Friendly Skies Read online

  And then the pain of her marriage breaking up rushed back into all the corners of her mind and heart as she recalled at least some of what was going on. Failed marriage, Mai-Tais, pilot, throwing up. That about summed it up.

  This could not be happening. No, no, no. How was it possible that she met this man three times in her life and two of those times she threw up very close to him (possibly on him)? Please God don’t let her have thrown up on him. As much as she would have liked to lament her supreme embarrassment, her head hurt so bad she couldn't focus on anything else. She had woken up in hell.

  Judy tried to roll over to her side in a fetal position, praying furiously that the small movement didn’t make her hurl again. Just then she noticed the note on the nightstand. Well, the note, the bottle of water and the aspirin. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what the note said. What she’d like to do is crawl under the sheets and sleep for a year. Or maybe just die. Anything to save her further embarrassment. Gingerly, she reached for the note.

  Dear Judy,

  You probably aren't feeling too well. Mai-Tais are dangerous. I've left you some aspirin and water, try to take two aspirin and drink the whole bottle of water before you do anything else. I will check on you later.

  Jason

  PS. Greg is a fool.

  Oh no. Shit. She told him about Greg? She probably started crying, too. Her humiliation was complete. It was like she had a special talent for screwing up this vacation in every possible way and embarrassing herself in front of this handsome stranger. She knew it was going to be bad with the whole divorce thing, but she had no idea it could get worse. The only good thing about this was that she probably scared him away for good and will never see him again.

  She might miss those blue eyes, though, and those jeans. Ugh. What was wrong with her?

  She reached for the water and drank it all at once. She eyed the aspirin, not sure if she could trust her legs to get her to the bathroom for more water. She opted to take it without water. She was not quite ready to be vertical yet. After a little while of laying completely still, she managed to nod off and sleep a deep, surprisingly satisfying slumber. It was a relief to fall back into the abyss of being unconscious.

  When she awoke for the second time that day, it was close to noon. As the sleep fog started to clear, she realized that what woke her was someone knocking at the door. Probably just housekeeping. She would ask them to skip her room today. She stood up on somewhat unsteady feet, but felt an entire universe better than she had earlier in the morning. She ambled toward the door automatically, her head still foggy. She pulled the door open and there, in all his rugged, masculine beauty, stood Jason.

  Judy couldn’t help but admire him. His old, faded Mariners t-shirt stretched tight across his chest and his blue swim trunks gave her a nice view of muscled calf covered in downy blond hair. She thought about running her hands over his legs. As her eyes traveled north, Judy was again drawn to those shoulders the way his chest filled out his shirt. She barely kept herself from reaching out and touching him. What the hell? She had zero self-control.

  A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked her up and down. She suddenly realized she was clad only in the shirt she was wearing last night and a pair of pink cotton panties. He must have removed her shorts when he put her to bed last night. She immediately felt exposed, even while a bolt of lust coursed through her. She’d like to be more exposed with this man, and maybe expose him, too. She’d like to pull those swim trunks off him, slowly, deliberately, with her teeth….

  No more Mai-Tais. Ever.

  He met her eyes, snapping her out of her naughty daydream.

  “Are you feeling better?”

  He seemed genuinely concerned, and she felt compelled to answer in a genuine way, not with the sarcastic quip she was ready to deliver. She pulled her eyes up to his face and saw his trademark kindness there.

  “Yes, thanks so much for last night. I'm so sorry. And the water, aspirin, the note…thank you. Maybe someday I can hang out with you and not throw up.”

  “You look like you feel better.” He said as he reached out and tugged at an errant curl of her hair that is sticking out. “I’m trying not to take it personally that you throw up whenever I’m around.”

  He gave her a smile that melted her heart. He glanced down at her pink panties again and his eyes darkened. Judy felt any ability to resist him melt. She imagined there was a matching desire in her eyes.

  “I was thinking, if you are up to it and don't have plans, maybe we could go snorkeling. I know a guy who knows a guy, and listen, this is the best way to cure a hangover. Salt air, water, sun.”

  He smiled a little shyly and those eyes twinkled with mischief. She wasn’t sure if she could trust him, but at this point, that bar was set pretty low. She hadn’t been able to trust her husband of five years. Maybe it was okay if she went snorkeling with this beautiful man in this magnificent place.

  He leaned in and in a husky voice whispered, “Though, you might want to change clothes first.” He smirked.

  Oh man. The flirting again. She definitely couldn't trust him, and she was pretty sure she couldn't trust herself around him. She was not going swimming with him. No way.

  “Sure. Why not?”

  What?? She opened her mouth to say no and that’s what came out? She must have killed every single one of her brain cells last night.

  His face lit up. “Great. See you downstairs in the lobby in half an hour. You won't regret it.”

  Famous last words. Judy took a quick shower and changed into her bathing suit, threw on shorts and pulled her hair back into ponytail. Her loose waves were hard to control in any situation, but they would be impossible once the sea water hit them. Without thinking, she swiped on a few coats of waterproof mascara. Gah! What was that for? This wasn't a date. This was a nice person who helped her out, trying to be her friend. Right?

