Read Online Willows, Jennifer - Lust for Life [The Moreland Brothers 2] (Siren Publishing Allure) by Jennifer Willows - Free Book Online Page A

of him. He gave her a strap attached to the bulkhead that would lead to the yawning opening out. Next, he snapped and belted various hooks, chains, and carabineers until she was strapped to him from the shoulders down to hips. After testing the fasteners, the pair waddled to the edge of the plane, holding their straps and leaning back. She felt the wind snap past her, snatching at her. Deven held her close, one hand on her belly. He leaned down, head lowered by her ear.
    “On the count of three, okay?” His hand left the strap above them, now in her face.
    Dev held up the three fingers first, two, then one. When his fist clenched, he wrapped his arms around her waist and jumped. Charli screamed bloody murder, shocked at how fast the world came at them. Within seconds the small chute popped behind them, and the dizzying speed slowed, lengthening their journey earthbound. She saw fields, just large blocks of multicolored earth, some tilled, others fallow. There were canopies of trees in every direction, and the view amazed her. She loved the feeling of air cushioning her belly, a needling blanket. Her arms embraced the atmosphere, the panoramic view, the feeling as if she were one with the earth, as if it welcomed her. She had always been a city kind of girl but, after seeing this, could embrace a more rustic lifestyle. Well, she amended her thoughts, at least for a short while. She could see man’s fingerprints everywhere, dime-sized specks on the ground were homes, and small strips of roads moseyed the length of her view. This was definitely an experience she would do again.

    * * * *

    Deven listened to her amazement, could feel her excitement. It made him smile, and he spoke to her through the headset in their helmets.
    “So you like it?”
    “I love it.”
    Both were silent most of the ride through the canopy, Dev navigating the chute to land them gently to their feet. He disengaged the tandem harness so he could strip the chute and repack it. They walked a short distance maybe half a mile to a road, where Stu waited in a classic Ford truck. The aging vehicle could be a beauty, but it needed some work. The truck was wearing half the original paint, the other half pure rust. He lifted Charli into the bed of the truck, climbing in after she was comfortably seated.
    They stripped the hot jumpsuits off before the truck pulled away from the grassy curb. Along the ride Deven just watched the scenery pass him by. He was coming off a hellacious adrenaline rush. Usually, he jumped at least once a month but Charli took something routine, and gave it new life as if she brought the colors and sensations of wind back to him. He wondered if she enjoyed today enough to paraglide with him. Normally, he wouldn’t go with another person, hadn’t done that in years. But he would love to show her the world from the back of a kite.
    They were back at the landing strip in ten minutes. Dev hopped out and lifted Charli out once he was standing. They grabbed the gear and put it all away, repacking the chute and jumpsuits. By the time he packed the last of it, she had been to the bathroom and was waiting for him at the Tesla. He opened her door then strode to the driver’s side and climbed in, once again in his board shorts. They hit the road back home, but this drive was much slower than the first. He wondered why he took his time on the drive back, but didn’t have the courage to delve deeper in his psyche. When they arrived at her house fifty minutes later, she grabbed her small purse and made to open her door. Deven stopped her, speaking for the first time since they landed.
    “I hope you enjoyed yourself today. It’s been a long time since I’ve done a tandem.”
    “I did immensely. I would never have done that on my own. Thanks for the jump, Dev.”
    “Welcome. I just wanted to see if you would like to have dinner with me tonight.”
    Charli’s face showed him that she was stupefied. “Are you asking me on a date? Or is this