Page 55 of Love in the Wild

His face brightened a little. “Yes.”

She set her computer on the table in front of their seats. Cameron’s plane was fully equipped with all the luxuries a private jet could afford, including polished wood folding tables between the rows of seats, which faced each other.

Eden pulled up the photos and leaned closer to Thorne. His attention turned to the screen, and she showed him how to go back and forth through the pictures. He studied each picture deeply, and would point at things like birds, flowers, or animals he noticed in the background. His favorite photos were those of his family, Tembo, and her. Pictures of himself seemed to hold no interest.

He paused on one of Keza, a close-up portrait of her as she held a mango to her mouth. Her reddish-brown eyes were soft, seeming to hold deep secrets within them.

“Mother,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I miss her.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I know. But you don’t have to stay in England forever. You can travel back to Africa to see her and Akika. You have that power now.”

His sorrowful expression hardened at the wordpower, and he sighed. “I do not want power.”

“And that is what makes you the best person to have it. Believe me, people who want power almost never deserve it.” She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, and he put a comforting arm around her. The unexpected gesture made her smile.

“You learned something new,” she said with a giggle.

“I learned many things watching people at the airport.” He chuckled. “Men hold their mates like this.”

“Yes, they do. That was a very good thing to learn.”

He looked through another dozen photos and paused at the one he had taken of her.

“This is my favorite.” He pressed his lips to her forehead.

Eden’s heart tightened in her chest. Thorne knew just how to get underneath any armor she had put up around her heart. When he reached the photo of himself and Tembo, she stopped him from moving to the next photo.

“And this ismine.”

“Why?” His eyes were full of boyish innocence. How could he not understand how beautiful he was? How the picture of him and Tembo captured that?

“I see your heart in this picture. I see you and the elephant. You are one, two hearts together. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

He kissed her again upon the lips, slow and sweet. She lost track of time as the kiss seemed to go on forever. His breath was warm on her cheeks and neck as he breathed deeply, contentedly. She, on the other hand, wanted more of that kiss, more of the languid way his lips moved over hers as though he’d mastered kisses years ago and not just a few days before. The gentle, intimate familiarity between them was growing, and Eden felt as though she had been in love with this man her entire life, as though she’d always known him deep down in her soul and loved him. Was that possible? She didn’t know, but she couldn’t help but believe it.

“Sleep, Eden. You are weary.”

“I’m really not that tired,” she argued, but she snuggled closer anyway and fell asleep a short time later, cocooned in Thorne’s warmth.

When she woke hours later, it was time for dinner. They still had another few hours left in the flight, but Thorne was adjusting to being stuck on a plane for so long. He smiled at the flight attendant who served them and ate his steak and potatoes au gratin, but when he tried the wine the woman offered, he coughed and shoved the glass back at the poor attendant.

“Would you like a beer instead, Mr. Haywood?” the woman offered.

“Beer?” Thorne glanced to Eden, who shook her head.

“No. Thank you.”

“Maybe he can try a soda?” Eden suggested. Alcohol was an acquired taste for most people. Thorne had not had anything but water in twenty-two years and should definitely not start out with beer.

When Thorne tried the soda he grinned. “I remember this taste.” He examined the red can with a delighted smile.

“What else do you remember?” Eden asked.

Thorne sipped the soda again. “It is not easy. I only remember when I see things that bring memories back.”

“That makes sense.” Eden hoped that in time more of his memories would become clear, but being left in the jungle at three years old, it was amazing he could remember anything at all. She then remembered his tree houses and the strange symbols in them.

“Thorne, how did you build those tree houses in the jungle? Is that something you remember seeing as a child?”

---