Reluctantly she took the proffered arm, and they left the hangar.
‘Where are we going?’ Bobby asked as he led her towards some scrubland on the edge of their camp. ‘The Waafery’s the other way.’
‘Scenic route. Best thing for post-flight wobbles is to walk them off.’ He glanced at her arm, threaded loosely through his. ‘Don’t be shy about grabbing on. You weren’t when I was taking you up.’
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to hold on so tight. I was frightened.’
He smiled. ‘Worth it though, wasn’t it? I’ll never forget that look in your eyes. That’s where beauty comes from in a woman, not paint and curled hair. That expression of innocent joy.’
And there it was again. The look. Bobby pulled her arm away and turned to glare at him, clutching at a bush to steady herself.
‘All right, Ernie King, what the hell is going on?’ she demanded.
He frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘You. You with your eyes, and your… your compliments, and all your things. Holding me like that in the plane.’
‘I was helping you steer.’
‘You were not. You were getting fresh, that’s what you were doing, under cover of instructing.’
‘Fresh? I barely touched you!’
‘You breathed on me.’
He laughed. ‘All right, I’m sorry I breathed on you. It’s a little hard not to when we’re packed in like sardines. Harper wasn’t complaining.’
‘Not only that. You… looked at me.’
‘Am I supposed to avert my eyes unless you’re veiled? I’m not that old-fashioned.’
She wanted to believe him. He certainly sounded jocular enough. But this time, Bobby knew what she had seen.
‘You bastard,’ she whispered, feeling the sting of tears. ‘You lied, didn’t you? You said… but it was nonsense. It was all nonsense.’
‘Honestly, Slacks, I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re still feeling guilty over this dream boy of yours—’
‘Charlie!’ Bobby yelled, with a vehemence that surprised her as well as Ernie. She swallowed hard. ‘Call him by his name, damn you,’ she whispered. ‘I know you know it.’
‘OK,’ Ernie said, looking alarmed. ‘Charlie then. You don’t need to feel guilty any more, Bobby.’
‘Please, just tell me the truth.’
‘The truth?’
‘Yes. Not that line you shot me last night while we were dancing. Tell me what’s real, Ernie.’
Ernie laughed. He turned away. Then he turned back, striding towards her with a look in his eyes that scared her. A second later, he’d grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and his lips were on hers.
Bobby’s eyes widened in shock. He pulled away almost immediately, looking as surprised as she felt.
‘Sorry.’ He rubbed his neck. ‘I don’t know why I did that.’
‘What…’
He started pacing, laughing softly even while he scowled. Bobby had never seen him lose his composure so utterly.
‘Ernie?’ she whispered.
