Page 99 of My All American Girl

“What does flying give you that I can’t?” I asked in a sultry voice.

Her body stiffened for a moment, then relaxed again into my arms. She tilted her head back and looked at me, her eyes sparkling with something I’d never seen before. “Freedom,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Freedom?” I echoed.

“When I’m up in the air, nothing else matters,” she explained. “It’s just me and the plane, the endless blue sky, and the world below. There’s a clarity there that’s hard to find on the ground. It’s like—” She paused, searching for the right words. “It’s like the world turns silent, and everything else fades away, leaving only what truly matters.”

I considered her words, completely understanding what she meant. My love of flying broke my marriage. I knew every feeling she was having. I chose my love of soaring through the air over the woman I proclaimed to love.

“And when you’re with me?” I asked. I knew there was no way I could compete with the feeling of flying. I felt like I was pretty good at sex, but nothing really compared to a jet. Nothing I had found at least.

She turned to face me, her eyes soft with a vulnerability she often hid. I felt like I was pretty special because I got to see it. I knew for sure she didn’t show it to anyone else.

“When I’m with you, it’s different. There’s a passion, an intensity, that I’ve never known before. It’s like discovering a whole new kind of freedom. There’s the freedom of flying and there’s the freedom of being able to be honest in your personal life. Right now, I’m being honest with myself.”

“But it’s a distraction,” I said, repeating her earlier sentiment.

“Yes,” she confessed with a small smile. “But maybe it’s not.”

“You think I’m more than a distraction?” I asked.

She was silent for several seconds. “I don’t know,” she answered after several seconds.

I didn’t want to ruin this by getting into the weeds about what we were or were not. I wanted to be in this moment with her. I wasn’t looking for a commitment. I was good with things being exactly what they were.

“We should shower and get ready for the day,” I said.

She groaned. “I really am liking this whole sleeping with you, and I don’t mean just the sex. I mean sleeping and snuggling. It’s weird.”

I laughed. “Let’s not analyze. Get your fine ass up and dressed. Flight suit today.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, sir.”

We ordered room service and dressed in our flight suits. Our breakfast was light, given what we were about to do. Today wasn’t going to be all smooth sailing. This was the kind of training that would test her limits. She was going to learn what it was like to encounter real danger.

We headed to the airstrip, ready to do what we came here to do.

Sarah’s excitement was palpable, and I fed off her energy. This was what she lived for. Seeing her in her element was a privilege. I was lucky I got to be the guy that helped her get even better.

Once we were in the T6, I settled into the backseat and let Sarah take the lead. This was her show. I trusted her completely. She communicated effortlessly with ground control, her voice steady and confident. Every interaction was smooth. We took off, climbing into the skies like a bird spreading its wings. Her hands moved fluidly over the control panel, adjusting our path with precision.

“Okay,” she said, her voice echoing through the radio in my headset. “Now for the real test.”

“Don’t get too cocky,” I warned.

I heard a small snort, knowing she was getting a kick out of being in control. She skillfully started pushing the plane to its limits. She handled a sudden shift in weather with the ease of a seasoned pilot. A small mishap with her navigation system didn’t faze her. She corrected course without breaking a sweat.

I was more than impressed. Watching her in action was a revelation. Her competence and poise were undeniably attractive. Sexy. Hot. I couldn’t deny the growing admiration—and desire—I felt for her.

“Permission to request additional flight time,” I called in, keeping my voice steady.

“Permission granted,” came the reply.

“You think I need more practice?” she asked calmly.

“Let’s try some of those maneuvers we talked about,” I suggested.

“Roger that.”