Breathless Descent (18 page)

Jennifer laughed. “And here they come,” she said. “They can’t stand that we went out alone.”

Shay laughed and lay on her back. “I can’t believe I did,” she said. “Only a month ago I didn’t even want to jump.” But a month-long honeymoon after an elopement to Italy had included some amazing skydiving scenery, and Shay was hooked on jumping. Caleb was thrilled. She still couldn’t believe she was officially Mrs. Caleb Martin and a Hotzone woman.

She and her Hotzone sisters rolled to their backs and watched the Aces, plus one—Kent, no doubt—floating through the sky. Two weeks out of rehab, Kent was determined to make skydiving his new diversion. He wanted to become a jump-master.

“You know,” Jennifer said, “Kent and Lori really do sizzle together, but I don’t think they’ve talked since he got out of rehab. Maybe we should arrange something. Besides. I love the idea of opening the flight school.”

Sabrina glanced knowingly at Shay. “See what a matchmaker she is? She agrees with me on the flight school because she wants to fix Kent up with Lori. This is why she’s a vet—she’s very touchy-feely.”

Shay laughed. “She did pretty good with you and Ryan.”

“She tried to fix me up with Caleb, not Ryan,” she said. “That must be a sign that Kent and Lori are completely wrong for each other, because Ryan and Caleb are like night and day, and she had me totally pegged wrong.”

“Hey,” Jennifer said, leaning up on her elbow. “How do you know it wasn’t all my evil plan?” She wiggled a brow. “Make Ryan the forbidden fruit, so you couldn’t resist a taste.”

Sabrina’s eyes lit. “Ryan has a way of making every day feel like forbidden fruit all by himself. He didn’t need any help.”

Shay smiled because Caleb was on the ground now, walking toward her, mischief in his eyes. Her man. Her husband. And he wasn’t forbidden fruit anymore. Though he was certainly good at finding naughty, wonderful ways to show her he loved her. Shay sighed as he tumbled to the ground beside her and onto his back, taking her with him.

He teased her about jumping without him, and they fell into silence, staring at the sky. Shay glanced around, noting the other two couples doing the same thing and contentment settled inside her.

Kent sat alone, staring up at the sky.

Her resolve formed. She was calling Lori.

Caleb laughed and kissed her. “Don’t you even think about getting Jennifer’s matchmaking bug. He needs to rediscover himself before he has room for someone else in his life.”

“I just want him to be happy,” she said. “Like I am.” She touched his cheek and then glanced at the princess-cut white-diamond ring on her finger before her gaze found his. “I can’t believe we’re married.”

He took her hand and kissed the ring. “My wife. My life.” He smiled and gave her a mischievous wink.

She laughed. “Oh, my husband. My life.”

Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Renee Jones

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