“Yes, Mr. Vice President,” Helen said, and they kissed again, and this kiss lasted far longer than the others.
It was well past sunset when Boomer left the Sky Masters Aerospace facility and headed home. The formerly sleepy, isolated little mining settlement of Battle Mountain in north-central Nevada had undergone an incredible transformation in just the three years since Sky Masters Aerospace Inc. had relocated there from Las Vegas: the population had more than tripled, construction projects of all kinds were everywhere, and the unincorporated settlement—it had retained its mining-camp and railroad-way-point identity since its inception in the 1840s, even though it was the seat of Lander County—finally became Nevada’s newest city and one of the fastest growing in the nation. Boomer rented a house in one of the newer subdivisions located between the airport and the new heart of the city, close enough to visit the new casinos and high-end restaurants when he wanted but convenient enough to commute to work, especially now that the morning commute on Interstate 80 to the airport seemed to be getting busier and busier by the day, thanks to the dozens of businesses that had sprung up in the area since Sky Masters Aerospace expanded its operations.
Boomer parked his Lincoln MKT in the garage, looking forward to a nice relaxing evening. He was a regular at several of the new casinos in town, and hadn’t had to pay for a meal or drinks in over a year—he was sure he had given the casinos plenty of money at the card tables to more than make up for the comps—but tonight was just going to be a down day. Maybe a little wine, maybe a movie, maybe—
“About time you got home,” a voice said from the kitchen. It was Sondra Eddington, wearing nothing but one of Boomer’s Sky Masters Aerospace Inc.’s T-shirts, her long blond hair draped just perfectly around her breasts as if she had arranged it that way—which, Boomer thought, she probably had. “I was about to start without you.”
“I didn’t know you’d be coming over,” Boomer said.
“I was a little amped after flying this morning,” Sondra said in a half-weary, half-teasing tone. “I tried a run and a hard workout at the gym, but I’m still a . . . little wired.” She went over and gave him a kiss on the lips. “So I decided to drop by and ask to see if you knew any ways I can burn off a little energy?”
Boomer tried, but he couldn’t help but let his eyes roam across her body, which made her smile. “Where’s your car?” he asked.
“I parked it at the convenience store down the block,” Sondra said. “I’ve seen too many people from Sky Masters in your neighborhood, and I didn’t want them to see my car parked in front of your place a lot.”
Sounds like a really good idea, Boomer thought. He held her at arm’s length and looked her directly in the eyes. “Or we can do the right thing, like we talked about, and not sleep with each other anymore.”
“Oh, I know we talked about that,” Sondra said with a little pout, putting her arms over his shoulders and her hands behind his neck, “but I can’t help myself. You are such a hot hard-body, and you have that roguish little grin and that give-a-shit attitude that just drives me nuts. Not to mention you’re a tiger in the sack.”
“Thank you,” Boomer said. “You’re pretty hot too.”
“Thank you.”
“But your boyfriend, Brad, is becoming a friend, and if he found out about us, it’d be hard to work with him in the near future. His Starfire project just got approved for funding.”
“Then I’ll break up with him.”
Boomer blinked in surprise. “Just like that?”
“When it’s time to break up with you, it’ll be just as quick,” Sondra said. “I like Brad, and he’s a hard-body too like you, but he’s way younger than me, and he’s away to college, and lately he’s been too busy to come visit me, and I’m lonely being away from home. Besides, I don’t like getting tied down. I want what I want, when I want it, and right now I want you.”
“And when Brad’s here, you’ll want him too?”
Sondra shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t think he’d take me back after the breakup—he’s a little immature about women and relationships, and I don’t think he could handle just being friends or casual sex partners.” She drew him closer. “How about it, stud? Fire up the engines and take me for a ride?”
Boomer smiled, but he shook his head. “I don’t think so, Sondra,” he said.
She took a step back and ran her hands down her blond hair, which was draped across her chest. “You don’t want me anymore? I said I’d break up with Brad.”