Page 132 of Dawn Caravan
“Benjamin?”
He opened his eyes and she was hovering over him. Her face was covered in dirt, not ashes, and her eyes were clear and calm.
His lips cracked when he spoke. “Am I dreaming?”
“No.” She reached out and touched his face. “I’m here.”
Choking back a cry, Ben reached up and pulled her into his arms.
34
Ben’s mouth found hers and stole her breath. Tenzin had flown back to camp, prepared for his irritation and ready with explanations. She’d felt his amnis going wild from nearly a mile away. She’d flown faster, expecting to find him in a rage.
He hadn’t been raging. He’d been grieving. He’d thought she was dead.
Tenzin pulled her mouth away, keeping both hands on Ben’s ash-stained cheeks. “I’m here.”
His voice broke. “You were gone.”
“I flew away.”
“I thought you were gone, Tenzin.”
“I’m not. I’m here.”
Ben clutched her closer and buried his face in her neck. He didn’t speak. He didn’t say a word, but his arms welded her body to his as if he was afraid for even the air to come between them.
“Ben—”
He cut her off when his mouth found hers again. He ran his fingers into the hair at her nape and gripped. Tenzin wrapped both her legs around him as they spun in space. She ran her fingers through his hair, drinking in the tactile sensation of his touch, his amnis embracing her, his mouth moving over hers as the air held them in its soft embrace.
Ben had kissed her before, but not like this. He’d been playful. He’d been angry. He’d been hungry.
This.
This was different.
There was still an edge of desperation to his touch, but his lips met hers over and over, drinking her in, savoring the taste of her, lingering a breath away, then taking her mouth again.
“You’re alive,” he whispered between kisses.
“I’m alive.”
“You had a plan.”
“I always have a plan.”
His amnis built on hers like a storm gathering over mountains. Tenzin couldn’t breathe, but she didn’t need to. She didn’t need to speak. For once, they didn’t need to speak at all.
Ben guided them to the ground and led her to the trailer where he’d been sleeping. His was completely intact. As promised, Vano hadn’t tried to burn that one.
She’d watched them drive away under the burning caravan. Watched them argue before they left. Ben’s trailer had been intact and undisturbed.
Then René opened the ground to shield them from the heat and the flames.
Ben opened the door and lifted Tenzin from the ground and into the trailer, not even letting her feet touch the steps.
Tenzin snapped back into the moment. When he did things like that, she was wholly conscious of his physicality. He was a large man, far more muscular and solid than her slight frame.
