Page 32 of The American

“It’s like the locust. We’ll close our eyes and think of other things.” She choked on her laugh.

“Yeah right, like that’s going to help while I am free falling through the air.”

“Well, it was worth a try. Look, I’ll be right with you.”

He tentatively grabbed a harness, and they each put them on as instructed. Then the man attached them together, facing each other. Thad didn’t speak, but his face still had no color. His breathing was shallow and a line of sweat beaded on his forehead.

Sage started to worry about him.

They moved over to the edge, the water moving below, well over 100 feet down. When they were at the very edge and Thad closed his eyes, he said, “Okay, I’m here. I still don’t know Sage.”

She reached her hands out around his back and hugged him to her, “You don’t have to.” Then she tipped them both over, head first down off the bridge.

“What!!” His shout continued for most of his fall.

Sage felt energy course through her as they fell, heading for the water below. Then, when she thought the tips of her hair would break the water’s surface, they bounced back up.

Thad whooped. She turned her attention back to him, and he was all smiles. “I love you Sage Parker!!” He wrapped his arms around her as they fell back down with the second bounce and pressed his lips to hers. “Thank you for this. No one has ever gotten me off the edge.”

Her whole body tingled. The adrenaline coursed through her, and his kiss zinged everything with extra electricity. That was a jump she would not soon forget.

The other couple refused to jump and so Sage and Thad were the winners. They took pictures for the crowd, smiled, and laughed.

Then their driver picked them back up and all the press ran to their cars, pulling out after them.

“Stay at my place tonight.”

“What?” She half wanted to accept, but couldn’t believe he meant what he just said.

“No, stay at my apartment in your own room, we’ll bring your bodyguard.” He waved at the cars following. “I’ll feel so much better if you are with me and the penthouse security. We’ll do something to get rid of these guys in the next couple days.”

She couldn’t imagine what he thought he could do about freedom of the press, but she believed he could handle it.

“We need to talk, Sage. It might be late. Just stay.”

They pulled into his building garage, the door shutting behind him and the blessed silence and very aloneness of the space convinced Sage. “Okay. I’ll have to borrow a toothbrush.” She looked down, “And a pair of sweats.”

“You’ve got it.”

They took the elevator straight to his apartment. And again she admired the beauty and comfort of the space.

“I got a new hot tub installed, wanna try it out while we talk?”

She laughed, but then recognized he was serious.

“There are several women’s suits in the bathroom area. I’m sure one of them will work, if not I won’t mind the alternative.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and she laughed.

“We’ll make one work.”

His pretend disappointment lightened her mood.

She changed quickly and grabbed a towel. The hot tub sat at pool deck level, and a lovely steam lifted off the top of the water. He joined her, his muscles rippling, his abs tight and firm, his thighs thick and his arms so nicely tanned, she had to force herself not to reach out and run a finger along his bicep.

They stepped in the water and it felt wonderfully soft and rich and did not smell of chlorine.

“We use a special blend of minerals. This is actually good for your skin.”

She sunk in the water up to her chin and the jets started. “Oh this is lovely.” The bubbles rose up all around her, gently caressing her skin while the harder jets sent pulses through her calves. “I could stay here a long time.”

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