Page 49 of Plane Passion

He guided her up through the clouds and into the blinding sunlight as she came with a violence that nearly shook her apart. It was all he could do to keep hold of her and guide her back down for a soft landing.

As she lolled beside him, still too far gone to form words, he retrieved a condom and put it on. After watching that, he needed to be inside her.

“May I?”

“Yes,” she whispered without opening her eyes.

Sliding into her ever so gently, he began a slow and steady rhythm. She wrapped her legs around him, still dazed with bliss. Being inside her was all consuming. Never in his previous encounters had he felt anything like it. She was unique, transcendent, and magnificent.

With each careful thrust, he felt an answering reverberation within her. He had tested her limits, but he hadn’t yet exhausted her last reserves. The earlier fury was gone, replaced by sweet lethargy as she rolled her hips in rhythm with his strokes. They continued their slow, intimate dance as the tension built and built.

This was a side of Millie he’d never seen. Her defenses were down, and she was soft and exposed beneath him. Her face radiated guileless contentment. The fight was gone, and she welcomed him, clung to him, surrendered completely. And in that moment, Ernie knew he was done for. The distance he prided himself on maintaining with his lovers collapsed. There was no way he could let her go after tonight. Somehow, he needed to keep seeing her.

Her body trembled as she approached her climax, and he slowed his pace further to draw it out. At last, it rippled through her, wave upon wave, driving him to the brink and then over it. As the last wave subsided, he withdrew, and she snuggled against him, falling asleep almost instantly.

Struggling against his own exhaustion, he got up to dispose of the condom, then slipped back into bed with her, content as he’d ever been in his life.

When morning broke and the alarm went off, Millie didn’t flee. She stayed curled against him, warm and soft.

“Do we have to fly today?” she murmured. “I want another snow day.”

She pulled his hand to her breast and said, “Mmm.”

“I’m afraid so. Sadly, there are no allowances for having a gorgeous, irresistible woman in your bed.”

“What if we quit and stayed here?”

He knew she was joking, but oh, it was a tempting thought. They’d created such a cozy bubble together up in this room. He hated to pop it and let the rest of the world intrude.

“And let Mr. Dickson win? Nah, you’re not giving up that easily.”

She sighed. “No, I suppose I’m not. But Ernie…”

“Yes?”

“Last night was spectacular, and I don’t regret it one bit.”

A grin split his face.

“I’m so glad to hear that.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed her shoulder. “It was spectacular for me too.”

“Such a shame this has to be the end.”

No…

“Does it?”

She turned to look at him. Her brow furrowed, and her mouth turned down in a frown. There was a sad determination in her eyes as she caressed his stubbly cheek.

“Yes.”

No! This couldn’t be the end. He couldn’t imagine going back to his life of casual liaisons and empty flirtation.

“Millie, what if⁠—”

“Don’t. Please.” She kissed his forehead. “This has been wonderful, but it can’t continue. It isn’t only about us. If we got caught, it wouldn’t just be the end of our careers. It would be the end of women being allowed to fly the mail for years to come, and there would be consequences for you too. I can’t let you down like that. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together. I’ll remember it for years to come. But it’s over.”

A dull ache seeped into his heart at her words, sharpening as it sank in.