“It’s okay,” I say again, because even if he’s not feeling it right now, it will be. I know it.
He leans down and I throw my arms around his neck. Our lips press together, and he tastes salty, like tears and sweat and I’m sure I do too, but I sure as hell don’t mind, and I don’t think he does, either. We kiss and kiss and I don’t care that there are a half-dozen cameras getting every angle of this.
I need him, and I need this.The comfort of his arms around me, the sheer heat of his tongue brushing mine and his body against me and—
“My baby!” a voice shrieks practically in my ear, and we both jump back. It’s Monroe, and she’s not actually standing a foot away from us, she’s just so loud it sounds like it. She’s being unhooked from her harness—a task made more difficult by the fact that she’s trying to scramble out of it at the same time—and reaching forTiberius, who is darting toward her like a fluffy, sparkle-caped rocket. “My best little sweet-ums,” she says, scooping him up. “Mommy loves her perfect little angel.” She starts kissing him, and his tongue flicks back, and they’re practically making out as much as Jason and I were.
Ewwww.
“Perfect little angel, my ass,” Jason mutters, shaking his head. He holds up his hand, and there are several bite marks there with blood welling up. His arm has been bitten, too, and scratched all to hell.
“The marks of heroism. Plus, I’ve heard chicks dig scars.” I give him a coy smile.
“If I’m left with scars from this, I am never admitting they came from a five pound ball of fluff and teeth.”
He absolutely will, though. Even though this thing will air and everyone will have seen the footage, he’ll tell this story at dozens of parties, and he’ll be hilarious and dramatic and people will be laughing so hard they’re crying and begging him to tell it again at the next party.
That’s my Jason. I grin and hug him tight again.
“Probably,” I say, “we should get some Neosporin on that. Scars can be sexy. Infections, though . . .”There’s a small med team here, one of whom appears to be checking outTiberius for injury—mostly impossible with him burrowed deeply into Monroe’s armpit.
Nearby, Destyny and Genesis, who have also just been unhooked, are flinging their arms around each other and weeping. “I’m so sorry I stole your husband!” Destyny wails. “I promise I’ll never do that again!”
“And I promise I’ll tell my Bible group that you aren’t the actual ‘Whore of Babylon’!” Genesis responds.
“I’ll never paint you as a moldy tomato again!” Destyny promises. “And I’ll try to get the one I sold to Nicholas Cage back and destroy it!”
“You can have any pieces from my jewelry line that you want,” Genesis says, then adds quickly, “At sixty percent off!”
“That’s a really good deal!” Destyny squeals happily.They’re bouncing as they’re hugging.
Calista, newly freed, runs over and throws her own arms around them and bounces along for a few moments, then pulls back and looks around. “Is it time for our facials yet? Because I’m still afraid of acne.”
Kate is the last one to reach the ground, and she looks like she’s torn between passing out and being sick.The rest of the med team goes over to her, though they don’t look to be providing either a ventilator or a barf bag.They talk to her quietly for a moment, but she shakes her head and waves them away.Tim unhooks her, and she slumps to the ground.
Jason and I look at each other and I sigh. “We should go check on her,” I say.
His lips tug up, and then, hand-in-hand, we walk over to her.
“You okay?” Jason asks, crouching next to her.
She lets out a shaky breath and straightens like she’s trying to pull herself together. “Yes. Definitely.” Her hands are trembling, though. I can’t help but feel for her, even if she’s still light years away from being my favorite person. Seeing her up there, so terrified . . . I may not be scared of heights, but I know that gut-dropping, frozen-in-place kind of fear.
Apparently Jason does, too.
“You did great,” Jason says. “You made it all the way down.That was huge.”
“It was,” she says, with more than a trace of well-earned pride.Then she sniffs. “And, well . . . I appreciate your help.”The words sound like she’s trying out a foreign language after only a couple Duolingo lessons. “And I’m sorry again for . . .” She waves in the general direction of Jason. “You know.”
“Yeah,” Jason says with a nod.
“Grabbing your ass,” she clarifies unnecessarily. “And just so you know, Emily’s not too good for you.”
Oh, god. She’s right, but seriously, is she going to diss me right now, after—
“I mean,” she says quickly, “because you’re both just right for each other! And she’snotan uggo!”
This last part is said like an accusation at Jason, who gapes.
