Page 51 of The Spitfire Girls
She kicked him again and frantically pulled her trousers on, wriggling into the darn things and then reaching for her jacket. When Tom looked up, perplexed, she groaned and piled the blankets on top of him before sprinting for the door.
Knock, knock ...
Ruby swung the door open, almost yanking the handle off.
‘Here’s your tea, sir,’ a cheery young voice sang on the wind.
She watched his cheeks turn beet red at the realisation that she wasn’t a sir.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
He stuttered and passed her the tea, looking like a rabbit caught in headlights, his hands shaking.
‘I’m sorryma’am, I ...’
‘Thank you for the tea,’ she said politely before swinging the door shut again.
She breathed a sigh of relief and pressed her back against the wall, taking a quick gulp of tea as Tom emerged from the nest of blankets.
‘That was close,’ she muttered.
‘Ah, I think my absence may already have been noticed,’ Tom said, looking guilty. ‘I ...’
‘Urghhhh,’ Ruby groaned. ‘I don’t want them thinking I’m some kind of, of ...’
‘Hussy?’ he asked, standing up and crossing the room. ‘Lady of the night?’ He chuckled, seeming to enjoy how mortified she was. ‘Raunchy pilot?’
She darted away from him, embarrassed at his nakedness. ‘Tom!’ she scolded.
‘You were practically begging me to take my clothesofflast night – now you want me to put them on?’
When he dodged towards her she laughed and held up her tea to stop it from spilling, but he swiftly took it off her and took a big slurp. He was grinning as she looked on, trying not to drop her gaze and get an eyeful of his nakedness.
‘Come here,’ Tom said, catching her wrist, still holding the cup in the other hand.
Ruby’s breath started to come in fast pants, her pulse thumping as Tom slowly bent to kiss her.
‘We’re starting over,’ he murmured. ‘Good morning.’
She touched his bare chest and traced a circle where she imagined his heart to be. ‘Good morning,’ she whispered back.
‘Thomas!’ a deep voice boomed from outside. ‘Get your backside out here right now!’
Ruby froze.Oh my goodness. They’d been caught red-handed and instead of trying to sneak Tom out, she’d ended up back in his arms again.
‘Dammit,’ he cursed, leaping away from her and scrambling for his shorts. She watched him pull them on, followed by his undershirt, then open and shut the door and disappear.
She leaned against the door and tried to listen. She cringed. It wasn’t exactly hard to hear his superior’s booming voice.
‘I’m sorry sir!’ Tom apologised. ‘I won’t disobey a direct order again, sir.’
‘Put some clothes on, boy, and then report for duty immediately,’ he was told. ‘And don’t expect this to go without punishment.’
‘Yes, sir,’ Tom replied.
There was a pause and Ruby wished she could see what was happening.
‘And tell our guest that there has been a change of plan,’ the other man instructed. ‘I want her to take back a Typhoon that needs repairs and return as soon as practicable with a brand-new Halifax that we’re waiting for.’
