He just let himself feel, giving himself over to Mattie and her wild joy.
Mattie had never thought she could soar on the ground.
She’d been wrong.
Her body felt like it did during takeoff. Primed. Ready. Energized.
It fascinated her how many sensations Leo could evoke. She had stolen kisses from boys before, meaningless moments, all but forgotten. An embrace had never felt likethis. Monumental. Marvelous. And above allmemorable.
It wasn’t that Leo was a Casanova. Mattie had been embraced by men with more finesse, more practice. They’d been smooth talkers who’d pictured themselves as suave Valentinos. But their slick kisses had never inspired her, let alone devastated her.
Not like Leo’s.
She’d heard the expression of knees growing weak. She’d always dismissed it as overromanticized ridiculousness. Even if it were true, she’d had no desire to feelswoony, especially over something so silly as a mere embrace.
But her legsdidfeel very much like a newfangled Jell-O salad, all wobbly and unsteady. But somehow, despite currently having gelatin for joints, she wouldn’t have called herselfweak, not with all this amazing power rippling through her.
Mattie ran her fingers down Leo’s back, freely exploring his body with her hands as she plumbed the depths of his mouth with her tongue. Even with his dinner jacket and cotton shirt, she could feel the ridges of his muscles as they stretched and bunched the fabric. Leo had never shied away from manual labor. Even with Vera employing several mechanics to maintain their planes, he still did more than just tinker with the engines. He was always hoisting the heavy parts, always in the middle of any major repair. That work had shaped his entire body into something glorious.
Mattie was a woman who marveled over machines instead of men. But something about Leo fascinated her even more than Vera’s sleek cherry-red Duesenberg. Yet it made sense. After all, he had the same strength and steadiness as one of those finely crafted mechanical masterpieces.
Leo’s lips left hers again, making those naughty, delicious patterns over her skin. He smelled slightly of engine oil, like he always did. Although it wasn’t the world’s most pleasant aroma, it was a solid one, like him, and Mattie had always associated the scent with flying.
Sounds emerged from Mattie, low and throaty. She’d never thought she would ever make such needy moans, but they felt right. Even better, they seemed to encourage Leo to do more wonderful things with his mouth. He gently sucked the skin between the crook of her neck and her shoulder, and glorious shivers danced through her until she positively reverberated.
Just then the sky lit up. Mattie thought at first it was her imagination, but a bright light filled the atmosphere, causing the lake to glow. She and Leo pulled apart, breathless, as they stared at the horizon. Suddenly, another burst of energy illuminated the water.
“Heat lightning.” Leo’s voice sounded ragged, and its coarseness caused Mattie to shiver.
“I firmly believe we caused that.”
He chuckled as he drew her close. “I don’t think that’s scientifically accurate, but I like the explanation.”
Mattie leaned her head against his shoulder as they watched another flare in the distance far across the lake. “You act pragmatic, but I think you might be hiding a romantic side. After all, you’re the one who wanted to make a sand château instead of a fortress.”
She could feel the curve of Leo’s lips against her forehead, and the intimacy thrilled Mattie. He didn’t argue, but he didn’t agree either. Instead, he just sucked in a deep breath and pulled her even more tightly against him.
“Do you think it is still there?” Mattie asked.
“The sandcastle we built?”
She nodded. It had been several weeks, so she doubted it. But they had built it far from the water and on private land. And Lake Michigan, as huge and mighty as it was, was not the ocean with its thundering, demanding tides. But there had been rainfall and wind. Still, Mattie liked the notion of it standing in defiance to the odds.
“It’s mostly gone,” Leo said, “but there’s still a bit of a raised mound.”
Mattie shifted so she could get a better look at him. He kept his eyes trained ahead, and in the low light, she couldn’t tell if he was blushing. Curiously, she pressed her fingertips against his strong cheekbone. Yup, his skin definitely felt overly warm.
He shrugged a little helplessly. “It happens to be on my flight path when I’m out practicing alone.”
“You’ve been checking up on it!” Mattie was delighted by the thought. Leave it to Leo to be so secretly sweet.
“Maybe,” he admitted and then glanced at her. “Or maybe not.”
He had been, no question. But Mattie didn’t push him. Instead, she tugged on his arm.
“Let’s go rebuild it.”
“The castle? But it’s dark,” Leo protested, digging his heels in slightly.
