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Her eyes went wide, and it was time to go.
CHAPTER 33
“ OH MY GOD! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!”
A half-dozen more holy shits were ripped from Honor’s mouth by the 120 mph wind before Asher was right there falling with her and the guy strapped to her back. He gave her a thumbs up, and she managed to offer one back even as she remembered to keep her arms and legs extended as was drilled into her during orientation.
It was a pure adrenaline rush as they plummeted to the earth thousands of feet below. Before her brain could fully register the terrifying sensation, Asher gave her a smile and a wave and dove through the air away from them. His departure jammed her heart farther up into her throat, then there was a loud whoosh, and her whole body jerked as the parachute opened above their heads.
Suddenly she was floating—or at least it felt like it after the fall seconds earlier—and the ground below came into vivid focus. She could see the snow capped mountains, and green grass, brown fields, buildings, roads, and teeny, tiny little cars. The beauty of it all took her breath away.
“You doing okay?” h
er partner asked.
“Yep,” she replied automatically. She couldn’t remember his name because earlier she’d been too nervous about seeing Asher and then jumping. “That was insane.”
He laughed. “Want to steer?”
She looked over to see him offering the handles attached to lines leading up to the parachute. “Really?” But she was already reaching to take control. He instructed her how to pull on one to turn right, and the other to turn left, and she spent a full minute turning back and forth, and even accidentally spun them around a few times before he took over again.
Her stomach was a little queasy after the spins, and suddenly it didn’t feel like floating anymore as the earth seemed to rush up to greet them. Her heart raced, but her partner set them down like a pro, smack dab on their feet in the middle of an impossibly small target in the grassy field next to the runway. He unhooked their harnesses, then led her out of the way for the next pair coming in for landing.
She thanked her partner profusely, then turned on wobbly knees and searched for Asher. He was a dozen yards away, still attached to his chute, camera pointed at her. He lowered it a few inches to give her a grin, but when she smiled and started toward him, he brought it back up, snapping like crazy until she was only a few feet away.
She lifted her hands in front of her for emphasis as she laughingly exclaimed, “Oh. My. God.”
“Right?” he agreed as he slung the camera back over his shoulder.
She launched herself at him and held on tight as his arms closed around her. “That was amazing. I can’t believe I jumped out of an airplane.”
“Want to do it again?”
She laughed against his neck. “No. I’m good. I love you, and I’m definitely good.”
He set her on the ground and lifted both hands to her face. Looking deep into her eyes, he said, “I love you, too.” Then he gave her the kiss that had been interrupted earlier.
This time, they were breathing hot and heavy and she was plastered against him when a round of cheers and applause broke them apart. Heat flooded her face when she saw the group they’d jumped with laughing and clapping.
Asher hugged her to his side as he waved them off. They followed the rest of the group across the runway toward the hangar, and he kept his arm around her while the owner chatted with him about finishing up the photo shoot the next day.
When the guy moved ahead of them, Asher leaned down to whisper in her ear, “No more work for me today. Let’s get this stuff off and get out of here.”
An hour later, they stumbled into his hotel room, lips locked together as he kicked the door shut. It was a freefall of clothes, and kisses, and bare skin as he followed her down onto the bed. When he joined them together with one deep thrust, every whirling emotion came into sharp focus in her body. It was like the parachute opening, and she suddenly understood let’s make love to the world.
Knowing the whole future lay ahead of them elevated their lovemaking to a new level. Afterward, she lay tucked against his side, her hand on his chest, head just below his chin. The beat of his heart beneath her palm was strong and steady. Just like Asher. She relaxed in the certainty this is where she wanted to be for the rest of her life. With him.
Contented silence blanketed the room, but before sleep could take hold, she murmured, “I’m sorry for last week.”
His arm tightened briefly. “It hurt like hell when you left, but I’ve come to realize we both needed to work a few things out.”
“You were right about me being afraid,” she admitted. “You were also right about it being worth the risk.”
“I was reminding myself of exactly that before you showed up. As soon as I could wrap up the job, my plan was to go back home and fight like hell to get you back.”
Unexpected tears sprang to her eyes, and she pushed up to lean over his chest so she could see his face. “You were going to fight for me?”
His solemn brown gaze held hers. “Whatever it took. I wasn’t going to give up until you gave in. And I always will.”
