When We Met (Fool's Gold #13)(35)

He swore quietly. She smiled.

“Ever going to mock my shoes again?” she asked sweetly.

“Hell, no.”

“Then my work here is done.”

“Remind me to congratulate your partners for surviving as long as they have,” he grumbled.

She was still laughing when they stepped into the sports center.

Despite the fact that there was a festival going on in town, there were plenty of people wanting to rent racquetball courts or hit baseballs. Angel guided Taryn to the back where they would check in for the rock-climbing wall that dominated the center of the building.

“Ever done this before?” he asked.

“No, and I don’t see the point now. The Living Life at a Run guy isn’t going to make us climb the side of a mountain.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’m pretty sure. We don’t have those kinds of mountains around here.”

She was right, which impressed him. He wouldn’t have guessed she paid attention to her environment beyond whether or not it was comfortable.

“Rock climbing helps with coordination and upper body strength,” he told her. “Plus, you can talk about it and you’ll seem like a jock.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Oh, joy. Because my life has been so empty without that.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were signed up. Taryn hesitated before signing the waiver, then scribbled her name. She only gulped once when she saw she would be wearing rented climbing shoes.

“Just like bowling,” she murmured. “How lovely.”

But the joke was on him when she put her keys and cell phone in a small locker, then pulled off the loose T-shirt. Because underneath she had on a formfitting tank top cut low enough to make it hard for him to concentrate. It was going to be a long afternoon, he thought.

* * *

TARYN HAD ACCEPTED the rented shoes, the noise coming from the other areas of the facility and the harness that was snug in places that hadn’t seen action in a long time. Although after that very brief, very intense kiss earlier, she was hoping to have that chance soon. But what she wouldn’t accept was Angel’s silent laughter as she clung halfway up the damn fake rock, unable to move up or down.

“Raise your right hand,” he said from his position next to her. “Reach out.”

Which sounded oh, so easy, she thought grimly. She told herself she was secure. That there was some broad-shouldered college kid holding on to the rope that was clipped to her harness. Should she start to slip, he would catch her. Or at least hold on to her rope and lower her gently to the floor. Only she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t stretch out to the next hold and she couldn’t trust enough to let go.

Angel moved closer and put his hand on top of hers. “Come on,” he said, his tone more gentle. “I’ll help.”

She didn’t want his help. She wanted to be somewhere else.

“I can do it,” she told him, trying to shake off his touch without releasing her hand. An impossible task.

“It’s only a few inches away,” he told her.

Her arms and shoulders ached from the unaccustomed movements. Her legs were starting to tremble. Around them monkey children shot up to the top at lightning speed, calling out to each other as they went. She caught sight of an older couple making way more progress than she was.

“I’m going to kill Kenny and Jack,” she muttered, stretching out her arm so she could grab on to the next hold. “I’m going to get something heavy and beat them with it until they—”

Gravity was an unforgiving mistress. One second Taryn had a firm hold on the bumpy outcroppings of the fake rock, and the next she was falling toward the earth. She had no idea how far the floor was or how much it was going to hurt when she hit. Well before impact, she suddenly jerked to a stop as the guy holding her line stopped her fall.

The harness cut into her crotch, her hips and her side. She felt burns in places that should never see that much friction. She dangled, arms and legs frantically crawling for purchase, and then she was moving again, more slowly this time until she touched the floor.

The second she was on her feet, her spotter rushed toward her.

“You okay?” he asked. “You didn’t scream. When people fall, they always scream.”

Taryn felt the adrenaline rush flood her and knew it was just a matter of time until she was looking for a quiet place to curl up and be sick. Angel expertly lowered himself and hurried toward her.

“You all right?”

She nodded, determined not to let anyone see she was shaken. “I slipped and now I’m fine.”

He looked at her for a second, then nodded. “Climbing isn’t your sport.” He reached for the clip on her harness.

She stepped back. “No. I’m going to do it again.”

“Taryn, you fell.”

“I know. Now I have to get to the top of the stupid thing. Then I’m never coming back.” She glanced at the guy holding her line. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

* * *

ANGEL REMEMBERED THE first time he’d seen Taryn. She’d been in one of her suits and ridiculous high heels. She’d been crossing the street, not in a crosswalk. With her confident stride, long dark hair and steady gaze, she’d captured the attention of every man who could see her. He’d half expected one of those movie car crashes because when Taryn was around it was difficult to see anything else.