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Available September 1, 2011
Bertie Stevens has problems. Her brother is MIA in the war in Europe, the bank threatens to foreclose on her home, and the pilots from the local airbase think her resort's beach is some kind of landing strip. Still, she keeps her little resort in beautiful Cape May running through the dark years of WWII. When Captain Greg Marsh comes to quarter at her estate, he's an unwelcome symbol of the war right in her kitchen. The angry sparks flying between them at first soon turn to sparks of another kind when the passion they feel for each other can't be denied. Bertie's always sworn she wouldn't get involved with a military man. Will Greg's handsome face, confident swagger, and sincere personality cut through her reservations?
EXCERPT
"Good. You're wearing pants. Grab a jacket so we can go before the light fades," Greg said as he came through the back door earlier than normal the next evening.
"Go where? In this?" Bertie looked down at the trousers and casual shirt she wore for working around the resort.
"Except this." Greg pulled off the handkerchief on her head. "No reason to cover your beautiful hair, yet." He stole a swift kiss before propelling her out the door to the waiting Jeep.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
The firm set of his jaw told her it was pointless to ask again. Her plan to keep her distance from him crumbled when he told her his story in the shed. Self-control kept her from going to his room last night, but today no amount of self-control could keep him off her mind. She saw his face, heard his words, felt his touch, and longed to be with him. Judging by his actions now, their separation was over. He didn't intend to tolerate any gap between them.
They rode in silence until the entrance to the air station came into sight. Greg kept glancing at her. He was waiting for her to comment, but she remained quiet while the men at the guardhouse saluted Greg and waved them through. She even kept her silence when they parked next to one of the airplane hangars.
"What? You can't be serious!" she finally burst out when he pointed to a small plane and thrust a leather-flying helmet into her hands. "I've never been in a plane."
"Scared? Or don't you trust me," he taunted her.
She eyed the plane. "I trust you, but--"
"No buts." He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the ladder to climb into the cockpit. "Besides I've only crashed a couple of times." He grinned at her and shoved her into the front seat.
Apprehension filled her while he checked the plane and spoke to the ground crew before climbing into the seat behind her. He reached around her and plugged in her headset. "This is one of the planes we use for training. It can be controlled from the front or rear, unlike that bicycle of yours." He started the engine and taxied toward a runway. "Just relax. We'll be up in no time."
A strange twinge fluttered in her stomach when they left the ground. She looked down at the runway, mesmerized until Greg touched her shoulder and pointed ahead. Far out to sea naval ships patrolled the coastline. Bertie turned her head to take in the area she called home. Before her, all of Cape May lay in the golden sunlight of mid-evening. The sandy beach of the Jersey Shore stretched on forever.
When they neared her home, Greg dropped in altitude to skim along the shoreline. The beautiful house her family lived in and loved for generations came into view. A surge of sadness passed over her when she thought of how her parents had missed the opportunity to grow old here and how close she had come to losing it. Wiping a tear from her eye, Bertie looked down on all of Cape May in its Victorian splendor and felt a strong connection to the beautiful seaside town where she lived.
They regained altitude. The lighthouse and concrete ship became visible on the edge of the Delaware Bay. For the first time in her life, Bertie saw the tip of New Jersey from the air and stared in astonishment. The shiny pebbles at Sunset Beach reflected the light of the sinking sun and set the beach aglow.
"Landed by a Flyboy has angry bankers, a hunky Naval officer, and a lot of twists and turns...There is a lot going on in this snazzy little book. I nabbed Landed by a Flyboy because I have a love of pilots and an interest in all things from the WWII era. May Williams manages to combine the uncertainty of the times with some interesting characters in this short story."
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