Page 28 of G8
She started to tell him she’d thought about having it all brought here, but something held her back. Truth was, she wanted to stay here. With G8. With the others. With the babies. Yet, she knew all this wasn’t meant to be permanent. Sooner or later she’d eventually have to give the infants up for adoption. Or at least to an agency who could take care of them properly. They weren’t hers, either by blood or by any other technicality, and that outcome was inevitable, no matter what she desired.
Speaking of the babies…
“G8, what do you think’s going to become of those little boys?”
“I have no idea. We don’t know the laws up here, but I suspect we can’t keep them.”
A stiff breeze appeared from nowhere and gusted over them. The unexpected chill made her shiver. G8 raised the arm she was leaning against and drew it around her to pull her tighter against him.
“Where did that cool wind come from?” he asked, peering upward.
Ingrid blinked, then lifted her head to look at him. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“About what?”
“The wind. The weather.” And then it struck her. Ingrid raised a hand to her mouth as realization swept over her. “You…you reallydon’tknow.”
“About what?” he repeated.
“About the seasons.”
He stared at her. “We learned about them. Yeah. Spring, summer, fall, and winter, right? So?” In the moonlight, his widening eyes appeared huge, along with the accompanying smile. “It’s starting to happen? We’re about to have a change in the seasons? Now?”
“Yes. It’s the end of summer. Fall’s coming. That little breeze was an omen of what to expect. Oh, G8, you and the others will get to experience the leaves changing colors. And then snow when winter arrives.” She never believed she could feel this excited about something she’d known about all her life. But for these people, it would be their first.
“I can’t wait,” he admitted. “We knew we’d get to experience them. Finally. So far, every day has brought us something new. Sometimes it’s scary, and sometimes it’s pleasant.”
“Just you wait,” she continued, then paused as another possibility crossed her mind. “G8, have you ever celebrated Halloween?”
“That’s the holiday where people used to dress up as ghosts and witches and all, and go from house to house yelling, ‘Trick or treat!’, right?”
Where people used to.That phrase alone told her everything.
“Not used to, G8. Still do. Every year. Followed by Thanksgiving. Then Christmas.”
He blinked in confusion. “They still do?”
“Didn’t you guys celebrate any of the holidays when you were down in those bunkers?”
“Celebrate? As in how? We learned about them, but there was no celebrating.”
“Ever?”
“I guess the scientists figured they weren’t worth the time or trouble,” he murmured. “Orweweren’t.”
Tears rose hot in her eyes. Impulsively, Ingrid grabbed his arm and tugged on it. “I promise I will try to make this holiday season as memorable as possible.”
He stared silently at her for so long, she wondered if he was trying to find a way to decline her offer and let her down gently. She wasn’t expecting him to take her hand, raise it to his lips, and kiss her fingers.
“You already have, Ingrid. You already have. More than you know.”
It was at that moment when he leaned toward her to kiss her mouth that she realized she was falling in love with this hulking giant of a man who, by all rights, shouldn’t exist. Shouldn’t, but did. And if there was any chance in hell she’d be able to spend more time with him—or dare she dream?—stay here indefinitely, she’d do whatever she could or was needed.
She owed that much for his sake. For the babies’ sake. And for hers.
14EDUC8
He’d only intendedto kiss her and savor the taste and smell of her one last time before they went their separate ways for the night. However, the longer their lips touched, the more he wanted this moment to stay exactly the same and never end.
