attack. But it was angina.”
“Thank God,”
“Yes.” Ryle said it with such heartfelt emphasis that she smiled.
“You love him very much, don’t you?” She watched his face, loving every plain and angle of it.
“Yes. He’s the closest family I have. And he’s my mentor. “ He said. “I have uncles and cousins, but my grandfather is the closest link to my mother.”
“Your parents…?”
They had arrived in front of Ryle’s bungalow. He switched off the engine, but they didn’t immediately get out of the car. He seemed deep in thought and Charlie had to suppress the urge to hold him.
“My parents died in a boating accident eleven years ago.”
“I’m sorry,” She whispered, she reached out to touch his hand that was still holding the gear shift.
“It was just a year after my grandmother passed away, so it was especially hard for my grandfather.” Ryle murmured. He lifted the car keys to show her the gyroscope dangling from it. “This was a present from my parents. It was attached to the keys of a car they gave me on my sixteenth birthday.”
“They sounded like amazing people.” She murmured, gently touching the gyroscope and spinning it. She didn’t get a very good look at it the other day when he gave it to Megan to distract her. But now that she had a better look at it, she could see that it was made of sterling silver and intricately detailed.
“They were.”
She felt closer to him at that moment. He didn't volunteer personal information often and she felt warmed that he was telling her something that was obviously very emotional to him.
Charlie spent the night with Ryle. She fell asleep soon after making intensely passionate love with him. And it was dawn when she woke up. He was still asleep, his arm around her mid-section, holding her back to his front in spoon fashion. She didn’t want to move. This was where she wanted to be, forever.
Only she knew she didn’t have forever. She had less than two months. Then he would be gone from Linwood. The thought sent a chill through her. She didn’t know how she could live without him. She wasn’t aware she was crying silently until tears ran into her hair and wet the pillow. She wiped at her tears, trying not to disturb him.
“Hey,” His arm tightened around her and he nuzzled against the nape of her neck. “Good morning,”
She swallowed, hoping he wouldn’t hear the break from her voice. “Good morning,” She murmured.
“Mmm, you taste delicious.” He murmured, nibbling at the sensitive skin at the junction between her neck and shoulder. Meanwhile, his hand was roaming up to cup and squeezed her breasts before moving downwards again. His hand slid down past her stomach to her pussy. His fingers caressed her soft flesh expertly, rubbing over her clit until she was wet. Against her butt, she could feel his huge arousal.
He left her for a moment, rolling away to reach for a condom. But he was back before she missed him, and then his shaft was probing between her legs. She moaned as he entered her from behind, closing her eyes, her sadness forgotten for the moment as lust took hold of her. He began thrusting against her, sure and slow at first. But as the moans escaped her, he thrust harder and faster. His weight pressing her down onto the mattress, her face buried in the damp pillow, muffling her moans of pleasure. He was breathing ruggedly as he pounded her in a steadily accelerating rhythm that quickly brought them both into climax. She cried into the pillow as she came, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. He grunted low in his throat and shuddered violently against her as he came with her at the same time.
It was several minutes before he lifted his weight off her and she could breathe easier. He gently pushed her tangled hair from her face and kissed the area just below her ear.
“Why don’t we call in sick and stay in bed for the day?” He murmured huskily.
Charlie laughed softly. “I’ve never missed a day of work.”
“Really?” He asked, surprised.
“Mmm.”
“What about vacations?”
She hesitated a moment before admitting. “I’ve never taken vacation time.”
“You need a vacation. Maybe I should take you away somewhere.” He said.
“Where?”
“Somewhere where we can stay in bed for a whole week or two.”
She laughed again. “Then why do we need to go anywhere?”
“Good question.” She could feel him grinning against her skin. “Let’s just stay here.”
“What I need to do right now is go home and change my clothes.” She murmured.
“I can’t convince you to take a sick day, huh?” He teased.
“It’s tempting, but no.” She said firmly.
On Wednesday, Charlie met Mandy and Becky for dinner after work. They went to an Italian trattoria, sitting in a cozy corner. Since Saturday, she had spoken briefly to her friends, but they didn’t get a chance to really talk.
