That illicit image causes a painful throb to erupt between my thighs as I wobbly attempt to climb the ladder up to the platform. When Max joins me and Everly at the top, he shoots me a knowing look that makes me wonder if he could read my mind a moment ago.
I need to get control of my thoughts.
“Who wants to go first?” Chad asks after he’s hooked all our zip lines up to the safety ropes above us.
“Me!” Everly calls out, raising her hand.
I shake my head and look at Max. “No fear.”
“I don’t know where she gets that,” Max says, and I notice a flicker of distress cast over his eyes as he looks down. “We’re really high up, aren’t we?”
“You’re not scared of heights, are you?” I ask, narrowing my eyes as I watch him white knuckle his safety harness.
“I didn’t think so…but I’m doubting that fact now.” His gaze flicks from me to Everly as she gets into position for takeoff. “Be careful, Everly.”
Everly offers up an enthusiastic wave before launching herself down the long cable, squealing excitedly with her hands splayed out wide. Max looks like he’s about to crawl out of his skin as he watches her go, his feet moving close to the edge the farther she gets away from us. He’s focused so intently on Everly that he doesn’t notice where he’s standing.
He’s about to take another step forward, so I reach out and grab his arm to pull him back. He stumbles into my body, pressing me back into the tree and causing our safety straps to tangle on the line above. Our bodies are flush against each other, so my hands grip his shoulders for balance as his land on the tree behind me, caging me in with his musky, manly scent. He looks down at me in confusion.
“You were about to step right off the platform,” I clarify, looking up at him. My eyes zero in on his pursed lips as I struggle to ignore the reaction my body is having to the weight of him pressed snugly against me.
“I was?” His breath is warm on my face as his eyes flick back and forth between mine.
“I basically just saved your life,” I answer with a laugh.
Max’s mouth pulls back into a surprising wolfish smile as his eyes lower to my lips. “Don’t think we’re even now.”
We stare at each other for a moment in a sort of stunned shock before Chad’s voice interrupts. “He was hooked up to the safety line, so he was perfectly safe.”
I blink myself out of this trance and mumble, “Thanks, Chad,” annoyed that the guide popped our little bubble of…flirting? Was Max Fletcher flirting with me just now?
He gives me a terse look before pushing back enough to give a breath of space between us. But it can’t go unnoticed that his hand remains firmly on my hip.
“That was awesome!” Everly squeals, and Max turns to look over his shoulder to see that Everly has reached the next platform and is standing with the guide.
His body sags with relief, and his hand reflexively tightens on my hip before he lets go completely. “Good job, kid!”
“Dad, you go next!” Everly calls back.
Max’s Adam’s apple slides down his throat as Chad disconnects us to untangle our lines. He attaches Max’s zip trolley to the cable next. “Ready, Big Daddy?” Chad says with a dopey smile.
“It’s Mr. Fletcher,” Max growls at the dude.
“Hey, chica.” Chad looks at me. “Smile at this dude again…I think it helps with his mood.”
“What?” Max barks, and without warning, Chad shoves him down the cable for his ride.
I laugh at the girlie scream that slips out of Max’s mouth when he first takes off. He does not appear to be enjoying himself as he grips his line like he’s hugging a security blanket. By the time he makes it to Everly, she’s cheering him on and laughing loud enough for the entire adventure course to hear. When he’s caught on the platform, her little arms wrap tightly around her dad, so I quickly pull out my phone and zoom in to snap a picture of them. They really are so adorable. I think Chad made a mistake earlier. It’s not my smile that brightens Max’s surly demeanor. It’s Everly’s. Without a doubt.
“This looks amazing, Michael,” I state, standing by the grill outside where the chef who’s been cooking for me for years is grilling up shrimp, chicken, and steak kabobs.
“Wait until you see what we’ve got cooking inside,” Michael says, elbowing me gently and pointing back to a staff member he brought with him tonight.
“Oh, I already sampled the mac ’n’ cheese.” I pat my stomach. “You do such great work. Thanks for making extra on short notice.”