Songbird (14 page)

She laughed, finding his relaxed manner a balm to her apprehension. “No way. You talk a different language than any deejay I ever heard. What did they just tell you?”

“
The first part was recorded weather information,” he said as they taxied toward the runway. “Winds, temperature, altimeter setting. After I identified myself, Ground Control gave me the takeoff point.”

“
Sounded like Greek to me.”

“
It’s a phonetic alphabet. Helps distinguish one letter from another. Prevents misunderstandings. A is Alpha. B is Bravo. C is Charlie—”

“
E is Echo and U is Uniform,” she finished for him in comprehension.

“
Exactly.” He guided the plane onto the runway and pulled to a halt. As the engine hum increased to a fevered pitch, she stole a glance at Kyle. His mouth curved into a youthful grin and his eyes smoldered with growing excitement, an enthusiasm that was both pleasing to see and contagious.

He called the tower. Her palms began to sweat and her heart drummed with anticipation. It’s going to be okay, she reminded herself. Don’t think about what happened to Pam. It was a freak accident. He knows what he’s doing.

A radio voice cleared them for takeoff. “Okay, here we go,” Kyle said.

The plane moved forward slowly, then began to pick up speed. The cockpit vibrated. The hum became a roaring buzz in her ears. Vast open fields raced by on both sides. The tower shot past. The tension in Desiree’s stomach heightened. Beads of sweat popped out on her brow. Then, suddenly, her stomach dropped as the plane lifted gracefully toward the sky. They were airborne.

“
Yee-haw!” Kyle shouted with childlike glee.

“
Wow!” Desiree heard herself shout. The anxiety that had built up inside her on the ground released itself in a roar of relieved laughter. The plane was buffeted slightly up and down and the engine continued its loud hum. Mingled with her fear, she felt an unexpected sense of lighthearted giddiness, as if she’d discovered a newfound sense of freedom.

“
That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked.

She turned to look out her side window. The plane’s high wings allowed an undisturbed view of the ground. Familiar streets and landmarks flashed by, and all at once she felt a sense of smug superiority, floating so freely above all the people and cars stuck on the ground.

“
This is great,” she answered, much to her surprise. “It’s almost like a ride at Disneyland.”

He laughed with delight and gave her thigh an affectionate squeeze.

In what seemed like minutes they were over the ocean. The dark-blue water shimmered below them. “It’s beautiful, Kyle.”

He grinned, his hands on the controls. “I knew you’d like it.”

When they reached the island, Kyle circled slowly around it and she held her breath in wonder. No Mediterranean island could be more beautiful than the sight of Santa Catalina as it rose majestically out of the sea. All dark browns and greens against the crystal blue ocean, the island’s jagged shoreline was interrupted only by a few small harbors and scattered beaches.

After Kyle received his landing instructions, Desiree eyed the island’s mountainous interior with concern. They swept past the island, over the ocean, then circled around the back again. “Where’s the airport?” she asked.

“
Right there.” He pointed toward a high mountain plateau bisected by a ribbon of asphalt.

“
That’s the runway?”

“
Yes.”

Her mouth went dry. Even the reports she’d read hadn’t prepared her for the sight of something quite so scary. The short, paved road began just beyond a sharp drop-off…and ended at the edge of another cliff dropping straight down to the sea.

The cliff loomed closer. The engine roar quieted to a low hum. The plane slowed, aiming straight for the cliff’s top edge.

“
Oh, God!” Desiree cried, leaning her head back against the seat and closing her eyes.

“
Nothing to worry about,” he said reassuringly. “I’ve done this before. We’re fine.”

She nodded mutely.
Nothing to worry about. We’re fine.
She chanted the words over and over to herself. Suddenly she felt a lifting sensation, as if they’d floated up on a strong breeze. Then the plane drifted downward and touched ground more smoothly than she could ever have imagined.

Desiree could almost feel the brakes grabbing as the plane quickly decelerated, the vibration traveling through her body with blinding force. Her heart pounded violently as they slowed to a taxiing speed, then expertly turned and rolled on.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, noting that he had landed quite a distance away from the drop-off at the other end of the cliff.

“
Nothing to it, was there?” he grinned.

She smiled, relief surging through her, along with a sense of admiration for his piloting skills. “Piece of cake.”

***

“
Everything’s here, just the way I wanted it.” Kyle tossed the beach bag they’d brought into the trunk of the waiting sedan.

“
What have you got in there?” Desiree glanced curiously toward the back of the car but he shut the trunk with a clang.

“
You’ll see.”

He opened the door for her and she slid into the bucket seat. At his direction, she’d put on her bathing suit under her shorts and T-shirt in the airport rest room. He now wore sleek navy-blue bathing trunks which matched his shirt.

“
How did you manage to get this car?” she asked after he’d climbed in and shut the door. “I heard that they don’t rent cars on the island.”

His eyes glittered mysteriously. “They don’t.”

“
You must know someone who lives here, then.”

“
I do.” He started the engine and headed out of the airport lot.

Noting the direction he was taking, she said, “This isn’t the road to Avalon, is it?”

She’d taken a one-day cruise to Catalina two years before, and had spent the afternoon with hordes of other sightseers, combing through the shops and museum in Avalon, the island’s one and only small harbor town.

“
No,” he replied. “I can only take so much of that touristy stuff.”

“
So where are we going?”

“
You’ll see,” he said again. “I have something completely different in mind for us today.”

The narrow, winding road hugged the dry, desolate mountain on one side and dropped off sharply on the other. The terrain resembled a desert wilderness, mostly scrub oak, rock, and cacti. Soon, they rounded a bend and she caught sight of a small, lonely stretch of sand beach below rocky cliffs. He turned onto a bluff above the beach and parked next to the only other car there.

