Casanova In Training (10 page)

Gio wore jeans, a T-shirt, a ball cap, and boots. His typical attire. He stared at her, his eyes burning her as he scrutinised her. She became keenly aware that she only wore her nearly threadbare robe. He prowled towards her, every step predatory. His fingers flexed and her heart sped up.

She backed away until she had the cooktop island between them. “Why are you here?” she asked, scrunching her fingers along the cool counter. She wished she had something warm to oppose the chills moving through her.

“Because I almost lost you today. I wanted to see how you were doing.” His voice sounded deeper than usual but his words were spoken with quiet emphasis.

More of that doubt crept in and she fought off a shudder. “I’m not yours to lose and I’m fine.”

His eyes narrowed dangerously and he leaned towards her over the only thing separating them. The countertop.

“The hell you’re not,” he growled. “And I doubt you’re fine either.”

She swallowed and ignored the trembling of her hands. “You should go.”

He shook his head and her gaze was mesmerised by the droplets that trailed down the side of his chiselled features. By the time she’d pulled herself free of the allure his body held over hers, he’d manoeuvred his way to her side.

“No. Tell me what happened up there.”

Her spine stiffened but she forced a deep breath. Unfortunately, that brought the intoxicating scent of Gio further into her senses. She didn’t have it in her to do this right now, and she gave a negative shake of her head, not trusting her voice.

The expression on his face equalled the fury raging beyond her windows. She gulped. Stark determination etched in the lines as well.

“Talk.” The order was bitten off.

“Why should I?” she demanded. “I don’t owe you a damn thing.”

He never took his eyes off her and she felt cornered. Did he not think she could handle herself? Her hackles rose. Frankly, she was tired of constantly having to defend her abilities. She was good, she was
damn
good. Was it so difficult for him to acknowledge the fact?

“What’s your problem? That I managed to make it out, or that you realise I actually
do
know how to handle one of the B-2s?”

“Talk me through it,” he said, his words calm, soothing.

The shakes started again and she gripped the edge of the counter to keep him from noticing. She didn’t want nice. She couldn’t
handle
nice. Not right now. And especially not from him.

“Why are you here?” she cried again, cringing at the noticeable high pitch to her voice.

He grunted and made his way to her living room. She remained where she was and just watched him. With one strong hand, he beckoned to her.

“Come here, Jaydee.”

The timbre of his voice thrummed through her, making her want to run to him, curl up in his embrace, and just forget the entire thing. That knowledge pissed her off. Showing a weakened stance tended to backfire.

“What?” she snapped. “Are you here to see if I was crying in a corner?” Crossing her arms, she glared at him as something else occurred to her. “Would you be doing this if I wasn’t a woman?”

He sighed and walked back over to her, tossing his cap onto a chair as he moved. This time he didn’t stop until he had her backed up against the refrigerator. One hand on either side of her head, he lowered his face until it was close to hers.

“Yes.” A slight grin. “Well, not the kiss but yes, I would be checking on you.”

“Then why aren’t you with Keel?”

“Because you need me more.” She growled at that but he continued, “Keel is out with some of the guys to forget, and he’s already been home to see his wife and baby. I saw it on your face, Jaydee. You need to let it go, or else it will affect you the next time you go up.”

Her lower lip trembled and she tried to duck her head but he wouldn’t release her gaze. There existed no mocking, no laughter, no anything but sincerity in his hazel eyes. She slipped her tongue out to dampen her lips and nodded.

“Okay.”

The single word was so soft she barely heard it herself. Gio immediately backed off and paced her as she made her way to the sofa. She lowered herself to the end cushion and tucked her legs under her, aware of his appreciative gaze upon her exposed skin. Reaching out, she plucked at her robe. Worrying her lower lip, she reached out and touched her forefinger to the mug beside her. Cold. Just like she was.

Gio took a seat at the other end and adjusted his large body so he faced her. His eyes never left her face and she could feel more of the insecurity floating up from her stomach. It didn’t seem to matter that he was still wet and probably uncomfortable in his attire, all of his focus remained on her.

She flexed her fingers around the mug, instinctively seeking its warmth, of which there was none. “We went in and did our drop then shot off through the tracers. After we made it clear we climbed back up and waited for you to head us home.”

