“Yeah, you’re looking good.” I’m off to the side. A few more feet and I’ll be on the goat trail. The fingerholds to get to it are farther apart than the rest of the holds. How the hell is he going to make this one? I scurry up onto the trail, lying on my belly. I turn back, hanging over the edge. It’s hard on him; the last two holds to get his feet up high enough are shit far apart.
Easton cocks his head back, glancing briefly up at me. Blood is smeared over his chest, and fresh blood runs down his arm. “What?”
“Give me your good hand. I’ll pull you up.” My left foot is braced against a rock, my ass in the air.
“I’ve got it.” Instead of taking my hand, he reaches for a hold. I leave my hand out as an option.
A split second and he totters backward. I lunge forward for his arm and miss. Easton’s fingers scratch down the rock wall. Frantically, I stretch as far as I can. My nails brush his hand.
Near his waist, he finds an errant rock and holds on to it like a doorknob. His head snaps up to mine as he settles into a position. “Fuck.”
“Take my damn hand.” I hold it down to him. “Take it just to get to the next hold.”
His fingers clasp around my wrist, and I do the same to him. I give him enough tension to get him up to the last hold before he can move his feet over. I scrunch back, the rocks tearing at my chest, to give him enough space up on the thin ledge. My heartbeats come on top of each other, leaving no space in between.
The shadows are long above Easton’s head as he makes his way to beside me. I catch his eyes.
“You’ve got to be fucking joking.” Easton grips the side of the wall.
Now’s a shitty time to tell me he’s afraid of heights. “What?”
“Hold on.”
“What?”
“Behind you?—”
Chapter 7
Tethered
Sam
There’s no talking her out of it. I’ve got the gun. We’ve got all the supplies we might need. And there’s nothing we can do about it, but I’m going to have to bring Penny. She’s bouncing around the campsite. She always knows when we’re going on a trip. No matter what type of trip it is. “Zane, when you’re up there, can you grab the L-E-A-S-H?”
“Y-E-S.”
“What in the H-E-double-hockey-sticks is going on?” Dante appears from the stream path. The last two water bottles are filled.
Zane scurries down the ladder. “Our blond, four-legged friend isn’t fond of bondage.” He puts the leash down on the counter, hiding it behind a tub of supplies.
Haley’s turning an adorable shade of pink. “I?—”
Dante tugs on Haley’s braid. “Did you grow an extra two legs, Sassy? Plus, I think you might have a different feeling about bondage.” He trails a finger down her neck. “How have we not tried that yet?”
“We—”
“Holding your hands above your head isn’t the same thing, Sassy.” Dante angles his shoulders at Haley, and she moves in unison with him. I’m sure she doesn’t even know she’s doing it. And it’s damn enticing. Haley sucks in her lips. My dick’s getting hard. Which isn’t what I need right now, that’s for sure.
Dante tips his head back and laughs. “Here, Sam, hold this.” He attacks Haley’s wrists like a venomous serpent and pulls them above her head. My eyes flick to where their hands join. He’s got his lips on her neck.
“Dante!” she says, a playful lilt in her voice. “We need to go.”
“Or come.”
Her eyes flick to mine. “Some help.”
For a second, I contemplate taking Dante up on his command. I reach for her hands and Dante drops his, thinking I’m up for his game. I interlace my fingers with hers, dropping our hands down. “You’re ready to go?”
