Free Isabella’s Airman by Sofia Grey Page A

me, propped on one elbow, his dark eyes twinkling. There was a flash of dimples when he smiled. He held a yellow flower—a buttercup—beneath my chin, and it tickled. I giggled and tried to take it, but he kept whisking it out of reach.
    There was so much I needed to tell him. So much I wanted to know. Would you believe me if I told you where I’m from?
    “Is this like your home, Davy?”
    The buttercup brushed my chin again. “Naw, Wales has mountains. This landscape is too flat for my liking. I’m used to mountains and lakes and snow in winter. Whereas here? You can look for miles in any direction without even seeing a hill.” Inching closer, he stretched one finger to trace the edge of my jawline.
    Are you in love with me? “I was so frightened last night. You saved my life.”
    Dark eyes regarded me. The finger stilled on my chin. “Seeing you trapped in the shelter? God. I aged ten years last night.” We stared at each other. I saw love and trust in his eyes. And longing.
    “I’d rather not think about it.” I managed a smile and forced myself to push the bad memories to the back of my mind. They’d surface again later, but I refused to let them spoil our afternoon. I looked down at my cherry blossom garland and fingered the velvety pink petals. Such a brilliant color, they looked as though they been dipped in blood, the edges lined in a dark scarlet color.
    Juliet said sex with Teddy had made her bleed.
    I shivered, and Davy frowned. “You have to let it go, cariad .” He thought I was still fretting about the air raid. “When you’re afraid of something, if you let it, the fear will eat you up. You have to move past it. Focus on what you can do.”
    I can have sex with Davy.
    Did I want to? Yes .
    Was it wise? Probably not.
    Did I care?
    I stretched up and claimed his lips, and he responded. Soft and gentle turned hot in an instant, and I had my answer.
    There was just over a week left before I had to return to my own time. I didn’t want to waste a minute of it.
    Today, this afternoon , was for me. For us. To hell with the consequences.
    We lay tangled together on the blanket, kissing until I had to stop for breath. I had to speak now, before I lost my nerve. “When we saw Juliet with Teddy in the barn, you said you wanted that. With me.”
    His eyes widened, and he pulled back a fraction. I still lay wrapped in his arms, one of his hands tracing a lazy circle on my spine. Every touch made me want him more.
    “Aye,” he said eventually. “I do. But I’m happy to wait. You mean more to me, Belle, than a quick tumble.”
    “Juliet said it was painful. I’ve never done this before.” I don’t want to disappoint you. I blurted it out, wishing immediately I could scoop the words back and lock them away. Davy’s hand closed over mine, warm and gentle.
    “You don’t have to be nervous, Belle. It’d be amazing if we made love, but we don’t have to.” Made love? “I don’t have any expectations from you this afternoon.” His fingers squeezed and released. I looked up to see his gorgeous smile. “Simply spending a few hours with you, away from the aerodrome. It’s all I want.”
    He hesitated, glancing up at the sky for a moment. “I want to tell you something. I feel like a fish out of water here. Not just with it being so flat while I’m used to mountains, more that I feel like I don’t belong, like I’m an outsider. And I sense that you feel like that too.” He shrugged and then dropped back on the grass, one arm across his eyes. The silence grew and stretched between us while I marveled at his words, completely unsure what I could say. Yes, I don’t fit in because I’ve travelled back in time? Maybe not.
    “Ignore me,” he muttered. “I’m just tired.”
    He was tired because he’d spent a large part of the night looking after me during the air raid. Digging me out of the collapsed shelter. And he’d be flying again soon, fighting for our country, seeking out enemy