Cosmic Rendezvous by Robyn Amos

Author:Robyn Amos
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kimani Press
Published: 2009-08-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Twenty minutes after Shelly was due to meet Linc, she pulled into her driveway and screeched to a halt. He was waiting for her, leaning against the hood of his car.

She jumped out and ran to her front door to grab her bag. “I’m so sorry I’m late. It’s a long story.”

Linc just clucked his tongue at her, smiling with his eyes. “I’m going to want to hear that story eventually.”

She jumped into the car, beside him. “I promise I’ll tell you everything. I just need a minute to catch my breath.”

Feeling anxious and a bit giddy over the unknown potential of an overnight jaunt to Florida with Linc, Shelly calmed her nerves by cranking up the radio.

Finding a local hip-hop station that was playing a popular new song, she found herself bobbing her head and singing along with the lyrics.

After a few minutes, she realized that Linc was giving her quizzical sidelong glances. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like this song?”

He shrugged. “It’s not that. I’ve just never seen this side of you.”

She grinned at him. “What side? The musically gifted side?”

He snorted. “Actually, I think it’s a good thing you’re good at your day job, because you’d never make it as a pop star.”

She feigned dismay. “What are you saying? That you don’t like my singing?”

He laughed loudly. “I like watching you sing. Listening is another matter entirely.”

She shrugged. “Just be glad we’re not in my car. I like to listen to filthy gangsta rap. The harder the better.”

He looked over in surprise. “Really? Somehow that makes sense. You can be one angry lady when you want to be.”

When they arrived at the airfield, Shelly was stunned to see that they were actually going to fly in one of the air force’s T-38 Talons—a training jet for astronauts and flight test engineers. Unlike the front-to-back seating typical in fighter jets, in the T-38, the instructor and student sat side by side in the cockpit.

As Shelly put on her helmet and flight suit, a ripple of excitement coursed through her. Her fingers tingled a bit when she realized that the controls would be right in front of her, within reach. “I can’t believe I actually get to fly in a fighter jet.”

Linc zipped his own flight suit. “That’s how I roll, baby.”

The only downside to having Linc fly her in the jet was the lack of space. Thankfully, their overnight bags were compact.

“You’re the first woman I’ve met who didn’t show up for an overnight trip with at least three pieces of luggage,” he observed.

Shelly giggled. “See? These are the perks of dating a girl who’s low maintenance.”

Instantly her cheeks began to burn from her admission that this excursion was a date. Fortunately, Linc had to turn his attention to the control panel for takeoff.

“Now that we’re in the air,” he said a few minutes later, “I want to see what you’re made of.”

Before Shelly could get out the words, “What do you mean?” the jet shot straight into the sky like a rocket.

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