Page 27 of Turbulent Fires

We manage to get dressed, throw some much-needed calories into our starved bodies, then rush from the house. Within about an hour I’m thousands of feet in the air in a small airplane strapped into a harness with a ridiculously cheerful instructor latched onto my back. She’s far too happy about jumping out of a perfectly functioning airplane. How in the world did I get myself talked into this? Oh yeah, he didn’t talk me into it, just told me we’re having an adventurous day, then practically tossed me into the plane.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I say as I glare at Wolf, who’s beside me all on his own. He’s done this enough that he doesn’t need someone strapped to his back. But, he’s not certified to take me with him, so he has to fly near me while I’m with the woman ready to fling me from the plane.

“Trust me, it will be the biggest high of your life,” Wolf tells me with a wink.

“I don’t think I’m trusting you on this one,” I counter, making him laugh.

I don’t get the chance to argue further. My instructor gives the signal to launch, and before I can blink, we’re moving to the wide opening on the side of the plane. And then we jump... or fall, depending on how you look at it. I scream with fear, adrenaline... and excitement as I look at the land so far below us.

Within seconds the fear morphs, and I feel uninhibited adrenaline rushing through me as the wind tears through my hair while we plummet through the sky. The view leaves me breathless as the incredibly blue ocean stretches out for unseeable miles. The emerald cliffs soar beside us, and I see whispers of clouds streaking past as we seem to move at superhuman speeds.

The noise is deafening, but I’ve also never heard anything so quiet in my head before. All of the doubt, the second-guessing, and the constant background hum of the choices in life are gone. All I feel in this beautiful moment is... alive.

It’s passing by in a blur, yet seems endless at the same time. When the chute deploys, everything slows. We drift above Maui like a dream in a perfect bliss of silence and the suspension of reality.

I look over to see Wolf a few hundred yards away, waving at me like a lunatic as he grins, perfectly at ease. I guess it doesn’t matter if he’s in a plane or attached to a parachute. The man’s made to be in the sky. I shake my head, not wanting to admit how much I’m loving this.

We near the ground, then land on a beach of packed sand. I fall to my knees, laughing and breathless, my grin so huge my cheeks hurt. Wolf lands within seconds of me, then rushes over as he tears off his gear. He lifts me from the ground and pulls me into his arms, and I squeeze him back as he spins me in a circle.

“What did you think?” he asks, already aware I loved it since I can’t wipe away my smile.

I decide to give this one to him as my heart races and my skin feels warm from the flush most likely covering my entire body. “I want to do it again,” I admit.

“That’s my girl,” he says. He leans down and kisses me with so much passion it should be indecent to do so in public. I don’t care. What he does to me with his lips is a high as big as falling through the sky... maybe even greater.

We head to a beachfront restaurant for a quick meal with plenty of hydration before we head out for the next adventure of the day. He wasn’t kidding when he said he had plans.

He takes me to a busy dock where a neon orange speedboat is waiting for us that looks like it’s won some kind of international championship for going too fast. You’d think I’d be less leery of a boat than falling through the sky, but you’d be wrong. I’ve never been a huge fan of speedboats. I love being on the water, but I don’t like going super fast.

“This is The Biting Piranha,” Wolf says. “It’s my buddy’s pride and joy, but he’s graciously allowed me to borrow it for the afternoon.”

“Oh my gosh, the silly names people come up with for their boats,” I tell him with a laugh.

“Hey, a boat name is sacred.”

“Whatever.” I shake my head. “I’m not a fan of flying across the water at inhuman speeds.”

He tosses me a life jacket before slipping on his own. Before I have a chance to protest, the boat’s in gear and we’re heading out to sea, cutting through the water like a knife through room-temperature butter. I hold tightly to the safety bar as if it owes me money as he expertly drives the boat just like he flies a plane. I don’t know if there’s anything this man can’t handle.

My cheeks are practically flapping, we’re moving so fast, and the roar of the engine is enough to make talking impossible. How is this considered fun? We hit a wave and launch into the air several feet, making me feel weightless for a second. My heart thunders as I suck in some much needed air. Then we land, and I’m laughing. I’m enjoying myself even if this isn’t something I’d want to do on a regular basis. It’s good to step outside of my comfort zone. I’ve always enjoyed doing that.

We slow down, the roar of the engine lessening so we can actually talk, and have an amazing adventure taking sharp turns and wide-open bursts of speed and trolling. We skim past sights most people don’t get to see while visiting the islands. The spray of the ocean flies over us, soaking my clothes and making my hair cling to my neck, and I don’t care. I feel free and adventurous, and I want more.

He even lets me drive the boat at one point, then looks scared as I give him an evil grin. If I flip him out of the boat, I’ll be a happy woman. Sadly, his sea legs are firmly in place, and I don’t stand a chance of sending him into the air.

By the time we pull the boat back into the cove near the resort, the sun has started sinking. I’m utterly wrecked in all of the best ways. I can honestly say this is the best date I’ve ever had in my life. I don’t see how he, or any other man, can ever top it.

My legs are wobbly as I step onto the dock, and Wolf laughs as he winds my arm through his to keep me steady. He’s not wobbling at all. Of course he’s not. I don’t think anything affects him in a negative way. I’m starving even though we had snacks on the boat. All of the adrenaline I’ve felt today has burned a lot of calories.

We head back to the villa long enough to grab the blanket and picnic basket waiting for us, then walk the short path to the beach. The sun’s slow descent is bleeding pink and gold across the sky like it knows how to stage the ultimate romantic scene.

Wolf lays out the blanket, then takes my hand as I sit before dropping down beside me and stretching out on his back. He looks across at the sunset, which is growing brighter by the second. I lie down beside him, my head resting on his solid chest as a contented sigh escapes me.

“Today was perfect,” I say, my voice dreamy.

“Better than last night?” he asks with a chuckle.

“I think you’ve short-circuited my brain. I can’t choose which I like more, flying high in the sky, gliding over the top of the water, or getting one great orgasm after the other.”

---