God, she was hungry. Petit four, pronto.
"Uh-huh. He was dating a flight attendant last May, but that's the last one we can remember."
"I'm sorry to disappoint the rumor mill, but we're not dating." Only planning to have sex.
Just liking each other and trying to hold on to objectivity that kept slipping away faster than the waves retreating from the shore.
"Yeah, right. If I believe that one, I'm sure you'd like to sell me a bridge and some swampland."
What could she say to that? Nothing. This woman had made up her mind—and she wasn't far off the mark. Best to change the subject. "So, which of these people crew together?"
"Nice segue. Okay, I can take the hint." The younger woman washed down another meatball with a glass of sparkling water. "They don't have set crews unless they're flying combat. But each of the different squadrons are tight, and certain groupings tend to fly together. Bo crews with Scorch over there whenever he can."
Paige swept her windblown hair from her face, and yeah, she'd left it down for Bo, for herself, too, because Kurt preferred she keep it confined with a fourteen-karat-gold clasp.
"Scorch?"
"He once set his mustache on fire in a bar with a flaming Dr. Pepper drink." Shadows crossed her face that seemed to have nothing to do with the setting sun. "The two of them flew with my dad some over in Rubistan."
Nikki shook off the shadows and continued, "My dad also really likes to fly with Cobra.
Let's just say his call sign came from the time he dropped his pants once as a joke, and snake references quickly followed. Marriage settled his butt right down, though."
There were so many names she could barely keep them all straight. Like wait, who were Bronco and Rodeo and how come with names like that neither one was a cowboy?
"Where's the commander?" She would have expected him to be at an important event like this, partying right alongside the other crewmembers circling the bonfire.
"He's off picking up his brother-in-law from college, packing up the extra gear and stuff."
"Brother-in-law? I didn't know he's married."
"Oh, he's not anymore. Actually, he's a widower. Most folks don't know, which is a shame because it makes his grouchiness a bit more forgivable."
"I thought everyone knew everything about each other around here." She tipped back her punch cup, pineapple with a definite kick.
"Like I said before, Colonel Quade's a real grouch, so nobody really pries in his business.
The brother-in-law went to boarding school. I only know about him because he started at UNC with me this year. We've carpooled a couple of times." She fanned her face with her hand. "The guy's a real hottie, all dark hair and has this fabulously yummy South American accent. Too young for me though."
She started to ask Nikki who she was seeing—
"Bo's a great guy."
Paige froze, wondering if maybe this woman had once been with him or wanted to be.
They certainly seemed closer in age.
Nikki laughed. "No. Bo and I are definitely not an item, never have been, never will be.
He's like a big obnoxious brother. Know what I mean?"
"I have one of those."
"Exactly. He's helped me with some course selections and stuff. I was finishing up my teaching degree at UNC Chapel Hill, where the colonel's brother-in-law goes, too."
"That's nice." She busied herself with more punch to hide her relief while the bonfire flames crackled higher.
"I just thought you would want to know, since other folks have assumed we're more than friends."
"We're just.. .uh..." She twirled a strand of hair between two fingers.
"Friends? Yeah right. I'm his friend, remember? And he doesn't look at me like he wants to peel off my clothes with his teeth and toss them very far away, not to be found for at least a week."
Apparently they weren't hiding their feelings from anyone. Might as well be open then.
"If he's such a great guy and you two are friends, how come nothing more came of it?"
"No spark, ya know? There's no explaining what makes that spark happen." Her eyes drifted back over to the cluster of pilots popping peeled shrimp into their mouths. Was she looking for someone in particular or just dreaming of another guy? Tough to tell. But Nikki was still so young, with many years and dreams left to explore.
How morbid was that? Geez, she wasn't exactly 105 herself. Exhaustion and more than a little frustration must be having its way with her. Time to lay off the spiked fruit punch before it ruined the whole night for her.
She'd made her decision to grasp the moment with Bo, and she wouldn't be shaken. She'd come to Charleston to lay her past to rest and that involved facing everything head-on.
Speakers squawked and the canned recorded music shifted to the band warming up. Bo shouldered through the crowd and dropped onto the arm of her lawn chair. "How's it going?"
She clasped her hands around her punch glass to keep from placing her hand on his thigh and further stoking the rumor mill. "Your friend here's just spilling all your secrets."
He blanched paler than the chunks of Swiss cheese on the plate on her lap. She didn't want to think about what nerve that must have struck. Tonight was about putting aside morbid thoughts and concerns.
Pinching up a petit four, Nikki pelted him on the forehead. "Nothing particularly juicy, but the night's still young."
Bo set aside Paige's plate and cup with an arousing brush of his fingers. "Then I guess I'd better keep her busy." He tugged Paige's wrist. "Kick off your shoes and dance with me, gorgeous."
