Midnight (McKenna Chronicles Book 1) (14 page)

She
nods slowly, looking to Colin with another question in her eyes. I think he
shakes his head as if to drop the topic.

She
does, by asking “I understand Aiden is taking you up for a ride today?”

“What
do you mean by
taking us up
?”

“Colin
didn’t tell you? Aiden is a pilot; he flies a helicopter. He’s going to take
you up to look at the coast. It’s very beautiful, even at this time of year.”

I
look at Colin. Never once did he mention a helicopter ride. “Maybe I’ll stay
here with you, if you don’t mind. Heights really aren’t my thing.” I glare at
Colin. He knows this.

Carla
laughs, a lilting light giggle. I can understand why Blake fell in love with
her; she’s very engaging. “Charlie, you are more than welcome to stay with me.
I think, though, Colin may wish for you to fly with him.” I sense the double
innuendo in her words and I flush spectacularly, taking another deep sip of my
drink to hide behind it.

Colin
looks at her, his lips in a firm line, eyes hard. She laughs again, moving on
to catch up with Evan.

The
morning passes quickly; Colin relaxing and having fun is intoxicating. His
handsome face, fraught with tension much of the time, is at ease. His features
relax into boyish qualities, enhancing his wickedly handsome face. The ease he
spoke of this morning has fallen over us in a serene, comforting blanket. It’s
as if we’ve been here before, spent many days in the warm embrace of his
friends.

The
topic has come back to his presidential run. With sincerity, Blake says,
“Colin, you know my family supports you a thousand percent in your bid on the
White House. We have a fundraiser planned the first week of May. We’d love to
have you here, if you can fit it in your schedule.”

Colin’s
smile is genuine and broad. “Thank you, Blake. Your family is always overly
generous in support of my career and me. It means a tremendous amount to me.
I'll do everything I can to be here. Carla, would you please send me the
specifics?”

“Absolutely,
and please bring Charlie, too. I’ve already spoken with your parents, and they
plan on flying in for a weekend visit.”

The
party of five is interrupted by a gregarious laugh coming from the entrance. A
man bearing astounding similarities to Blake walks in, draping his arms over
Colin and Evan from behind, kissing them loudly on their cheeks. I can’t help but
laugh, which draws his attention to me.

“Well,
now, who is this wee lassie ye brought with ye, Colin?” he says in a lilting
Irish accent.

Colin’s
eyes squint slightly, but humor remains within the depths. “Hands off, Aiden,”
he mocks sternly.

Aiden
disregards Colin’s missive, moving behind my chair to swivel it toward him.
Dragging his gaze from the tips of my boots over my legs, staring a second too
long at my chest, he rests pleasantly on my face, looking into my eyes. I’ve
never been so thoroughly looked over in an engaging, humorous way.

His
eyes are alight with mischief. “Well now, Colin, looks like ye found yerself a
fine bitta fluff.” Aiden grins broadly, holding his hand out pleasantly. I take
it and he squeezes, surprising me as he leans in to kiss first my right check
and then my left. I’m speechless.

“That’s
enough, Aiden,” Colin says with more force. “Charlie is not my
wee lass
.”

Oh,
I know that, but his stern contradiction of Aiden’s words unexpectedly wounds
me. Colin goes on to explain my presence and contribution to his campaign.
Aiden’s response is to wink, closing his hand over my shoulder with a
comforting pressure. I’m confused by his response, but soon forget about it, my
head slightly befuddled by drink and the topic change.

Aiden
describes the flight plan he’s arranged for us, following the coastline close
to Manhattan. If the weather permits, he’d like to land on a section of the
coast under reconstruction to show us the painstaking process of rebuilding.

Colin
turns to me. “Would you like to go? I think you'll enjoy it, if you can get
past your fear. He may not look like it, but Aiden is an expert pilot.”

“Hey
now,” Aiden says. “What’s the matter with how I look?” He pats down the front
of his scruffy shirt and then scratches his head. He’s a character.

Colin
whispers into my ear, “I’d like for you to go.”

“Okay.”
Drawn in by the sincerity of his request, I acquiesce, almost immediately
regretting it. I don’t know about a helicopter ride; my stomach drops at the
thought.

