Tailspin: A Top Gun Love Story - Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Chapter 18

You stand at the gate, anxiously waiting as several government officials walk in and out of the doors behind which Maverick is being processed before being released with a warning, according to his commander, Viper, who has arrived to personally escort him back to base.

You're gripping the handrail just to have something to hold onto because otherwise you'd still be pacing back and forth, like you have been for the last two hours. Finally, the doors slide open and Maverick walks out with Viper at his back, a sheepish smile spreading on his face when he sees you.

Maverick glances over his shoulder at Viper, who nods at him. Maverick looks back at you, his pace quickening as he makes his way through the winding dividers toward you. Once past the posts, he starts hopping over the roped barriers at a run. You chuckle, shaking your head but simultaneously admiring his agility.

He jumps over the last rope and you throw your arms around his neck as he lifts you off the ground, smiling at you while you bring your head down to his. You slide your hands through his hair and over his face, your lips locking on his as he slowly lowers you back to the ground.

You feel his hands glide unhurriedly up your hips, lingering for a few moments on your waist as his fingers dig into you to pull you closer.

"Hey," he mutters against your lips. "Fancy seeing you here."

You start laughing, breaking away from the kiss to look up at him, but he leans forward, catching your bottom lip between his teeth.

"Not yet," he whispers, drawing you back in.

You smile, feeling his mouth move along your jaw when you do. "You're crazy, you know that?" you say softly.

"Mm-hm," he responds, his arms snaking around you again, bringing you into his chest.

You tuck your head under his chin and he lowers his face to kiss the top of your head. You wrap your arms around him.

For a few moments, you rock back and forth, holding onto one another. Then, Maverick mutters quietly into your hair, "Where were you going?"

You take a small breath, resting your lips along the curve of where his neck meets his shoulder, and kiss the skin under the green collar of his flight suit before pulling away. He watches you withdraw with a hurt look on his face but doesn't stop you this time. "I took a leave of absence from school," you say.

He nods. "I heard."

You let out a sigh at the sight of his wounded expression. "I needed to go somewhere neither of you would find me."

"Why?"

"So you could concentrate on what's important. Your career. Your professional relationships. If I'd have gone back to Berkeley, both of you would be on my doorstep in half a minute."

Maverick bites his lip as his mouth curves upward. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just here to see Mötley Crüe play the Whiskey."

You chuckle. "It wasn't going to be forever. I was planning on coming back in a few months. After you and Tom have moved on and forgotten about me."

Maverick raises his eyebrows. "You think I would've forgotten about you in a few months?"

You meet his gaze. "I don't know," you say.

He furrows his brows and takes a step toward you. "Don't you?" He reaches forward to take your hand.

Your eyes slide over to Viper, who's standing near the gate, watching the two of you with an unreadable expression. "How much trouble are you in?" you ask.

Maverick squints up as if he's deciding how much to tell you. "Could've been worse," he finally says.

You nod. "You think? You were hurtling a machine armed with thousands of pounds of artillery at an airport."