I lean forward to observe the empty front seat again as we speed down the highway. I’ve taken several rides in this thing so far but I’m still as nervous about it as the first time. Ari has stopped trying to convince me it’s safe and has resorted to simply chuckling at me in response.

I sit back in my seat and adjust the sleeves on my cardigan. “So, where’s the car going today?” I ask. “Vienna? Tokyo?”

“Cleveland,” Ari answers.

“Well, that’s an odd way to impress a lady.”

He smiles. “Last night was for making an impression. Today, we go a little deeper.”

“Because when I think deep, I think Cleveland.”

Ari laughs. “It’s nice to see you’ve regained your sense of humor.”

I look out the window. “Well, if I can say anything about this experience so far, it’s oddly humbling.”

He breathes out. “Strange.”

“What is?”

“That being wooed by a god makes you feel insignificant.”

My cheeks blush and I force myself to keep looking forward. “So, what’s in Cleveland?” I ask.

“Not in,” he replies. “Above.”

The car turns off the highway and I shift on my seat as soon as I see the runway.

“Don’t be scared, Tannis,” he says. “You’re with me.”

We come to a stop outside of a small, gray hangar. Ari steps out of the car and I grip the seat beneath me. A rush of unease fills my gut as he extends his hand to me.

Above?

Like... above the ground?

Fuck.

Ari stands still, his hand never showing a twitch of impatience.

Don’t be scared, Tannis.

You’re with me.

He is a god, after all. Statistically speaking, I’m probably the safest I could ever possibly be right now.

But solid ground has its perks.

I reach out and lay my hand in his. My skin tingles at his cold touch — though it’s not nearly as icy as it was before. He takes it with a soft grip and guides me out of the car. My knees tremble as I stand and Ari lays his other hand on my hip to hold me steady. His lips twitch with a tender smile as I look up into the dark pools of his eyes. The early afternoon sun pours down on us but his eyes seem just as dark as they were before...

In the dream.

“What’s wrong?” Ari asks.

I realize I’m holding my breath. “Nothing,” I say.

His hand lingers on my waist. “Did you want to talk about last night?” he asks.

“I, uh...” I look down, swallowing hard. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have slammed the door on you like that. I was just...”

“I don’t mean that.”

I lean back. “Then... wh-what do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” he says. “One moment, I was minding my own business at home. The next, you were in my bed.”

“Whoa, wait.” I step back. “What?”

“You thought it was a dream,” he says with a smile.

“It was a dream.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“I was sleeping!”

“No, you weren’t.”

“Then what did you do to me?”

“I told you, I didn’t do anything.” He shakes his head. “I don’t think it was you or me, Tannis. There are forces in this world that even I don’t understand.”

I wrinkle my forehead, confused. “How is that possible?”

“Anything is,” he simply says.

My pulse quickens and that warm ribbon curls through my chest again.

Ari smiles and looks over my shoulder toward the hangar. “Have you ever flown before?” he asks.

I tilt my head. “You know I haven’t.”

“I do. I also just like hearing you talk to me, so…”

He bobs his head, urging me to answer.

“No,” I say. “No, I’ve never flown before.”

He releases my hand and I instantly miss it. “Let’s go.”

We walk toward the hangar. I glance around for signs of life but there’s no one else here. The place looks old and abandoned but feels brand-new, if that makes any sense at all.

Not sure why I even try to make sense of any of this, to be honest.

Ari grabs the door and slides it wide open, revealing a small plane sitting in the middle of the hangar. Well… small might be too kind of a word.

I linger in the doorway, feeling increasingly more against this — whatever the hell this is.

Ari lets out another chuckle and reaches back to snatch my hand again. “Come on…”

I dig my feet in. “Is that a real plane? Or a half-scale model of a real plane?”

“It’s perfectly safe.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” I glance around. “Where’s the pilot?”

“You’re looking at him,” he says.

He tugs my arm, forcing me to move forward with him.

“Ari, hold on—” I try to stop but his touch tingles up to my elbow. “Wait.”

We stop by the side of the plane and Ari reaches down to open the door. My stomach churns at the interior. There’s barely any room for one inside, let alone two.

My heart pounds harder. I can’t do this. Does he really think I’m gonna do this?

Ari rests his other hand on mine, sandwiching my palm between his. I look up at him, fully expecting another pep talk but he says nothing. He just looks at me with those deep eyes, his soft expression waiting patiently for me. How long will he wait before picking me up and throwing me inside?

