Chapter 129
Liam watches me with a smile that’s way too amused for the current situation. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
“Both.”
He laughs. The breeze tugs at his hair, golden light painting his face like some Renaissance oil painting that would’ve had me blushing in history class. He looks unfairly gorgeous for
someone floating hundreds of feet in the sky while I’m currently fighting for my life.
He steps behind me and slides his arms around my waist. “Emilia,” he says gently, “you’re not going to fall.”
“You don’t know that,” I mumble into the wind. “People fall. Gravity exists. Birds get tired.”
He laughs again and leans down to press a kiss right behind my ear. “You’re not a bird, baby”
Okay. Well now I’m dying for a different reason.
“You’re not helping,” I whisper.
“I apologise. It’s my fault you’re so adorable. Now come on. Let go for a second.”
“No.”
“Yes,”
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“No.”
He spins me around so I’m facing him, and suddenly i forget all about how far off the ground we are. His hands are on my hips, his eyes all focused heat, and it’s ridiculous how fast he make everything else disappear.
“This was supposed to be romantic,” he says, faux pouting
I raise an eyebrow, “Was the death trap in the sky part of the plan too?”
“Are we forgetting who suggested this? And who was strongly against it?”
“When my plans go wrong they’re automatically your plans.”
“Yes, yes, Em. I take all the blame, but look,” He grins. “The view s kind of insane.”
I glance over his shoulder- and okay, fine. It’s breathtaking The sky is streaked in gold and pink, the sun dipping below the horizon like it’s showing off just for us.
“It’s kind of beautiful,” I admit.
His smile softens. “I have a better view right in front of me.”
Ugh. Unfair.
And then he does that thing – that thing – where he tilts his head and looks at me like I’m the only girl on the planet. Like I’m art. Like I’m everything.
He pulls me in again, this time slower, deeper, his hand
threading into my hair. My stomach isn’t flipping from the height
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anymore – it’s from him. It’s all him.
“You always have horrible ideas,” he murmurs against my lips. “How can you not know you’re afraid of heights?”
EMILIA
I instantly get defensive, momentarily forgetting that if this basket in the sky decides to tilt, I’ll be falling to my death. “Are you seriously trying to blame me for your mistakes?”
His lips twitch. “I wouldn’t dare. Truly.” He’s trying not to laugh, but he’s failing miserably – his shoulders are shaking, and his mouth is twitching like he’s choking on a smirk.
“Besides,” he adds, eyes dancing, “you’re the one who mocked me when the balloon lady asked if you were scared.”
“That was before the adrenaline wore off.”
He grins. “You mean when you climbed in first and said, and I quote, ‘It’s okay if you’re too scared. Not everyone’s built for conquering their fears‘? That was just the adrenaline talking?”
“I’ve grown since then,” I hiss. “It was a lapse in judgement. A temporary ego high.”
“Well, colour me inspired. I’m so impressed I can barely speak,” he mocks, cupping my cheeks with that infuriatingly smug smile spreading wider. “Truly, the arc on you.”
“Does this mean we can get down now?”
“And miss the chance to watch you panic like a cat in a bathtub?” He grins. “Not a chance in hell.”
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I could cry, honestly. But for some reason, my eyes stay dry. Maybe because even though I’m one strong gust of wind away from death, Liam’s annoyingly close and somehow still smells like heaven.
“You’re not a sadist, are you?”
“Usually, no. But hey, self–discovery happens every day.” Wow. Okay. Rude. He still hasn’t stopped smiling, clearly enjoying my distress way too much. I learn something new about Liam today: he is, in fact, a sadist. “You know, with this grip, if you fall, I’m coming right after you.”
“That is the least comforting thing you could possibly say right now.”
He shrugs. “Then loosen up a little.”
“Not a chance.”
“Didn’t think so.”
Eventually, when I stop panicking and actually start listening to Liam’s annoyingly calm reassurances, I realise… he might be kind of right.
The basket isn’t exactly wobbling. The ropes aren’t snapping. Statistically, this is probably safer than my last Uber ride.
And, okay – maybe this is the only time I’ll ever get to do something like this. Especially considering the way my bank account is currently side–eyeing me.
Plus, once I back away from the edge, the view is insane. I even get brave enough to snap a few pictures and send them to
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Tess, adding a dramatic “Goodbye, if I die, remember me hot” caption.
