Ignoring his blue eyed gaze, I asked, “And you, Captain?”
“Milk and one sugar, sweetie.”
I shuddered at the endearment. However, he smiled a fatherly smile. He wasn’t so bad, even if he did have a giant ‘I’m a pilot moustache’.
Guess I was always destined to be in the travel industry. My dad was a chopper pilot for the Royal Air Force and the upbringing of moustaches and aeronautical speak ruined me for any other career. Wings fluttered around my heart and jet-fuel surged in my veins. It wouldn’t be long until I was the one flying the damn thing, not a trolley-dolly.
Handing over the steaming cups, I pulled sachets of sugar and containers of milk from my skirt pocket.
“So you’re all set?” I didn’t look at the men, instead my gaze locked hungrily onto the flickering lights, dials, and controls of the planes driving system. The glittering display called to me like a jewellery store called to a gem thief. Soon, my pretty. Soon I’ll be the one touching your joystick. I smiled at my own joke.
Liam Mikin noticed. “What’s so funny?” He smirked as his eyes evaluated me with a shrewd expression.
Pasting a blank look on my face, I asked, “Excuse me?”
He shifted in his chair, taking a hesitant sip of hot coffee. “Just now. You smiled.” His head swivelled to the control panel with a frown. The sun, un-obscured by clouds this high above the earth, glinted off his blue-black hair. It reminded me of a raven’s wing: glossy, deep, endless. A color that swallowed the light, but bounced it back with more hues imaginable.
Oh my god, where had that thought come from? Raven’s wing? The cockpit did odd things to me.
Liam’s blue eyes met mine. “You going to share the joke?”
Shaking my head, I muttered, “No joke. I better get back to work. Enjoy your coffee, gentlemen.”
Spinning on my heel, I escaped and locked the door behind me. Pilots were dangerous. I was single, twenty-two, and hadn’t been laid since I started my travel and tourism diploma.
I blinked. Crap, had it really been three years since I’d had a boyfriend? I’d been so focused on flying lessons, and then getting this job, that romantic trysts were far down my agenda. Perhaps that was a bad move? No one should go through a dry spell and look into Liam Mikin’s quartz-blue eyes. It should be illegal.
“Ah ha! So you aren’t immune!” Joslyn appeared with two pots in her hands. One coffee. One tea.
Stiffening, I shot back, “Whatever. It was just really hot in there.” Damn, I forgot to tell them to turn up the air-con. But I wasn’t going back in. Even if we were crashing, I would avoid that cockpit at all costs.
Remembering Ms. Klein asked me to go to the back once I’d finished, I gave Jos a scowl and bustled down the aisle.
The brown-haired man in 24B looked up as I stalked past in my stiletto heels. His face was strained, eyes begging for help. His t-shirt was grubby on one shoulder from where the snot-nosed brat had clambered on him, and he was being used as a pillow by an old man on the other side. Both humans were drooling as much as the other, even though there was an eighty-year difference between them.
I stopped. His look of pure helplessness undid me, and I smiled. “Sir, can you come with me, please? Bring your belongings.”
His eyes expanded until they glowed with thanks and his face melted into relief.
He had a nice face: straight nose, sculptured lips, and his eyebrows were well groomed, framing his hazel eyes in an almost dreamy, romantic way. Nina, is your libido on overdrive today? Stop it!
I’d never seen anyone move so fast. I thought he’d have to wake up the old codger to untangle himself. Nope. He grabbed the two headrests and brought both legs up and over the sleeping form like a gymnast.
“You have no idea how grateful I am right now.” He wiped down his t-shirt, sighing contentedly.
I fought the genuine smile on my face. “No problem. You would’ve been dripping in saliva by the time we landed. It’s the least I can do.”
I waited as he retrieved his bag, appreciating the flash of skin once again and swallowing when I glimpsed the dusting of hair on his abs, disappearing into his jeans.
“Follow me.” I smiled and guided him to the front where an emergency exit row was vacant. We liked to keep these rows free, even though passengers thought they were the first to go.
The hairs on my arms tingled with his presence behind me. The cabin was way too small for the intensity he emitted.
Plastering my professional face on, I asked, “Do you know the rules of sitting here?”
He quirked an eyebrow. “There are rules?”
I nodded. “Yes. You have to alert the crew if you see smoke or anything suspicious and if there’s an emergency you have to help with opening the doors, guiding passengers down to the life rafts, and generally providing assistance. “Can you do that?”
He ran a hand through his hair and a whiff of body spray hit me. It was musky… bedroomy, and should’ve been banned for the amount of pheromones it kicked into high alert in my body.
24B nodded. “No worries. I can do that.”
“Great. Thanks.” I turned to go. Ms. Klein would be furious at me for taking so long. I hoped she’d grant me leniency seeing as I was nice to a passenger. I didn’t have to move him, but how could anyone refuse those sad, pleading eyes?
Any minute now the blasted exam would start. I had to be in her right head space.
A strong hand lassoed onto my arm. “Hey. What’s your name?”
His eyes were so close to mine and I was buffeted by his scent again.
Shaking myself out of the musk-induced stupor, I pointed to my boob.
He squinted, taking his sweet time looking. “Nina.” The way he drew out the ‘A’ did funny things to my insides.
