Page 33 of The Red-Hot Stakes

“Don’t forget about the zip line.”

Oh, right. “Have you ever done one of those?”

“A couple times. I wonder how big it is.” He seemed pretty excited, judging by the grin on his face.

“Let’s do that next.”

The signs pointed us toward a path in the woods, which we followed after washing our sticky hands. The dirt trail wound up a decent incline through the forest. We exchanged eager glances as we trekked on, coming to a small shed lined with harnesses and helmets.

A peppy teenage girl greeted us. “Hi! Going zip lining?”

No, I thought this was the wagon ride. I held my tongue and tried to be nice.

Liam smirked knowingly, then answered for both of us. “Yep.”

She checked our wristbands then handed us each a clipboard with a waiver. “Let me know when you’re done, and we’ll get you in your gear!” She walked away, her ponytail swinging.

Liam touched my arm. “Chill.”

“People like that just get under my skin.”

“She’s happy.” He shrugged. “What’s it to you?” And he started filling out his form.

I stared at him for a long moment. He’s right, again. Just because she was cheerful didn’t mean that I needed to hate on her. So what if her overly bright attitude annoys me? I sighed.

The form was a standard ‘we’re not liable if you’re being stupid and hurt yourself’ agreement. I filled it out and waited for Little Miss Sunshine to come back, determined not to care about her perky demeanor. We didn’t wait long.

“Done already?” She beamed, her teeth so white they were near-blinding.

There I go again. Our forms were filled out correctly, so she helped us into our harnesses, me first.

I realized my choice of outfit might not have been the best for this activity. “Is this going to work with me in a dress?”

“Oh, I’m a pro, don’t worry. When I’m done, you’ll be completely covered, and no one will be able to tell. And there’s no one below the lines either, for safety reasons.”

She had to change my first harness out for a smaller size. It went on like pants, sliding over both legs with straps that sat just below my ass and around my waist, then came over my shoulders like a backpack to buckle under my chest. It was an awkward and odd feeling, but I was ready to go.

And completely covered.

When it was Liam’s turn, man, did she turn on the charm. Miss Perky was all smiles and giggles as she slid each strap into place, taking more time than she needed to straighten the ones that wrapped around his muscular thighs. He took it all in stride, never seeming uncomfortable, but not encouraging her either.

It wasn’t his fault she was salivating over him, but jealousy still had me tight in its grip. With each intentional touch, my muscles went more rigid. I gritted my teeth so hard, I thought I might crack one. Then he glanced over at me, smiling.

My cheeks heated, but I couldn’t look away. Miss Perky had her hands at his chest, fastening the last buckle with a loud snap before draping the heavy carabiner over his shoulder.

She sighed, gazing adoringly up at him. “All set.”

My fingers balled into fists. I had no right to be feeling this way, and the strength of my reaction terrified me. I was practically seeing red—or maybe green would be a more accurate color. Either way, I was uncomfortable and upset.

He didn’t look away from me as he asked, “You good, Red?”

I glared at him as Miss Perky giggled. “Just go on over to that tower there, and Tyler will get you ready for your run.”

I took off toward the hill as Liam called my name in confusion. But I didn’t slow down or stop, needing some distance between us. I desperately wished for that numbness right now. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so vulnerable and raw.

“Gina, wait up.” Liam caught my wrist just before I reached the bottom step.

I jerked my arm away, spinning to face him. My chest heaved as I sucked in a ragged breath, overwhelmed with my raging emotion. It wasn’t fair.

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