Come Fly With Me by Judith Whitmore (best free ebook reader for pc txt) ๐
Rick Sanders, her tough flight instructor, challenges Kate to always rise to the occasion and trust her instincts. A series of unexpected events forces both to look beyond the usual facades, and as a result, Kate and Rick liberate each other--she rescues him in a harrowing mission into Southeast Asia that proves her mettle once and for all, and he releases her to be the woman she was meant to be--no holds barred.
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- Author: Judith Whitmore
Read book online ยซCome Fly With Me by Judith Whitmore (best free ebook reader for pc txt) ๐ยป. Author - Judith Whitmore
Come Fly With Me
Judith Whitmore
Excerpt
Kate felt too keyed up to sleep. Instead of settling into her room, she filled a crystal cordial glass with homemade orange blossom liqueur and wandered down to the beach, then sat on the low stone wall to watch the ocean. Each cresting wave reflected moonbeams like Fourth of July sparklers. She sipped the sweet spirits and made designs in the soft sand with her bare feet. This was her special spot, where she came to be alone with her thoughts. The sound of the surf calmed her restless heart.
She set aside her glass. Putting her hands, palms down, on the cool wall to support herself, she leaned backward to look up at the moon. It was high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the beach.
โI need some help,โ she whispered.
She stared at the star-studded sky and waited, as though she expected the moon to answer her.
I feel so alone. She swallowed hard. I wish I knew everythingโs going to be okay.
At that moment, a meteor shot across the sky. Where it disappeared on the horizon, the figure of a man appeared strolling the beach at the edge of the surf.
Kate instantly recognized Rick. What was he doing here? She thought he had gone back to the guest cottage. Her pulse jumped, and she sucked in a great gulp of air. A voice in her head said, Run back to the house before he sees you. But it was already too late. He waved and came across the sand to sit beside her on the stone wall. The butterflies in her stomach did barrel rolls.
โI thought you were going to sleep,โ she said.
โI donโt like to go to bed right after Iโve eaten. That was a great dinner. Too bad your husband couldnโt be here.โ
โIf he was, heโd probably be on the phone doing some deal, and Iโd still be here on the beach alone. Sorry. I donโt mean to complain.โ She picked up her glass, offering it to Rick. โWould you like to try this? Itโs my specialty. I make it with orange blossoms, sugar, and two hundred proof alcohol.โ
He took the glass from her, sending shivers up her spine when his fingers brushed against hers.
โThanks.โ Rick took a sip of the golden liqueur.
A flush of delight shot through Kate like an electric current. She had โthe glitters.โ In high school, she and Janet used the term to describe excitement bordering on delirium. Get a grip, she thought.
Rick handed the glass back to her. โThat stuff is sweet.โ
Kate smiled. โOnce, Sam drank half a bottle. Then he drove into town, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. I think thatโs why he likes it here. Itโs so laid-back. Nobody judges you.โ
For a while neither of them spoke. They just watched the rolling waves sparkle in the moonlight.
โIโve always loved the ocean,โ Rick said. โMy condo in Laguna is right on the beach. When I get back from a long flight, I turn off my phone, sit on the terrace, and listen to the waves.โ
Kate nodded. โWhen I was a little girl,โ she told him, โI remember my mother taking me to Santa Monica beach. She made egg salad sandwiches and put potato chips inside the bread. We played this card game called Spite and Malice for hours. It was the best time I ever had with her.โ Kate abruptly stood up. โI didnโt mean to interrupt your walk.โ
Rick got to his feet, too. โI was planning to go up to the end of the cove,โ he said. โWalk with me?โ
Kate smiled. Iโd go anywhere with you. โOkay.โ
They strolled down to the waterโs edge, heading for the rocks that marked the end of the private beach.
โWhen do you think Iโll be ready to take my check ride in the Lear?โ Kate asked.
โAs far as the flying goes, I think you could pass it now. What we need to focus on is getting you ready for the oral exam. You never know what theyโre gonna ask. You really need to be prepared.โ
โAfter I get my type-rating, my fantasy would be to have a job like yours so I could fly every day.โ Kate laughed. โI think Iโll ask Bob Hansen for a position at Executive Air.โ
โIโm sure your husband would like that.โ
โHe doesnโt even like me working at Safe Haven.โ
They had reached the end of the cove. โThereโs a path over here,โ Kate said. She took the lead and headed toward a brick walkway that connected to the sand. They meandered up the gentle incline until, after a short distance, the path split in two. She pointed right. โFollow this walkway and youโll end up at the guest house.โ
Kate gazed at him, longing to touch him, to tell him how lonely she felt, and that she ached for him to wrap her in his arms and never let her go. She took a step toward the opposite path. โWell...goodnight,โ she said.
Rick smiled at her. โGoodnight.โ He turned and walked away.
Kate paused, watching him until he disappeared around a cluster of palms. The Gods have played a trick. She still loved Sam despite his faults, but she sensed that the Fates now offered her an unexpected choice. Was Rick the man intended for her? Was he her true soul mate?
JUDITH WHITMORE has been a theater producer, a jet pilot, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and now a writer. While attending college, she sang background vocals for Capitol Records. For the last seven years she has been a makeup artist during the summer for the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach. She loves to cook and play the piano.
To learn more about Judith or her books visit judithwhitmore.com
ImprintPublication Date: 10-02-2013
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