  She walked into the lobby and spotted Jason. As she approached, he held out his hand.

  “Ready?”

  She took it and smiled at him, cursing herself.

  “As I’ll ever be,” she said with a smile. This already seemed out of control and they hadn’t even gotten on the boat.

  Once outside, though, all negative thoughts vanished. The day was amazing: 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. Jason’s guy took them out to a sandbar where they put on snorkeling masks and enjoyed the sights.

  At first she wasn’t sure she would be able to enjoy this activity without completely embarrassing herself. Jason removed his shirt and revealed not only a chiseled chest and stomach, everything she had hoped it would be, but also a very soft-looking layer of light brown hair, thicker towards his chest and then trailing down his stomach, disappearing into his swim trunks. It took monumental effort not to ogle him and give herself away, but looking at him in the sunlight like that, lightly tanned and positively shining against the backdrop of the ocean, well, it was breathtaking. She wanted to trace the path of that hair into his trunks with her fingers. And maybe her tongue.

  Of course, he noticed her noticing him. He smiled and gave her a long appraising look, too. She was suddenly very self-conscious. She knew he was checking out her bathing suit which is a black low-cut one-piece. Thank God his appraisal of her only lasted a moment, before the captain approached. She’d forgotten what sexual tension and chemistry felt like, and it seemed she and Jason had a boatload of it. Literally.

  “This is a pretty good spot to jump in,” the captain explained. “There’s a lot of activity around here.”

  It was stunning. Judy had never seen fish in all colors of the rainbow, all of them such strange shapes and sizes. It seemed like it could hardly be real. As she watched a large angelfish meander by, Jason tapped her arm. He pointed to a barracuda swimming their way. They stayed as still as they could, and he swam on eventually, taking his time. Though he was dangerous, he was a magnificent creature. It was beautiful and frightening at the same time.

  She
completely lost track of time. All too soon they surfaced and climbed back into the boat for a break. She dried off and watched as Jason unpacked his backpack, full of assorted cheeses, meats, a fresh baguette and some gorgeous looking fruit. She hadn’t realized that she was ravenous, and as if on cue, her stomach growled.

  “This is nice,” she said.

  He looked up and smiled at her glancing at her stomach.

  “Sounds like lunch is right on time. Dig in. Swimming always makes me hungry,” he said as she sat down.

  They ate for a while in companionable silence. She let her mind wander and not focus on any one thing. She let herself just be present in this moment, as the yogis liked to say. She was comfortable in this moment, on this boat, with this man.

  “So what did you think?” He asked, bringing Judy out of the seclusion of her thoughts.

  “I loved it. It’s magical,” she said, and she meant it.

  He was right, this was the perfect hangover cure, but it was also an everything cure. Somehow this afternoon enabled her to get away from the sad reality of her life and find a little joy in something. This day was like a salve for all her injuries. He smiled again with genuine pleasure, his eyes twinkling. A girl could get lost in that smile.

  “Hey guys, I gotta cut this short.” The boat captain announced as he walked over to them. “I have to get back to Catalina. I have another trip yet today for some folks who want to watch the sunset from out in the ocean. Sorry about that.”

  “No problem, Sam. Thanks for taking us out,” Jason answered.

  The ride back to the resort was quiet, both of them taking in the waves and gorgeous late afternoon sun. Judy turned her face to the sun, letting it bathe her in light and warmth. This was bliss. As they approached the dock, Jason turned to her.

  “Would you have dinner with me?” He asked. He looked at her cautiously, as if he wasn’t sure he should be asking her out.

  She was not in a position to date, have a fling or whatever else might have been on Jason’s mind. Her answer had to be no. But…it was impossible to say no. He was unassuming and genuine. And he was kind. She felt like she had made a friend, and she could use a friend right now.

  But it was impossible to say yes. With the way they had been unabashedly checking each other out, this invitation had the distinct ring of a date. Judy was married. It had only been two days since her husband announced that he wanted a divorce. Was it so easy to get over her five years with Greg? Jason looked at her several times today in a way that was anything but innocent. It had been a perfect day. She didn’t want to ruin it by putting herself in a position where she was leading him on or made him think she’d sleep with him, or actually sleeping with him when it would be a terrible mistake. It seemed wrong.

  “I don't know…I would like to but….” she stammered.

  Why was it so difficult just to say, “No, thank you”??

  “How about if I clarify that I am not asking you on a date. It's just dinner.” He said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I feel like we are becoming friends, so this is just friends. Also, I promise, no Mai-Tais,” he said with that shy smile.

  The breeze lifted his hair and it glistened blonde in the sunlight. His expression was unreadable. He looked calm, but she bet he was using superior powers of perception to gage how she was feeling. She suddenly again felt very exposed.

  “Sure,” she said. “Let's have dinner. As friends.” Establishing once again that she had zero self-control and her brain cells numbered in the negative.

  “Great! I will pick you up at your room at 7.” He looked relieved, but also there was something else in his expression, too. Maybe hopefulness?

