Mistaken Identities by Tressie Lockwood, Dahlia Rose Page B

and he prided himself on being a realist, taking life as it came and handling responsibilities when necessary, no matter how bad things looked. With seven years between them, he wondered if anything could come of a relationship with Tonya. Maybe what they had was the here and now, sex, and some fun times spent in each other’s company, all to end within a few weeks. He could force himself to enjoy it for the time they had left and not ask for more. After all, he had never dreamed of making love to her, yet he had—more than once.
    “Let’s do it,” she chirped with a smile on her face, and he changed course.
    The helicopter’s propellers whirred loud above their heads, and Grayson held the door with the bubbled glass for Tonya. She stumbled a bit climbing in, but he made sure to hold her steady. Wide brown eyes stared up at him when he positioned himself beside her, and his heart stirred. Touching her cheek, he realized she trembled, and he wondered if he shouldn’t do this.
    “I’m okay,” she mouthed, and he grinned. She was courageous. He’d give her that, but he’d always known Tonya was a cut above other women, even at twenty-two.
    He took up the headphones and made sure hers were placed well on her head before he put his own on. The gear would block out much of the noise and allow them to hear the pilot and each other.
    As was procedure, they went through the safety check in the helicopter, with the pilot reciting measures taken should they run into trouble. The more he spoke, the greener Tonya seemed to grow, but Grayson tugged her close to his side and rubbed her arm. He had heard it all a million times and no longer let the possibilities of problems get to him. What he enjoyed was the thrill of being high above the city, taking in the sights and feeling free. He wanted Tonya to enjoy it as well.
    The pilot flipped a few switches on the narrow panel and asked if they were ready. Grayson gave a thumbs up. Tonya’s fingers curled with his in a death grip. Her voice crackled over the speaker. “Oh goodness, it’s like we’re in a bubble with no protection. Where are the blinking walls? It’s like all glass in here.”
    He chuckled. “Easier to see everything. You’ll love it.”
    “Says you.”
    Soon they lifted off, and Tonya’s hold tightened. When the ground lay far below, she dared peek out the window as the airstrip gave way to a few houses and then trees. As they zoomed along, her grip eased more and more, and then she let go to face the window. The pilot’s voice became a drone in the background while Grayson watched Tonya’s face. Fear turned to excitement, and he noted the moment the experience shifted to a thrill she would want to repeat again and again.
    “I can’t believe we’re up here. It’s different than flying in a plane!”
    He nodded. “You’re closer to the action, which means you feel more of the bumps during takeoff. That can be good and bad.”
    “It’s smoother now that we’re moving forward, but yeah, that start is like riding on a roller coaster.”
    “Right.”
    She peered at him. “I happen to love roller coasters, the drop in the stomach thing, kind of scary.”
    “A woman after my own heart.”
    Speedboats sped along the surface of the water. A few sailboats were more leisurely in their pace. When they dipped a bit lower, Grayson spotted a man tossing a Frisbee out onto the water, and his dog jumped into the spray to chase after it. They circled around, and Tonya pressed her palms on the glass. He wondered if she even took a breath.
    “I own a house on the lake.”
    She looked at him. “Did you get rid of the one in South Park?”
    He shook his head. “No, not yet. I like being close to work, but I also enjoy getting away to the lake.”
    He knew he tried to impress her with his success and kicked himself for doing it. One would think he was mature enough by now not to resort to such tactics, but he supposed he was still a man. The big speech he’d made