Page 42 of Hold Still

Ozzy joins my laughter and grabs my gloved hand, twirling me around. He chest-bumps me and I go flying backward. He catches my arms and brings me back to him. “You look adorable.”

“And you look like a Weeble,” I manage to get out.

We’re laughing when the door opens and an unsuited Kacey enters, followed by a guy in a similar suit. “This is Brian, and he’s going to be your guide in the skydiving room. Have fun.”

Fun. There’s that word again. Yes, we are having fun.

We follow Brian into a padded room with a huge fan in its center. Brian shows us what to do and I generously let Ozzy go first. He flies up in the air like a pro, whooping it up. When he lands, it’s my turn. I dive into the Superman position over the fan and lift my chin upward like I was told. Brian yells instructions to me from the floor, and I self-correct, but I’m doing it. I’m weightless and flying through the air like Superman.

As I flutter near the ceiling, all of the weight of my worries falls away. I’m free! I wish I could stay up here forever. Thoughts of Daddy cheering me on bring a smile to my face, replaced by sadness that he’s gone. And my role in his death. I lose my balance and tumble to the floor. When it’s my turn again, I banish all bad thoughts and sail away.

After two more turns each, Brian cuts the fan and ushers us back into the office. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. We hand him our goggles and helmets and he closes the door for us to take off the rest of the gear.

“How fucking amazing,” Ozzy’s baritone booms. He unzips the jumpsuit and it falls to the floor. He kicks it to the side and takes off the boots, standing in stocking feet.

“I had a blast,” I respond. I unzip my jumpsuit and peel myself out of it.

Before I can stoop down to take off my boots, he picks me up and hugs me to his lean body. “Thank you.”

My arms go around his neck and I hold onto him, my booted feet dangling. “You’re welcome, crazy. Now let me get my boots off.”

He leans back, his eyes bouncing from my feet back to my face. No, not face. Lips. Oh no.

I shake my head. “Ozzy—”

He growls. “I’ll help you get something off, that’s for sure.”

His lips crash down on mine, his tongue seeking entrance right away. I keep my lips shut, so he traces them instead.

Sensations of feeling sexy and wanted ricochet through my body. Discounting our kiss yesterday, I haven’t felt like this since, well, the last time I waswithOzzy—over a year ago at Rose’s apartment. Maybe I can indulge him here for a minute. Let myself feel. I open my mouth a fraction and his tongue swoops in, punctuated by a low groan.

Still holding onto his shoulders as my feet haven’t touched the floor, I maneuver one hand upward to the thick curls at the top of his head. Our kiss deepens and he slants his mouth over mine to get a new angle.

Then the door opens.

“Oh, excuse me. I didn’t realize—”

The door closes, but our moment is over.

I pull my lips from his. “Put me down,” I whisper.

Bending at his waist, he lowers my feet to the floor. Once I’m on steady ground, I pull away from his embrace, my heart going faster than the huge fan in the other room.

Am I already in too deep? Being with Ozzy is starting to feel a lot like jumping out of a plane and into thin air, all the damn time.

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