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“Absolutely.”
After a brief class, explaining the concept of the tandem skydive and the equipment involved, I was fitted for the full-body harness which would connect me to the instructor. That’s when I received my second surprise of the day.
“You’re with me, babe.”
I was so lost in the brilliance of his smile, I almost missed what he said.
“Huh?”
We were sitting in the small airplane, soaring high above the mountains along with six other people. I’d wrongly assumed one of them would be my partner. Hence my murderous thoughts.
I was going to kill Luciano del Toro.
“It’s go time,” one of the men stated, jumping up from his seat.
He was followed by the other five while I sat with my hands fisted in my lap. What the hell was I thinking? I couldn’t do this. There was no way I could jump out of a perfectly good airplane, especially while strapped to the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in my life. Nope. Luc would have to get a refund, because I wasn’t budging.
Suddenly, I was on my feet.
Dammit!
I heard the clicks as Luc began the process of attaching my harness system to his, but I couldn’t hear anything else over the roaring in my ears. The side door of the plane opened and a gush of cool air rushed in as the other couples made their way toward the exit.
“You’ve got this, babe,” I heard him say in my ear, thanks to the headset mounted in our helmets. “One foot in front of the other.”
This was it. Do or die. Was I going to let my parents and their harsh treatment of me win? Or could I rise above it all and finally fly free? Taking a step, my heart began to race, but not with fear.
“You’re right. You only live once,” I muttered to myself, looking through the door at the clear blue sky.
“Wrong, Emory,” Luc grunted. “You onlydieonce. But I’ll make sure you live every day like it’s your last.”
With that, he took hold of both of my hands, turned us abruptly so we were parallel to the exit, and then we were falling. The wind was loud and cold as it whipped around us, making me grateful for not only the helmet and goggles, but the jumpsuit we’d put on in the hanger. He pulled my hands out to the side as he rotated our bodies so we were facing the miniature landscape below.
I felt it then. A rush of adrenaline raced through me, settling my nerves and bringing my awareness to new heights. I was flying…free like a bird. It was as terrifying as it was exhilarating. It was everything I’d ever hoped, yet so much more.
Taking a chance, I looked to my left, beyond the other divers I saw floating through the air, to the mountain range in the distance. It looked impossibly small from the sky, but still so imposing with how far it stretched across the horizon.
“It’s beautiful, right?” His deep voice broke into my thoughts.
“Beautiful isn’t the right word,” I replied. “In case I forget to tell you later, this was the best day I’ve ever had. Thank you, Luc.”
“You’re welcome, babe.” He let go of my hands. “Grab your straps. It’s time to pull the chute.”
As soon as the parachute deployed, I understood his comment from the day before, because it definitely took my breath away.
Chapter 8
Luciano
SMACK.
“Jesus Christ, Ma,” I shouted. “What the hell was that for?”
It was the day after our parachuting adventure and we’d been at Ma and Pop’s for a little over an hour, waiting for family dinner to begin.
“You pushed her out of a plane?” Ma yelled, smacking me upside the head once again. “Dove ho sbagliato, figlio mio?Where did I go wrong, my son?”
“He took me skydiving, Mrs. del Toro.” My beauty rescued me. “It was amazing.”
