Page 24 of Hero & Villain
He grinned. His smile was pure mischief that made his eyes crinkle and showed the dimple in his cheek. I glanced away, fighting the pull towards that stupid dimple. Why did he have to be so attractive? That’s probably what was messing with my body; I was confused by wanting him, so when I tried to act with intention, it shut down. Did that make any sense? Not really.
Wanting him didn’t make any sense in the first place since desire wasn’t one of my key motivators, but then he came around and my systems jumped ship. Maybe it was some kind of biological imperative, that my genetics saw him as a primematch for ideal offspring, although if I tried to fit a baby with those shoulders through my birth canal, I’d die.
He nudged me. “What are you thinking about, Pinkie? You have a very odd look on your face.”
“Cesarean sections.”
His brows rose and then lowered. “You didn’t hesitate.”
“Was I supposed to?”
“I thought you were fixated on my use of pink.”
“No, I was thinking that genetically we’ve become a culture where we’ve bred bigger and bigger until the only feasible way of continuing the species is through cesarean section. Maybe that’s why heads got larger, so brains could create medical technology to continue humanity.” What was I talking about? This is the kind of blather I went on with Toni, not Clint, and certainly not my next big target. That’s all Jerk Badger was, my target. A very hot target that I couldn’t seem to stop objectifying. He wasn’t my screen saver anymore. I’d gotten over heights and him. Which is why I was doing so great at heights. Also him.
He rubbed his chin. “Huh. You’re saying that my head looks big to you?”
I frowned at his head. Compared to his shoulders, it was perfectly proportioned, but they were both probably on the large side. I shrugged. “Jezebel said that compared to Nix and Horse your head is practically miniscule. You’re supposed to have half a heart left that I’m not allowed to break until after the season.” And I’d just said that. Out loud. That crazy cowgirl had definitely spiked my IV, or put something in this morning’s liquid breakfast. I had to stop talking. Or talk about something else. “Oh, look, a cloud.” I stared over his shoulder at a smudge on the horizon that probably wasn’t anything liquid.
He glanced over his shoulder and then got back to work with a frown, moving faster. Once he’d gotten the top piece disconnected, he lowered it down and went to work on the end,which was a solar-powered device with fins that opened and closed, glistening in the sun.
I reached out to touch one.
He grabbed my hand and gave me a stern frown. “This is delicate equipment, and I don’t trust you to handle it lightly.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? What delicate equipment have I hurt? I didn’t even go for the groin when I kicked Tom. Knees are probably delicate, but?—”
“Enough, Pinkie,” he said with a laugh. “I was referring to my half heart that you’re going to break after the season ends.”
“Oh.” I crossed my arms and took a step away from him. “Hearts are delicate, like heart attacks are responsible for a third of US deaths.” Was it? It’s not like I memorized statistics, they just stuck in my brain sometimes and came out at random moments, particularly when my heart kept doing weird things instead of beating the way it was supposed to. Tingling. It tingled every time I touched him, except for when I freaked out instead.
“Something about genetically evolving to have too large of hearts to pump blood for too large of bodies?” His lips twitched. He was mocking me.
I’d mock me too. I wanted to knife him, or me, but I only glared. “Maybe.”
“You can go lie down and stare at the sky while I work on this. It’ll be a few minutes.”
“Right. I’ll just…” I edged away and found myself looking into the distance with the cliff edge safely far away from me. The view wasn’t beautiful, but it was startling. There was so much sky, so much emptiness, it called me to fill it with music. If only I could have brought Othello. No, he was a snobbish cello. I’d need something humble that didn’t mind a little dirt.
“Pinkie, a hand?”
I turned and applauded politely before I hurried to help Dagger, holding up the base while he screwed the top piece together, securing it back into place.
“Come on,” he said, nodding towards the edge.
I tucked my gloves into my back pocket and tried to think positive thoughts. I took a step closer and then backed away when I’d looked down. I was positively not going any closer to that certain death. “I’ll just stay here for a few minutes.” Forever.
“It’s not far. Pinkie, I’m clipping you onto me. Okay?” He snapped a clip onto my belt buckle and then winked at me. Be still my tingling heart. “It won’t kill you even if you fall, because you’ll mostly slide and roll to the bottom, but this way, you’re secure.”
I crossed my arms and glared. “You don’t think that my one hundred and twenty-five pounds would rip out my belt loops? How strong do you think denim is?”
He grinned and then pushed me off the edge. I didn’t even realize he was maneuvering me so close to the chasm. I gasped, my body leaning far out while the thin cord pulled my waistband. I grabbed the cord with both hands. He’d pushed me off a cliff! I was going to kill him! Except that I’d probably be dead first. I would haunt him so hard.
“Step back, Pinkie. You need to start down. Just focus on the wall in front of you. You’re just fine. I’ve got you. Look into my eyes.”
I glared at him while my whole body tensed up, but there was a hint of softness that made my stomach do flip-flops and my heart tingle.
“Take a step,” he said in a low voice.
