Page 139 of The King's Man
And when we were both plunged into that ocean of bliss, riding those waves together, when he threw his head back and roared my name, I clung, tighter and tighter, pleading with God never to remove him from me. Never to let us lose the joy of this moment.
When we sagged together, panting and spent, as Jann murmured comfort and gathered me up, curling us into the furs to sleep until night fell, I shook not with fear, but with tremulous hope.
The only fear left was for myself.
Please… please, don’t ever let me forget. He’s the One. The One I’ve wanted all along.
48.Fly With Me
SOUNDTRACK:Save Meby Hidden Citizens and Jeremy Lister
This chapter is dedicated to Caroline who was left disappointed by an earlier book experience. I hope we can take one small step towards healing the trauma of your first flight, Carol. (Insert wink GIF here.)
~ DIADRE ~
We slept for hours, curled together in the furs. I woke with a start to the moon already rising and knew Jann would be upset when he woke. We’d intended to start flying as darkness fell.
But I didn’t wake him immediately. Curled into his chest, it was a moment to drink in the sight of him—hair mussed, cheeks and jaw dark with stubble, those stunning eyes closed, but his face relaxed. I wanted to reach up and follow the line of his jaw and neck with my fingers, but I hesitated, knowing we’d be moving the moment he had his eyes open and he needed the rest.
As I turned over the events of the day in my mind, my breath quickened. Nerves twisted in my belly, but with anticipation rather than fear. But then Jann sucked in a breath and his arms tightened around me.
It was really him. He was really here. For me.
I only had to pray that I hadn’t pushed him too far away so that he could rest in that, too. I didn’t know how I’d feel when we made it to Ebonreach, and I met this woman he’d spoken about. But I knew that whatever we had to navigate, I wanted to do thatwithhim. When thoughts of fear or retreat came, I pushed them away. And I smiled.
Eventually, knowing that he’d be frustrated if I let him sleep too long, I reached up to touch his face and smiled as his eyes fluttered, then he sucked in a breath and tipped his head up in the confusion of waking.
When he’d blinked and looked around, remembered where we were—and what had happened—his arms tightened around me, but his body went still.
He let his head settle back onto the rolled jacket he used as a pillow, and locked eyes with me.
For a moment we both said nothing, but held each other, the bond easing and swelling.
Then he rasped, “Are you well, Dee?”
I smiled and nodded. “I don’t think I’ve ever been better,” I said honestly.
His smile made my heart beat faster.
Then he looked past me to the deep dark and cursed under his breath. “We slept too long.”
I sighed. “You needed it.”
He muttered an argument to that, but I ignored it because he also splayed his hand at the base of my spine and pulled me up against him and kissed me—slowly, deeply.
By the time he’d finished, my heart raced and I was ready to spend the entire night in this little thicket. But then he groaned and pushed up and out of the furs, drawing me with him.
We were forced to hurry to eat cold rations and get back into the sky. There was little speaking, and no light, but when we’d packed back up, Jann took my hand and pulled me up against him, combing my hair back with his fingers and staring into my eyes.
“Are you ready?”
I nodded, hugging his waist. For a moment I rested my temple against his chest and listened to that strong heartthud-thud-thudin his drum of a chest.
“I love you, Jann,” I breathed—and to my delight, I felt the warm rush through him and heard his heart beat faster before that deep rumble of his voice rolled in his chest under my ear.
“I love you too, beautiful,” he murmured.
My skin tingled and my heart sped up as well. I didn’t want to let him go, so I didn’t. When we both sighed and acknowledged that it was time to move, I turned my back to him and leaned against him as he strapped me to his chest.
