“Not bad,” she said, putting the vehicle through several maneuvers, including a stall. “Watch me.” She flipped a switch that elevated the wings, dipped the nose, and at the same time lifted the tail. The vehicle moved into a glide, giving them ample time to reset the engines and put them back into running mode. “Now, the last question.”
“Ninety-degree angle, it’ll stall, and you need a forty-five to correct it. Am I right?”
She grinned at him. “Nearly. Yes, most airplanes will stall at ninety, but not this one. Because of its vertical ascent and descent, it stalls when the nose drops below thirty degrees on the horizontal.”
“Wow, you need a steady hand for this thing.” His fingers itched to hold the yoke. He needed to feel how she’d respond under his touch. The vehicle, he told his libido, not Kimberly. Well, not right now, at least.
“Yes, and how would you recover?”
“First keep the nose steady, and if it drops, try to recover by lifting up. If you stall completely, follow the landing protocols of the parachute or autorotate to the ground.” He scratched his head. “That’s the flaw… This vehicle can’t be steered in any direction with either of those options. Why would you do that? Don’t you want to keep it safe? What about the pilots or this multimillion-dollar craft?”
“Billion dollar,” she corrected him. “Yes, the steering is the flaw. The reason we’re taking this little jaunt is…this vehicle is part of the prototype for the shuttle. We need options to assist it in handling different parts of the mission.”
He shook his head. “I wish I understood how this craft and the shuttle are connected, but I’m willing to learn…fast. May I fly her?”
Kimberly laughed. She took her hand off the yoke. “Fine. I give up. She’s all yours.”
“You like me, don’t you?”
“Only your brain,” she mocked. “There’s something unique in your thinking. You appear to analyze how something works and then figure out how to break down all the steps, following several trains of thought at once. It’s cool, though I hate to admit that fact.”
Bennett laughed. “I guess I subscribe to the theory of ‘chunking it’—that’s a SEAL thing, though I also read it in a great children’s book by Amber Stewart called Little by Little.”
“Do you read a lot of kids’ books?”
“Only when I babysit. Empowering kids to try new things is important. We take that skill into our adult lives.”
She smiled at him. This was a side of him she hadn’t seen coming. “I agree.” She was definitely going to find a copy of that book. And was that a hint that he liked kids?
As Bennett took the controls, he made sure he followed the same path Kimberly had taken so that he didn’t endanger them or the vehicle. A gentle nudge of his fingers caused CarP to respond. “She flies like an angel.”
Suddenly, a light flashed bright red.
“What did I do?”
“Nothing. Something’s wrong.” Small female hands moved quickly in front of him, pulling all the switches down the center and taking control of the yoke. Relinquishing control was not easy for him, but he didn’t relish crashing either.
She pulled a battery from the dash and put another in its place. When she attempted to reengage the engine, it wouldn’t start. “Sally, please send out coordinates and inform the control tower of our situation. We’ll need a ride for both the vehicle and us.”
“What’s happening?” he asked.
“A signal has been lost between the control and the engine. Everything checked out perfectly this morning when I preflighted the CarP. This shouldn’t happen.”
“Tracking is on, Kimberly. The communication of a Mayday has been made.” Sally’s voice was oddly comforting within the confines of the tiny vehicle as Kimberly fought to keep the nose up. Finally, after consulting the topography on the screen below the radar, she touched the auto-rotate sequence.
Her hand left the controls. Her body shook slightly as if her emotions were attempting to escape and her willpower was holding them in.
They both watched as the vehicle slowly descended. Luckily there were not large boulders or mountains below them. When the CarP was safely on the ground, the doors automatically opened.
Bennett got out of his side and walked around to Kimberly’s. He crossed his arms over his chest. “This has happened before…hasn’t it?”
