“I need the address,” she told him, her voice husky. Nick wanted to groan. Instead he gave her the information for them to get on the road, and he tried to relax in the tight space of the car with her perfume saturating the air.
Though it took a lot of effort, Nick managed to make small talk while they took a ferry ride and rode into the city and made their way to the Coast Guard base Nick had been serving at for the past eight years. Chloe was tense for the first part of the drive, but she loosened up along the way. Nick was careful not to touch her, though that was difficult in the small space. He’d never been so relieved to pull up to his base as he was when they reached the guard unit.
Nick showed his ID card, and they were allowed inside. That familiar feeling of euphoria filled him as they drew closer to the base of operations. His leg twitched, and without thinking, he reached down and touched it. He wanted to fly, wanted to serve. He didn’t want to admit he wasn’t ready.
Nick led Chloe to a parking space and then was even more frustrated when he needed Chloe’s help to get out of the car. Her kindness in trying not to be obvious about it was nearly his undoing.
“It will get easier, Nick,” she promised him when he finally managed to get to his feet.
“Logically, I know this, but I don’t do well with limitations,” he admitted.
“You’re doing much better than most of my clients would be at this point,” she told him.
“I appreciate the words, but they’re just that. This injury isn’t going to continue to beat me down,” he grumbled. Chloe didn’t respond, and he realized he was being an ass. “Sorry,” he added.
“You don’t need to apologize, Nick. Why don’t you tell me what a normal day is like for you here?” she said.
“Are you trying to get my mind off my pathetic situation?” he asked with a laugh before slinging an arm around her shoulders.
“You’re touching me again,” she pointed out.
“You should be used to it by now,” he told her, not removing his arm. She laughed as he led her inside the large building. More progress, he thought.
“So are you going to tell me what you do here, or do you just stand around looking pretty?” she asked as they moved farther inside the building where Nick could hear the familiar chatter of crew members.
“You think I’m pretty?” he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.
“You know you’re pretty,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Ah, now I’m blushing.” She glared at him. “Fine. It’s not all that exciting,” he told her. “I’ve been at this station for eight years. Usually, a pilot moves every four years, but since I’ve gone up through the ranks quickly, I’ve been able to stay here close to my family, which is important to me. I have done some time up in Kodiak, which is a whole other ball game. When I’m looking for excitement, I love to go there.”
“What’s the difference?” she asked.
“Extreme weather, for one thing,” he told her.
“You’ll have to tell me of some of your experiences there,” she insisted.
“I can’t divulge it all to you at one time,” he said. “That way you’ll stick around longer.”
“I’m here for as long as it takes to do the job,” she said.
“Spoilsport,” he said. They moved closer to the command center, and Nick felt a stirring deep inside. He wanted to be on duty. “This is killing me a little. I miss work,” he admitted.
“I know it’s hard, but you’ll be back soon. You’re already making great progress,” she assured him.
“Most days it’s uneventful. I work about eight twenty-four-hour shifts a month. We’re not awake that whole time, but we have to be ready to launch within thirty minutes of a call, so we’re always on alert,” he said.
“That’s sort of scary . . . that you’re flying in bad weather right after waking up,” she pointed out.
“We’re used to it,” he assured her. “I usually get about thirty hours a month flying time with different missions.”
“What are the missions?” There seemed to be something more behind her questions, but Nick was taking it all in and someday soon he would have it figured out. For now, he was happy to just answer.
“Some are training missions, scouting flights, rescues. It just depends.”
She was about to say something else when his captain spotted him and grinned, walking over to the two of them.
“What are you doing down here, Nick?” he asked as he stepped up and shook Nick’s hand.
“I can’t get enough of this place. You know that, Cap,” Nick said.
“I’d enjoy the time off if I were you,” Captain William McCormack said.
“I’ve never been good on my ass,” Nick said.
Both men laughed. Nick glanced down and saw a look in Chloe’s eyes he didn’t understand. She seemed confused. He was about to ask her about it, but she turned away from him, shutting him out.
With his captain there, he couldn’t ask her about it right then. He was determined to get to the bottom of it later.
“I was going to give Chloe a tour of the base, maybe take her out on a boat ride,” Nick said. Chloe looked back up, excitement lighting her eyes. It had been a last-minute idea, but apparently it had been a great one.