“So, we want all the details.” Becky drawled after they had ordered their food and got their drinks.
“Details?”
“Don’t play coy, Charlie.” Becky said, giving her a mock-threatening look.
“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Mandy said, looking a little hurt. “I was there that evening. You two didn’t seem overly friendly with each other. From what I heard, you don’t even really talk to each other at work.”
“I was trying to avoid him.” Charlie admitted.
“You never even gave any indication you were interested in him. And now I hear that you actually took him home and slept with him that night.”
“He’s hot. I think that’s enough indication she would be interested.” Becky said perceptively. “And he’s probably the reason she never slept with Jeff.”
Mandy gasped, “Is it true?”
Charlie sighed. “Yes.” She admitted.
“I knew it!” Becky grinned triumphantly.
“Wow. So this attraction might be all the way back to when Ryle came into my shop, right?” Mandy asked.
“Yes.” Charlie nodded.
“So all that talk about him being arrogant and stuff…?”
“Still true, but it was my way of trying to fight my attraction to him.”
“Oh.”
“So, you said he was more than amazing in bed?” Becky asked.
“The sex is mind-blowing. Ryle is an expert at it and he just has to touch me and I melt.”
“Come on, Charlie, we want details.”
“It doesn’t really matter, because I don’t know how much longer I’ll be seeing him.”
“Why?” Becky demanded.
“His contract at PAL is up in less than two months. After that, he’ll be leaving Linwood. That would be the end of it.” She said, trying to suppress the lump that rose up in her throat just at the thought of Ryle leaving.
“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.” Mandy murmured.
“You never know; he could get an extension or another contract.” Becky said.
“Yeah.” Mandy agreed.
Charlie shook her head. “No. It sounded like he definitely won’t renew the contract, even if it was offered to him.”
“You don’t know for sure. For you, he might.”
“He’ll be a fool to let you go. You’re smart, you’re gorgeous, and you make lots of money. He wouldn’t be able to find anyone better than you.” Mandy said with firm loyalty.
Charlie smiled, but it was a sad sm
ile.
“Hey, you okay?” Becky asked, seeing the tears that sparkled in her grey eyes.
Charlie shook her head, unable to answer.
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Mandy asked softly.
“Yes. I don’t know what I’ll do when he leaves.” Charlie admitted honestly. “I always thought my first love is aviation, and everything else would come in second. I was a fool to think that. Right now, if he asks me to leave Linwood and go with him, I would, without a second thought.”
“Oh honey,” Mandy said sadly.
“So, what are you going to do?” Becky asked.
“The only thing I can do. Spend as much time with him as I can now.”
Mandy sighed. “It sucks that love can’t be simple.”
“Yeah, it would be so much simpler if Charlie fell in love with Jeff instead.” Becky said. “Jeff would marry you in a second.”
“Jeff is a really good guy.” Charlie agreed.
“Maybe you’re one of those women that can only fall for the wrong guy.” Mandy said thoughtfully. “I read it in a magazine once that some women do that.”
“Ryle is not exactly the wrong guy. He seems pretty decent.” Becky murmured. “And I should thank him the next time I see him.”
“Why?”
“He sent some hockey tickets to Sean for this Saturday’s game.” Becky explained.
“What hockey tickets?” Charlie asked, curious.
“Apparently Sean was telling him how he couldn’t get tickets to this weekend’s game. He really wanted to see this game cuz it’s going to be between two powerful teams. Ryle said he might be able to find some tickets.” Becky told them. “And he did.”
“Really?” Charlie murmured.
“Mmm. And you would never guess what section those tickets are for.” Becky said.
“What?” Mandy asked.
“The VIP box suites.” Becky said. “It’s worth like hundreds of dollars, and it includes a catered dinner. Sean was so excited he nearly passed out.”
“Really?” Charlie was surprised hearing this.
“That’s not even the best of it.” Becky smirked.
“There’s more?” Mandy asked.
“The VIP box belongs to Prescott Aerodynamics.”
Charlie was so surprised she could only stare at her friend.
“I would say he has some pretty powerful friends in Prescott Aerodynamics.” Becky murmured.
Flight Page 13