She nodded her head. Her eyes were filled with tears. “This is CarP II. One of the SEALs was killed in CarP I. It was a similar type of incident, except their auto-rotate didn’t work. He was soloing, and he had been up at least twenty times with another instructor. The instructor survived, but he’s still in critical care in an induced coma at the Scripps ICU. It’s an excellent hospital…” Her mouth quivered. “I just…I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop it. I stood in the control room watching CarP I plunge downward and crash.”
Bennett felt for her. Powerlessness was not a gentle emotion; it often ripped the ego out along with the heart. He took her arm and pulled her out of the vehicle. Gathering her into his arms, he held her while she cried. His hand stroked her hair as her body shook with sobs. This lady cared. About him, and about his brothers. She’d held in her pain for a long time, and she was taking responsibility for their deaths.
As hiccups jerked her body, Kimberly pulled away. She wiped her face on her long-sleeved shirt, leaving little splotches of wetness on the cuffs.
“Flat out, it’s sabotage. The engine quit due to something outside of your control. You cannot blame yourself, Kimberly. Turn that emotion into fuel, and help find out who did this.” His eyes were locked to hers. He could see the earnestness in them.
“I-I-I have been t-t-trying to find out, Bennett. That’s why I called Ouster.” She wrapped her arms around herself. Shock was settling in.
“The other SEAL was killed in the Lester Facility, right? I read that in one of Ouster’s reports.”
“Yes. It’s all so horrible.” Her arms shook.
He pulled his sweater over his head and wrapped it around her. There was plenty of time before they needed to worry about the nighttime cold weather. Surely someone would arrive by then. “How do you know Ouster?”
“I’ve known him for years. He was on the board of the college I went to in Boston. Alum, and all that. He made contact when I was a teenager and kept in touch after…sort of like a father figure. His wife and kids are pretty nice, but I still feel awkward around them.” She sniffed and then rubbed her nose. “I’m happiest when I’m buried in my work.”
“Me too,” he admitted. “I get lost…when I’m idle too long.”
“Yeah, if only work, fun, and idle time could be combined. Wait, they can be: stay 24–7 at your place of employment.” She laughed at the joke. “Yeah, it’s tough when that’s your reality.”
He smiled at her. The sound of her laugh was intoxicating. “Look, about this morning, I’m sorry I took advantage of the moment. I shouldn’t have kissed you that way.”
Her cheeks flushed red. “Your kiss was pretty devastating.”
“Is that good or bad?”
She leaned into him. “Let’s find out.” Standing on her toes, she reached her lips up to his and kissed him. It was her turn to take control and lead them on the path she wanted. Hadn’t she told him earlier that she was the boss?
The kiss turned hot and steamy quickly. She pushed him away long enough to pull a survival pack and blankets from the vehicle, then led him to a sheltered spot that would give them some privacy. The land was private, owned by the Lester Facility, but trespassers happened from time to time. Besides, they had hours to wait before anyone would reach them by vehicle. By her calculations, it would be over three hours.
As she dropped the pack and withdrew the blanket, he asked, “Are you sure? I thought you didn’t want to mix business and pleasure.”
“I refuse to
overanalyze. I do too much of that in my present life.” Kimberly pulled her long-sleeve shirt over her head and unlaced her hiking boots. She didn’t answer him until she stood naked in front of him. “You have a choice. Either we both let off some steam and get back to the business at hand, or we go into everything, knowing that the sexual tension is too thick to actually get any work done.”
“Good point,” he said, pulling off his own clothes and shoes. “Who am I to argue with the boss?”
Her hands beat at him playfully as they wrestled each other to the ground. They romped and played like a couple of puppies until their bodies reminded them of what they truly wanted…to make love.
Rolling him onto his back, she grabbed the pack, opened a side pocket, and withdrew a small foil packet. Handing the condom to him, she watched him open it and roll the latex over his engorged cock, and then she lifted herself slowly over it and teased the tip before plunging herself onto him, taking away his breath and her own.