After
a warm farewell to Blake and Carla, with a promise to see them in May, we take
a short drive, pulling up to a small airport housing Aiden’s helicopter. It’s
surprisingly sleek: black with a large window encompassing the front, and doors
on either side. I look at it skeptically: how is that a safe form of
transportation? Flying in a plane is one thing; a helicopter with windows
covering almost every inch is quite another. My stomach falls again. Colin
senses my hesitation, and reaching over, he grabs my hand in his, clasping it
firmly, the heat from his touch doing funny things to my insides. His eyes
smolder and my stomach falls again. This time, it has nothing to do with the
impending flight.

Leaning
toward me in the back of the SUV, Colin says, “Aiden is the safest pilot I
know. He takes meticulous care of his helicopter and never has any mishaps. I
would never put you in danger. I promise you.” The heartfelt honesty in his
response has me nodding in agreement without thinking. Oh, he just doesn’t
fight fair. I would follow him anywhere with the simmering heat barely
contained in his eyes and the soft reverberating tone of his voice. He smiles,
a breathtaking, broad smile, and my heart stops for just a minute, appreciating
the fine sight before me. He has to be better than anything I’ll see from the
helicopter.

“Come,
let’s get you settled.” Colin tugs my hand as he exits, steadying me on the way
down from the backseat of the SUV.

Aiden
volunteers to strap me in, and Colin throws him a silent warning to keep his hands
off. I giggle, Colin’s gaze finding mine. He shakes his head and a small smile
appears.

Aiden
pulls the belts from behind me, similar to what I’ve seen NASCAR drivers wear
for safety. At last, all of the straps are in place and he hands me a headset, indicating
they’ll protect my ears and we can speak to one another using them. Thanking
him for his help and explanation, I slip on the headgear.

Colin
is sitting next to me in the same safety harness and headset. We’re hidden in
the back of the helicopter and he grabs my hand again, pulling it into his lap,
rubbing his fingers lazily back and forth across my knuckles and sending
electric shivers down my spine. Lord, what this man can do to me with a
look—his touch on top of it and I’m on fire, a burning, searing ball of flames.

Lift
off is smooth, yet my stomach falls at the sudden pull away from the ground. I
close my eyes tight so I’m not tempted to look out the window as the earth
falls away below us. Colin squeezes my hand in reassurance and I peek at him,
careful not to glance out the windows. A broad grin highlights his strong jaw
and chin. He looks . . . happy. I gather courage to peer out the window,
watching the airport, now behind us, gradually get smaller and smaller as we
lift in the air.

The
views are stunning. Aiden begins describing the terrain and what is below: we
are not far from the Atlantic coastline. The homes, businesses, and boardwalks
following the coast were devastated by the wicked, slow-moving Sandy. There has
been a massive clean-up and rebuilding throughout the area, but there's much
that remains to renew the area to its former glory. We’re low enough to see the
remnants of foundations from homes that once stood proud over the banks of the Atlantic,
now lost to the ocean or carried away in pieces.

Aiden
passes along the coast near the Manhattan skyline, pointing out the new World Trade
Center. My heart aches for those lost on September eleventh. The new tower is
a beacon of hope, standing protectively over the bustling and magnificent city
of New York. I know Colin has the same thoughts as his hand is gripping mine
firmly, the lazy graze of his fingers stales and he just holds on tight. The Hudson
River blazes a trail between the two states, large bridges hovering over the
expanse connecting them together. A peaceful tranquility settles over our small
party, the picturesque scenery brightened by the sun as it searches for its
rightful place at the highest elevation in the sky. Once frightened by the
thought of a helicopter ride, I have a different perspective given the natural
beauty perfectly depicted below. Unwrapping my hand from Colin’s to pull my
camera out, I quickly take a few shots of the landscape below and then of him.
In the first one he’s looking serenely out the window, then another as his
attention is drawn to me, eyes bright from the piercing sun pooling through the
window. I was right; he is more stunning than anything I’ve ever seen before.

Aiden
arches the helicopter in a large half-circle turning back in the direction we
just came from. Forgetting all about the pictures and the beauty before me, I
close my eyes and groan. Colin finds my hand again as the other grips into the
leather seat when our bodies heave to the side while we dip left. He clenches
my fingers in his warm hand, his soft chuckle filtered through the headphones,
and I know his reaction is because of my own. I wait to open my eyes until my
stomach settles. I’ll die of embarrassment if I vomit with Colin sitting next
to me.

