Page 108 of Praying for Thunder

She asked, “Do I have any reason not ta believe ya?”

My eyes opened. “If I ever tell you I don’t want to be with you anymore, I’m lying.”

She took another step closer to me. “Okay.”

“I’m just trying to protect you.”

Her eyes were saddened. “Okay.”

I whispered, “But I don’t have the strength yet.”

Her lips parted.

I felt so selfish. “I hope I’m not making a mistake.”

“I hope…” Her voice was angelic. “I hope ya never find the strength to leave me.”

I swallowed. “You’re not going to pray for it?”

Her expression showed pure honesty. “No. This will be something we decide.”

Another profound moment. Another gentle and tender moment for me to understand Jesus no longer stood between Rya and Thunder. We were going to be a couple that would have ultimate trust in each other. We just had to go through Hell to get there.

As she took another step down to be closer to me, she softly said, “I dreamt of ya last night.”

Even though she wasn’t on the ground with me, I was still taller than her.

Gazing down at this vibrant spirit my heart longed for, I pushed hair behind her ear. “What was it about?”

Her chest pressed to mine, allowing me to feel her breath racing. “You were older, your hair very short. Shirtless, ya stood tall, proudly, in front of a motorcycle.” She touched my face. “You had a trimmed full beard.” She rested a hand on my chest, above our connected bodies. “And here, across your whole chest, was the most beautiful tattoo of angel wings.”

I sucked in air. I hadn’t told her of the tat inked by my fathers.

Her blonde brows bunched as she read me. Then she said, “Show me.”

Slowly, as if we both sensed a presence with us, Ryannon helped remove my cut, then helped pull my shirt over my head.

The sun sizzled against my bare skin. Her gasp sizzled against my heart…

Gentle fingers grazed my healing marks. “Thunder, there was a voice in the dream.”

Even with the heat of the sun, I started to shake.

She peered up at me. “But… I’m not to tell ya what it said.”

My lungs struggled to retrieve air for me. “Okay.”

“But I’m to tell ya something’ else.”

“Okay.”

She rose onto her tippy toes, her lips touching mine once. “Do whateva’ it takes.”

We kissed.

My arms shot out and wrapped around her, squeezing tight. “Rya.”

She kissed me. “It is not my place ta judge. Understand?”