Page 55 of Pretty Relentless

Placing my hands on her hips, I watch as she readjusts her hands, takes a deep, calming breath, and starts to climb. She starts off slowly and with a bit of uncertainty, but by the time she’s at my head level, she seems more confident. Ava reaches up, grabs a peg, and climbs higher and higher.

“You’re doing great,” I say, hoping it doesn’t distract her.

Catching movement out of the corner of my eye, I look over to find the employee holding her rope staring up at her. Or, more specifically, starring at her ass. He’s gotta be in his early twenties, probably barely old enough to drink, and checking her out like she’s a popsicle on a summer July day.

Not that I blame him, of course. She has an amazing ass. I had my hands all over it last night and hope for a repeat very soon, but if Junior over there doesn’t peel his eyes off her backside soon, I might have to remove them for him.

“I did it!”

I look up and smile widely, feeling a huge sense of pride in her accomplishment. “Look at you, beautiful,” I reply, beaming up at her as she does the same back down to me. “Great job.”

“I can’t believe I did it,” she says, mostly to herself, taking a risk by looking around the massive room.

“When you’re ready, you can push off the wall and they’ll bring you down.”

It must have just hit her how’s she’s getting down. “You mean…just…let go?”

“Yes, just let go. Remember, you’re in a harness that’s secured through the pully on the ceiling. Your rope is here, and they have the brake on,” I remind her, pointing to the nearby employee ready to lower her to the ground. “You won’t fall.”

She closes her eyes for a few seconds and inhales. “This is like one of those trust-fall things.”

“Yep. Let go and trust me.”

Her brown eyes zero in on me and remain locked while she slowly begins the process of letting go of the wall. First, both her feet, and then her hands. She’s suspended from the ceiling, tethered by the security device, and slowly lowered to the ground, while wearing the most brilliant smile ever.

The moment she’s unhooked, she’s in my arms. “That was amazing.”

“I knew you could do it,” I tell her, squeezing her a little tighter than I should, because I love the feel of her against me.

“I’m so glad I did it,” she beams up at me.

“See? Stepping out of your comfort zone isn’t so bad, is it?” I whisper.

Her answer is to go up on her tiptoes and press her lips to mine. I fucking love it when she does that.

“Wanna go again, or would you like to grab something to eat?”

She looks up at the climbing wall. “Food. Definitely food. As fun as that was, I think I’ll keep my rock-climbing record at one and oh and call it a success.”

I snort a laugh and reach for her hand. As I lead her toward the counter where we can turn in our gear, I notice the young guy checking her out once more. Bringing her hand to my mouth, I place a kiss on her knuckles, and the moment he looks up and finds me watching him, I throw him a wink and a smirk.

He glances away quickly, winding up the rope in his hand and preparing for the next climber.

“Where do you want to eat?” I ask after we return our gear and pull our boots and coats out of our assigned lockers.

She shrugs. “I’m not picky.”

Before stepping outside and heading to my truck, I turn and face her. “Well, if you could be picky, what would you choose?”

She nibbles that bottom lip again and contemplates. My eyes zero in on the action, like they always do. “Well, thereisthis really great seafood place not too far from here, down by the river.”

“Done,” I insist, guiding her through the parking lot to my truck. As she climbs in, I add, “I love seafood.”

“Me too, though I don’t get over here too often.”

We make small talk as I drive to the seafood place she wants, and I can’t get over how easy it is being around her. Julia was always indecisive when it came to eating. She’d tell me all the time she didn’t care where we ate, but no matter where I picked, she’d complained. It got to the point, I’d always go to one of her known favorites, because at least I knew she’d find something she liked. After a year or two of doing that, then she’d complain I always went to the same spot.

It was exhausting.

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