  Once back in her room, Judy had an hour to get ready. She needed every second. From shaving legs to giving her hair a blowout, to trying on every dress she brought to see which one made her look the sexiest. It was not a date, but she wanted to make him wish it was. It's probably not morally right to want this man so much, or to enjoy his attention so enthusiastically, but somewhere in her preparations for this evening she decided to give herself the night off. For just one night she was not going to worry about her failed marriage, whether it was okay to spend time with a man before divorce papers are signed, and what anyone would think. She did not put herself in this situation, it just happened.

  Chapter Eleven

  JUST AS SHE WAS putting on earrings, the final step in getting ready, there was knock at the door. Show time. When she opened the door, Jason’s expression flashed with something akin to surprise, and then went completely unreadable.

  “You look great,” he said.

  How did he do that, she wondered. He could completely mask his expression at the drop of a hat.

  “Backatcha,” she said in her most casual, friend-like manner.

  She felt nothing like a friend, though. He looked perfect. He was wearing blue again. A blue polo shirt and jeans that made his eyes invite her right in. She felt weak in the knees looking at him. This was the most date-like non-date in the history of non-dates. Without a word, she grabbed her purse and closed the door behind them. He didn’t miss a beat and grabbed her hand as they walked to the elevator, just as he’d done earlier today when they left to go snorkeling. She liked holding hands with him. She’d always loved the simple affection in the gesture, and it seemed no one had held her hand in so long.

  “I hope you like Mexican,” Jason said, as he glanced her way.

  They were walking toward the town part of the island.

  “I love Mexican,” she said. “It’s my favorite.”

  “Excellent. There’s this little place in town, I’m not sure if the tourist crowd ever gets wind of it, but the locals like it. The food is great and the atmosphere is perfect.”

  The restaurant was on the first floor of a three-story building. It boasted a patio out front, but inside was the real experience. It was decorated in the traditional, colorful décor, but it was dimly lit with twinkling lights and candles lit everywhere. It was romantic, with all the candles and the soft mariachi music playing in the background. The hostess led them to a corner booth where they could sit close. Hmm. This was looking more and more like a date.

  “Tell me about yourself. I know you can fly a plane, but what are you doing in Catalina? Is flying a hobby or your job? Where do you live? Do you have a family?” She peppered her new “friend” with all sorts of questions as they waited for their food to arrive.

  He laughed and held up his hands. “Whoa, okay. One question at a time. I live in Seattle, and flying is my job. I fly for a charter company. We take tourists all around the Pacific Northwest on aerial tours, out to the San Juans, and up and down the Oregon coast and Northern California.” he explained.

  His shirt pulled across his chest and shoulders while he talked and gestured. The desire to touch him was so much worse now that she knew what was underneath that shirt. The blue brought out his eyes perfectly and his hair was again messy, like he just woke up. Or took a shower but didn't have time to comb it after. Or like he spent the afternoon rolling around in bed with someone special. It was impossible for her to not think of sex when she was around him. Sex appeal practically radiated off him.

  Wait, did he say he was from Seattle?

  “I don't fly much south of the Bay Area but the flight with you and Greg to Catalina Island was me helping a friend with his charter business down here,” he continued. “He is short a pilot or two and after the chill and gloom of the northwest winter, I needed some sun.” He took a drink of his beer.

  She stared at him, speechless for a moment. She hadn't considered he might be from Seattle. She should have known with the Mariners t-shirt from earlier, but even then, it hadn’t registered with her. He caught her staring quietly, and mistook her silence for expectation of more response to her questions.

  He ran his hand through his hair and continued, “No, I do not have a family, meaning I'm not married and don't have any children. That I know of.” And he gave her a
million-dollar sex smile, but with just a hint of shyness behind it.

  Lord, but the man was charming.

  “I'm originally from Spokane, and my mom and my two sisters still live there. Dad passed away two years ago.”

  “Oh, I'm sorry. About your dad, I mean.” She pulled her mind out of the gutter briefly and sipped on her beer.

  “It's okay. He had a good life and was surrounded by his family. I'm the oldest, and my middle sister is married, pregnant with her first child.” He leaned back in his chair and looked at her expectantly.

  “So, what about you? The only thing I know about you is that you are married to a complete idiot who asked you for a divorce because he's dating a dancer. Oh, I know you cannot hold your liquor, and you tend to get airsick.” He grinned at her.

  “Ah. I think I'm at a slight disadvantage here. You remember a conversation with me that I don’t because of that inability to drink Mai-Tais. Also, I’ve never been airsick before. I think the blame for that falls squarely on the pilot,” Judy said, laughing with him.

  “Oh, don't worry, it wasn't much of a conversation. And that turbulence was not my fault. Well, okay, maybe a little.”

  He chuckled, deep and raspy. It was enticing. She felt heat rising in her face and neck and knew she was blushing. She suddenly wished that last night had been something else altogether with him. Her light green sundress unfortunately highlighted her flushed skin and gave her away. Jason’s eyes went a little dark as he noticed. He looked at her quizzically with a small, almost barely perceptible smile.

  “Tell me about yourself. Anything you want,” he said softly.

  He drew her in. She felt like she was melting into the chair.

  “I work in advertising.”

  Keep it light, she thought. Try not to flirt or otherwise encourage whatever is growing between them. Talk about work. Work is a safe topic. Safe and unsexy.