"Ready?" he whispers in my ear.
I catch my breath. Not just because of what will happen in a moment, but more so because of what is happening right now.
My pulse quickens. "Ready," I confirm, my voice trembling.
"Fall into the harness and start running," the employee instructs, his words blending with the excitement coursing through my entire body. I feel him gently give us a push, and Vico wraps his arms around me tenderly.
I feel the heat. Almost instinctively, my feet start moving on the ground, and then I lose contact with it.
I squint my eyes shut, and Vico cheers so enthusiastically that I can feel the vibration in his chest against my back.
Faster and faster, we zoom through the air. The rushing wind brushes against my skin, tugging at my T-shirt. I dare not look down and grip the rope tightly. Is the rushing sound in my earsfrom my blood or the air rushing past? I don't know. But what I do know is that pure adrenaline is coursing through my body.
It tingles everywhere. It's in my head, in my toes, and even in my stomach. It overwhelms me. And it feels incredible.
A scream escapes my mouth, followed by another one. Because letting out my emotions like this is so liberating that I no longer care if anyone judges me for it.
Then I open my eyes.
We're flying.
The view of the world below is breathtaking. The turquoise water, the orange-brown rock formations, the lush green trees. I can't get enough of it all, savoring every second, nestling into Vico's arms, wishing the ride would never end. Here, on this zip line, there's nothing else but the two of us and the feeling of being completely myself. Worries, questions, and obligations no longer exist.
For the first time, as far back as I can remember, I have no fear. On the contrary, I feel a deep strength within me.
Anything is possible.
And even though the end of our ride is already in sight, I want to hold on to this clarity. We race toward the terminal, the speed decreases without any effort on my part, until we come to a stop. I sigh and rest my head on Vico's shoulder, looking up at him.
He beams at me.
Unconsciously, I smile back and turn a bit more toward him.
We draw closer, feeling the magical pull between us, outshining any other emotion within me.
Anything is possible.
With a blissful expression, he opens his arms. Before I comprehend what's happening, I've fully turned to him and press myself against him. His scent surrounds me. My heart races, his breath is fast.
"That was… incredible!" I blurt out, unable to keep it to myself. "Thank you for convincing me."
"You're welcome," he pulls me closer and gently strokes my back.
In no time, it feels like I'm flying again. A lightness envelops me.
"I'm incredibly proud that you dared to do it," he whispers in my ear.
"I owe it to you." I take a deep breath of his scent and surrender to the way he clouds my thoughts. He gave me this moment of happiness, despite my initial resistance.
Inevitably, I think of what Camilla told me the day before on the Hollywood swing, that Vico couldn't handle commitments. But the way he holds me right now, everything within me refuses to believe it.
"You are wonderful," I hear myself say. "Why do you pretend to your sisters that relationships mean nothing to you?"
"Because it's better that way." His voice sounds fragile.
My intuition didn't deceive me. "Your family is important to you. And also your home, right?"
He shakes his head slowly. "It used to be that way. But today…"
