Page 53 of When Love Is Lost and Found

"The views from up here are unreal," I say, riveted by the breathtaking vastness of the city. I can't help but feel very small and insignificant.

The wind gusts at this height are merciless and quickly whip my long hair into a tangled mess.

"The day I should've put my hair up," I say, gathering all my hair to one side. "It's so windy up here. I swear I can feel the whole building swaying under my feet."

"Do you want me to braid it for you?" Jon asks, sweeping a strand away from my face and pulling it behind my ear.

"You know how to braid hair?" I ask skeptically.

"I do!" he says.

"I don't believe you."

"You want to bet?"

"Sure," I say. "Go ahead, let's see what you can do."

My hair is long and wavy. Curly when it feels like it, and today, it feels like it.

He stands behind me and sweeps my hair back, running his long fingers through it. Why does this feel so intimate? He sections my hair into three parts and starts braiding, not detangling the bottom of each strand as he goes.

"Jon," I laugh, "I can tell it's going to get very tangled if you don't —."

"You must trust the process, Miss Hansen. Since we don't have a rubber band, I have to get creative."

"Yeah? Well, good luck!"

"Now, let me just flip this section over and through. Give it a little pull like this, and voila!"

“How did you do that?!” I ask, pulling the braid to the side to take a look.

I stare at Jon, wide-eyed and speechless.

"One of my many talents," he says, smiling.

And kissing being another.

"What the heck?" I ask, chastising myself for the intrusive thought.

"What?" Jon asks. "Did you say something?"

"No," I say, wanting to slap myself.

"Ready to go up to the observatory on the 102nd floor?" he asks.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Will there be enough oxygen up there?"

When we exit the elevator, Jon takes an audible deep breath.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says. "It was just a little crowded in there."

"Um, where are the walls?" I ask, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Jon takes a few steps towards the windows.

"Coming?" he asks when I don't move.

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