Chapter 49

Then, right before my eyes the universe came to life, a magnificent display of orbiting planets all around us.I watched Saturn pivot by with its moons all in perfect rotation, followed by Neptune, Mercury, Mars and Venus.I had to sit up and reach out to touch and hold them despite the fact they were only holograms.For one moment I felt like a female Atlas with worlds in my hands and a galaxy at my fingertips.Along the ceiling, thousands of stars twinkled brightly, while others converged into a dazzling display of constellations, the Big and Little Dippers, Scorpio, the Gemini Twins, Taurus, and Leo.Star systems came next, Andromeda, followed by Alpha Centauri and the Milky Way.I remained spell-bound by such a fantastic show until I felt Dane's arms around me and his cheek pressed to mine.And yet, even his intoxicating presence made only a small dent in my rapture.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured.