"That makes me want to attach them to a zip line without the safety harness."
He took my hand and led me through the trees, following another track to where a couple of handfuls of people waited. "I'll double check yours personally. If anything happens to you, I give you my permission to haunt my ass."
"I don't need your permission to haunt your ass," I told him. "I'd do it anyway."
"That's because you like my ass so much." He tugged me along until we caught up with Connor.
"Maybe," I said. "And maybe I wouldn't want you to forget that one strap you didn't tighten properly."
He stopped me for long enough to lean down and whisper in my ear. "Sweetheart, I always do straps up properly. When I bind you, you won't be going anywhere until I let you."
His words sent a warm shiver all the way through me. If I wasn't careful, I'd be the one begging to be touched. Who was I kidding? I was already as wet as the river, and my nipples were harder than diamonds. I wanted, needed more. I could wait. I’d use some of that self-control Connor talked about.
He straightened up and led me over to a wide platform where the first of their clients was getting fitted into a harness.
26
LEAH
"Okay, your turn."Riley beckoned me over. "Connor will be waiting for you at the other end." He was still smiling, even after dealing with a long line of people. Others would have hated it, but he was in his element.
Connor and Charlie left before the first person disappeared down the zip line. Riley explained they had to be there to help them out of the harness and give the signal for the next person to go.
I had to give it to them, they had a well oiled machine here. Everyone knew exactly where they needed to be and when. Seth and Riley were perfect at settling the nerves of anyone anxious about stepping off the platform and zipping down the mountain.
For guys in their mid-twenties, they certainly knew a lot of dad jokes. They trotted all of them out, soothing nerves and making us all laugh and groan. Who knew there were so many cow puns? Or goat puns. Especially mountain goat puns. Leave it to mountain men to know those.
When he wasn't being an asshole, Riley could be quite sweet. Not that I'd tell him that.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I peeked over the edge of the platform.
From here, I made out the river winding through the trees. A hint of sunlight sparkling off the water every so often, between the branches. I couldn't tell if that was the same section we'd rafted down, but I guessed it was close.
When the breeze blew, it carried to the sound of the nearby falls. The white water started right below them. As far as I knew, the men had no adventure tours involving going over the falls in a barrel. Or without one. That might be too dangerous, even for them. If that was possible. They didn't seem to have a filter where risk was concerned. If risk existed, they'd take it.
Somewhere up here, Josiah lived. Where, I still hadn't gotten out of anyone. That didn't stop me from being curious. Nothing would. I liked answers to my questions. When it came to him, I had plenty of them.
That wasn't a conversation I was going to have standing on a platform on the side of a mountain.
"It's an excellent idea." Riley held the harness up. "Step through here and there. I'll…strap you in."
His deliberate choice of words had my mouth going dry, but it took my mind off how high up we were. For a minute or two anyway.
"Have you done this before?" I teased, stepping where he told me to and standing still to let him adjust and keep everything into place.
"It was my first day, but you're my thirtieth person, so I think I've got this by now." He grinned and adjusted the harness around my hips a little more than could possibly have been necessary. I think he enjoyed having his hands there, his thumbs pressed against my belly.
"He's the work experience guy," Seth teased. "I'm not sure if we should keep him on after this. What do you think?" He gave me a wink.
"I'll let you know if I get to the other end alive," I said dryly.
Seth laughed. "Fair call."
"You're a dick," Riley told him. "Come on, sweetheart. All you need to do is step off the platform and fly."
I looked down again. "I don't know. This is…"
Fear and cold sweat replaced my arousal. Did Ireallywant to do this? To step off that platform and hope like hell the zip line held my weight all the way down? A laundry list of what ifs scrolled through my mind. All of them relying on the fact he knew what he was doing, and everything was set up correctly.
