Background
Preceding chapters: From a Kansas Company, Danielle is on Alaska project where she meets friends at University, reevaluates Kansas boyfriend, and is attracted to adventure flying with Stewart.
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It was her who kept Stewart from ending the kiss. Wanting it to go on and on, she pressed her hand on his head. But then, he pulled away.
"Danielle." A controlled huskiness was in his voice.
She opened her eyes and blinked as if warding off a dream. Shockingly she saw sunlight on her sprawling body that was up against Stewart. With anger she proclaimed, "I am not a teenager." She sprang upright in the plane seat. "And you are not my boyfriend."
He grinned at her bright red face. "Don't apologize. You just reacted to that bear. Kind of makes me tempted to go pour honey all over this plane."
"Oh you, you!" With a gasp, she furiously fastened her seat belt. "Let's get going."
He chuckled, then began pressing buttons on the main board. The airplane engine roared, warmed up, then they rolled over bumpy ground and into the air.
Hours passed. In the noise of engine, Danielle was silently wrapped up in strange feelings. All her thoughts dwelled on this one day. It had started with a working friend, Curtiss, who surprised her with a kiss before leaving her at the ranch to begin a business flight. Then came a wondrous afternoon as Stewart Bryant showed her his flowerful yard and handsome sled-dogs, then rode horses together. All that before their planned flight for her professional photography. When he saved her life from a vicious bear, she clung to him and forced a kiss on him. Not an ordinary kiss. It felt unlike any other she had ever known. A springing feeling covered over her. In only one day, a big, bewildering puzzle had happened.
Out of defense, she kept her eyes away from Stewart's handsome face. He attempted some conversation with her by projecting loudly over the hum of the plane. "Got any plan to coming back? Want to see more of Alaska?"
"Yes, someday. I'd like to get north where that eight-hundred-mile oil pipeline runs across the state."
"All the way down to Valdez, a seaside town surrounded by mountains. Hard for a camera to find greater pictures." His expression was casual, but somehow made her think he was withholding closer thoughts.
She resisted adding historic issues of pipeline damage. Not wanting to create an argument with someone who seemed completely in charge, she merely nodded.
When lights from town sparkled beneath them and clouds were sprayed in sunset colors, the time on the panel screen read 10:45. It was evening, yet without a darkened sky. Stewart guided the plane smoothly down into the far side of the Fairbanks airport.
"Here we are, Danielle. My company car is here so I'll drive you to the Inn."
"You're not going back to the ranch tonight?" She kept her eyes off of him.
"Staying in town. Got a stop to make tomorrow."
A worker motioned him to taxi the plane into an open hangar. Once parked, Stewart took time to talk with the maintenance man.
Danielle lingered in her seat, slowly picking up her camera case and slipped back into her jacket. When Stewart started toward her, she took a deep breath and went out the airplane door.
He greeted her and pointed to the backside of the hangar building. As they walked, she pulled her cell phone from her purse. On the flight she had not attempted to get online. Just as Stewart opened a door on a pickup marked Bryant Coal Co., her finger clicked on a phone message.
Out came Kevin's high pitch voice. "Babe, we got a big dinner Saturday night. It's important. Best you get a new, fancy dress. Love you....."
Danielle clicked the message off.
"So that's your boyfriend." Stewart turned, looking down into her green eyes.
Staring at him, she hesitated, then began an uncontrolled laugh. "I don't know what made me say that stupid word earlier. Boyfriend, I actually said that. Didn't I?"
He shared her laugh. "You sure did. You blame that bear?"
"Of course." She turned from him and hopped into his pickup.
As they drove through town, a relaxed feeling replaced her earlier unrest. On the flight back, Stewart had seemed slightly tense too. Behind the wheel he calmly drove, then parked at the hotel's front door.
"Miss Danielle LeRoy, this day with you has been my pleasure. In more ways than one." His voice was soft and there was a brightness in his eyes.
"Thank you for showing me the ranch and for the flight. I'm sure I got many perfect photos." She stepped out, then hesitated, attempting to force her usual business response. "I'll send you a few copies."
"Good, you made this a most memorable day."
Author Notes
Character List:
Danielle LeRoy, main character
Stewart Bryant, new man in her life
Dr. Burns, college professor
Curtiss Hicks, friend at work
Social Friends: Ron,Gabe,Ivar,Rhonda,Dixie
Mr. Wright, company owner
Kevin Harbeson, boyfriend in Kansas
Ginger Kellar, housemate in Kansas
Starla Frost, young pregnant woman
Peter: worker on ranch
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