With that, he and the instructor he'd been strapped to leap from the plane, leaving me and my guy as the last to leave.
"Come on." He shuffled us to the door, pausing for a moment as my feet dangled into the sky.
"OH GOD!" I screeched, my words snatched by the air. "OH JESUS!"
With a shove, we were falling, flying through the air, dropping at such speed I got a free facelift.
Words were coming from my mouth, no doubt expressions of utter horror as we fell but any sound had been ripped away, replaced by the roar of air as it rushed past.
We joined the others in the group, forming a rough circle as we fell.
My eyes met Will's across the group, his grin wide and joyous.
Skydiving had to be of the devil, and I hated every single thing about this moment… except him. His joy was infectious, and I ignored the pit in my belly and the whispering words which said I was about to die, instead concentrating on my husband.
Each year on the anniversary of our meeting, he packed me up, and we did something crazy in celebration. It'd taken him ten years, but finally, he'd convinced me to do this.
He shot me thumbs up, and I flicked him the bird, laughter bubbling up.
I loved him. More than loved him. I was in active love with him. Every day falling deeper, learning something new about him, something that shifted our relationship, burying more roots, entwining us more closely.
He had more salt than pepper these days. More wrinkles and laugh lines. But ten years and he was still the most attractive, sexy, loving man I'd ever known.
The instructor pulled the strap, our parachute opening to jerk us up, slowing our descent.
"What did you think?" he asked as the air calmed, and I could finally begin to hear again.
"I think I'm going to kill my husband, and no court in the land would convict me."
He cackled, pointing to the blue parachute in the distance. "That's him. Shall we race him to the ground?"
"Let’s."
The view may have been spectacular, and I may enjoy the endorphins racing through my body, but there was nothing in the world quite like standing on solid ground.
I dropped to my knees, pressing my hands against the grass as Will walked up.
"Never again," I declared, running my palm over the grass. "Honestly, Will. Never, ever again."
"Do you remember that first anniversary? You made me go to a tantric massage retreat."
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, 'cause tantric massage is comparable to jumping out of a perfectly safe plane."
"Karrie, we weren't allowed to have sex for a week. Don't you remember that? It was meant to be our anniversary!"
I laughed, allowing him to help me up. "Pretty sure we broke that rule on day one."
"And day two," he said with a grin, wrapping an arm around me.
"And maybe day three through seven."
We grinned
"I wouldn't have done this if not for you." I leaned into him. "You push me to do wild stuff, Mr. Dogg."
"And you push me to be a better man."
I tilted my head back, grinning up at him. "Not sure that's true."
