Page 12 of One Kind Hand

“It’s my middle name, Austin.”

His grin grew a little wider and Charlie liked that far too much.

“Why don’t I take you guys up? Best way to interview for this position is to prove my skills, no?” Best way to calm her nerves—and her libido—was to get herself behind the controls and into the air where she knew what she was doing.

“A great idea,” Cody said.

“Fantastic.” Charlie stepped around them and opened the rear door. “I’ll let you guys duke it out for the co-pilot seat.” But she knew whose ass she wanted there.

She busied herself while the three of them conversed and she wanted to high five someone when Austin circled around the chopper to get in the other side.

Cody tapped her on the shoulder and leaned in as Janice climbed in the back. “Don’t fly low over any water. High should be okay.” He hopped in beside Janice before Charlie could question that request. Didn’t matter. It was an easy enough thing to do, but she wondered who had the fear of water, Janice or Cody.

Charlie settled into the pilot’s seat and donned her headphones, instructing the rest of them to slide headphones on as well as buckle up.

“You ready to co-pilot?” she asked, giving Austin a sideways glance.

“I’m ready for anything.”

Anything?

Chapter Three

Charlene Moyen was not what Austin had expected. Yes, he’d selected her chopper from the entries because she was the only woman who had applied, but he’d only done so because it would be cool if his film could portray a female in the pilot role. He loved to give a shout-out to folks who broke the norm and went after what they were passionate about regardless of what society had to say.

But this . . . this creature sitting in the pilot seat beside him was . . . she was . . . well, fuck, she was stunning. Not a traditional stunning either. Her jet-black hair was cut in a short, edgy style that accentuated her facial features. She had these striking grayish-blue eyes, a color Austin had never seen before on anyone.

And the way her body made those cargoes, camo shirt, and jacket come to life was out of this world. The combat-style boots and the baseball hat took the look up to the next level.

A level Austin seriously enjoyed.

When they’d shaken hands upon being introduced, he’d felt as if someone had sent lightning through his veins. And he’d liked that feeling.

Watching Charlie now as she expertly guided her chopper over the treetops, Austin admired her skill, her confidence, her . . . coolness.

“So in terms of stunts,” Charlie said, her voice pleasing even through headphones, “are you thinking something like this?” She fiddled with the controls and the chopper turned in a circle, making Austin clamp a hand onto his seat. “Or more like this?”

In the next instant, the helicopter shot forward, gaining some speed, then the nose rose up, and the entire thing did what could only be described as a backflip. The craft righted itself, the rotors still spinning as if they hadn’t done some aerial gymnastics.

Cody and Janice cheered from the backseat, while Austin gaped at Charlie in awe.

“What?” She arched an eyebrow. “Want more?” She angled the chopper’s nose to the ground. They plummeted then quickly leveled off, the transition so smooth, Austin wasn’t sure it had happened at all. Charlie sent the helicopter into a corkscrew then headed for two super tall pine trees ahead.

She wasn’t going to . . .

The trees whipped by on either side of the chopper as Charlie maneuvered between them. Next she took the helicopter up and hovered in place, her hand making small adjustments on the controls.

“What else do you want to see?” she asked, a wide smile on her face that made Austin’s heart hammer.

Or maybe that was the stunts.

“You’ve got the job, sister!” Janice hollered. “That was incredible!”

Cody clamped a hand on Austin’s shoulder. “What do you say, man?”

Charlie slid her gaze to him, one dark eyebrow arched toward the bill of her hat. Her lips were glossy and he couldn’t help wondering what they tasted like.

“Austin?”