He shifted on the seat, laying one arm along the back. She wanted to touch him, have him help her forget. As if he could read her intentions, he shook his head.

“No distractions, Jaydee. Talk to me.” The absoluteness in his tone didn’t detract in the slightest from the heat in his eyes.

“It was like a wall of lightning,” she muttered as goose bumps exploded up along her skin at the recollection. “I did what I could to avoid it but then one shot horizontally and hit us. I shut the burning engine on that side down but the fire had already caught. Two more strikes came and took out the stabiliser and the AI. It took us a bit to shut off the autopilot so we wouldn’t be flying inverted, but by then we were already in the spin.”

Her heart began to pound faster and faster and she dug her nails into her palms. The pain helped centre her and she knew she would have half-moons carved into her skin but she didn’t care. It helped her focus.

“Keep going.”

Her stomach knotted tight and she tried to control her breathing. “We lost oil pressure and hit a pocket of wind which first sent us into a spin. It took me a few moments to snap out of my daze and get my bearings. I went cold then hot again, hoping it would refire. It did and I had manual control. Hard and shaky but I had it.”

Bile rose in her throat as she recalled staring out of the jet and seeing the rain and clouds whip around her along with the flames. She licked her lips and kept her eyes on the tattered edge of her robe, not wanting to face him.

“Keel came to and was able to help me pull it up.”

She couldn’t hide the tremors racking her body. Not anymore. He reached for her and she drew back as far as the sofa allowed.
Damn him, if he touches me, I’ll lose it.
“We landed and, well, you know the rest.”

The room spun a bit and she bit back a whimper. Her breaths were coming faster and shallower.

“Jaydee.”

“I don’t…can’t…”

His hands closed about her upper arms, grip tight, yet gentle. He gave her no chance to pull away, just drew her close and lifted her, settling her over his legs. His pants were a bit damp and abraded the insides of her thighs slightly.

“Let me go,” she snapped. “I don’t need to hear you say this is why women shouldn’t fly.”

He shook her, not hard, but enough to garner her full attention. “Shut up, Jaydee. What you did tonight was fucking impressive.”

“For a woman?” she asked in a snide tone.

His expression sobered. “No, for a pilot, Jaydee. Fucking impressive for any pilot.” He sank his hands in her hair at the back of her head, his fingers massaging her scalp. “And you, Jaydee, are one hell of a pilot.”

She stared in his eyes, searching for the deceit, only to find nothing but honesty. Even his statement had been straightforward. This was new for her, these feelings, and having someone do what Gio had.

“Thank you,” she said.

He urged her closer to him and she willingly went. It felt so wonderful, having someone who appeared concerned about her. Someone who understood she wasn’t a machine, but a person.

With a whimper, she clenched his shirt in one fist and surrendered to the tears that poured free. He never said a word, just offered her silent support. He held her tight, one hand rubbing her back in circular motions, the other remaining in her wet hair against her head.

Being held by this man made things right. She burrowed closer, accepting the comfort. Her exhausted body won and she closed her eyes in defeat.

Just a few more seconds.

Jaydee stirred before she froze.
What? Was it all a dream?
She cracked open her eyes to darkness. The sound of rain on the windows was the only noise and she stifled a yawn. All the adrenaline had left and she couldn’t begin to explain how fatigued she remained.

An arm slid along her waist before resting on her hip. A hand splayed against her belly.
Gio.
She knew immediately who it was, for he was the only man she’d ever fallen asleep with.

“Go back to sleep,” he said, spooning against her and pressing a kiss behind her ear.

She rotated in his embrace so they were chest to chest. His warm skin smelt like sandalwood and spice. Burrowing as close as she could, she brushed a kiss against his chest before doing just that. Going back to sleep.

When her alarm went off at oh-four-hundred, she was still wrapped up with the hard body that had held her all through the night. Wriggling free, she flopped over and floundered for her alarm. A satisfied groan left her once the offensive, blaring noise had ceased.

“Ever thought of getting an iPod docking station to wake up to music, or one of those things which have soothing nature sounds, instead of that demonic noise?” Gio’s question rumbled from behind her.

