Page 91 of The Illicit Play
I poke out my tongue at him. “Don’t be an ass.”
He laughs at me.
“I don’t like heights!”
“Then this is perfect. You can overcome your fears.” His expression softens, and even from this distance, I can tell if I really don’t want to, he’s not going to make me.
But I’ll be so annoyed with myself. If I don’t get my ass off this cliff, I’m gonna have to climb back down and shuffle my shamed self back to camp.
That can’t happen.
It won’t.
“It’s okay, Blake. Just take a deep breath and trust that I’m right here. I won’t let anything bad happen to you, okay? You’re gonna be fine, and you’re gonna love yourself for doing this.”
“Okay, okay.” I rub my forehead. “Just shut up for a second.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He gives me a little salute while I shake out my trembling fingers and pace along the edge for a second.
Do it, Blake. Just jump already.
“Okay,” I call down to him. “I’m gonna do it.”
“Yeah, you are.”
His broad smile is so encouraging, I know I absolutely have to now. Dammit!
Sucking in a few deep breaths, I make fists with my hands and…
“Five,” I whisper. “Four… Three…” I suck in another breath. “Two…” I squeak. “One!” I scream and run off the edge.
Another terrified scream punches out of me as I drop like a stone and plunge into the water. The freezing liquid assaults my senses, firing up my nose and needling my skin.
Kicking frantically, I propel myself to the surface, and as my head pops free, this feeling hits me like a blast.
I did it! I fucking did it!
This heady exhilaration fires through me as I spin in the water, seeking out Grady.
He’s just behind me, grinning at me while I swim toward him and shout, “It’s freezing in here!”
And I’m freaking right.
It is so cold. I feel like I’ve just jumped into the Arctic Circle.
Forcing my limbs to keep moving, I swim right up to Grady’s side, warring between physically turning into an ice cube and the rush of adrenaline still pumping through me.
“Do you want to—” Grady’s question turns to vapor, his eyes rounding as he swallows and stares down at me in the water.
I have no idea what his problem is until I glance down and notice that my string bikini has had a major malfunction.
Those two little triangles of fabric that are supposed to be covering my boobs?
Yeah, they’re not covering anything important right now.
I may as well be topless.
CHAPTER 27
