The Sky We Seek (Love and Other Dreams #2)

Chapter 23

Elina

I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans before heading to the mirror. Once again, I shake out my blond mane and ensure I have no lipstick on my teeth.

Then I smile at my reflection. "There's no reason to be nervous," I say to myself because it's true. Since Noah and I shared that longing, passionate kiss two days ago, everything has changed.

He kissed me. That's how it happened, not the other way around. And what else could it mean other than him being as in love with me as I am with him? No matter how much Maya warned me on the phone earlier, I can feel that we share something special. This is nothing like the mistakes of my past. It's real.

There's a knock on the door.

My heart skips a beat, and I exhale in short bursts. Then I quickly make my way to the entrance and open the door.

There he stands. And even though his gaze appears tired, he looks incredibly attractive. His five o'clock shadow has a hint of daring, and his tousled hair begs to be smoothed by me. As always, he wears faded jeans with a blue plaid shirt over a white T-shirt. His eyes sparkle. Because he sees me.

My nervousness instantly dissipates. "Hey," I say in a soft voice, stepping out to join him .

"This is for you." He pulls his hand from behind his back, revealing a daisy. He carefully tucks the flower into my hair.

Then he leans down and kisses my cheek. The scent of his skin makes me dizzy. Yes, we were supposed to do something else, but different plans come to mind now.

"Follow me," I murmur between two kisses on his lips, trying to pull him into my cabin.

He reaches for my hands. "Not yet." His words don't match his tone.

Surprised, I look up at him. He doesn't want to sleep with me? Why? I search his eyes for a sign, but I find nothing.

"We have all the time in the world," he says, gently tracing the contours of my cheekbones.

Of course, we do. I nod even though I don't fully understand what he's getting at. No man has ever rejected me at a moment like this. Nobody. Noah could have me. Right now. Yet he holds back.

Perhaps because he wants it to be something very special? Because I'm something very special to him?

He raises an eyebrow. "Are you ready for some action?"

Oh yes, I am. "Let's get started."

With a grin, I reach for his hand. We walk through the garden to the street where his car is parked and get in.

On the way to the summer toboggan run, I become fidgety. "How fast does this thing go, anyway?" I ask as Noah finally steers the car into the parking lot at the base station.

He unbuckles his seat belt. "You can control the speed yourself. But if you let the toboggan run, you can reach up to twenty-eight miles per hour."

I lean over to him. "Here's the plan. I'll spread my arms out. You'll hug me from behind, and I'll scream, ' I'm flyyyying ' at the top of my lungs."

For a moment, his forehead creases. "Anything you want," he says, then kisses my cheek.

We leave the car and walk hand in hand toward the ticket booth, basking in the radiant sunshine. "You've never seen Titanic , have you?" I ask.

"Of course, I know Titanic ." A smirk plays on his lips. "Who doesn't?"

I tighten my grip on his fingers. "I mean the movie."

He shrugs. "Never seen it."

No wonder, there isn't even a cinema in Semmtal. And the fact that he hasn't seen this classic tells me that he rarely gets out of here.

"We should plan a trip to the city soon. Maybe to Innsbruck. Or even better, Munich," I suggest, feeling the anticipation welling up inside me.

Finally, cool cafés, shopping streets, museums, and bustling crowds. All of that I could enjoy with him by my side.

"We'll stroll through Marienplatz and go for Vietnamese food." The words spill out of me. "There's also a cool market in the old town. We'll immerse ourselves in the hustle and bustle and taste Bavarian specialties." I look up at him, shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand. "Doesn't that sound fantastic?"

It takes a moment, but then he turns to me, and his features soften as soon as he sees me. "If it makes you happy, count me in."

With a small cry of joy, I hug him tightly. "Great, let's plan it for next weekend." I squeeze him as tightly as I can, and he returns my embrace.

"Unfortunately, I have to work then," he says with a remorseful tone, gently swaying me back and forth.

Too bad. A part of my joy immediately fades, but I won't let that spoil the mood. "Then a week later it is."

He nods, and I feel it against my shoulder. With my most beautiful smile, I create a little distance between us, rising to my tiptoes to kiss him. My God, I could do this all day long.

And clearly, he wants the same because he makes no attempt to let me go. Other visitors to the toboggan run pass by us, but for both of us, it's as if the world stands still.

"How did I ever survive without you?" I whisper as he catches his breath minutes later.

A dazzling smile spreads across his face, but I don't get an answer. Instead, he looks at me as if he can't believe this is really happening.

But it is true. We have finally found each other.

Feeling fully content, I reach for his hand and pull him along with me. "Time for more heart-pounding moments."

We buy the tickets and step into the gondola. During the ride to the mountaintop, we can hardly keep our hands off each other, and when we arrive at the top, my lips tingle from all the kissing.

"I want to show you something." Noah signals me to come with him.

We walk along a narrow path. The sun shines warmly from the sky, and the air is so crystal clear that the colors around us appear even more vibrant. The green of the grass blades gently swaying in the wind. The earthy trail under my gleaming white sneakers. Even the gray of the stones lining our path has something magical about it.

Directly ahead, I spot the summit cross, around which an observation deck has been built. When we arrive there, Noah stops.

"Give me your hand," he says, "and close your eyes."

Trusting, I place my hand in his and let my lids fall shut. I feel him step behind me and gently guide me forward. The ground beneath me sways slightly. We must be on the platform. Step by step, he pushes me farther until I feel something hard against my stomach.

With Noah embracing me from behind, I feel more secure than ever before in my life.

Safe and loved. That's all I ever wanted. I rest my head against his shoulder.

A split second later, I feel his cheek against mine. It glides feather-soft backward. "Open your eyes," he whispers in my ear.

I lift my eyelids and gaze into the infinite expanse of the Tyrolean mountain range. Countless peaks come into view. They appear rugged and steep yet enchanting in their own way. They radiate strength. Nothing can harm them. Not even the snow, which blankets some of the slopes and glistens in the sunlight. Standing here feels like being as close to heaven as a person can be.

With awe, I let my gaze wander. "It's simply overwhelming." Actually, it's more than that. It's indescribable. And what this sight evokes within me is even more profound.

"That's why I love this country," Noah sounds as moved as I am .

And suddenly, I can even understand it. I know why he has never left Tyrol and why he believes that he has everything he will ever need here.

I snuggle even closer to him and savor the moment. "Thank you for showing me this," I say although entirely different words bubble up inside me.

I love you , I want to whisper. No, I want to shout it out into the vastness of the mountains at the very center where we stand.

But something holds me back. This, Noah, and the way he embraces me. The fact that he would never impose himself on me and the caution with which he handles our feelings are new to me. And it's so delicate that I don't want to overanalyze it. We have all the time in the world. He said that to me earlier, and now I truly grasp the meaning of his words.

He wants to get to know me. On a level that has never before interested a man. To him, I am more than just a pretty, intelligent shell to be amused by.

Suddenly, I feel that Noah could truly be the man of my life.