“The boys are getting ready to go out on a practice run. I think we could get you two on board,” William said. Chloe practically bounced on her feet next to him. o;I need the address,” she told him, her voice husky. Nick wanted to groan. Instead he gave her the information for them to get on the road, and he tried to relax in the tight space of the car with her perfume saturating the air.
Though it took a lot of effort, Nick managed to make small talk while they took a ferry ride and rode into the city and made their way to the Coast Guard base Nick had been serving at for the past eight years. Chloe was tense for the first part of the drive, but she loosened up along the way. Nick was careful not to touch her, though that was difficult in the small space. He’d never been so relieved to pull up to his base as he was when they reached the guard unit.
Nick showed his ID card, and they were allowed inside. That familiar feeling of euphoria filled him as they drew closer to the base of operations. His leg twitched, and without thinking, he reached down and touched it. He wanted to fly, wanted to serve. He didn’t want to admit he wasn’t ready.
Nick led Chloe to a parking space and then was even more frustrated when he needed Chloe’s help to get out of the car. Her kindness in trying not to be obvious about it was nearly his undoing.
“It will get easier, Nick,” she promised him when he finally managed to get to his feet.
“Logically, I know this, but I don’t do well with limitations,” he admitted.
“You’re doing much better than most of my clients would be at this point,” she told him.
“I appreciate the words, but they’re just that. This injury isn’t going to continue to beat me down,” he grumbled. Chloe didn’t respond, and he realized he was being an ass. “Sorry,” he added.
“You don’t need to apologize, Nick. Why don’t you tell me what a normal day is like for you here?” she said.
“Are you trying to get my mind off my pathetic situation?” he asked with a laugh before slinging an arm around her shoulders.
“You’re touching me again,” she pointed out.
“You should be used to it by now,” he told her, not removing his arm. She laughed as he led her inside the large building. More progress, he thought.
“So are you going to tell me what you do here, or do you just stand around looking pretty?” she asked as they moved farther inside the building where Nick could hear the familiar chatter of crew members.
“You think I’m pretty?” he said, waggling his eyebrows at her.
“You know you’re pretty,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
“Ah, now I’m blushing.” She glared at him. “Fine. It’s not all that exciting,” he told her. “I’ve been at this station for eight years. Usually, a pilot moves every four years, but since I’ve gone up through the ranks quickly, I’ve been able to stay here close to my family, which is important to me. I have done some time up in Kodiak, which is a whole other ball game. When I’m looking for excitement, I love to go there.”
“What’s the difference?” she asked.
“Extreme weather, for one thing,” he told her.
“You’ll have to tell me of some of your experiences there,” she insisted.
“I can’t divulge it all to you at one time,” he said. “That way you’ll stick around longer.”
“I’m here for as long as it takes to do the job,” she said.
“Spoilsport,” he said. They moved closer to the command center, and Nick felt a stirring deep inside. He wanted to be on duty. “This is killing me a little. I miss work,” he admitted.
“I know it’s hard, but you’ll be back soon. You’re already making great progress,” she assured him.
“Most days it’s uneventful. I work about eight twenty-four-hour shifts a month. We’re not awake that whole time, but we have to be ready to launch within thirty minutes of a call, so we’re always on alert,” he said.
“That’s sort of scary . . . that you’re flying in bad weather right after waking up,” she pointed out.
“We’re used to it,” he assured her. “I usually get about thirty hours a month flying time with different missions.”
“What are the missions?” There seemed to be something more behind her questions, but Nick was taking it all in and someday soon he would have it figured out. For now, he was happy to just answer.
“Some are training missions, scouting flights, rescues. It just depends.”
She was about to say something else when his captain spotted him and grinned, walking over to the two of them.
“What are you doing down here, Nick?” he asked as he stepped up and shook Nick’s hand.
“I can’t get enough of this place. You know that, Cap,” Nick said.
“I’d enjoy the time off if I were you,” Captain William McCormack said.
“I’ve never been good on my ass,” Nick said.
Both men laughed. Nick glanced down and saw a look in Chloe’s eyes he didn’t understand. She seemed confused. He was about to ask her about it, but she turned away from him, shutting him out.
With his captain there, he couldn’t ask her about it right then. He was determined to get to the bottom of it later.
“I was going to give Chloe a tour of the base, maybe take her out on a boat ride,” Nick said. Chloe looked back up, excitement lighting her eyes. It had been a last-minute idea, but apparently it had been a great one.
“The boys are getting ready to go out on a practice run. I think we could get you two on board,” William said. Chloe practically bounced on her feet next to him.