Free Dreams Take Flight by Jim Dalton Page B

could see. Why does seeing her pull out in her dark burgundy Mustang feel like a personal connection? My God, how am I going to feel if I look inside her refrigerator? Maybe I should just drive off. As he continued to think about the next few hours, he began to feel nervous, uncomfortable, and out of control—not a good feeling for anyone, especially a pilot.
    Just ahead of Lucas, Heather could see his headlights following her every turn, as though they were connected—as though she suddenly had control over a piece of the evening. Could this actually be happening? she wondered. Is Lucas actually following me home? I owe Mike for this one!
    Heather made the final turn into her parking lot. Lucas was still close behind. Her parking spot was right next to her back door, which opened onto a small patio. Lucas pulled in next to her, to park in the slot marked “Guest.”
    They both left their cars at about the same time. With two quick, electric chirps, both locked their doors. Lucas wasn’t sure why he locked his car, but wrote it off to habit. He had no intention of spending any time with Heather.
    He followed Heather onto the patio without speaking, and then through the door into her apartment.
    “Have a seat, Lucas.” Heather gestured at the oversized love seat. “I’m going to go get comfortable—I’ll be right back to make you something to drink.”
    Heather disappeared into her bedroom, but left the door cracked in case she wanted to say something to Lucas. Out of sight, she pondered what to do next. Getting comfortable was nothing more than an excuse to buy a little time to sort things out. I can’t just seduce him . Whatever happens tonight must be Lucas’s idea, or I’ll never have a second chance. I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself. I can almost feel him between my legs. Control yourself, Heather, or there won’t be a tomorrow! Out of ideas, Heather decided to put her running clothes on. They were stylish, but no one could accuse her of seducing anyone in those clothes. Pulling her pants up was like putting on a second coat of skin, which excited her groin even more. What now? This won’t work. I can’t be this excited and still let Lucas take the lead .
    She yelled through the opened door, “Lucas, I’ll be right there! Be patient!”
    She pulled her pants off and tossed them into the corner. Now what? What’s wrong with this picture? I’m in my bedroom, bare-ass naked, and the guy I want to jump is in my living room completely dressed . Rummaging through her dirty clothes, she came across a pair of running shorts and decided they’d be OK for the night. In the same basket, she found a discarded shirt inherited from her dad. It was much too big, but it was comfortable. In fact, the shirt extended beyond her shorts, which gave the illusion of being without any pants. She wondered whether her thrown-together outfit was too suggestive, but quickly dismissed the thought in favor of toying with Lucas’s manly urges.
    Emerging from the bedroom, Heather headed directly to the kitchen area. She had to walk right in front of Lucas to get there.
    “Hey,” he said, acknowledging Heather as she headed to the kitchen. Seeing Heather in a shirt large enough to be a night shirt was a bit concerning following her announcement about getting comfortable. Once again, Lucas found himself wondering what she may or may not have on underneath.
    The kitchen was small and blended in with the living room, the two separated only by a breakfast bar. There was a narrow aisle between the bar and kitchen cabinets and sink. The refrigerator was located on the end wall. From the kitchen, Heather could see Lucas fidgeting, flipping through a People magazine that she’d left on the couch.
    “Lucas, what would you like to drink? I have Bud Select, a little white wine, a bottle of red wine, iced tea, and Dr. Pepper—or I could make coffee. You pick.”
    Lucas looked thoughtful before he said, “I’ll have a