Defying Mars (The Saving Mars Series) - By Cidney Swanson Page 0,87
is patently missing,” she agreed.
“I’m glad you’re not,” whispered Pavel, turning his head to hers.
Her skin suffused once more with warmth, and she turned as well, smiling. Their foreheads bumped softly.
“Me, too,” said Jess.
She could feel the warmth of his breath, sense its moisture.
She inched her face toward his so that their noses touched. And then Jess murmured softly, “I’m going to kiss you.”
Stars sparked overhead and the sky to the east glowed as Pavel laughed softly. A moment’s hesitation, a rearrangement of noses, and Jess felt his lips upon hers once more.
Salt, wet, longing, home.
Home.
Pavel’s mouth on hers felt like home.
She felt a single tear sliding across the bridge of her nose.
“What?” asked Pavel.
She closed her eyes. “I’ll never see Mars again.”
“You’ve lost your home,” he said, a sadness in his voice that mirrored hers. “But I promise you won’t be alone. Whatever your plans, wherever you go, I’ll stand by you, Jessamyn.”
Jessamyn smiled, thinking of the vows people took back home in the Crystal Pavilion. “Where I come from, that’s a big promise,” she said. And then she kissed him again.
End of Book Two
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Acknowledgements
I am filled with gratitude when I think of my readers. And whether you spell it verklempt or verklemmt, please know that overcome is exactly what I feel when I consider how readers have made it possible for me to do what I love. All day. For a living. Thank you.
I couldn’t make it without the help of beta readers and ARC readers. Thank you! Errors would abound were it not for the assistance of the divine Alexis Arendt of wordvagabond.com editing services. Rachael, Kate, Isabel, and Toby: thanks for asking and/or hinting about the next book!
My dear husband has faithfully answered questions involving the constantly changing distances from Earth to Mars and why exactly Mars’s low atmospheric pressure would kill me even if the lack of oxygen or cold temperatures didn’t happen to get me first. However, any errors in representing the good information he provided are my errors, and mine alone.
To members of the various research teams at NASA Ames who showed up for the public event on the breezy evening of August 5, 2012 and answered my myriad questions, I am especially indebted. I have a geek-crush on all of you. Especially after the heat shield and parachute deployment operated in so very, wonderfully, nominal a fashion.
Author’s Note
Would you like to see humans on Mars? Or journey there yourself? You many find the following organizations of interest: