Page 99 of Plane Passion

“I feel you everywhere,” she murmured as she began to rock with him.

“I love you everywhere,” he said earnestly as their dance gained speed.

“I love you everywhere too.” She leaned down to kiss him as her hips continued their rhythmic movement. He tasted of her essence. His kiss was so sweet and tender she could hardly stand it.

As they moved together, time seemed to slow down. The world around them receded. Bliss bloomed within her, filling her heart and spreading to every corner of her body. With Ernie, she felt whole. The aching loneliness and mistrust that had plagued her ever since Barney’s betrayal ebbed away, leaving her feeling fresh and new. Healed.

Each movement brought a new burst of sensation, a new tendril of connection. They were one, body, mind, and soul. It was unlike anything she’d felt before, and she reveled in it.

Together, they were radiant as the sun. The heat between them grew and flared, even as the light they shared encompassed them and spread out into the world. She was a ball of white heat as the final explosion came. Light obliterated everything as her body shook and writhed in the final throes. Ernie cried out beneath her as he thrust into her, filling her as she’d never been filled before, and then they collapsed together, panting.

Her body hummed with contentment, and her heart was at ease for the first time she could remember in a very long time.

Mrs. Millie Pritchard.

Yes, she could get used to that.

33

“Atoast to the groom,” said Jack, raising a glass of sparkling apple cider. The guests sitting at round tables in the modest wood-paneled reception hall of the Methodist church, where Ernie’s father was minister, all quieted down. It was mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve, and the room was decorated with Christmas trees and holly wreaths adorned with tiny model airplanes.

Oh, no. Now Ernie was in for it.

“My best friend, Ernest Pritchard, is a married man. Now, I’ve known Ernie my whole life, and I confess I never thought I’d see the day.”

Shit. Was Jack going to embarrass him by reciting his past transgressions for all to hear?

“To say Ernie was popular with the fairer sex would be an understatement. I believe his beautiful bride called him a playboy on the first day they met, if memory serves.”

“Yes, I did,” Millie chimed in with a half grin.

Ernie’s cheeks warmed, and he wanted to hide. Everyone laughed, and some daunting lady aviators over at table three gave him pointed looks. Fortunately, Millie squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek. There was nothing to do but grin and bear it.

“But Millie Aldrich—excuse me…ah…the new Mrs. Pritchard,” Jack said raising his glass and winking at her. “She came along and showed him the error of his ways in no uncertain terms. I don’t know what you did to him, Millie, but ever since you showed up at Heller Airport in October, he’s been a changed man.”

“That I am,” Ernie agreed, kissing Millie’s hand. “Changed for the better.”

“You know, these two hated each other at first,” Jack continued. “Did you know Ernie was assigned by his boss to get Millie to quit?”

“Figures,” Katherine Stinson interjected. The lady aviators gave each other commiserating looks.

“I’m sorry, my love,” Ernie said, giving Millie his best puppy-dog eyes.

“And I’m never going to let you live it down,” she said, narrowing her eyes and leaning in so that they were nose to nose. Unable to resist, he touched his lips to hers, and the assembled guests hooted and hollered, clinking their glasses.

Millie was his wife—his delicious, gorgeous wife. He could get used to this.

“But something changed,” Jack said.

“Me,” said Ernie with a laugh.

“There was a spark between these two that could not be denied. Nothing could stand in their way. Not even their boss, Mr. Dickson. When he took away their jobs and it looked like all hope was lost, these two came back and fought for each other. They showed the U.S. Postal Service what was what.”

“Hear, hear,” chimed in the table of lady aviators.

“Together, these two are unstoppable,” Jack said, “and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them. To Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard!”

Everyone assembled raised their glasses of sparkling cider and drank. Such a shame they couldn’t have real champagne. Prohibition was such a drag. Fortunately, Ernie had a bottle of the good stuff packed in his luggage.