Three hours later, by the bonfire, Bo searched the crowd for Paige, who'd been tugged off for more secret sharing with some of the wives and girlfriends apparently determined to see him paired up. A few people avoided her, but in a group this large and with the night to hide subtle emotions, the slight wasn't as obvious.
Good thing because he would hate to kick ass at Darcy and Max's wedding.
Paige seemed to be having fun when they'd danced under the stars, fast, slow, and much like what he had in mind for later, minus the clothes. Hopefully she wasn't pissed with him for making her come along, but after that purse-snatching, he hadn't wanted to risk leaving her alone. Trouble seemed to be following this woman lately with an increasing frequency that made his instincts shout.
And then she was there. Beside him. Smiling. Sliding her soft hand into his.
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "Are you ready to go?"
"I can wait." She flipped her loose hair over her shoulder. "I don't want to take you from your friends. Looks like they still have plenty of party left in them."
"They do. But there's always another party, and I can see them anytime." And soon he wouldn't see Paige anymore.
Her eyes sparked with a similar awareness. "Let's go."
He tugged her hand, weaving them through the press of people, not a fast trek but he was a determined man. At the edge of the crowd, he bumped smack into Nikki.
"Leaving so soon?" His leggy athlete friend smirked.
"Do you need a ride or anything?" Honor compelled him to ask in thanks for all her help, even as he prayed overtime she would say no.
"No."
Yes! "Well if you're sure."
"I'm good." Nikki waved him on. "I'm actually playing designated driver like a grownup."
"Cool. I'll catch ya later when I get back in town again."
Nikki fanned a wave. "Night, Paige, great meeting you. Hope we get to see you again."
Paige hmm-ed an answer along with a return wave before tucking her hand back into Bo's. "She's nice."
"Yeah, she is." Tracking up the dunes to the haphazardly parked vehicles, he led her toward his Jeep.
"Why aren't you going off with her instead?"
What? He studied her face for signs of jealousy...and only found confusion. And damn, that tugged at him far more than if she'd been spitting green fire. He released her hand to hook an arm around her shoulders, tucking her closer to his side. "She's more like family."
"That's what she said."
So Paige had asked? Interesting. And how ironic that he had Sister Nic as a mother figure and Nikki for a sister sort. Maybe it was sort of symbolic how they had similar names, like some kind of cosmic family connection to make up for his biological parents.
"Besides Nikki's not my type, and even if she was, her father would kill me."
"Like Vic."
"Well, yeah, but I guess you are worth the risk." He pivoted her back against his Jeep, liking all over again the way she looked in his shirt.
"She seems perfect for you." She toyed with his top button. "I can't see why she wouldn't be your type."
"Oh, really?" He let his gaze linger on her incredible chest with an obvious leer.
She swatted his shoulder. "You are such an outrageous pig sometimes."
"Made you laugh, though, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did." She stretched up on her toes to press a simple kiss to his mouth.
Simple for about four seconds, and then the heat started again. Next thing he knew a horn was honking and Cobra was heckling the hell out of him.
With more than a little regret, he pulled himself away from Paige and opened the passenger door. "Sorry about that."
"It's okay. Really. We have all night."
Ooh-rah. He closed the door.
She rested her hand on top of his on the open window. "Since we have all night, if you're not too tired, would you mind if we took a drive first?"
A drive? His libido shouted in hoarse frustration at the delay, but if that was what she wanted, patience and foreplay would eventually pay off. He'd learned long ago the best way to romance a woman was to listen. Eventually she made her needs clear.
"A drive sounds great. I got my second wind right about the time they cut the cake." He circled the hood and climbed behind the wheel.
"So you have an extra week in North Dakota and then you're back here for good." She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, threatening his control behind the wheel more than if he'd dipped into the punch.
Which he hadn't. He didn't want anything dulling his senses tonight.
Time was most definitely running out. "That's the schedule."
"How wild that it takes three weeks to fix an engine."
"Bureaucracy." He steered the Jeep onto the road. "Sometimes it takes forever to get the parts. Once, I sat in Spain for six days waiting for them to send a crew chief out to hit something with a rubber mallet."
"What is Mako's job, then?" She gestured for another turn.
Why the sudden interest in his military life? Idle curiosity or true desire to learn more about him?
And where the hell was she taking them on this surprise drive? "He's an in-flight mechanic, actually works over in the maintenance squadron. We don't always fly with one. Depends on the mission."
She pointed to the sprawling brick sign illuminated with a spotlight, marking the exclusive subdivision entrance. "Turn left here."
"Not that it really matters to me, but do you have a destination in mind?" He slowed along the quiet street in the sleeping neighborhood.
"Uh, take the first right then left." She kept her head tipped toward the sprawling homes that bordered on mansion size with their manicured lawns. "I've been mulling over what you said earlier."
"Which something?"
"About needing closure." She pointed to the yellow home at the end of the cul-de-sac.
"There. Pull over and stop, please."