Without
thinking, I ask, “Aiden, do you have barf bags onboard?”

He
roars with laughter. “Ah, sweet Charlie. I have never had a need for one on my
smooth rides. You’ll be just fine.” I can hear the smile in his voice as Colin
and Evan laugh at my expense.

A
little while later, Aiden is granted permission to land in a clearing near an
area under extensive renovation. Although we're closing in on the end of
winter, there are crews nearby working on erecting homes along the beach and
inland neighborhoods. Landing gently in an open field, Aiden competently slows
the blades, bringing the engines down completely. We wait for the rotors to
stop before unhooking our harnesses.

Aiden
exits first, opening the door to my left to unbuckle my straps. With a polite
grin he finishes, and helps me from the helicopter. The wind is cold as it
whips and bellows from the nearby water. Instinctively I tuck my head into my
scarf, staving off the bitter cold stinging my cheeks.

Colin
walks around to meet me, Evan already moving forward toward the construction site
with Aiden pointing at the large home suspended on tall pillars ten feet off of
the ground.

We
walk in silence for some time before I look to Colin. His eyes surveying our
surroundings. I can almost see the gears working in his head as he calculates a
run through of what he knows about the area. Stopping abruptly, he grabs my
hand to halt my progress, pulling me toward him. My heart spasms; what is he
doing? He tugs until my back is pressed to his chest. Leaning down so his cheek
is not far from mine, he stretches his arm to point along the coastline.

“Do
you see the lighthouse there, Charlie?” I follow his finger, pointing to a tall
white structure. I nod. “It’s the oldest operating lighthouse in New Jersey.
There are eleven of them lining the 130-mile coastline, protecting and guarding
over mariners who’ve sailed here for decades.”

He
drops his hand but doesn’t move away. I turn; his face is so close I could
brush my mouth against the new growth of his beard if I were to lean in just a
little. My breathing accelerates, the cold wind not strong enough to extinguish
the heat pulsing between us. Colin tilts his head so his lips are an inch from
mine.  I can’t breathe, desire pooling instantly in my blood, raging out
of control, imploring me to lean in and take him.

“We
should go,” he whispers, smiling knowingly at my widening eyes. God, he’s
frustrating when he does this. He knows exactly what he’s doing to me. Damn
him. Colin turns, his hand under my elbow, guiding me over the increasingly
rough terrain. A number of building materials are strewn on the ground: wooden
planks, metal, PVC pipes, and wire, all intermixed with ice. I step very
carefully, cognizant this is a playground of terror for someone as clumsy as
me, especially given the hearty samples from Blake that made my head swim.

Evan
and Aiden are speaking to what I assume is the foreman of the building site
who, when lifting his head toward us, gapes at Colin, mouth falling open.
Walking forward quickly, he holds his hand out until they connect. “Senator
McKenna,” he says with a certain level of awe in his voice. “Joe Panelli, it’s
very nice to meet you.”

“Sorry
for the surprise visit. We just happened to be in the neighborhood.” Colin’s
tone is confident and charming at the same time. The foreman glances at me and
a grin spreads across his face. I flick my gaze at Colin just in time to see
his jaw tense and his once-friendly eyes gain an ounce of displeasure from
Joe’s obvious appreciation.

To
remain polite, and possibly to frustrate Colin, I smile graciously at his
greeting, encouraging continued conversation.

“And
you are?” he asks with a cheesy amount of male swagger. He reminds me of
someone you’d see in an advertisement for cheap cologne, and he smells a lot
like it too.

“Charlise
Carter.”

“Charlise;
a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

Oh,
boy. This should be interesting. “What a gorgeous home, Joe. Are you able to
take us on a tour?”

“Sure.”
He winks. “Let me help you up the steps. They’re steep.” I let him take my
hand, leading up the narrow stairs to the skeleton that will become the first
floor of the house. His arm wraps around my waist, guiding me so I don’t fall,
leaving Colin to follow in our wake. Over his shoulder he calls out, “Senator,
you may be interested in the new hurricane-resistant technology we’ve employed
in the structure. Let me show you.”