A small smile pulled at my lips. “I bet she’d love that.”
“She really would.”
“But are there ducks for her to feed?” I asked, tilting my head.
“I’m not sure.” He chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, warmth flickering in them. “But there shouldbe.”
And I loved that we both knew the little details about his little girl. That I had that in common with him now.
For a moment, we just stood there.
Floating.
His arm still around my waist.
My back still pressed against his chest.
The world stretched out below us, quiet and beautiful.
And unlike when we’d taken off, I wasn’t thinking about how high up we were. I was just thinking about how safe I felt. Safe and happy in Theo’s arms.
We stayed like that until a sudden shift in the air jolted the basket.
I sucked in a breath as the balloon dipped just enough to make my stomach drop.
“Whoa,” I said, my hand tightening instinctively on Theo’s arm where it was wrapped around my stomach.
“It’s okay,” the pilot called out easily. “Just a little change in the current.”
“I’ve got you,” Theo said quietly, his arm wrapping around my waist securely, his grip steady as the balloon swayed again. Not as strong this time, but enough that I turned my head slightly, my focus drifting away from the horizon.
Straight into the man standing behind me.
And I was suddenly even more aware of the warmth of him behind me. The solid line of his chest at my back. The steady rise and fall of his breathing.
Theo was holding me. Holding me like he cared about me. Holding me in the way a man would hold his girlfriend.
His hand smoothed along my stomach, drifting slowly up along my ribs. And it felt incredible. Sending waves of pleasure circling through my core.
Did he like standing like this as much as I did?
Was he feeling as in tune with every little movement—every little breath—like I was?
I tilted my head back, trying to catch a peek at his face to see if I could tell what he might be thinking. But when I looked up, instead of finding him looking out over the horizon, his gaze was intent on me.
Like he’d been watching me when I hadn’t realized it.
And when our eyes locked, everything around us went quiet. The world narrowing down to just the two of us.
When his gaze dipped down to my lips, my breath suddenly caught in my chest because I couldn’t help but wonder if he was thinking about leaning in.
Thinking about kissing me.
The burner roared overhead, the sudden rush of sound snapping our attention upward.
We both blinked, like we were coming back to ourselves at the same time.
Because…right.