Page 28 of Burnin' For You
“What if Gilly’s there?” Pete asked.
Reuben threw him a look. “What if you get out and walk?”
Pete looked out the window. “You know I’m going to have to start calling you Twinkle Toes.”
Reuben tapped the brakes.
Pete held up his hands. “Chill, bro. I’m just saying, I’m trustworthy. I’m not sure what that was all about. Charmer? Really?”
Reuben grinned as he pulled in, but his smile faded as he spotted Gilly through the big windows inside the main area of HQ, toeing up to Miles, all five-foot-two of her, gesticulating her fury.
“Still grounded, I think,” Pete said as he got out.
“Which is totally unfair since she saved our lives and Jared would have let us fry down there.” Reuben slammed the door, pocketed his keys, and headed for the office.
“Dude! What are you—” Pete started but Reuben stiff-armed his words and yanked open the door.
“You know I wouldn’t put anyone in real danger—” Gilly was saying.
“You nearly crashed an eighty-thousand-dollar airplane—” Miles talked over her.
Reuben didn’t know why he suddenly had a singularity of purpose. Or what, exactly, possessed him to march right up to Miles, to interject himself in between them.
“But she didn’t,” Reuben said into the fray. “And she didn’t get anyone killed—on the contrary, she saved at least five lives.”
Reuben knew he had a low, even dangerous rumble to his voice. His father’s voice, the kind that could command attention in a room. But he’d never seen it shut down a room—even for a split second. But suddenly everyone stopped—the dispatcher, the weather guys, the air traffic controllers, the air tactical group supervisor—the one Jared had probably complained to—and even Hero, the agency chocolate lab.
Only the blip of the radar and the static of the radio to confirm that yep, he’d stomped all over Gilly again. At least her business.
And how exactly did he find himself here?
The question loomed as Gilly turned, stared at him.
With the stunning power of her blue eyes. Deep-indigo blue, the kind a guy could get lost in. Which, of course, was exactly what happened.
Miles turned to him. “This isn’t your business, Rube. I know she saved your team but—”
“No buts,” Reuben said, coming back to himself, although he cut his voice lower. “Sure, she might have taken a risk, but Miles, don’t get me started on how many times you—”
Miles held up his hand. Narrowed his eyes. It paid to hang around the boss during the off season. A fellow bull rider, Miles had a few vices he didn’t want the rest of the team knowing about.
And then there was Gilly, who actually deserved to fly, no extortion needed.
But in case Miles needed a push— “I’m not flying if Gilly’s not the pilot.”
The words came out on their own, but as he stood there, watching Miles size him up, yep, he parked himself in his ultimatum and didn’t move.
Met Miles’s gaze with his own.
Miles clenched his jaw. Looked at Gilly, who was still staring at Reuben, eyes big.
“Fine. It’s probably the last drop of the season, anyway.” He turned to Gilly. “Get out of here.”
Reuben took the hint and headed down the hall to the locker room, where his team was suiting up.
A tug on his arm, halfway down the hall, however, stopped him.
He expected a smile. Or a thank you.