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When he and Tori arrived at the hangar on Monday morning, Xander shook hands with Trick. The older man slapped his shoulder. “It’s good to see you – and even better to know that when we drop you off this time, it won’t be long till we can come back to collect you.”
Xander just smiled. Trick was always the one who seemed to feel it more than anyone else whenever Xander had returned to base after coming home on leave.
He gave him a shrug. “My days on deployment are over.” He knew that was what Trick was talking about – and it meant that he didn’t have to explain that, if it were up to him, he and Tori would stay in Nashville rather than come back.
Fortunately, Trick wasn’t too focused on his answer – he was too busy laughing as Elliott picked Tori up and swung her around.
Xander had to laugh as well – although partly it was at himself and his own reaction. Elliott was one of his closest friends, they’d known each other since they were kids, but that didn’t stop a surge of protectiveness from washing over him.
“It’s good to know that we get you back soon, too,” Elliott told Tori as he set her back on her feet.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked over at him. If Xander had to guess, he’d say that she was feeling the same way that he was – that she wasn’t looking forward to coming back but didn’t want to say so. Then again, maybe that was just wishful thinking on his part.
“Are you guys all set?” Trick asked. “No more bags?”
“I don’t need much,” said Tori. “I have most of my things at home.”
“And I travel light,” said Xander, slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder and grabbing Tori’s small case before Elliott could get to it.
By the knowing smirk that El gave him, it looked like he’d figured out that they were together – or perhaps he’d heard it already and didn’t need to figure it out. The Napa grapevine worked that way.
Once they were on board, he gestured for Tori to take the window seat and slid in beside her. “I appreciate you guys fitting us in,” he told them.
Trick grinned. “We’re glad to, and we have a quiet week; it’s all good.”
Elliott nodded beside him. “To tell you the truth, I was glad when you called. We’ve been doing a lot of sitting around lately. I prefer to be in the air.”
Xander nodded. Elliott’s dad had passed a few months ago, and it seemed that he’d been trying to keep himself constantly busy ever since.
“Glad to help, then,” he said with a smile.
After the pilots had disappeared into the cockpit, Tori took his hand and squeezed it. “I want to get them a gift or something for stepping up like this for us. I was so disappointed when Bentley told me that Ollie and Reaves couldn’t bring us today after all.”
He was about to say that they didn’t need a gift, but he stopped himself. The guys would love that, and Tori would feel good about doing it – so why stop her?
“I was disappointed, too. But it all worked out – and like El said, they’re glad to get up in the air as well.”
“Not as glad as I am to be headed back to Nashville.”
He nodded. “Is it that you’re looking forward to getting back there or is it more about getting away from here?”
She made a face. “A bit of both.”
“I’m the same.” He leaned across and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I enjoyed the time that we spent together in Nashville before, but I have to tell you that it was a little bit frustrating.”
She laughed and crossed her eyes at him. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t believe that I could get that lucky. How about I’ll do my best to make it up to you this time?”
He chuckled. “I spent a couple of months with you. That’s at least sixty nights. Are you saying that you can make up for all of those missed opportunities?”
She ran her hand up his thigh. “I won’t make any promises because I don’t know how long we’re going to be there, but I will say that we can have a lot of fun trying.”
He covered her hand with his own and brought it up to his lips to kiss it. She’d surprised him in the best way with how physically affectionate she was – and just how much he’d underestimated her honesty when she admitted that she enjoyed sex.
She pouted at him and shot a glance at the cockpit door. “They’re not going to come out.”
He chuckled. “They might, sprite. We’re not even up in the air yet.”
“Oh!” She shot a look out the window and turned back to him with a shamefaced smile. “I’m blaming you. It’s your fault for being so sexy; I get all distracted.”
