Page 21 of Seduced By the Mountain Man

I had no answer for that.

***

The first zip-line was relatively short, designed to help beginners get comfortable with the sensation before tackling the longer, faster lines higher up the mountain. I watched as guest after guest stepped off the platform with varying degrees of enthusiasm, from Whitney's exuberant "Woo-hoo!" to Kayla's quiet determination.

When my turn came, I approached the edge with what I hoped was casual confidence. Matt had clipped me to the line and stepped back, leaving me facing a drop that suddenly seemed much steeper than it had from solid ground.

"Whenever you're ready," he encouraged. "Just step off and let gravity do the work."

I nodded, took a deep breath, and looked down.

Big mistake.

My stomach lurched, vision tunneling slightly as vertigo hit. I'd never considered myself afraid of heights, but something about the combination of elevation, the seeming insubstantiality of the cable, and the distance to the next platform paralyzed me.

"I—" I swallowed hard. "Give me a second."

"Take your time," Matt said cheerfully, though I could sense the line of waiting guests behind me growing restless.

I closed my eyes, trying to gather my courage, but that only made the sensation of height more disorienting. My hands gripped the harness straps so tightly my knuckles whitened.

"Switch out," I heard Jace's voice behind me, followed by Matt's murmured acknowledgment.

Then Jace was beside me, his presence solid and reassuring. "Look at me, Dee," he said quietly. "Not down."

I opened my eyes, focusing on his face rather than the drop beneath my feet. His blue eyes were calm, steady.

"I've got you," he said, one hand coming to rest lightly at the small of my back. "You're secure. The line can hold over a thousand pounds. The harness is double-checked. You're safe."

"I know that logically," I managed. "My body hasn't gotten the memo."

His lips quirked. "First time?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Only to me." The simple statement held a weight beyond the current situation, a reminder of how well he knew me despite the years of distance.

His thumb traced small circles against my back, the touch hidden from the waiting guests but electrifying to my already heightened senses.

"You don't have to do this," he said softly. "We can get you down the traditional way if you want."

"No," I shook my head. "I want to. I'm just..."

"Scared," he finished. "It's okay to be scared, Dee. Being brave isn't about not feeling fear. It's about feeling it and moving forward anyway."

"When did you get so philosophical?" I asked, my grip on the harness loosening slightly.

"I've had a lot of time to think about fear lately," he said, his gaze intensifying. "About what happens when you let it make your decisions for you. About what you miss out on when you run away from the things that scare you."

We weren't talking about zip-lining anymore, and we both knew it.

"What if I fall?" I whispered.

"Then I'll catch you," he said simply. "I always will."

Something shifted in my chest, a quiet realignment that frightened me more than the drop beneath my feet. Because in that moment, looking into his eyes, I believed him completely.

"Okay," I nodded. "I'm ready."

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