For all his propensity to pose as the ultimate Casanova, he was actually an incorrigible romantic at heart. He would never cheat on his partner, be it a casual fling or one of the Mrs Richardsons; even though he'd fallen for Helena right after his second wedding, he'd never done as much as touch her with a finger before he and his former wife agreed on getting a divorce.

That was why he never allowed himself anything more than stealing a few wistful glances at the pretty young man that sat beside him in the cockpit almost every day. Martin might be prissy and incredibly clumsy, not to mention a bundle of nerves, but that didn't stop Douglas from finding him adorably attractive. He always made sure not to let anyone in on his shameful little secret, hiding his fondness for the ginger captain behind his relentless teasing; and if that had the side benefit of providing him with a perfect view of Martin's endearing blush, he surely wasn't going to complain.

xxx

Helena had rather confronted him about his supposed affair with his co-worker, and he'd only given in to a bout of bitter laughter in response. If only, a small voice echoed somewhat viciously in the recesses of his brain; however, he resolutely quashed the traitorous thought, telling himself that he was a happily married man and he'd better count his blessings.

He tried to convince himself that his wife wasn't any more distant than she usually was; that things were going as smoothly as ever, in spite of the uneasy feeling that was nagging at the back of his mind. And if she looked both defiant and a touch guilty when he came home from a long flight, he resolutely put it down to whatever she liked to do with her friends in her spare time.

Douglas Richardson would never understand women's unhealthy penchant for shopping and gossip, never mind yoga classes or some equally obscure oriental discipline; but if that was enough to make his wife happy, then he wouldn't mind turning a benevolent eye to it all.

xxx

It never rained but it poured, Douglas decided with a weary sigh. First Martin had left his job, refusing to give any explanation whatsoever as to the reasons for such an unaccountable decision; then Helena had eventually admitted she was having an affair with her Tai Chi teacher, and now he was getting a divorce – his third one, to be precise.

To add insult to injury, Martin kept acting weird around his old friend. He'd come to help Douglas move his things, that was true, but their former camaraderie was completely gone; the young man had muttered something that made no sense at all and fled away, leaving him to wonder what the hell was going on there.

He had no idea what had happened to the man that had always wanted to fly, the captain so proud of his rank that he was willing to work for no salary at all. It pained him to see Martin so obviously unhappy, as if he didn't hold any hope for the future; Douglas cared about the lad, and that meant he was more than ready to provide him with whatever support he needed.

It was a good thing that he knew exactly where he could find him.

xxx

The impromptu rendezvous at Fitton Airfield didn't quite go as planned, and Douglas found himself sitting in his Lexus without a clue as to what he was supposed to do next. Martin had pleaded guilty to sleeping with his soon-to-be ex-wife, and he was having a hard time wrapping his head around the idea. He couldn't decide which of those things hurt him the most; his wife cheating on him with his best friend, or said best friend – and secret crush – blaming himself for a sin that was completely unintentional on his part.

That was when he realised that while Martin had had no way to guess Helena's true identity at the time, Helena knew exactly what her husband's colleague looked like, thanks to the picture on the front cover of MJN Air's ridiculous brochure. She'd done it on purpose, seducing her husband's presumed lover in order to make him pay for his intentions if not for his actions; and the worst part of it was that Martin was shouldering the blame in her stead, subconsciously punishing himself for something that was hardly his fault at all.

He most definitely needed to have a word with Helena, before he would set things straight with the one person that truly mattered to him.

xxx

The student that opened the door duly informed him that Martin Crieff had strained his back while moving furniture, and was now confined to his bed upstairs in the attic. Just Martin's luck, Douglas considered with a sigh as an unexpected rush of affection hit him full force; and just his luck too, because that meant his friend couldn't run away this time.

Martin sounded genuinely baffled by the apologies, never mind that it was Douglas delivering them; however, the man deserved them, and he was pleased to see understanding dawn on his face at last. After three disastrous marriages he should know better than to give love another chance, but as it happened he was still an old romantic who would always push his luck for as long as he was breathing.

Not that his chosen partner was actually complaining, his mind idly registered as he leaned closer. Martin's lips were just as soft as he'd imagined they would be.