Life Flights

Chapter 1

BPOV

"Bells, you coming?" Emmett was waiting at the front door of the airplane for me.

"Go ahead, I'll catch up with you at the hotel. I need to get my approach books in order and fill out the turn over sheets."

"Can't you do your books tomorrow when we get home?"

"No. I'm on duty at the hospital when we get back and I just never have the time." I went back to the task of putting the updates in my flight books. I really never have the time to keep up with them. I looked up again and Emmett was still standing there looking at me. I could tell that he was torn about leaving me there by myself. He was always taking on the role of big brother to me even though we weren't related.

"Emmett, go. I won't be long. It's Friday night and we are in L.A. We only have two legs tomorrow with a later than normal report time. Go. Enjoy yourself."

"Okay. Promise that you will call me when you get to the hotel." I nodded which seemed to appease him. Emmett grabbed his overnight and flight bags and headed up the jet way where the rest of the crew was waiting.

Emmett's the perfect friend. He and I can just enjoy each other's company without feeling the need to have constant conversation or entertainment. In fact, we don't need to talk much at all. We are so close that we can often anticipate what the other was going to say or do. Almost as if we could read each other's minds.

I was glad for the quiet. It wasn't often that I had a few minutes to myself. It had been a long couple of days because it was Summer time and it was thunderstorm season, which meant many flight delays due to weather across the U.S. Longer flights and dreaded delays make passengers angry, which in turn pisses off the flight attendants and then you have a great trickle down effect.

I rubbed the back of my neck just thinking of what a long and stressful couple of days it had been.

It didn't take long for me to put all of the updates in my books, so I took the extra time to organize my flight bag. I carefully put away my headset and grabbed my hat and blazer that were hanging on the hook above my seat in the cockpit. It was company policy for the all crew members to be in full uniform when they were in the terminal regardless of whether they were on duty or not.

I never really minded the uniform. It was actually easier and takes less time to get ready for work when the decision of what to wear is taken away from you. My uniform consisted of navy blue pants, white tucked in button down shirt, navy blue blazer, tie and epaulets and a damn hat. I swear, every time that hat was on my head for more than 30 seconds, I end up with a severe case of hat-head, but now that I thought of it, the hat was quite useful for covering up the permanent crushed area on the top of my head from the headset. I normally tried to wear my long, mahogany colored hair pulled back in a French braid so the abuse from the headset and hat wasn't as noticeable. I was very thankful I didn't have to wear a skirt and high heels like the flight attendants were required to do.

I climbed out of the cockpit and grabbed my flight bag from beside my seat and my overnight rolling suit case from the closet, and I headed to the aircraft exit. I stepped out of the plane onto the jet way and adjusted the cases to roll behind me as I walked up the ramp to the terminal. I was lost in my own little world and not paying attention as I exited the jet way door into the terminal. I walked right into someone anxiously pacing in front of the door and stumbled back slightly. He grasped my arms to prevent me from falling on my rear.

"Excuse me. I'm so sorry that I was in your way. I was wondering if you could help me. I was just on your flight and I seem to have forgotten my laptop . . and I can't find anyone to grant . . me access . . to . . either . . the plane . . or . . the ramp." The tall man in front of me said, seeming to find it difficult to form a complete sentence.

As he was rushing through explaining his dilemma, I looked up to his face, only to be rewarded with the vision of a god standing before me. I was the one that was going to have difficulty forming complete sentences now. This man was incredible. He was dressed in an expensive looking black suit, white button down shirt and a black skinny tie that made his chest and shoulders seem so much more incredible. He was well over six feet tall with a dark bronze head of sexy, messy hair. He was breathtaking.

As he was speaking, our eyes locked and I continued to stare straight into his bright green eyes. I was completely speechless. Wow. I couldn't pull my eyes away from his beautiful green ones. Could this man standing in front of me be any more striking?

I couldn't help the incredible smile that lit up my entire face and he returned it with one of his own.

"Sure, I can take you down."

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."

As I punched the key code into the door and it clicked open I could literally feel his presence right behind me. The attractive man held the door for me and then he walked with me down the ramp to the airplane.

"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Edward Masen."

"Isabella Swan. Bella."

"It's nice to meet you, Bella. Thank you again for doing this for me."

"Any time."

We arrived at the end of the ramp and entered the aircraft. Edward proceeded to the seat that he was sitting in and I continued to stare at him as he bent over. Unfortunately, he quickly found his laptop and that perfect behind was no longer on display. Crap. I hope he didn't notice me ogling him.

"Here it is. You don't know how much you have saved me. All of my work is on this thing and haven't backed it up lately so I would have to recreate all of my files if I wouldn't have found it."

"This should be a lesson learned about backing up your computer." I couldn't help but to tease him a little. I kept the grin on my face to make sure he knew it was all in good fun.

"Yes, I really need to make sure I do that." Edward once again returned my smile. I noticed that he took a quick glance at my left hand. "Could I buy you a coffee or a drink for your troubles?"

"That would be nice, but I am going to have to pass on that for today. It's getting late and I have to get to the hotel with the rest of my crew. I have to be back on duty tomorrow morning."

"So, does that mean that it wouldn't be out of the question for another time?" Edward asked and I could hear the hope in his voice.

"Hummmm. I'll have to give that some thought." Wait a minute, what was I doing? Did I just commit to thinking about meeting him another time?

We walked back up the jet way and slowly headed through the terminal to the pick up area where the cabs and hotel transportation vans were located. It is quite a journey through the terminal and we were able to fill the entire walk with casual conversation with never a lull or awkward silence. It was very refreshing to have this interaction with a complete stranger. I couldn't understand it, but as we were talking, it didn't seem as if we had just met. I felt at ease with him as if I had known him for many years.

"It was really nice to meet you, Edward. Perhaps our paths will cross again sometime."

"I look forward to it, Bella."

I gave him a quick smile and headed to the hotel van where the driver loaded my bags and closed the door.

I guess I won't have to give him an answer about getting together another time since he didn't ask for a way to contact me. I let out a deep breath and sat back in my seat on my way to the hotel. Even though I was dating someone, I was still a little disappointed that I wouldn't be seeing Edward again and I wasn't sure what to make of that.

EPOV

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would meet such an incredible woman in an airport terminal. When she first stumbled through the gate door and looked up at me with those big, beautiful brown eyes, I was taken back by her natural beauty and captivated by her presence. I couldn't even put together a complete sentence or keep my train of thought.

She was gracious to take me back down the jet way to find my laptop. After finding it, we talked the entire way through the terminal to where she took a van to her hotel. It was only after I watched the van drive away that I realized that I let her get away without getting her number. Shit. I didn't even know where she lived to narrow down an internet search on her. Great. Now I sound like a stalker. But honestly, I have never had a woman affect me this way before.

I have never been nervous around a woman, but she stirred up feelings in me that I have never felt. She was poised and confident, determined and self assured without being self absorbed. She commanded attention without even realizing it or asking for it. She was enthralling without being overdone. She was simply everything I never knew I wanted.

Now I just needed to find out how to contact her.

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