Body Shot (Last Shot)(92)

He stared at her. His mind emptied. He could not fucking figure out what was happening.

“Why?” he asked stupidly.

She swallowed again. “Because I want to be brave.”

Something cold and hard in his chest softened and warmed. “Baby,” he murmured.

“I want to be as brave as you.” She held his gaze with her big brown eyes, shiny and brimming with emotion. “You weren’t the only one who developed feelings, Beck. I…I love you.”

His heart was about to burst out of his chest.

“I want to be as brave as you. I want to jump out of that plane with you.”

“Jesus Christ.” He stepped closer and set his hands on her shoulders, his thumbs caressing her throat. “You love me?”

“I do.” She held his gaze steadily.

“Fuck.” He closed his eyes. “Fuck me.”

“Maybe later,” she whispered.

He groaned at the laughter that erupted and set his forehead against hers. “Seriously? You want to jump out of a plane?”

She bit her lip. “Yes.” She wrapped her hands around his wrists, her palms cold and clammy.

“You don’t have to do this,” he whispered. “I’ll love you even if you don’t.”

“I know. I want to prove this to myself. To know I’m worthy of you.”

“Christ, Hayden. I can tell you, you are. More than worthy.” He was the one who needed to show her he was worth loving. And he would. If he got this chance to have her back, he’d make sure she knew every day of her life how special she was.

“Are you trying to talk me out of this?”

“No, baby. But I know sometimes I’ve pushed too hard, making you do things outside your comfort zone. This is way outside.”

“It is. But I’ll be with you.”

He stared into her eyes, at the love and devotion and admiration he saw there. He’d never seen anyone look at him like that. Never. His heart expanded in a sharp burst, full of gratitude and love of his own. “I love you so much.”

“Love you too.”

“Okay. Let’s do this.”

She smiled.

Hayden went through the brief lesson, focusing on what she had to do with her usual studious attention. Then they harnessed up and crossed the field to load into the plane. He held her hand in his, hers still damp, trying to warm it up and reassure her. The other guys were clearly freaked out, but laughing about it, joking around, and shouting. At least it made Hayden smile.

The plane took off into the clear blue sky. The weather was perfect today, no clouds and little wind. After about ten minutes, they’d reached altitude, the buzz of the propellers loud in their ears, and it was nearly time to jump. “We’ll go first?” he asked Hayden.

Her long eyelashes fluttered and she shook her head rapidly, shrinking back.

He smiled. “Come on. What do you need to focus on?”

“The next move. Jumping.”

“Right. You know I’ve got you—right, baby?”

She nodded solemnly.

“Always.” Their eyes met and held for an attenuated moment, communicating without words. “Come sit on my lap.”

It was what the others were doing too, but he was so goddamn happy he had Hayden there. He got them all strapped in, checking and double-checking everything, which he always did, but also because today he had the most precious person in the world harnessed to him.

They moved to the back of the plane and the opening.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this!” Hayden screamed as they paused.

“Ready?”

“No!”

He grinned. “Ready?”

“Yes!”

He jumped.

Hayden’s scream was torn away by the rush of air. “Oh my God, oh my God! Beeeeeeecccccck!”

They fell, so fast, but it wasn’t a feeling of falling, more like floating. Beck extended his arms out as if he were flying and nudged Hayden to release her death grip on the harness and do the same. Their arms extended out like wings, their legs bent behind him, they soared.

They soared. Together. Christ. He and Hayden were flying together, joined physically with a harness, but also joined in bonds of trust and love that were equally strong. Wind rushed around them and time stopped as they flew far above the earth in a moment of pure beauty that transcended anything he had ever experienced. He almost wanted to cry.

There was no feeling like this. Hopefully, she was loving it as much as he did.

He turned them in circles, the gorgeous earth stretched out forever thousands of feet below them, the mountains like a golden blanket creased and folded, dotted with dark patches of water. He grinned when Hayden turned her thumbs up.

Then it was time to deploy the parachute. It opened, pulling them upright, and everything went so much quieter. Peaceful.