Or I can just get in the damn plane.

I let out a sigh and step up into the plane. Ari’s brow rises, seemingly impressed as I sit down on the tiny bench inside. He follows me in, pulling the door closed behind us as he takes his seat beside me.

The plane roars alive and I stiffen, still not used to the idea of phantom pilots and drivers. Ari pulses my hand twice, making me remember that he’s still holding on, still keeping me anchored to something real.

Something safe, maybe?

I don’t know.

The plane moves forward out of the hangar and gently tilts itself toward the runway. I close my eyes as I adjust to the change in momentum, praying I don’t vomit all over myself as the speed ticks upward.

“Open your eyes,” Ari says beside me. “You’ll want to see this.”

I obey, fluttering my lids open. The world passes outside with a blaze of green trees and a dizzy wave washes over me.

Ari rests a hand on my back to hold me steady as we plummet even faster toward the end. Before we reach it, the plane begins to rise and I clench hard. No more ground. Just air. And more air. And more…

Oh, god.

Ari leans forward to get a better look at the ground, his face twisted in a permanent smile. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asks, raising his voice over the roaring engine.

I lean an inch and my stomach churns, forcing me right back. “Uh-huh,” I murmur.

He laughs. His hand never loses its grip as we ascend even higher and I can’t exactly lie and say it’s not comforting.

After a few minutes, the plane levels out and my stomach calms enough for me to lean forward again. I scan the land below us, so green and gorgeous. I bite my lip. Ari was right. I probably would have regretted it if I kept my eyes closed.

“How high are we?” I ask.

“Ten-thousand feet,” he answers.

I take a breath. “It’s beautiful.”

He nods. “I like to do this. Now and then.”

I chortle. “Admire Ohio farmland?”

“Or California wine country,” he says, grinning. “Or the castles in Ireland. There’s so much to see in this world. It’s breathtaking.”

I lick my lips, feeling dry. “It is, yeah.”

We pause for another few moments, both of us staring out into the world.

Then, Ari reaches down and pushes the door open. A cold wind rushes inside and I slam backward to hit the opposite wall.

“Ari!” I gasp.

He raises a hand. “It’s perfectly safe,” he says, looking out. “Trust me.”

“Safe? This is the opposite of safe!”

He laughs. “Then, you’re gonna love this.” He squeezes my hand again and smiles. “Jump.”

I jut back again. “No.”

“Tannis, how many times are we going to do this little dance before you just let me lead?” he asks.

“Dancing is one thing,” I argue. “Jumping out of a plane — without a parachute — is an entirely different thing.”

“You’re right, it’s easier,” he quips. “You just take my hand, close your eyes, and don’t let go. No one-two-three, one-two-three required.”

I dig my foot into the floor. “No,” I say again.

Ari nods, his eyes still twinkling with amusement. “What are you afraid of?”

“The obvious!”

“Death?”

“That and the falling and splat part.”

“If I told you that there was no chance of that happening, would you still jump with me?”

I hesitate. “Why are you doing this, Ari?”

“To prove a point.”

“What point?”

“That you have my word,” he says. “You have my trust, my unending promise, that nothing will ever harm you, Tannis. Everything you see, from the dirt beneath your feet to the stars above your head, bows to me.”

I bite my cheek. “And who do you bow to?” I ask.

He looks at me and my breath hitches. “Take my hand and I’ll show you,” he says, opening his palm again.

I stare down at his hand as the blurred ground rolls beneath us. My ears dull to the sound of the plane engine and the rushing winds and I can barely take in a full breath to soothe my nerves.

Should I fight this a little longer? Maybe he’s testing me and I’m one more no away from touching solid ground again. Or maybe I should think of it another way…

I’m one yes away from flying.

The thought makes my heart skip twice, awakening the warm ribbon lying dormant within.

Ari raises his hand and rests it on my chest near my shoulder. “I know,” he says, reading my mind. “I feel it, too.”

“You do?” I ask. He nods. “What is it?”

“I don’t know,” he says, “but I’ve felt it since you kissed me last night.”

My lips tingle as his hand slowly shifts up my shoulder to my cheek. “Fall with me, Tannis. I promise the world will catch you.”

I don’t move. I don’t even look down. I fix my gaze into the depths of his eyes as I lay my hand over his on my cheek. He turns his wrist and entwines our fingers, cooling my burning skin with this icy touch.

“Don’t let go,” he says.

And then, we fall.