Lotus Blossom by Hayton Monteith Page B

“That’s our plane.”
    Lotus dug in her heels and shook her head. “Can’t be!” she shouted, fumbling for her ticket again. “I’m sure Petras wouldn’t book me on a little plane. I don’t fly on little planes,” she tried to explain as Dash kept a tight hold on her and urged her forward. “I like the bigger ones better,” she shouted. Was he really kidnapping her? She tried to break free. He wasn’t the type to use torture even if he did know about the file, was he? Oh, Lord, she moaned to herself. What’s going to happen ?
    “Not to worry, darling. Come on.” Dash watched the play of emotions over her face as she hesitated on the last step. It was like a hand squeezing his heart to see panic and fear war with determination. Her face was like a book! He could read every expression. When her eyes flitted to him again, he pulled her close to him and spoke against her ear to blot out the cacophony around them. “I will never hurt you, no matter what else happens between us.”
    “Then let me go.” Lotus mouthed the words, her insides churning with delight and horror because he was with her.
    He shook his head as he leaned back from her. Then, with his arm around her small waist, he led her to the plane.
    Lotus tried to hear what he said to the man in gray coveralls who spoke to him, but most of Dash’s words were carried away by the gusts of wind that buffeted them, or they were drowned in the noise of the engines. Lotus was glad Dash was holding her, but at the same time she had the feeling she should be running down the airstrip after the Japan Airlines plane that was just taxiing for takeoff on the other side of the field.
    “Hurry, darling. Daydream later.” Dash laughed down at her, seeing the bemused look on her face. She was plotting something, but it wouldn’t do her any good. She wasn’t getting away from him! Annoyed with himself at the emptiness he had felt when her landlady had told him she was packed and gone from her room, he resented the unfamiliar possessiveness he felt about her.
    He kept his hands at her waist as he helped her up the steep steel steps that led into the plane, then he followed her and signaled that the hatch be shut. “Do you like it?” He watched her stare around the plush interior, her mouth slightly parted.
    “I’ve never been inside an airplane that has paneling and a living room with tables and chairs.” Lotus’s smile trembled across her face. “Do I get to meet the pilot too?”
    “You’re looking at him, darling.” Dash took her hand, ignoring her gasp and led her to the cockpit. “Buckle in, love.” When she paused to stare at the instrument panel, he pushed her gently into the copilot’s seat and buckled her himself.
    Then he sat down, twisted the handle over his head, affixed the headphones, and contacted the tower. He smiled at her while he waited for instructions, leaning over to squeeze her knee. “Relax, angel. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I’ve been flying for years and I even checked out on the big planes.”
    “Better for me to take one of those,” Lotus muttered, adjusting the headset, her stomach fluttering. Then she was silent as a voice crackled over the headphones. She only caught every other word, but Dash seemed to have no trouble in understanding what was said.
    They were moving! Lotus sucked in an excited breath as she watched the nose of the plane steer along the white line, then follow a marker to get in line behind a much larger commercial jet.
    “It’s not too backed up, for O’Hare, so we’ll be in the air before you know it,” Dash assured her.
    “Yes,” Lotus hoped, trepidation giving way to excitement as they taxied out onto the takeoff area. “We’re next.”
    “Yes.” Dash laughed, not able to believe the joy that filled him because she was excited about the takeoff. “Here we go.” Dash forgot she was beside him for a moment as he pushed in the throttle and felt the sleek machine quiver