Page 53 of Dare to Fall

Her eyes shot open, growing wide as saucers. “Umm. How high are we going exactly?”

I grabbed her hand and started walking us toward the main elevator.

“You’ll see.” I winked at her, and she gave my hand a tight squeeze.

When we got into the elevator, I pressed the button for the fiftieth floor, and Eva leaned into my side.

“So, I guess now is probably a bad time to tell you that I’mreallyafraid of heights.” I felt a small shudder move through her body, so I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her. In her heels, she was the perfect height to fit snuggly under my shoulders. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the sweet scent of lilac that wafted up from her hair. It felt so good to feel her this close to me. More than the physical connection that thrummed between us, the closeness enhanced everything I felt to an overwhelming degree.

I pulled her in just a little bit closer. “You seemed pretty afraid of the motorcycle, and you were able to overcome that. Just trust yourself, Eva. And trust that everything will be okay.”

She turned around in my arms and peered up at me. “Just promise you won’t let go of my hand.”

I reached up to where her hands pressed against my chest and took them in mine. I tilted my head down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of both her hands. Warmth flooded through me as I watched the honey-golden flecks of her chocolate-brown eyes brighten.

The elevator pinged, and the doors slid open, revealing a sterile hallway that I knew would lead to the stairwell to the roof.

“I promise I won’t let go.”

A nervous smile crossed over her face as she sucked in a sharp breath.

“Okay. Let’s do this.”

Keeping her hand firmly in mine, I led us down the hallway and up the stairs. I felt her grip tighten a bit when I reached for the door handle. I turned to look at her, making sure she was okay. She gave me a curt nod and wrapped herself around my arm as I pushed open the door. I slowly led her through the doorway and onto the rooftop terrace. My father’s building was one of the tallest in the city. There were a few faint lights that marked different areas of the rooftop. Otherwise, we were surrounded by darkness.

Eva shuddered against me as she wiped her unoccupied palm against her blazer.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “My palms always get sweaty when I’m nervous.”

“I don’t mind,” I assured her. Pulling her in close to my chest, I rested my hand on the back of her head as she nestled against me.

“Are you ready to see what I wanted to show you?”

I felt her nod against me. “Yes.”

“When you’re ready, I want you to look up.”

A few moments passed while I held her in my arms, patiently waiting for her to make a move. Slowly, she peeled away from me. The absence of her touch was like a cold void, but I wanted her to enjoy this moment without my needs getting in the way. Her beautiful brown eyes tracked up my face, lingering on my lips for a brief second that almost stilled my heart. She tilted her head farther back until I saw the moment I was hoping for flash across her face.

Pure, blissfulawe.

“Oh my God,” she beamed. “It’s so beautiful!”

I joined her in looking upward toward the night sky. A twinkling blanket of stars laid above us, each one brighter than the next. It had always been my biggest source of inspiration. Thinking of all the colors that made up the elements of galaxies, the bright lights of auroras, and the glowing luminescence of stars sparked even the most dreadful lulls of my creative well.

But watching Eva’s face light up as she spun around with her hand in mine, taking in the starlit night, made my head dizzy with enthusiasm. Something powerful was taking hold of me, and she was the anchor, keeping me steady against the strong current. When I was with her, I wanted to be brave. It was stupid and irresponsible, given her current state, but I wanted to take a chance with her. To show her every crack in my soul, only so that she’d know she was not alone in the pain she felt.

“Come here,” I said as I wrapped her small arms around my waist.

“What are you doing?”

“I promised you I wouldn’t let you go, but I need to take off my coat.”

She smirked then wrapped her arms around me further and leaned her head against my chest. Careful not to break our contact, I slipped my tuxedo coat off then took her hand again.

“It’s even more beautiful if you lie down. The sides of the roof prevent the rest of the city lights from obstructing your view.”

I folded the jacket and laid it on the ground as a head rest. Kneeling, I helped her settle down so she wouldn’t topple over in her heels. When she got comfortable, I lowered myself down and lay next to her. Our hands sat between our bodies, her small thin fingers intertwined with mine.

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