Page 57 of My Heart Still Beats
“Congratulations, everyone!” Marcus grins. “You’ve made it to the top of Dunn’s River Falls.”
I didn’t bring a camera, and neither did Tessa. Plus, we left our phones behind so they wouldn’t get wet. No matter. Skye will have her own photographs, and they’ll be better than anything I could capture.
Besides, I don’t need a photo. I’ll never forget this place—or the serene look on Tessa’s beautiful face.
“Take in all the scenery,” Marcus advises. “The lush jungle, the Caribbean Sea. The silver, white, and gray of the stones around you. Just think.” He gestures. “These steps were formed over centuries by the waters themselves.”
Tessa is gazing outward. “It’s so tranquil here. Even with the crowds of people. I almost feel like it’s only you and I.”
“I should have rented out the Falls for the day,” I say, “and then it could have been.”
I expect her to say something snide about me throwing my money around, but she surprises me. “Could you imagine that? Only the two of us? No voices, nothing splashing us except the water itself. It would be heaven, Ben. Absolute heaven.”
The look on her face, the sound of her voice…
I’d give up my fortune and surrender to my demons if it meant I could keep Tessa in her current state of mind, that beautiful, unflustered smile on her face.
Skye and Braden eventually make it to the top, and Skye snaps about a hundred more photos. Marcus and the others begin to descend, and Skye and Braden follow.
But Tessa and I…
We stay. The limos won’t leave without us, and if they do? I’ll call another.
Because right now, in this moment, Tessa is feeling something wonderful. I won’t take that away from her.
We’ll go at her pace.
Her breathing is deep, and every once in a while she closes her eyes. Then she opens them quickly, as if she doesn’t want to miss one second of this spectacular view.
Finally she turns to me. “We should go.”
I gently touch her shoulder. “We’ll go when you’re ready to go and not one moment sooner.”
She nods. “I’m ready. Thank you for talking me into this. It’s been wonderful, truly.”
I give her a smile. “I’m glad.” I grab her hand. “We need to be more careful going down. It’s easy to slip and fall.”
“I’ll be careful.”
I take the lead, navigating each step with care, balancing the exhilaration of the waterfall’s force with care to maintain my footing. I grip Tessa’s hand, helping her down each rock.
The water laps our knees, and in some places nearly hits our waists, but I hear no complaints from Tessa. We move with the water, smoothly navigating it, until—
“Oh shit!” I slide off a rock and into a pool of water up to my chest.
Tessa tumbles down after me, and I catch her in my arms, water cascading over us.
I expect to see fear in her eyes, but instead I see only jubilation.
She’s laughing. Tessa is laughing!
Our bodies are touching in an embrace, and her lips are mere inches from mine.
Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her.
That’s my body talking. My other head.
But I can’t, even though I want to more than I want my next breath.
