Read The Flyer for Free Online Page B

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    “Doc?”
    “Yes, Helen. Please, join me for a moment, would you?”
    She scurried down a set of four rickety steps that led to a manicured lawn. In the dry landscape, such lush greenery must have taken the doctor years to perfect. Along the edges of the lawn, a narrow garden was filled with hydrangeas, azaleas, and even a series of rosebushes. Some of the blooms had begun to fade, but most were full open to the sun with droplets of water shimmering on the yellow and red petals.
    Paul appeared at her side, bringing her thoughts away from the unexpected garden and back to her immediate concerns.
    “What did you mean, it’s good we met?” she repeated, circling a small iron bench.
    Doc finished watering a mint bush, picking one of the tiny leaves and placing it between his teeth. He bit into the leaf and inhaled a sharp breath. “Lovely, isn’t it?”
    Exasperated, Helen tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. “Yes, Doc. It’s quite lovely. Now, please tell me what you meant.”
    “Oh, that. I only meant that the two of you will be spending a great deal of time together, of course. That is, when Paul heals enough to get back to work.”
    “Oh, don’t you worry yourself about me, Doc. I’m jake.” Paul stood at the back door, his arms crossed despite how the position must have hurt. Leaning against the doorjamb, he stared at her. His gaze never faltered. He didn’t even blink.
    Helen broke through the strength of whatever it was that held her fast and forced herself to once again focus on Doc.
    The old doctor’s brow creased in Paul’s direction. “You can fly with that shoulder?”
    “Sure, I can. No worries.”
    “Fly?”
    “Didn’t he tell you?”
    “Tell me what, exactly?”
    “Paul is your bush pilot. He’ll be flying you to treat the Aborigines and the settlers out on the stations. Oh, you’ll be spending a great deal of time together, indeed.”
    Paul continuted to stare at her with those crystalline eyes that made her entire body shiver and sweat at the same time. It was like she had a high fever suddenly. Complete with a stomach that turned dizzy somersaults.
    She knew that feeling. And she hated it.
    “You’re my pilot?”
    “At your service.” Paul’s full lips formed a wide smile, and he brought the hand of his good arm to his forehead in a lazy salute. “I told you we’d be seeing more of each other.” When he winked, Helen’s cheeks flamed.
    She pushed aside the flutter in her belly. The slight tremor in her joints made it difficult, but she managed to straighten her posture and raise her chin in an arrogant attempt at superiority before she replied. “I find that rather surprising.”
    “Why is that?”
    “Flying takes control and discipline, and from what I’ve seen so far, you lack both in spades.”

    In contrast to her strong words, the young, beautiful Dr. Stanwood seemed anything but uppity. Like it was an act—a cloak that belonged to someone else. She clasped her fingers together in front of her waist as if to keep from fidgeting.
    Paul couldn’t help himself. He enjoyed the nervous play of light in her deep, dark eyes. Instead of looking at him, she obviously tried to look through him, at the wall to his left, or at the old wooden steps. “Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel about me,” he chuckled. Not that she needed to reiterate. He pushed off the doorjamb and joined her in the garden. Surrounded by Doc’s prized roses, she was still the most beautiful thing in sight.
    “I’m not sure I like the idea of flying all over Australia with a man who drinks and wrestles crocodiles on a whim. It’s hardly responsible behavior.”
    “Responsible?” He brushed a strand of shortened, black hair away from her high cheekbone. “Responsibility has its merits, I suppose. But sometimes, one must simply grasp the moment, mustn’t they?”
    She was completely flustered. If her hair could panic, the neatly cropped strands would be bursting into flames