Each time his hands reached for her, she pushed them over his head, reminding him that she was in charge. Setting the pace to her own need, she rode him hard and fast until her body took her over the edge, climaxing with sheer, cascading delight.
With her initial appetite satiated, she relaxed. Placing her hands on his chest, she leaned her head down until her eyes were level with his. She studied him. “Is Bennett a family name?”
He chuckled. “Really? I’m sitting here suffering, and you want to know my life story?”
She licked her lips. “Yes.”
“Fine. One question and that’s it.” His breath shuddered as he said, “My mother was a Jane Austen fan, loved Pride and Prejudice—that was her favorite book. She died giving birth to me, and my father thought it would be a way to celebrate her and her favorite book. Supposedly she read it to me while I was in the womb. Of course, he added the extra T on Bennett for an extra special touch.”
“That’s sweet.” She sat up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you lost your mom.”
“It’s okay, I guess. I didn’t know her. My father told me about her every day, kept me connected to her. Now he’s gone, and it’s just me.” His arms slowly moved down, seeking hers, hugging her close. “Can we turn the conversation back to us? I’m at the brink, Kimberly.”
“Definitely! Your turn.”
Birds chirped above them, sending down a shower of leaves from above. She laughed, brushing them away with her fingertips.
He wanted her, was hungry for her. He knew that kind of observation would make him vulnerable, but he was strangely okay with it.
She rocked him to the side, rolling herself underneath him. “I’m one of those equal-opportunity bosses, Boss.”
His eyebrows lifted. The evil smile he gave her made her shudder with excitement. Perhaps she had spoken too soon. Bennett looked like a child set loose in a candy store, and he wasn’t leaving until every piece was devoured.
Stretching her arms over her head, she wiggled against him. He might be ready to tease the dickens out of her, but she was going into this experience with a good attitude.
“Uh-uh-uh. You’re not going to get out of this that easily.” He pulled her arms down, kissing the palm of each hand before he laid it on her stomach. Then he flipped her over on her stomach. Leaning over her, he trailed kissed from the nape of her neck all the way down her back. As he worked his way over her glutes and down between her legs, she found herself pushing against him, giving him greater access to her clit. The angle was extraordinary.
It was difficult for her to catch her breath as his arms locked around her thighs, holding her closer, not allowing her to escape the delight of his ministrations. “B-B-Bennett,” she stuttered. “Too…too much.”
Just as he loosened his hold and began to pull back, her whole body shook with a climax so intense that tears squeezed out of her eyes. Somehow they’d crossed the line between blowing off steam and lovemaking. Emotion shuddered out of her until her body couldn’t express any more. She was spent…and in a state of wonder.
He lapped at her bounty and murmured against her skin, “So sweet. So beautiful.” His lips brushed tender caresses along her inner thighs as she shuddered one more time.
He picked her up and turned her toward him, kissing the tears away. “Are you okay?”
She nodded her head, attempting to catch her breath again. When she could speak, she leaned forward and whispered against his mouth, “Amazing.” She kissed him, tasting herself on his lips. It was sweet and tangy, and it pleased her that the look on his face was so delighted.
Gently, he pulled her closer. He checked to make sure the condom was still intact—it was—and lowered her onto his cock very, very slowly.
Kimberly’s body was sensitive and spent, yet as he filled her, her sheath spasmed with utter delight, shocking her. She smiled at him as they rocked together. The pace was leisurely as they stared into each other’s eyes.
Watching his passion build, she gave herself over to his pace. Pleasure filled his eyes, dilating his pupils, changing his breathing until his lips were on hers. The connection was immediate and intense.
Her body responded quickly as it raced up that climactic hill.
Together, they plunged off the cliff, shouting out each other’s name as they fell to earth, sated and panting.
