She had to remain strong.
Jackson headed to the plane and started walking around doing an inspection . . . an inspection that one usually did preflight.
“No,” she stated firmly. “Nice try.”
Without missing a beat, he opened the tiny door and climbed in. With his booted foot dangling out, he grabbed the preflight checklist from the pocket of the door. He flicked controls on the panel, watched the wings tip, and moved on to the rest of the panel. Any seasoned pilot still always went through the routine of the preflight, but she wasn’t having any part of this.
“Flying at night has always been my favorite,” he stated, as if they were having a normal conversation. “Maybe it comes from my years in the Air Force, or maybe I just enjoy the peaceful time and the beauty of the lights below.”
Olivia found herself crossing the space between them as he spoke. There was a different tone to his voice when he talked about flying. He came across almost nostalgic . . . laced with love. Definitely love. Still, she couldn’t get in that plane and keep control over all the swirling emotions.
After a moment, Jackson hopped out of the plane and hit the switch for the bay door. The loud groaning of the track filled the space and the warm summer air swept in as the door lifted. He attached the tow and pulled the plane out and onto the pavement.
Damn it. Olivia knew if she wanted to talk to him, she’d have to get in that plane.
First, though, she had to take a deep, calming breath. The last time she’d been in that plane her father had insisted she fly and he ride as the passenger. They’d talked about nothing, really, and Olivia remembered being irritated because she’d wanted to go to a bonfire with friends, but she’d ended up letting guilt make her decision.
That was the last time she’d been in this Cessna, the last time she’d piloted. She hadn’t given flying much thought since she’d left Haven; she’d tried to push that portion of her life behind her. But here she stood, literally face-to-face with her past when all she wanted to do was leave.
How had she gone so askew from her original plans?
“You want to fly?” Jackson asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
Olivia shook her head, holding her hands up. “Oh, no. I haven’t flown since I was seventeen.”
That devilish grin flashed her way once again. Why did he have to ooze charm and sex appeal? It wasn’t fair that her adversary could make her tingle from across the room. Nor was it fair that someone who was so awkward years ago looked like he’d stepped out of a calendar photo shoot.
She had to work damn hard to attempt to stay on top of her weight, her wrinkles, her dark circles beneath her eyes. Jackson probably just slid out of bed and into his perfectly form-fitted jeans and tees and left the house. No regimen needed when you looked that good.
“I’d say you’d remember the second you got the controls in your hands.” He closed the space between them and nodded toward the plane over his shoulder. “Come on. Aren’t you just a bit curious to see how she still flies?”
A sliver of curiosity had crept up, but she had the willpower to ignore the unwanted emotion.
“I thought we were going to talk about this sale.” There, she just needed to steer the topic back to the reason she was here. “We can do that just as easy in the office.”
“Probably so, but I never get to just fly at night for my enjoyment.” He leaned in closer, keeping that dark, mesmerizing gaze locked onto hers. “Fly with me, Livie. You won’t regret it.”
Oh, he could tempt the last piece of chocolate cake away from hungry women at a packed Weight Watchers meeting. He was too charming for his own good, and she truly needed to keep reminding herself she was here for one purpose . . . and it wasn’t to get swept into his web.
“You can fly,” she informed him. “I’ll just enjoy the view.”
He raked his eyes over her once more and Olivia braced herself for another of his comments. But after a moment, he nodded and headed back toward the plane. She pulled in a deep breath and marched ahead. She didn’t want to think about the last time she sat in the tiny leather seat. She didn’t want to flash back to the first time her father let her have the controls. And she certainly didn’t want to spend more time in Jackson’s company than she had to because . . . well, just because.
Olivia opened the passenger door, used the step on the wing, and climbed inside. That familiar scent surrounded her. The leather, the oil, the metal. There was no dodging the assault of memories. She gripped her hands in her lap as she waited for him to start the engine and do a final check.
Nerves swirled inside her. Not from flying, never from that. She’d actually loved the sport. So many people assumed the worst because the only press aviation received seemed to be when they crashed. But flying was safe, it was beautiful, peaceful. It calmed her in ways she couldn’t explain.
But right now, being back in the plane she’d learned to fly in, the plane her father had babied for years, was a bit difficult. Not to mention being inches from her sexy rival worked over her nerves pretty well too.
“You’ve taken great care of her,” Olivia stated, needing something to break the tension.
“She’s paid my bills, so it’s only fair I pamper her.”
He maneuvered down the runway, radioed his takeoff information through the headset for any surrounding planes to hear, and got into position. The engines roared to
