“You bet.” He dots a quick kiss to my nose. “On three.” Knox counts it out slowly, and on three we both give our attention to the overlook, and my heart leaps to the top of my skull beforepassingout.
“Oh my God.” The earth pulsates with a heartbeat of its own. My adrenaline hits its zenith, and for a blissful moment my body goes numb. On the bright side, if the wind does pick up and decide to hurl me to an early death, I won’t feel a damnthing.
“Look at the way the sky meets the city”—he whispers warm into my ear—“the cool blue kissing the grayskyline.”
“I believe they call thatpollution.”
His chest bucks lightly over my back. “Or a bruise gifted to the environmentfromman.”
We share a quietlaugh.
“Hey”—I pull back just a notch—“I’m notdeadyet!”
“Nope.” He leans in and pulls my bottom lip out with his. “You’re still alive and kicking just the way I like you. And have I mentionedtasty,too?”
“Oh my God!” I look out to the city and lean toward the railing in one brazen move. “And the universe isn’t trying to fling me over the edge by way of that nasty bitch,gravity!”
“She can be a bit moody, but she’s not winning today—not on my watch. The good news is, nobody is out to get you, not the wind, not the rain, not all the heights this world has to offer. You are in control—not the fear, notgravity.”
“I’m in control.” My heart starts up again as if it thought pumping blood through my body were suddenly a good idea. “Not fear, notgravity.”
Carefully, I lead us to the edge of the railing. The cliff side isn’t nearly as sheer as I thought it would be. Wild flowers trail down a soft edge that lazily rambles across the blue expanse. In the distance, downtown Jepson shines as if it were dipped inglitter.
“It’s beautiful,” I pant through a smile. The sky kisses the earth and turns the world into an ocean of loveliness. From this vantage, the world looks smooth as velvet, not at all hardened by reality, but soft with dreams and warm with love. “This is amazing. I’m safe, and this isbeautiful.”
“You are beautiful.” Knox lands a kiss just under my ear. “Now come on and do it. You know youwantto.”
A laugh gets caught in my throat. “You know me all too well.” I turn my back to his chest, and Knox holds on with a death grip. Slowly, carefully, my arms stretch to the sky, my fingers begging to go farther than my body will allow. A slow curdling scream rips from my throat with joy. “I’m the king of theworld!”
Knox howls into the wind right alongside me, and it feels as if there is nothing we can’tconquer.
I spin around and cup the sides of his gorgeous face. “I think technically you are the king of the world. You’re the king of myworld.”
“Good thing—because you are my queen.” Knox looks at me as if I really were a queen—as if I’m the only girl on the planethesees.
I bring his mouth down to mine, and I kiss him on sacred ground, the very spot in which my darkest fears dissolved like snow. Knox held me up while I slayed my dragons, but not before riding them straight into the sky like a badass. In truth, Knox is the badass. He never stopped believing in us, in me. It was Knox who tried to warn me of my relationship’s impending doom that first night at the Kappa G mixer. He was looking out for me even then. Knox pursued me relentlessly that night, even if it was in an effort to warn me. He pursued me relentlessly during our time apart, even if I was too stubborn to listen once again. And Knox pursued my fears and cast them to hell where they belong. Knox has saved me, time and time again, through the relentless pursuit of his love. And I plan on spending the rest of my life repaying him by loving himrightback.
It’s the least Icando.
It is my pleasure—and even then, Knox always makes sure my pleasure comesfirst.
Both Sylvia and I are gladaboutthat.
Knox
The Black Bear Saloonis the very first place I ventured to once I showed up at Whitney Briggs earlier this summer, and so it feels like the natural place to end the summer as well. Inside, the mood is festive, the booze is flowing and so is the pizza—it’s Italian night, and as soon as my best girl shows up, I’ll be ordering up a large one just for the twoofus.
I spot Rush, Seth, and Eli near the back and headonover.
“What’s up?” I slap them all a quick five before nodding to Seth. “Where’d you finally settle into? You rushing, or did the charm of the dormitorieswinout?”
“Neither.” He offers a quick grin. “I’ve set up shop across the street at the Briggs Apartment Building. One bedroom, kitchen, soundproof walls.” He winks over at Rush, and they share afistbump.
“Nice,” I groan. “So you’re a manwhore-in-training like your future brother-in-law.”
He frowns as he shoves a chip into his mouth. “Somethinglikethat.”
“And what about you?” I look to Eli, and he openlylaughs.
