Page 69 of Hooked
Jeremy had a feeling that being careful with Tayla wasn’t in the cards. He was nuts about the girl. Every moment he spent with her made him fall harder. In rock climbing, you anticipated a route, saw what falls could happen, and changed course to keep yourself safe. Any other attitude meant you were dancing with death.
With Tayla, he could see the route, see where the problem was, but he couldn’t seem to change direction. He didn’t want to, even though the fall would crush him.
Jeremy and Cary readied for their descent, checking anchors and counting nuts and cams to make sure Jeremy had grabbed everything on the way up. They double-checked, rechecked their harnesses and knots, and then carefully rappelled down the cliff.
When they reached the bottom, Tayla was standing at the base of the rock, scrolling through pictures on her phone. “I got some great shots of you—”
Jeremy bent down, hooked an arm around her waist, and brought his mouth to hers.
She tasted delectable. Like mango and chili pepper. He licked the bottom of her lip. “Hi. You’re sweet.”
“Hi to you. I was eating fruit salad.” She hooked her thumbs in his climbing harness. “You hungry, mountain man?”
“Yes.”
“Then unstrap all the… things and come eat. Lunch is ready.”
He smiled. “I will unstrap all the things and come eat.”
She walked away, turned back, saw him staring. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”I’m just in love with you and pretty convinced this is all going to end with my heart at the bottom of a cliff.“I’m good.”
The shotsof Jeremy and Cary rappelling down the cliff had garnered more likes and comments on her feed than anything since she’d posted about finding a vintage Alma bag at a yard sale.
Hawt.
Mmmmmmountain men. Yes plz.
#silverfox
#rockzaddy
Where are u finding these men?
I’ll take both. Is both an option?
And many, many fire emojis.
She bit her lip and decided to wait to post the yoga shots. She didn’t even want to attempt to compete with shirtless Jeremy and Cary. She scrolled through the pics of the hike on Sunday while she waited for coffee to brew.
Jeremy, Cary, and Ox standing against the cliff, Jeremy and Cary still in climbing harnesses, laughing at Ox in his apron and grilling tongs.
Jeremy and Ox holding Emmie between them, raising her like they were overhead lifting.
Tayla and Jeremy holding warrior pose at the base of a sequoia tree.
Cary crouched by the fire, poking at the coals with a come-hither look. He’d been looking at the brownies. The man liked brownies a lot.
Ox wandered out of his and Emmie’s room, scratching his unshaven face.
“Hey,” he grunted. “Coffee?”
“Making.” She continued to scroll through the pics. “I got a bunch of cute ones of you and Emmie yesterday.”
“Send ’em to me.”
“I will.”
