CHAPTER SIX
“Um, what kind of helicopter is this? I mean, I think it’s an Osprey, but it has some very strange things attached to it. And that control panel isn’t normal either. Neither is that. Or that.”
“I like her,” smirked Chipper. “Welcome aboard, honey. I’m Chipper. One of the best pilots on the planet. The others I’m lucky enough to work with.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” smiled Katelyn. “I’m Katelyn.” She shook his hand, and he nodded at her.
“You pick a seat and relax. Once we’re in the air, the boys can get you some food, coffee, anything you like. The seats recline to a full bed, and you can sleep if you like. There’s a shower in the back with clean clothes if you need to use it.”
“Crazy,” she grinned.
“Chipper? Fellas, listen up,” said the voice of AJ. “Eight miles from the runway and coming fast are six black SUVs, probably agency, but I can already see the weapons hanging out of the windows. Get a move on.”
“Got it,” said Chipper. “Strap in, boys. It might get choppy.”
With just the press of a button, the door closed and sealed on the chopper. Everyone took their seats, watching as Chipper initiated stealth mode for the engines, rotors, and the bird itself.
“They’re going to shoot us out of the sky,” said Katelyn, staring out the window. She was gripping the arm of the seat so hard her nails were digging into the soft leather. Someone grabbed her hand, gently squeezing.
“As much as I love that you want to hold hands, could you please leave some flesh for when it’s all over?” smirked Mav.
“Oh, my God! I’m so sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “I guess I should have mentioned that I don’t fly well. I mean, I did mention it, but I really, really don’t like to fly. It’s another reason I was working remotely. I just don’t like the thought of being up in the air and not having control.”
“Chipper wasn’t lying,” said Mav. “He’s one of the best pilots in the world. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
“But they’re going to start shooting,” she said in a panicked voice. Mav turned toward her, squaring her shoulders to face him.
“Look at me. Do I look panicked?” She shook her head. “This bird has equipment that no one knows about. Not even the agency. We have technologies that allow her to fly with whisper and stealth technology.”
“Wh-whisper?”
“Yep,” he grinned. He pushed back a long strand of red hair, tucking it behind her ear. “Do you hear the rotors? The engine? Do you hear anything at all except for the sound of my voice?”
“No,” she said with surprise. She turned and looked out the window, realizing they were already well on their way and no one was chasing them. No fighter jets, no one shooting at them. Nothing.
“That’s right, because of the whisper technology. The stealth technology allows for the image of the bird to be distorted to the point of abstract mirage, blending with her surroundings. The whisper technology operates everything on a silent mode, even though the engines are running. You should understand it. It’s the same technology that Thomas developed when he was just a kid.”
“That is the coolest thing ever. Way cooler than what I’ve been working on.” Mav laughed, shaking his head.
“I don’t think it’s a competition, but you’re doing some pretty cool things as well.” That damn loose hair was hanging in her face again, and he tucked it back one more time.
“It’s useless,” she said, looking up at him. He frowned with a questioning look. “The hair. It’s useless to try and tame it. Believe me, I’ve tried for years. It’s thick, wavy, and out of control. Top it off with the fact that I don’t like to spend more than three minutes on hair and makeup, and I’m a lost cause. It’s one of many reasons I never had a lot of girlfriends, or boyfriends for that matter.”
“I don’t think you’re a lost cause,” he whispered. Katelyn swallowed, her big green eyes sucking him in. “I think you’re the most beautiful, intelligent woman I’ve met in a very long time. And for some strange reason, it makes me happy as fuck that you haven’t had a lot of boyfriends.”
Katelyn couldn’t think of a thing to say to him. She wasn’t great with men, hence her track record of one date and then they would ghost her. She was always awkward talking to them, mostly because she couldn’t talk about work. She didn’t have a childhood to discuss, and she was overall a relatively private person.
“Are you hungry?”
“I-I think I am. Chipper said I could take a shower.”
“Uh, yeah,” said Mav, clearing his throat. “Let me show you the way. I’m going to bet that there are VG sweats that will fit you. We try to keep a stock of various sizes.”
He walked to the back of the bird, opening the small door. Katelyn looked up at him, squeezing through the space between his massive body and the shower. He pulled down a towel, opened a small door to reveal shampoo and soap, then turned, opened a drawer, and pulled out a sweatsuit in extra-small.
“Thank you,” she said, taking it from his hands.
“I’ll make you some food while you’re in there. If you need anything, just call me.”
“Anything? You mean like wash my back?” she grinned.
“Fuck yes.” Her face turned beet red, her heart beating through her chest.
“I-I was joking. I mean, I was, but I wasn’t.” Mav laughed, nodding his head.
“It’s all good, Katelyn. I know you were kidding. Kind of, I hope. If you ever want that back washed, just let me know. I’d be more than happy to help.” He stared at her shocked face and then took a half step back. “Katelyn? Are you dating anyone? Have you dated anyone?”
“Dating? No. No, I haven’t had a date in two hundred and thirteen days, and it was a disaster.”
“Just one date?” he smirked, secretly hoping it had been only one.
“Only one within the last year. Yes. I think I’ll shower now,” she said, starting to close the door.
“Katelyn? When we get to Belle Fleur, you and I are going on a date.”
She watched as he walked back toward his friends, talking to them as if nothing had just happened. He didn’t ask her for a date. He told her they were going on a date. Normally, that would piss her off, but for some reason, it sent electricity through her body with Mav.
Inside the shower, she shook her head as she stripped and turned the water on. She was shocked to realize that it came out at almost the perfect temperature. No cold shock. No blast of scalding heat. It was wonderful and relaxing.
Whatever the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were made from, it was possibly the most divine smell she’d ever experienced.
A date. He’d asked her if she was dating. It was such a joke. Guys hated that she was always working, yet couldn’t talk about her work. They were insecure and accused her of seeing other guys.
“If I don’t have time to see you, how do you think I have time to see someone else?” she asked the last guy. He didn’t have a good response. Just a goodbye. She was twenty-seven years old and had slept with exactly three guys.
Well, slept was the wrong word. None of them spent the night. When they were done, they left. Two tried to call for another date, but Katelyn knew it was a waste of time. She had too much on her plate. Besides, the sex was nothing like the romance novels she’d read. Nothing! No fireworks, no steamy, sweaty bodies spent with satisfaction, and definitely no creativity.
There wasn’t a hair dryer available, so she twisted as much of the water out of her hair as she could, then braided it down her back. Looking in the mirror, she frowned at herself.
“Wonderful. Now you look twelve.” When she stepped out of the bathroom and walked toward her seat, she heard the men gasp, and then Mav turned, staring at her.
“Son-of-a-bitch.”