you like to dance?’
Her mouth almost fell open. It was right up there with things least likely to expect.
She almost choked. ‘What?’ She could hear a stifled snigger behind her.
She looked around the bar. The music was audible, but low—and there was no dance floor. It just wasn’t that kind of place.
His bright blue eyes were fixed on hers. She hadn’t been able to see them properly in the dark hangar. Which was probably just as well, because right now she was getting the full hypnotic effect. The artificial lights in the bar seemed perfect for showing them at their best.
‘Dance,’ he said calmly, as if she’d misunderstood.
There was a nudge at her back. Frank was almost willing her to go. But the nudge lit a little flare inside her. How dared he? How dared he approach her so directly in front of all her colleagues—his instructors—and practically ask her out? Didn’t the guy have any decorum?
‘No,’ she said quickly. ‘I don’t want to dance.’ She couldn’t hide the disdain in her voice. The coil inside was tightening. She’d wanted to relax tonight—not put herself in an uncomfortable position.
Her earlier comment about him not being a boy had already been misinterpreted by her colleagues. Now, they might actually think something was going on. That was the last thing she needed. She’d only been at WSSA for a few years. This was her first astronaut candidate selection. Her position and job meant everything to her. She’d put her life on hold for it. She didn’t want anything to interfere.
Austin was still standing smiling at her. It was almost as if he hadn’t heard her say no.
She stood up quickly and tugged at her skirt, pulling it back into position. She gave him a sharp stare. ‘That would be a no, Lieutenant Commander Mitchell. Now, if you’d excuse me, myself and your other instructors need to have conversations that you can’t be party to.’
She gave him a nod as she brushed past. It was important that he respect her position on the team. It was important that he realised she wouldn’t be compromised. No matter how good he looked in that uniform. She could see all the expectant faces of the rest of the candidates in the background. They were watching with interest. Waiting to see what she would do. Did any of them actually think she might say yes?
The hairs on his arms came into contact with her skin. Ignore it. Her brain repeated the message as she walked towards the ladies’ room. Her skin was on fire. A thousand little caterpillars were currently marching across that tiny patch of skin. She couldn’t help it—her other hand automatically reached across and rubbed it as she banged the ladies’ room door open with her hip.
Cold water. That was what she needed right now. Anything that would stop the persistent fire caused by Austin Mitchell from circulating around her body.
* * *
There was a whoop behind him as Corrine brushed past him as if he didn’t exist. He’d seen it. That little flicker in her eyes. It wasn’t panic. She wasn’t the type. The disbelief he’d almost expected, but hesitation he hadn’t. Was there the tiniest chance she might have said yes?
He shrugged and gave a rueful smile to the other instructors. Adam winked. He knew exactly what was going on. Traditions didn’t just exist amongst Top Gun pilots—WSSA candidates had a whole book of their own.
Frank stood up. ‘Excuse me, folks. Back in a bit.’ His face looked a bit pinched.
Austin watched him head to the gents’. Was he annoyed with him? He moved back and put a twenty on the bar. ‘Get another round,’ he said to Michael.
Michael lifted the twenty and waved to the bartender. ‘Crashed and burned.’ He laughed at Austin. ‘Get used to it. Corrine Carter looked mad.’
Austin stared at the swinging door of the gents’. It was weird. His parents used to tease him as a kid—they’d told him that his spider sense was tingling whenever he’d had an instinct about things. They’d learned quickly he was always right—even when everything seemed fine. It had served him well on his tours of duty and on his test flights. Knowing when something just wasn’t quite right with a plane or mission had saved him on more than one occasion.
And tonight his spider sense was busy creating a full-on web.
He strode towards the gents’. What was the worst that could happen? Frank would tear a few strips off him for his stunt. He was a big boy. He could take it easily.
The door swung open. Frank hadn’t even made it to a cubicle. His hand was leaning on the wall above one of the urinals. Austin quickly averted his eyes—last thing he needed to do was watch another man take a leak.
But his instincts were on overtime. Darn it. He looked again. Frank hadn’t even managed to unzip his trousers. His other hand was resting on his chest.
‘Frank? You okay?’
He made it just in time. The guy’s legs crumpled beneath him and Austin caught him as he made a slow descent to the floor. Frank was no lightweight—he must have been around twenty stone—but Austin could handle it.
He eased him onto the floor and laid him on his back. Hell. What next?
He didn’t have any advanced medical training, just the basic navy first-aid course.
Part of the WSSA training would be about emergency medical situations like this—it seemed he was starting early.
Frank’s colour was terrible, a mixture of translucent and grey, with a slight blue tinge around his lips. Austin bent his head to Frank’s chest, listening and watching for any rise and fall. He pressed his fingers to Frank’s carotid pulse. Nothing. He moved them. Maybe he wasn’t in the right place?
‘I need some help in here,’ he yelled.
He tipped Frank’s head back and steeled himself. Mouth-to-mouth with a guy. Just as well he didn’t have time to think about this. He pinched his nose and covered Frank’s mouth with his, breathing out once and then twice.
The door banged open to his side. He didn’t even look up.
‘What the...?’ Corrine’s voice tailed off immediately.
He could almost see the instant recognition in her eyes and the work-mode focus coming into play. ‘Ambulance, now,’ she shouted over her shoulder before crossing the floor in a few long strides.
She didn’t miss a beat, just hitched up her skirt—giving him a generous shot of thigh—and knelt down beside him. It took her only a few seconds to do her own assessment. Her eyes met his. ‘Right, Lieutenant Commander Mitchell, let’s see how good you are.’
* * *
Her heart was thudding against her chest. When she’d heard the call for help she’d moved immediately—even though she hadn’t recognised the voice.
It had a taken a couple of seconds to comprehend the sight of Austin leaning over Frank and kissing him before her medical senses had taken hold.
Frank looked awful. Why hadn’t she noticed anything earlier? Why hadn’t he told her he felt unwell?
Everything
