Standing at the edge of the plane, the wind whipped around her, wildly tossing her hair to and fro. It nearly drowned out every other sound, however, her heightened senses allowed her to hear a cacophony of heartbeat and pounding pulses, each drumming a different rhythm.
Among the chaotic melody, she could pinpoint one that hummed at a fast yet steady pace. She closed her eyes and let herself get lost in it. Images of her husband flooded her mind, eliciting memories of his hungry kisses and fervent touches. It made her smirk before timidly turning to face Julian, offering him a broad, excited grin.
"Are you ready, darling?" she shouted over the noise, watching him intently.
He nodded, his eyes twinkling with excitement and something else. "Yeah! You go first, my love! I'll be right behind you!"
Solana bit back a grin, amused at the series of emotions that played in her husband's eyes. She clearly pictured the scene that must have played in his imagination.
Jumping off the plane, she'd allow herself to enjoy the first few minutes of the free fall, clueless with what was to happen next. Then, when she was ready to open her parachute, she'd find that it was stuck, not willing to budge. This would cause her to panic, shooting Julian a frantic look.
Her husband won't immediately notice her struggle until the last minute, when she was so close to breaking. But by then, it would be too late to save her, thus she'd plummet straight to her death, leaving him a widow and the sole heir to her vast wealth.
But alas! That was far from what was likely to happen.
Earlier, when he wasn't looking, Solana had abruptly switched their parachutes, saving herself the trouble of needing to explain how she couldn't stay dead after falling at least 15,000 feet from the sky. "Now that would be one hell of a headline," she mused.
Focusing back on her beloved, she blew him air kisses, looking forward to seeing his reaction when he realized he had failed in his initial but bold attempt.
Without another word, she leaped from the plane, feeling the rush of air tugging at her clothes and hair as she plummeted toward the earth in rapid speed. She spread her arms wide, enjoying the sensation of just falling.
A few moments later, she heard a scream—a distinctly overly excited one. Julian had jumped after her, as promised. She glanced up just in time to see him fumbling with his parachute, his face a mask of panic as he tugged at the cord over and over.
Solana watched his face go white with fear, realization probably dawning on him. She had wanted to wait a bit more before helping him out. But her conscience didn't allow her to do so.
Humming, she angled herself toward him, zipping through the air like a missile. Solana reached him just as he was on the verge of losing his head with frustration and hysteria, his body trembling with sheer terror. "Hey! I'm here! I got you!" she yelled, grabbing him by the waist and tugging at her own parachute.
The sudden jerk of the parachute deploying sent them both swinging in the air, their descent slowing dramatically. Julian clung to her, his face buried against her shoulder, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
"God, Solana!" He muttered, still gripping her tightly as if his life depended on it—which, to be fair, it did.
Solana couldn't help but laugh at his obvious distress. "Quite the rush, isn't it?"
Julian pulled back, his face pale but alive with adrenaline and disbelief. "You... You saved me," he stammered, eyes wide. "But that wasn't supposed to—"
"Supposed to what?" She asked innocently. It made her curious to see if he'd have the courage to actually admit his crime right there in mid-air, where he was currently at her mercy.
"Nothing," Julian chuckled. "I got nervous. You saved me. It's a lot to process."
"Well," Solana purred seductively. "I can't have you dying on me when we're on our honeymoon now, can I?"
He pursed his lips, planting a soft, sweet kiss on hers.
"That would be a shame. I have no plans of making you a widow too soon."
Solana smiled, kissing him back. 'But you wouldn't mind being the widow instead, right darling?' she thoughtfully considered.
—
Back on solid ground, Julian's legs wobbled as he stumbled away from the landing zone. Solana, on the other hand, landed gracefully. She thanked the personnel in charge before catching up with him, sensing his distraught.
Solana playfully nudged his shoulders, "Are you alright?" she prodded.
"Yes," Julian answered, clearing his throat as he adjusted his expression, reaching for Solana's right hand. "I was just processing how I could have died today."
Solana pressed her lips together, fighting back the snark reply that passed her thoughts. If her husband were to read her mind, he would know that everything he had done so far was all in vain.
"You know, I would never let that happen. Not under my watch," she promised. As a response, he squeezed her hand tight.
They walked hand in hand toward the waiting car with Solana watching Julian out of the corner of her eye. He was quiet, his brow furrowed, lost in thought. It left her wondering what he would come up with next.
'Poison? Ugh, boring. Maybe he'd push her on a cliff. Hmm, not bad.'
The uncertainty of his next move had her on edge, leaving her thrilled and looking forward to it. There was something oddly endearing about his clumsiness and hesitation. She found it romantic, in a twisted sort of way.
Upon reaching the car, she slid into the passenger's seat, her smile turning wistful. "Julian," she said, her tone deadly serious as she dutifully put on her seatbelt. "I think we should have a talk tonight. Over dinner."
He froze, the car key dangling in his hand. "A talk?" he echoed, his voice an octave too high as he started the ignition.
"Mm-hmm." She gave him a sidelong glance, letting out a heavy sigh. "There's something I need to tell you."
Julian felt uneasy, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "Okay," he answered, his heart racing. "Whatever that is about, my love for you will remain unchanged, Solana."
Solana smiled in return, listening to his heart drumming an unsteady rhythm.
'Liar.'