An eagle screeched above them and settled into the tallest tree to feed its young. Bennett watched it for a long time as he enjoyed the smell of pine and the clean, fresh air. If he’d had his choice between being indoors in air-conditioning or outside, running in the heat, he’d have chosen the latter. Was the good doc the same, or was she a slave to her technology, like most of society? “Do you mind if I ask you for more details? Remember, I need to fill in the blanks when it comes to your file.”
“Go for it,” she said, settling closer to him. Her body fit his as if they were cut from the same cloth or interlocking pieces of a puzzle. A shiver made her skin ripple with gooseflesh.
He grabbed for his sweater and tucked it around her. “Here, this should keep you warm.”
“Thanks,” she said, and he didn’t need to see her to know she was smiling. She did that…responded to the smallest gestures as if they were monumental. Kind of endearing, he thought.
“Okay. Uh, why aren’t you going into space?” he asked. “You have the degrees and the know-how, telling everyone how, where, and when to do everything. It just seems logical.”
Her body stilled. She was quiet for a long time, and then she pushed away from him and sat up. After pulling the sweater down over her head, she said, “I could tell you it was none of your business, and I know you’d probably let it go, but you should know. I, uh, like you, Bennett.”
His fingers stroked hers. “Ditto.”
She rolled her eyes. “Women hate it when men say ‘ditto.’ Be original. Give me a real response.”
His lips thinned slightly. “Here’s a shocker: I don’t like talking about my feelings. But if I’m required to share…yes, I like you too. I wouldn’t be here, making love to you otherwise. It’s always been a dream of mine to go to space, and I don’t want to jeopardize it by screwing the boss.”
“Well, it’s obvious that this is mutual.”
“Yes, and unique. I’ve never met a woman like you. I’m not good at relationships. They never work for me. With you, I guess what I’m saying is…tell me how and I’ll learn.” His tone became firmer. “Now, I’ve been honest, and you are deflecting my question. Tell me why…why can’t you travel to space?”
With a swift nod of her head, she said very quickly, “Here goes. I have a heart condition, and it makes me black out sometimes. There’s no pattern to it, and even if I could be a copilot, my chances of a heart attack are almost 95 percent, according to the cardiologist on my case. So no space travels for me. At least not yet, but I’m still hopeful.”
“Sp
ecifically—”
“It is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the wall of the heart. For me, it’s the left ventricle. They found it on my routine flight physical and confirmed it during a stress test. Sally took plenty of pictures of it with her scanner, if you need a snapshot. Basically, the condition can impede blood flow, decrease oxygenation, and in some cases causes an irregular rhythm, or even a heart attack. I’ve had a heart attack. Once. I manage it pretty well now. I take beta-blockers and carry nitroglycerin. Though it means I’m not technically supposed to do half the things I love to do, such as skydiving, piloting a plane, or mountain climbing, I still do it all. That’s why the CarP is a light sport plane—you aren’t required to have a valid pilot’s license for it. She also has an auto-land, when it’s not disconnected, because of my heart issue—in case something happens in flight.”
“Auto-land or not, what if you and the CarP fell on someone or something?” His brow was furrowed. “Flying with a heart issue is no joke.”
“I know. I take it seriously, Bennett. That’s why I only fly it on this land. No one is here except our group. No harm, no foul.” She sighed. “Bennett, don’t look at me like that. If I can’t be myself, enjoy what I love, what’s the point of being alive?” Her frustration was palpable. He understood it. Being a SEAL meant the world to him; without it he’d be pissed off too.
She pushed her hair out of her face. “When I was tapped for this project to use my new technology on my shuttle design plans, the frame of which I put my heart and soul into, I could hardly believe it. Granted, other engineers have contributed systems and pieces to my baby, but it’s still mine. The Lester Facility Manager, Hubbard, has given me a lot of leeway here. Then all these problems happened over and over again, and the roadblocks to success grew. When the SEALs died, my heart had an arrhythmia that forced the doctors to shock me to restore normal rhythm. It…threw me off my game a little, and I started to lose hope. That is, until now.”
The Soul of a SEAL Page 6
