He looked back around to her. She held his gaze for a moment. "And I shall tell my grandchildren of a handsome American aviator that I once danced with in Townsville, Australia—to a beautiful melody called Moonlight Serenade.

She tilted her head upward. Collin took her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. She put her arms around his shoulders and pulled him to her. He could feel her heart beating against his chest. He wanted more of her—all of her—and as passion swelled within him he pushed himself away and said, "Toni, I'll never forget you or this night. I wish it would last a while longer." He paused a moment, "But time is a cruel thing. When you want it to go by quickly, it crawls. When you want it to stand still, it flies."

"Think of it as Glenn Miller's Skylark, flying high in a beautiful blue sky," Toni whispered between the undulating rush of the surf, "flying with you to—wherever it is you fly to."

"You will be that skylark."

With her arms still clinging to his shoulders she said, "Collin, I wish you safety—I mean," she paused a moment trying to formulate French into English and said, "I will keep you in my prayers, always."

"I like to hear you say that," Collin uttered hoarsely while holding her close to him.

"That I will keep you in my prayers?" she asked him.

"No, I like the way you say, 'Collin'."

"Collin, Collin, Collin," Toni slowly chortled in melodic way and pulled his head to her warm eager lips once again.

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