The way she was sitting, with the side of her face against his back, she could hear his breathing and, even more loudly, his heartbeat. She'd started listening to its compelling rhythm, counting the beats, hearnig them calm down ever so slightly.

So his voice almost startled her, but not quite.

She turned her face to kiss his back again, then softly laid her chin against his back. "It's OK, love." Crash and burn, you're not alone... the words of a far-away song swam up in her mind. Neither of us is alone. That's what matters.