Page 72 of Fall With Me
“Don’t look so defeated,” I say, playfully punching her shoulder.
She shakes her limbs, loosening up. Her eyes get a determined fierceness in them. “Let’s do this. One. Two. Three!”
She scrambles like a monkey up a tree. I really, really would like to win this one. Focusing on my own hand and footholds, I use my legs instead of relying entirely on my upper body. In my peripheral vision, Chloe’s arm stretches right next to mine. We’re neck and neck. Briefly, I consider sabotaging her by saying something about how sexy she is, but I want this victory based on skill alone.
The desire to win thrums through me. Chloe’s hand reaches for the bell. Her fingertips just about graze the metal. Hanging onto the wall with only one hand, I yank myself above Chloe and smack the bell with a war cry. “Yes!”
Chloe whines. “I had that, Dawson.”
Releasing my rope, I propel myself to the ground. “I did too,” I say cheekily.
Chloe takes her time coming down.
“I like the view,” I say, appreciating her shapely derriere and the definition in her legs.
She looks at me over her shoulder, one eyebrow raised. “It’s only fair we switch places.”
“Win next time and you will.”
“I’ve met my match with you, Dawson Reed. Haven’t I?”
She absolutely has. With arms folded across my chest, I wait for her with a smile on my face. The second her feet touch the ground, I grasp her elbow and twist her toward me, planting a quick kiss on her soft lips. “You’re incredible.”
“Daily reminders will help me remember as much.”
Slipping a finger around her harness, I yank her close and give her a playful kiss. “I can do that.”
She responds with a nipping kiss of her own. “I’d offer the same for you, but I don’t think you need it.”
I scoff. “Why not? My ego needs a boost like anyone else’s.”
“Trust me, Smokey. I’ll let you know in other ways how much I like you.” She leans in for another kiss. When her lips get close to mine, she says, “Double or nothing.” She pushes me, then scales the wall faster than before.
The tease.
Going after her, I empty my tank of energy and climb like a squirrel. I pass by her halfway up. “Take in the view, 007,” I say, pausing briefly.
She growls at me. “You know I hate to lose!”
I chuckle. Anyone who knows Chloe can guess as much within the first five minutes of knowing her. “I’m well aware. But as you said, you’ve met your match. It’s time you get used to me beating you.”
“Never,” she says with conviction.
I hear her close the distance between us. Before she can make up too much ground, I smack the bell a second time. My muscles burn, but I’ll take the pain in exchange for multiple dinners. “Sorry,” I fake sympathy. “Tell me what nights you want to come over and you can cook at my place.”
We lower ourselves at the same speed. Such a shame, Chloe’s missing her chance to check out my backside.
“What. Afraid I’ll poison it or something if I make it at my house?”
Chloe may have sass and spice, but she’s not crazy. “No. But if you cook, I’ll clean. At my place, I know where everything goes. At yours, Finn might get bored and I’ll be going through all your cabinets trying to find where to put stuff away.”
“Fine by me. Your kitchen is bigger anyway.” She brings one arm across her chest, stretching her shoulder. “I think I have one more climb in me—at a leisurely pace. What about you?”
I jerk my chin in the direction of the arched wall. “You game for giving the curve a go?” I want to try it, but at the same time if Chloe says no, I won’t be sad. The wall is intimidating.
“Yeah. I’m going to need a ton of stretching when we get home tonight, though.”
An image of Chloe in a bunch of different yoga poses enters my mind. I like what I’m imagining, but I won’t be joining in on anything but basic stretches. I’m not flexible. “Same. Ready?”
