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My thoughts stuttered to a halt, and I put my hand on my hip. “What do you mean, noway?”
Turning around and crouching before me, his sincere eyes met mine. “I’d worry too much about yoursafety.”
Part of me melted that he cared. But the dominant part of me rose up, defiant. “Uh, Trent. I can do whatever I want. Can we say double standard? You did it dozens oftimes.”
He sat down next to me. “I value your life more thanmine.”
Again, causing the war within, Trent Milner. The fighting part of me wouldn’t quit. “I don’t think that’s healthy, Trent. I’m not a delicate jewel to keep in a box. I’m in it for the adventure. Haven’t you figured that out? I’m in this life tofeeleverything. I takerisks. I take chances. I’d go skydiving in asecond.”
“And that makes me so nervous.” He gave me a tight smile. “Youarethat jewel in a box. I want to keep you all secure and comfy, surrounded by cushions so nothing happens to you. I care too much to see you get hurt. And I’ve experienced too much hurt lately to want to chance any more damage to you or anyoneelse.”
I reached over and laid my hand on his, reconsidering. “I’m so sorry, I don’t want to cause you any trauma. I just think it would be fun to do it. I bet you can’t skydive in Spainanyway.”
“It is fun. I mean, you’re flying. You and nothing. Just you and the sky. Sometimes you catch warm air and stay up there, suspended, just you and the elements. It’s such arush.”
“I bet.” I leaned over and kissed him. “And you may just find out that jewel in the box is a rock-hard diamond who can handleanything.”
After wandering around the ruin for a few more minutes, we turned and walked back to the car. When we got there, I opened my phone and Googled a lingering question. “Did you know that yes, you can go skydiving inSpain?”
“Seriously?” He turned on thecar.
I put on my seatbelt. “Seriously.”
As he backed out of the parking lot to head back to Granada, he said, “Dani. I lost your brother. I’m not losing you, too. Will you do me a favor and not jump out of anyplanes?”
Reaching over to squeeze his hand, my heart did a little flip flop. “Okay.”
“I’ll find a safer way to get you tofly.”
“Deal.”
* * *
Afew dayslater on a morning we didn’t have class, Trent bounded up to my apartment, with the anticipation of a spaniel who knows he’s been a good dog and is gonna get a treat. “I found something.” He planted a light kiss on mylips.
Hooking my hand behind his neck, I pulled him into a deeper kiss, which then got a little out of hand, with his hands in my hair and mine in his backpockets.
We kept going until our tongue-filled kiss turned into little kisses and more little kisses, not wanting to break apart. Wanting to beconnected.
When we finally separated, I asked breathlessly, “What?”
He grinned and showed me a screen on hisphone.
Still totally confused. “What isthat?”
“Put on a T-shirt and comfy pants,” he ordered. “Tennis shoes, too. We’re going toMadrid.”
“What?” I gasped. “Now?”
“I told you I’d find you a way tofly…”
I squealed and ran to getready.
A half hour later, I cuddled next to him on therápidotrain headed north toMadrid.
As the countryside whizzed by, punctuated by billboards of black bulls on hilltops, I rapped my fingers with excitement on the armrest. “Are you gonna tell me what we’redoing?”
He cocked his head to the side. God, what a fucking attractive travel partner. “I’mdebating.”