“
Oh, Kyle, how wonderful.”

She jumped out of the car, ran to the edge of the bluff, and gazed down with growing excitement at the sparkling white sand and gently rolling surf beyond. The hot sun blazed in a cloudless sky over an endless, shimmering blue sea. The only people in sight were packing up their things and heading up the winding path along the cliffs.

“
I’ve never seen a beach so empty on a Saturday. Why isn’t anyone else here?” she asked.

Kyle stepped up beside her and draped an arm casually across her shoulder. “Tourists can’t rent cars, so the only people who can get here are the islanders, and there aren’t many of those. This is the smallest beach, and the farthest from town, so I figured it wouldn’t be too crowded.” He raised an inquiring eyebrow in her direction. “Like it?”

“
It’s incredible. It’s like being shipwrecked on a desert island. It’s paradise.”

He turned to face her. “I hoped you’d feel this way. I was here once on my own, several years ago. I’ve always dreamed of coming back, when I had someone special to share it with.”

Yesterday, she thought, he’d have wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered those words against her ear. She glanced up wistfully at him. After the things she’d said last night, the way she’d run so hot and cold, he was probably afraid she’d shrink back again if he got too close—and she couldn’t blame him.

“
I’m glad I’m the special someone you chose,” Desiree said softly.

She could tell he was pleased by the soft glow in his green eyes. “So am I,” he answered.

***

“
Now
here’s
what I call an ideal picnic spot.” Kyle set down the ice chest and wicker basket next to the rocky cliff and pulled a folded blanket out of the beach bag.

Desiree helped him spread the large, soft blanket across the sand, then stood up to admire the spot they’d found. The hot sun baked the beach like a giant oven—but this little, sandy alcove at the far end of the beach dipped in under the shade of dark, overhanging rocks, hiding them from view of the bluff high above. Just a dozen yards away the surf lapped the shore, but here the sand was fine, soft, and white.

“
I can’t wait to try the water,” she said.

Kyle peeled off his shirt. She couldn’t resist a glance at the strong muscles of his smooth back as he raised his arms over his head. She had to restrain the urge to steal up behind him, touch the curved shoulder blades of his broad upper back, and curl her arms about his slim waist.

“
How about if we eat first?” he said. “I’m starving.”

Suddenly aware of a ravenous ache in her own stomach, she dropped down on the blanket, Indian-style. “Sounds great. What have you got in there?”

“
Just a few odds and ends.” He knelt and opened the lid of the picnic basket, then proceeded to lift out its contents: a small French bread, knives, a wooden cutting board, napkins, plastic plates, and utensils. From the cooler he produced three kinds of cheese, a salami, a tin of pâté de fois gras, green grapes, apples, a jar of black olives, and a relish tray. Finally he pulled out a frosty bottle of champagne and two stemmed glasses.

“
Where did you get all this?” she said in amazement.

“
I told you I was up at six this morning making phone calls.” Smiling, he expertly opened the bottle and filled her chilled glass with the sparkling wine. “The owner of the Avalon Grand Hotel is a friend of mine. He had the restaurant put this together for us. Oh, and one more thing.” He reached back in the cooler and lifted up a six-pack of Sparkle Light soda. “In case you’re still thirsty after the champagne.”

She laughed in delight. “Lucky me, to know someone with such terrific connections.”

When he’d filled his own glass he raised it to hers in a toast. “To four unforgettable days, and many more just like them.”

Desiree felt a little pang at that—this hopeful mention of the future—but tried to tell herself that anything was possible. She clinked her glass lightly against his with a face¬tious smile. “To the best pilot to whom I’ve ever entrusted my life.”

She took a sip of the crisp, tangy wine and sighed in satisfaction as she felt the refreshing coolness revitalize her system. They feasted on the assortment of delicacies as they enjoyed the cool shade under the overhanging cliff, the sound of the rolling waves, and the pleasant, fresh scent of the sea air. After they packed up the leftovers, Kyle dipped back into the cooler, brought out two small covered bowls, and handed one to Desiree with a flourish.

“
Ta da! La piece de resistance
. ”

“
Chocolate mousse!” Desiree cried. “How did you know it’s my favorite?”

“
A lucky guess. It’s my favorite, too.”

Desiree picked up a spoon and dove in. A mesmerized smile crossed her face as she savored the cold, creamy chocolate. “Mmm, this is heaven. I’ve been
dying
for chocolate the past two days.”

He sat up, scooted next to her, and slipped one hand around her to rest on her waist. “A bona fide chocaholic, huh?”

“
In the worst possible way.”

She felt herself tremble under the touch of his fingers, and briefly closed her eyes.
Desiree,
he’d said last night,
you take my breath away.

To her disappointment—as if afraid he was getting too close—Kyle abruptly withdrew his hand and reached for the champagne bottle. “Shall we finish this off?”

All night I’ve been dying to hold you...kiss you...touch you like this.
She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “You bet.”

He emptied the bottle into their glasses. They sat side by side on the blanket, finished their desert, and sipped the bubbly wine. Desiree glanced at his bare thigh, so close to her own.
There’s nothing more beautiful than what we feel for each other right now, he’d told her. I don’t want to hurt you, my darling. I only want to love you.

The thought came unbidden, yet she realized, with a start, that it had been smoldering at the edge of her consciousness, just waiting for her to acknowledge it. In the short time they’d been together, she’d come to feel closer to Kyle than to anyone she’d ever known. Despite the brevity of their relationship and all her reservations about the future, she was, just as she feared, falling deeply in love with him. But somehow, the realization made her feel happy instead of worried or scared.

“
Penny for your thoughts.”

Her head whipped up. “What?”
Could she tell him? No—of course not.
“Oh, I was just thinking...how beautiful it is here. And how much I’ve enjoyed everything.”