Page 10 of Spring Break with a Pilot

Melia

Idon’t like it. He’s putting himself in danger for me. He’s been gone five hours. The bar has been legally closed for an hour. What if something happened? What if he’s hurt?

I made up the bed for Boots and Dax in the room I used last night. They need some sleep because the shop is open tomorrow. The alarm is set and I promised to get some sleep in Silk’s bed and put blankets on the couch for him like Dax insisted. No way will I kick him out of his own bed. I’ll take the couch when he gets home. But right now, I need the comfort of his scent as I snuggle under his blanket and lay my head on his pillow.

Waking to a cozy warmth along my back I open one eye to the soft shades of the breaking dawn coming in the window. There’s an arm wrapped around my waist and a large hand clasping mine. Silk’s scent fills my senses. He’s home. From the sound of his raspy breath, he’s asleep. Closing my own eyes I finally truly relax and sleep.

Warm breath whispers over my neck and soft lips brush my shoulder. “Did I wake you?”

“No, I was coming around on my own. I had a hard time sleeping until I knew you were home safe. What time is it?”

“I’m guessing around nine. I heard Dax and Boots leave about an hour ago.”

“You haven’t been home very long. I woke at five and you weren’t here.”

“I didn’t plan on being gone that long but something came up.”

“Can you tell me?”

“Later, after we sleep a little more. If I roll to my back, will you put your head on my chest? I just want to hold you. I want to know you’re safe.”

His voice is already fading, but I do as he asks. My head on his shoulder, my palm over his heart. I feel each steady beat, each breath brushes over my cheek. His arm is wrapped around my waist like he needs the comfort, the reassurance.

For a man who always seems so sure of himself. I wonder if something bad happened.

Holding me tighter, he mumbles. Safe. Cuddled so tenderly I quickly fall back to sleep tucked in his warmth.

It’s almost eleven when we finally wake to the sound of his buzzing phone. “Yeah. She’s okay? Good. Sure, I can transport. Who you sending? How soon? Okay talk then.”

He disconnects and kisses my forehead. “Sorry, that was my CO. How would you like to go for a helo ride?”

“What?”

“I’m a pilot and I need to transport someone. When you were at Mescal, did you know a waitress named Trish?”

“She started like two days before I ran. Why?”

“Let’s get coffee and I’ll explain. You get the bathroom first. I’ll start the coffee.”

While he’s in the bathroom I start some scrambled eggs. I couldn’t miss the lion’s rumble of his stomach. Returning, his eyes light up when he sees what I’m doing. He grabs the leftover tortillas from last night’s dinner, warms them in the microwave, and pours us coffee as he talks.

“I’d been to Mescal a few days ago and my waitress was Trish. A good kid but out of her league in that environment. As you said, the bartender can be a little intimidating. She seemed a little down on her luck that night.”

“A lot of the girls are.” I shake my head. “I think that’s part of their plan, hire desperate girls and take advantage of them. I was desperate.”

7

Silk

“You’re right. I slipped Trish a decent tip and told her to keep it for herself. Last night she was working a different set of tables, but she saw me. I nodded. It’s only been a few days, but she looked different. Hopeless.

“She went straight to the bartender and ordered what I had been drinking before. When she brought it to me, she gave me two napkins. She’d written ‘help me’ on one.

“Using the info you gave me, I snuggled up to her like I was making an offer. I asked if she needed an escape, and she nodded. We have company resources, so I was wearing a wire and a hidden camera. She said she hadn’t been feeling right for a couple days and was getting scared.

“Bottom line, they started slipping her something, but she couldn’t figure out how. It was messing her up, she couldn’t think and had no one to go to for help. I got the private room special with a bottle of their best booze and was told that Trish would keep me company and take care of me the rest of the evening.

“We slipped out the back door, which I’m pretty sure set off a silent alarm, but we were able to get away. I took her to a small clinic we trust, stayed with her, and called Pax and Nyla to come take over. The call I just got was orders to transport her to a safe place.”

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