A Summer Storm

Chapter 2: Free Fall

Freedom can be a dangerous thing and it was up to me to either be afraid of it or embrace it with reckless passion.

By virtue of my entire life in the last eighteen years, most would assume that I'd take the first option. But then, those who really understood what the last eighteen years of my life had been like would probably know why I went with the latter.

It started the morning after the party when I showed up at the public airfield in Edgartown. Everyone seemed to know who Eli Davis was because I was quickly pointed to the hangar where a classic red bi-plane was parked outside. I recognized Eli right away, leaning against the plane and talking to two girls who were laughing at something he was saying.

Oh, yes. Eli was popular, alright.

I almost turned around and left. All signs pointed to Eli being a player and I didn't have time for games.

Actually, he's perfect. You wouldn't fall for him and he probably wouldn't be interested beyond today.

The perks of my misfortune—gotta have a silver lining in there somewhere.

So I squared my shoulders and headed straight for him, waving a little when he turned and saw me. The sun glinted off his golden hair, which he'd messily tied up in a bun. Darker hair shadowed his square jaw and chin. Such a rough, hard face yet when he smiled at me—slow and slightly crooked in the corner—he became the cheeky charmer from the night before. The kind that made me do dangerous things.

He tipped his head in polite dismissal at the other girls and jogged over to me as if he couldn't wait for me to get there.

"I'm glad you came."

"Did you think I wasn't going to?" I challenged, smiling at him.

He gazed down at me for a moment before brushing a lock of hair off my cheek. His voice came out husky. "Things can sometimes look different in the light of day. It's easy to lose a little courage."

He hit a nerve but I came here with my mind made up. I wasn't changing it.

"Well, I had some left so here I am," I said with a mock bow. "I'm ready to be blown away by your grand plans for my summer."

He laughed. "Glad to hear it. I'm taking you out on a plane tour around the island so hop in."

My eyes widened at the red plane that looked older than time itself. "In that? With you flying?"

Eli shrugged as he took my hand. "Yes and yes. Do you trust me?"

It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since I met Eli but as I looked into his clear blue eyes and felt the solid warmth of his hand around mine, I knew without a doubt that yes, I trusted him. Just as I trusted this wild twist of fate.

I nodded; saying nothing as Eli gently slid his arms around my waist, pulling me slightly closer against him. Last night's kiss was a little fierce but the one he pressed against my lips now was gentle and unhurried.

"Do you kiss every new girl you meet?" I blurted out and nearly smacked myself for it.

He laughed softly and touched his forehead against mine. "Only those who make my world spin with a smile."

"How many of those do you know?"

"Just one," he said and before I could react, he turned and pulled me behind him to get me kitted with headphones and goggles.

I would've been a nervous wreck the whole flight if it hadn't been for Eli's voice on the headphones, casually telling me all kinds of trivia and his own memories of every place we'd flown over.