Page 57 of Unintended Love

Oh, shit. They both bolted upright, scrambling for clothes. Thank goodness they were used to getting dressed in a hurry. By the time the limo pulled into the driveway, they were both fully clothed and decent enough to make it into the house.

Although it was no longer her actual birthday, they continued to celebrate several more times that night and through Sunday before they had to leave for Montana.

Chapter 22

“I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend off because it’s back to work as soon as we land in Montana,” Clint said to the nine members of his new team, plus Van’s crew of four, who were all gathered at the Texas neighborhood’s elementary school parking lot. They had all stayed in so many different locations, that seemed to be the best place to congregate late on Sunday night.

“When we land at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, Kira and Ashlin, you two are responsible for unloading the little bird. They have two helicopter squadrons stationed there. We don’t need the complication of their crews trying to get a look at our prototype chopper. It needs to be in the hangar next to Black Swan as fast as possible,” Kayla ordered from next to Clint. “Piper and Mia are flying tonight. Get our jet inside the secure hangar as fast as you can.”

Clint continued, “We’re going to be bunking together in the new barracks built for a Space Force unit that isn’t there yet. Everyone is on vampire duty until further notice.”

“Same rules are in effect at Kelly Field as well as Malmstrom airbase, as they were in Washington; don’t talk to anybody, no pictures., Kayla announced. “Gentlemen, the Ladies are going to be very busy trying to get us out of San Antonio as fast as we can. Would you please deal with getting the bags into the hold? Van,” her gaze shifted to his brother, “Ashlin and Kira will need to check the little bird before you take off.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Van acknowledged.

Clint glanced to his side at Kayla, who gave him a barely visible nod. “Let’s go. It’s about forty-five minutes to Lackland.”

“Feel free to sleep on the way to Montana,” Kayla added. “It’ll be about a three-hour flight.”

Clint was amazed at how, once again, the plan came together, as did the new team. Van’s C5 took off several minutes before they shut down the airstrip, supposedly for the night. Once down to the minimal night staff, Black Swan was scheduled to take off.

Clint sat in the last seat, the one next to him empty. He’d intended for Ashlin to sit beside him so they could snuggle and hopefully get some sleep during the flight. As soon as she was finished with her duties, she came straight to him and took her seat.

“Buckle up and brace for vertical,” Kayla shouted from mid-cabin.

“Oh shit,” Ashlin mumbled as she reached for the seldom-used seatbelts. “I should have known since Mia is the primary pilot tonight.”

Clint felt around for his own seatbelt and found it buried in the crack between the seat and the back. “What did Kayla mean?”

“Be prepared to take a few G’s,” Ashlin explained, “since this is a long runway, Mia is going to race down and get to a speed well above one hundred and seventy miles per hour, which is the normal take-off speed. As soon as the wheels lift off the ground, she’s going to tuck them away, so she doesn’t have any drag. Then she’s going to pull the nose up so it’s almost vertical and kick these big Rolls-Royce engines into nearly full power. We’ll shoot almost straight up until we hit fifty thousand feet. That’s where we fly. Commercial airlines normally fly between thirty and forty thousand feet. Do you know how to do the AGS maneuver?”

Somewhere in his training, probably back when he was at West Point, he had to learn it, but that felt like a hundred years ago, so he admitted, “I’ve forgotten how.”

“As soon as you hear the wheels retract, take a deep breath, completely fill your lungs, and let it out. After that breath, fill your lungs about fifty percent using your belly muscles and huff out your breath. It’s easy if you just say the letter K. Flex and release the muscles in your calves, thighs, and butt cheeks as tight as you can. Squeeze your abs tight, but relax your upper body, especially your chest, neck, and shoulders. Try to keep your jaw loose. That’s a good way to break a tooth. You want to keep blood flowing to your head or you’ll pass out.”

Clint followed every one of his wife’s instructions as the plane defied the force of gravity, shoving his body into the deeply cushioned seat. The intensity was so strong, he couldn’t move his head to check on Ashlin. He regretted not taking her hand in his as soon as they took off. When they finally leveled out, he inhaled deeply and looked around the cabin where several of his men had passed out. Thankfully, they’d recover within a minute, so he wasn’t worried.

He twisted in his seat, leaned over, and kissed his wife hard. “I’d be passed out right now like several of my men if it weren’t for you. I had totally forgotten that technique.” He gave her a quick kiss, then added, “Thank you.”

She stood up quickly and grabbed his hand as she led him to the bedroom, all the way in the back of the plane.

“I’m already tired, and I have a lot to do as soon as we land,” Ashlin said as she sat on the bed and started to take off her boots. She pulled him down next to her. “We’re just going to sleep, but this might be the last time we can be alone together for a while.”

Clint unlaced his boots with the efficiency and speed of someone who had done it ten thousand times. His wife had such great ideas. He lay down, rolled to his side so he could spoon her, dropping his arm over her small waist and tucking his hand just under her breasts, the sleep position they’d both found most comfortable in the past week.

He kissed the top of her head. “Sleep well, my love.”

She was very still for several minutes, but he could tell from her breathing that she wasn’t dozing yet. Clint didn’t know whether it was the protector in him or that he simply reveled in the fact his wife was in the same bed with him, but he couldn’t sleep until he heard that steady breathing.

Ashlin rolled over into his body, then wiggled her arms free. He was surprised because she’d never done anything like that before. On the other hand, he only had a few days of being with her to base his astonishment. This was nice, though.

She cupped her hands over his cheeks and pulled his face down until their noses nearly touched. The gold ring in her eyes had doubled in size. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you from the bottom of my heart.” She moved forward until their lips gently touched.

Clint was too stunned to react. His wife had just told him that she loved him for the first time. At least it was the first time that he heard the words because he was pretty sure that when her team had taken off from their tarmac in Ethiopia, she’d said those important three words. He never heard them through the glass door or the helicopter engine.

Her warm lips on his moved slightly, and his brain kicked in.

She loves me.