Whisky Throttle (Throttle Series, #1)

thirty-one

Calla

Maddox and I are the only two sitting beside the campfire at midnight. We're on a double chair with three blankets wrapped around our bodies. The sky above us is patchy with clouds, leaving us only a few clear breaks to gaze at the stars. Up here, without the light pollution, the stars are magnificent. The stars make me wonder if Earth is the only planet with living organisms.

"Do you think there are other livable planets out there?" I murmur, moving my head up from Maddox's chest. The cold nips my warm cheek and makes me snuggle closer to him. The body heat he gives off is enough to heat a house. Or, in this case, another body. Having his body heat and his arms around me makes me feel safe. "Other species that exist?"

Maddox tips his face to the sky, the flickering flames of the fire making shadows dance across his skin. From this view, his face looks like it's been carved from marble; his cheekbones are absolute, his jawline complex, and the five o'clock shadow dark. He looks older than twenty-one, but the look of wonder in his green eyes is childish and young, full of the innocence he lost too early. "Yes," he replies. "Out of the billions of stars in the sky, we can't be the only life force with this technology, language, and culture. It's impossible."

I blink in surprise. Maddox is quite serious about the world. He's not black and white, but he does separate logic from imagination. I like seeing this imaginative side of him.

"Wow, Calla," he drawls, grinning at me. "Way to hide the look of shock."

I blink again and stumble over words. "Maddox—I... I didn't... that's not what..."

He chuckles, pulling me closer to him. "I'm only teasing you. I know it seems odd for me to believe when I'm a factual person, but the universe is vast and unknown. Much like understanding the human brain, we've only scratched the surface. How much do we really know about what's out there? Those stars and planets are light years away." He glances at me from the corner of his eye. "What do you think?"

I press my lips into a flat line, pondering my thoughts. The universe is too vast to come to any scientific conclusions. As Maddox said, we've scratched the surface. "I agree," I reply. "I think there's more out there. If there were other livable planets, what would your perfect world look like?"

Maddox smiles and closes his eyes. "It would look like Takodana from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, covered in an abundance of lush forests and dotted with small lakes. It would be composed of lakes, plains, and temperate forest. Some mountains, too. I'd live in a cabin with an excellent view of the lake. Live off the land and try to keep my carbon footprint small. The climate would be cooler; always perfect for jeans and a T-shirt." He pauses, taking a deep breath. "You'd be there. So would Vance and Allison. Laurel could tag along if she wanted to. Same with your family."

I rest my cheek against his chest, smiling. I can see it all so clearly: our cabin with flannel sheets and a wood fire. There would always be a faint hint of fresh coffee and campfire smoke in the air. Maybe even a splash of cinnamon spice. Every morning, we'd go out and work our butts off until the daily chores were complete. Then, we'd sit down at the dinner table and eat, dressed in our warm clothes. After dinner, we'd do what we're doing right now: cuddling next to a campfire and discussing important topics while gazing at the stars.