Come Fly with Me by Sherryl Woods

habits.
    â€œWhat are you so afraid of?” he asked.
    â€œWho said I’m afraid?”
    â€œIt’s in your eyes every time we start to get too close.”
    â€œThat’s just your imagination.”
    â€œIs it?” he asked skeptically, then challenged,“In that case, come over here by me.”
    Lindsay hesitated just a second or two too long. By the time she met Mark’s gaze again, his eyes were twinkling. “I rest my case.”
    â€œJust because I don’t want to have a meaningless little fling with you doesn’t mean I’m afraid.”
    â€œIt wouldn’t be meaningless between us and you know it.”
    Lindsay sighed. “Okay,” she said at last. “Maybe you’re right and maybe that is the problem. I don’t want any involvements in my life.”
    â€œWhy? I got the feeling last night that something had happened to make you lock yourself away from the world.”
    â€œI’m not exactly locked away from the world. I’m traveling all over it.”
    â€œAlone.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhy? You’re a beautiful woman, easy to be with, intelligent. Why would you choose to be alone? And don’t try to dance around that, because I know it has to be by choice. For the last two days I’ve watched you systematically shut me out and I don’t think I’mthe first man you’ve done that to. You’re too good at it.”
    â€œI learned very early that you can’t count on other people, even the ones you love the most,” she said matter-of-factly, though there was a growing ache in her heart.
    He reached out and captured her hand in his, his gaze warm and tender. “Who hurt you? Who hurt you so badly that you don’t trust anyone?”
    Lindsay could feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered in precise and horrifying detail the day they’d come to tell her mother that her father was dead, that the plane he’d been on had crashed into the side of a mountain and there were no survivors. She’d blamed him for leaving them. God, how she’d hated him for that, even though she’d known she was wrong.
    â€œIt wasn’t his fault,” she said shakily now. “He didn’t mean to leave us alone. I know he didn’t mean to do it.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œMy father.”
    â€œHe walked out on you?”
    â€œNo. It was nothing like that. He was killed in a plane crash. He traveled a lot andone time the plane just didn’t make it back. I was nine years old, and all of a sudden one of the people I loved the most was gone and it didn’t make any sense. It hurt so much.”
    â€œOh, I’m so sorry,” Mark said, drawing her into his arms and holding her against his chest. Once more, she could feel his strength seeping into her, easing the pain. “That explains everything. You’ve spent your whole life trying to avoid another loss like that, haven’t you?”
    Suddenly it was clear to her. That was exactly what she’d been doing. She’d known it subconsciously, but she’d never before allowed the thoughts to surface so that she could deal with them, just as she’d forced herself to board plane after plane, each time terrified that she would die as her father had.
    â€œI suppose so,” she admitted, knowing that it was more than mere supposition. It was fact.
    â€œI know exactly how you feel, but you can’t live your life in a glass cage to protect yourself against hurt.”
    â€œI don’t see why not. I’m busy. I have friends. I love my job.”
    â€œAnd you spend your nights all alone.”
    â€œI don’t need anyone to share my nights,” she said stubbornly.
    â€œI felt that way once, too, but then I realized I wasn’t living. I was only existing. Don’t let that happen to you, bright eyes. It would be such a waste.”
    The intensity of the warning and the warmth