Turbulence Read Online Free Page B

mean he had to like it.
    He was used to being in control, having the final word in every aspect of his life from his plane to the women he dated. Wrangling with the opposite sex, other than his sister, just didn’t happen. He was more familiar with sweet, even-tempered gals who were more than ready to please and to accept his decisions as final. Dana Ivie clearly didn’t fit in that category. In fact, she was the most infuriating, hardheaded woman he’d ever met.
    Why couldn’t she see that he was only looking out for her—and his—safety? On this mission of man against the Texas elements he wanted a teammate he could count onwithout a second’s hesitation. Dana Ivie was a variable in a situation where variables weren’t wanted.
    While part of him groused that she hadn’t deferred to his superior judgment, another part of him felt oddly energized by the way she stood her ground. With reddish-brown hair that shimmered with life, he shouldn’t expect her to act otherwise.
    Yes, indeed. It would be interesting to discover if Dana Ivie’s copper-haired temperament spilled over into every aspect of her life or if it just flared when her professional skills were questioned. He could still see the greenish flecks in her deep-brown eyes flashing with fury, the twin spots of color high on her sculpted cheekbones, her feminine jaw squared and her lush mouth pressed into a hard line, and decided that anger didn’t disguise the fact she was a knockout even in her uniform. Her skin didn’t sport the freckles common to redheads, but instead glowed with a pink blush that resembled a Colorado peach.
    To add insult to injury, he was a sucker for long hair, and this woman had plenty of it. Her braid hung past her shoulders and it had taken very little imagination on his part to picture those fiery tresses unrestrained.
    He’d noticed her when he’d first arrived at the station and some of his friends had happily filled in the blanks. It had been nice to know that people with medical backgrounds were readily available for emergencies, but he’d pictured getting to know the elusive Dana Ivie in the school gym where people would wait out the storm, not having to depend on her in a life-threatening situation.
    Regardless of his objections, Mitch had told him to take her, so he would, but if she screwed up the outcome of their mission or jeopardized any one or any thing , then he would personally hang her out to dry.
    A raindrop hit him square in the eye and he cursed at thedelay. This light drizzle could change to a downpour while he was sitting here like a bump on a log. Sure, he could fly in rain, but not a hurricane. If the weather worsened and he took the risk anyway, the odds of spotting the wrecked van would be slim to none. The sooner they got this show on the road, the better for everyone.
    The door opened and he heard Dana’s voice before he saw her. “I’m back,” she said, sounding as if she’d been running.
    “It’s about time,” he muttered, aware that he was acting as surly as Old Man Hollister on a good day. “Let’s go.”
    He grabbed the handlebars and braced himself for a center of gravity shift as his unwelcome passenger climbed behind him.
    It didn’t come. Wondering at the delay, he glanced over his shoulder and saw her eyeing his bike as if it were a rattler.
    “A motorcycle?”
    “I can maneuver through traffic faster on this than I can in my Explorer. So get the lead out and climb on.” He finished on an irritated note.
    “Where’s your Explorer?”
    From the hope in her voice, Micky suspected that she’d rather take a different mode of transportation. “At the hangar. This is your carriage for the moment, Cinderella.” He grinned at her discomfort. “Afraid you’ll melt?”
    She squared her shoulders. “Certainly not.”
    “Then get on.”
    Once again, she appeared hesitant, and he wondered if he’d found her Achilles’ heel. If she was scared to ride a motorbike, then it only