Lust and Lies 04 - Pretty Maids in a Row

angle?"
    "Basically, I'll be on the lookout for the kind of government snafus that went on during Katrina, such as inadequate relief efforts and rescue missions, though the hope is they learned their lessons well on that one. Listening to you talk about the effects on the environment makes me think that would be a good secondary story. It would make a nice follow-up to my recycling article. I'd need to learn a lot more about it, though. Of course, I'll be happy to quote you as often as you'd like."
    "It's a shame Philip couldn't be here. He's really much more knowledgeable about specific ecosystems than I am. As you know, I keep pretty busy working on waste management."
    "Well, just for the record, I'm glad he's not. I can't imagine his voice talking me through a takeoff." He stopped himself from paying her the compliment he was really thinking. Stick to business.
    They had been in the air a short while when David interrupted their discussion to order drinks for both of them.
    "I don't want anything alcoholic," Holly said quickly.
    "Good. I'll drink yours too. In just over one hour, this plane is going to land again and I intend to be as close to unconscious as possible."
    "I don't think getting drunk is a very sensible solution. Why don't I just talk to you again?"
    "Because I'm twice as bad going down. Do you have any idea how many plane crashes happen during landing?" He downed both drinks without taking a breath.
    "Have you ever tried taking one of those workshops for your, uh, problem?"
    "No. There's nothing anybody can tell me that will convince me this is a sane way to travel. I've read all about the theory of flight, aerodynamics and so on. It doesn't make any difference. Nothing this big and heavy should be suspended in midair—particularly with me in it."
    "Then why do you do it if it's so hard for you?"
    He shifted in his seat to face her. "I accept the fact that I have the fear, but I refuse to let that fear stop me from living or from getting what I want out of life. But you know all about fighting fear, don't you?"
    She held his gaze for several seconds then said evenly, "Yes, I do."
    "Of course, if you really want to help, I can think of something you could do to distract me."
    She started to agree when he wiggled his eyebrows at her. "You're disgusting. You know that? How can you speak so intelligently one minute and be so... so..."
    "Earthy? I always liked that word." He repeated it in a deeper, sexier voice. " Earthy. C'mon, lady, I was teasing." He tried to take her hand but she yanked it away. "You don't like that, do you?"
    "Lady was a dog in a Disney cartoon. My name is Holly."
    "I'm not talking about your name. You don't like to be teased. In fact, I can't imagine you laughing. Do you ever smile, Holly?"
    "Of course I smile." She pulled her lips back in a wide, toothy grin then frowned at him again.
    In a much too sudden movement, his hand came toward her face. She jerked back so quickly her head banged against the window.
    "Whoa," he said in surprise. There was that flash of panic in her eyes that he had seen before. He withdrew his hand and watched her slowly lower her eyelids. When she raised them again, she was back in control. "What's your problem?"
    "You."
    "Naw, that's too easy. You know my greatest fear. It's only fair you tell me yours."
    She took a slow breath. Maybe if she told him part of it, he would back off. "I have... a little difficulty when someone... touches me unexpectedly. It's no big deal."
    David studied her, while she studied her fingernails. What caused such a hang-up? Childhood abuse? Rape? Certainly nothing insignificant. Chalk up one more reason to progress carefully with her. "Okay. So, if I wanted to brush your hair off your cheek—like I was about to—how would I do that without scaring the hell out of you?"
    "You could try asking first."
    "Ask permission to touch you? Hmmm. Do you always make Philip ask first?"
    She narrowed her eyes at him before turning back to the window.
    "None of my business, huh? You're right. It's that terrible earthy side again. Jus' refuses to stay submerged." He snickered, then grew very quiet for a minute. "Mos' women kinda like it, ya know. Why couldn't you be like all the res'?"
    David considered the idea of asking permission completely ludicrous. Through experience, he had developed his own theories about women. To succeed with one, all a man had to do was home in on her primary desire to be given precisely what she wanted