I scooted forward until I could see straight down. Eight hundred and twenty-nine feet of air, no parachute, no trampoline, just a bullseye on the ground.
"Here she comes! Three, two, one, go."
My feet refused to move.
The attendant gave me a little push to start me moving forward.
I could have resisted and changed my mind, but then I'd forfeit the money I'd paid and look like a big chicken. No way. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I had to take it. I leaned forward, stretched my arms out, and jumped.
It wasn't a free-fall--the ad called it a controlled decent--but with the wind in my face, my heart in my throat, and the ground rapidly approaching, it sure felt like a free-fall. As I approached the ground, the ropes slowed so I could get my feet back under me. I landed, and another attendant steadied me and removed the strap, directing me to where I needed to go to remove my borrowed jump suit.
It still felt like I was flying!
My cheeks burned from smiling so much as I searched the crowd of faces for Ariana. Instead of finding my sister, I ran into Angel. Gone was the SWAT uniform; he was back to wearing the suit that made him look absolutely delicious. I couldn't help but check him out as he held my arms, steadying us both. Something about him was different. Darker. Angry.
"Markie?" he asked, his eyes softening with recognition. He took in my jump suit and looked at the landing platform behind me. "What are you... Did you just jump?"
"Yes! Ohmigod it was so amazing. Have you ever done it?"
He seemed stunned for a moment, and then a smile ghosted his lips, taking him from dark and scary back to breath-catching. "No, I haven't."
"Angel?" Bones asked, stepping beside us. His gaze went from me to Angel's arms, still holding mine, before drifting back up to my face. "Hey Markie. How's your sister?"
Angel let go of me. I straightened and smiled at Bones.
"So much better, thanks to you guys. I don't even want to think about what would have happened had you not shown up that night." Turning, I scanned the crowd until I spotted her. Waving, I called her over to us.
By the time Ariana joined us, Ozone jump management was looking at me funny, like I might take off with their unstylish jump suit and shoes. Since Ariana had been basically out of it the one and only time she'd met them, I made introductions, and then ushered my sister and the guys into the prep room, leaving them to chat while I headed into the dressing room to change. When I returned, Bones was drilling her about Matt.
"Well if you find him, I'd really like to have a little chat with the douchebag," Ariana said, hand on her hip, attitude in full swing. "Rent's past due and he's supposed to pay half."
Making a mental note to help Ariana with the rent, I joined the group. My sister stopped talking, and we lingered in awkward silence waiting for someone to say good-bye. It was weird, but I didn't want to walk away from Angel again. Especially not after he and Bones had essentially saved my sister's life. Besides, he was hot...
"Can I take you guys to lunch?" I blurted out.
Angel and Bones shared a confused look, and then Angel asked, "Youwant to takeusto lunch?"
Was that so weird? Suddenly uncertain, heat crept up my cheeks as I nodded. "I know it's not much of a thank-you for helping us, but it's the best I can think of right now. Besides, I think the adrenaline used during that jump consumed more calories than I've eaten all week. I'm starving."
The guys shared another look. Were they communicating telepathically, or doing play signs with their eyebrows? I couldn't tell, but I wanted to get to know Angel better and I wanted to eat. Now.
"We can go wherever you want," I added, sweetening the deal.
"Really?" Bones asked.
Now I had them. "As long as it's not a hundred dollars a plate, because this girl's on a budget."
Bones grinned. "Cajun."
Angel groaned.
"What's wrong with Cajun?" I asked.
"It's a dive." Angel complained. "Cheap, everything is fried, and I'm not even certain the fish is real."
"It's heaven. You know I wouldn't eat there if it wasn't," Bones replied. "And you keep promising you'll try it."
"Yeah, but every time you bring home a takeout bag, it smells like heartburn and diabetes."