She sat up and turned on her bedside lamp. The soft light permeated the room. Feet on the floor, she waited. Waited for the recollection of yesterday’s incident to overtake her. Nothing happened.

A warm palm settled upon the small of her back. Gio’s touch made her ready to melt. He didn’t even have to speak—a simple gesture was more than enough for her.

“Jaydee?”

“Alarms are to get you out of bed, not relax you more so you fall back asleep, or sleep through it.”

The mattress dipped as he shifted behind her. His lips moved up her spine and along her right shoulder. Her body craved his.

“Where’s the Jaydee I met at the bar?”

“Hidden away,” she said with candour. He halted her when she began to rise.

“Where are you going?”

“Workout, shower, eat, then head to work.”

He tugged hard on her so she fell back. Gio loomed over her, his eyes almost golden with the faint light. He stroked the side of her face with two knuckles before he kissed her.

“Workout is just what I had in mind.” His voice was low and gravelly.

After he’d made long slow love to her and they’d shared a shower, Jaydee sat on one of her bar stools, dressed and ready for work while Gio fixed them breakfast. The first strands of morning’s light began to beat back the dark of night.

“Tell me about what it was like for Jaydee growing up.” He cracked eggs in the pan with one hand and met her gaze.

She hooked her feet on the rungs and stared down at the glass of freshly squeezed orange juice before her. He’d actually cut up and juiced oranges to make the drink for her. She heard him at the sink washing his hands, then two fingers lifted her chin up.

“Jaydee?”

“Not much to tell. It was…” she searched for the right word, “structured.”

“I know you said your mother left when you were young but was your father strict?”

She thought for a moment about a response and reached for her water. He plucked it from her hands and put the orange juice in its place.

“Drink your juice.”

Astonished by the fact that he was actually fixing her food, she turned the glass.

“Drink,” he reiterated.

She did. The juice slid down her throat and she damn near purred in pleasure. His grin and the sparkle in his eyes told her he understood. The next look he gave her told her he wanted his answer.

“Obviously, I never really knew my mother. You know she left when I was young. I used to have a photo of her, one picture. It was of the two of us, actually.” She shrugged, disturbed by the feelings reliving this brought her. “For a while anyway. Then it was…lost, I guess.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t know your mother. So, then, it was just you and your father? Or do you have siblings?”

Honestly, she had no clue if she had brothers or sisters. “He raised me. No siblings.”

Gio scooped eggs onto plates and placed two slices of buttered wheat toast on as well. Some cut-up melon and sausage links completed her plate.

“Eat.”

The first bite had her stomach ready for more. As she ate, she realised no one had cooked for her, ever.
Well, no man I’ve slept with. But then I’ve ever only spent the night with Gio.
Even so, she couldn’t imagine any of her past relationships caring enough to cook for her. But, to be fair, she wouldn’t have done so for them either. There was only one she could think of who might have, but their being together had been purely about sexual release, nothing more. He’d cooked for her after their relationship had become purely platonic.

He constantly watched her and she shifted under his scrutiny. After finishing, she sipped the remainder of her juice while waiting for Gio to be done. Silent, she gathered up the dishes and placed them in her sink. She’d do them when she got home. Uncertainty settled. Now what?

With more confidence than she felt, she raised her head and met his waiting gaze. He leaned on the beige countertop and gave her a wink. Instantly, all she could think about was how nice it had been in his arms. Each time with him got better and better.

She licked her lips and his eyes followed the motion. “We need to get to work.” She backed away from the increasingly predatory look in his eyes.

He glanced at his wristwatch and gave her a darkly sensual and wicked smile. “Yes, we do.” Then he lunged for her.

Chapter Seven

Gio leaned against the bar and dangled the bottle from his fingertips. He was at a farewell party for Tessler, Puck, Tinman and their co-pilots. They’d been called up to join a squadron overseas. At first he’d been jealous that his name hadn’t been selected. Then he realised that, by staying here, he got to remain closer to Jaydee. Everyone was here for the celebration. Correction, everyone but Keel—he was on babysitting duty, since his wife had a double shift to work—and Jaydee.