I titled my head, hating how my stomach turned into a rumpled mess of nerves. If I didn’t know any better, I’d of sworn my breakfast had come alive and was determined on making me suffer. “You have a problem with my name?”
He chuckled. “No, not at all. I like that your name starts with an N. Mine does, too.”
I knew he was setting me up to ask, but I did anyway. “And what’s your name?”
“Nikolai. Nice to meet you.” He held his hand out to shake.
I didn’t take it as a loud beeping of the phone in the rear galley sounded. Crap. The exam had started. “Sorry, I have to go.”
Leaving him, I dashed down the aisle in my tight uniform skirt, very aware he was probably staring at my ass. I steadied my breathing before picking up the phone. “Yes?”
“We have a situation 1583.”
My brain whizzed with all the code speak we’d been drilled to remember. The correct answer came to me in a flash. Thank god I could think well under pressure. “Can you confirm you want one thousand sugars?”
“Affirmative.”
I hung up and made my way stealthily to Samantha who was finishing up a drink run. “We have a 1583 situation.”
Her dark skin paled. “Shit. I don’t remember what that one is!”
I helped her stow the drinks cart and turned to head back up the aisle. The rules of the exam were we weren’t allowed to share details. You either knew it or you didn’t. No second chances. My heart went out for Sam, but really she should’ve studied. I could’ve spouted the inflight handbook four times over with the amount of hours I spent huddled over the text.
Instead of getting hickeys and having fun like Joslyn, I made out with text books, an annoying inner voice taunted.
I found Ms. Klein exiting one of the bathroom cubicles. “The Captain has required one thousand sugars. I’m on my way to fulfil the order.”
She gave me her first genuine smile. “Well done. You passed the hijacking test.”
Heading briskly to the galley, she grabbed her clipboard and chewed on her pen. “What does the code one thousand sugars mean?”
“It’s confirmation of the 1583 problem. It’s ambiguous so it can be inserted into a normal c
onversation and not tip off the hijackers.” Whoever came up with that was a moron. How was I supposed to insert one thousand sugars into conversation? Unless I was a serious diabetic about to keel over.
She nodded. “Fill me in on the rest of the protocol.”
My eyes unfocused as I tried to recall step one-oh-one of dealing with a hijacker. “Remain calm, try to identify the culprits. Alert ground staff if possible. Keep hijackers away from cockpit door with whatever force necessary.”
She nodded. “And by necessary?”
“By negotiation and calmness.”
“And if they have a hostage?”
“Remain calm and don’t try to be heroic. Agree to all demands.”
Ms. Klein smiled. “Great, Ms. Poppins, you’ve passed your first test. Run along and let’s see how the others do, shall we?”
I bumped into Nikolai from 24B the minute I stepped into the aisle. The intercom buzzed indicating the pilots wanted something. Holy crap, I was in hot demand.
“Hey. Do you have time to chat? I want to ask you a question.” He leaned against a seat rest, earning himself a sharp look from an elderly woman when he caught her hair. He straightened, shooting her an apologetic look. “So, Nina—”
Holding up my hand, I cut him off. “Sorry.” I smiled, even though I was annoyed at being summoned by paper-reading, sleazy pilots. “I’ve got to work. Take a seat and if I have time, I’ll come by. Alright?”
Nikolai nodded. “Sure thing. Cheers.” Throwing me another grin, which showed a dimple on one cheek, he obediently returned to his row.
Trying not to run up the aisle, I did the fancy unlock thing and stuck my head in the cockpit. “Yes?” My eyes glued onto the glowing panels and buttons. Each dial summoned me to touch and decipher. I wanted to be a kid and press every single button all at once. Pretty sure that would make us crash though. What I wouldn’t give to sit in those chairs. Fiddle with those instruments—to fly this metal beast.
Unbeknownst to the crew, I held my PPL: my Private Pilot’s License. I loved the freedom of flying; of being so far above the earth you held your life in your hands. I got a job as an air hostess to while away the years it’d take me to get my Commercial License.
I sighed. It was going to be a long journey to get where I wanted to be. Long and expensive.
Liam Mikin wore an intoxicating smile, and his silver aviators were now tucked into his shirt. Damn his cool pilot chic.
Captain Anderson spoke. “We just wanted to say good work on the correct wording for the hijacker. What was your name again?” His moustache bristled as he pursed his lips, waiting for me.
“Nina, sir.”
“Well, Nina, I’m impressed. First line exam, and so far you’re doing great.” He turned in his chair and his newspaper scattered on the floor. “That’s all.”
I brightened. “That’s it? No coffee or snacks?”
Liam Mikin chuckled and his arctic eyes sparkled with sun-rays bouncing off the whiteness of the plane. All around us little specks of light danced like fairy dust. “Now that you mention it, can I have a cold one?”
Captain Anderson punched him. “Don’t even kid about drinking on the job. You never know whose listening.”
Liam rubbed his arm. “Whatever you say, boss.” He winked at me.
A tiny quaver of interest made my heart pitter-patter in my chest. Do not do a Joslyn. The thought of Liam sucking on my neck, branding me with a hickey, caught me by surprise. Instant infatuation didn’t happen to me. I didn’t like it. I thought with my brain, not my girly bits.
I left before I could make an idiot of myself by giggling or some other such rot.
Stupid sexy pilot and his stupid sexy grin.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Sample - Coffee and Cockpits
The Space Between Page 30
