Page 110 of Sinful Temptations

Her eyes were so wide it was a wonder they didn’t pop out of her head. Her arms were folded across her chest. Yet she nodded and forced a thin smile.“Sì, sto bene.”

She was lying. She was far from fine. But maybe, just like me, she felt the need to impress him.

Roman brought out the best in me.

It did the opposite to Lydia—she looked like she was going to shit her pants. I hoped not.

We were a long way from a restroom.

Chapter Twenty-Four

One by one, the rest of our group joined us and soon our little platform in the sky became way too crowded for my liking.

Being wedged in next to Roman made it bearable though, even if Miss Italy and her quivering thighs had hijacked his focus on me.

Victor was the last man to climb up the ladder and he wasted no time in drawing our attention with a sharp clap of his hands that made Lydia jump. “Well done, everyone. You passed the first challenge. That was the hard part. The rest is as easy as falling off a cliff.” He laughed and a couple of my group laughed with him.

Not me though. And definitely not Lydia.

“Okay.” Carmen took over the instructions. “Watch and listen to what I’m saying as Victor shows you how easy this is.”

The two guides worked together unclipping ropes and herding us all around into various positions. Victor gripped the T-Bar, hung his toes over the edge of the platform, and stuck his bum backward.

“Right, everybody, see this.” Carmen slapped Victor’s butt and he did a little yelp. He wiggled his butt in what was obviously an act they’d been doing for a long time. I could relate to that—some of my jokes I’d repeated on nearly every one of my tours.

“This is the position I want you all in.” Carmen identified the angular position of Victor’s body. “Now all he has to do is raise his legs.”

Victor jumped up and backward, raised his knees, and then shot forward like he’d been released from a catapult. A bloodcurdling scream burst from his throat as he barreled between the treetops, but it was only when Carmen burst out laughing that their in-house joke became apparent. A bad one at that.

“Victor.” Carmen shook her head. “He’s so funny.” She pointed at me. “Right. You are next.”

Oh fuck. “I . . . I am?” I was the smallest person there. And probably the least athletic. Why the hell did she pick me?

“Sure. Why not? Show these pussies how it’s done.” She jabbed her thumb toward the remaining guys on the platform.

I shot my gaze to Roman, and he smiled at me. With a wink, he touched my arm and said, “You got this, babe.”

Babe! Woah.I blinked at him. Did he realize he’d said that in front of Lydia?

I didn’t care.Babe. Oh yeah. I've got this.

His faith in me was the equivalent of an adrenalin shot.

“Okay.” I waggled my head like a cocky rooster. “Let me show you boys how it’s done.”

Bloody hell, I’m an idiot.

Carmen attached the harness at my navel to the wire over my head. She handed me the T-Bar, and my pulse boomed like a cannon in my ears as I inched my toes closer to the edge.

Strangling the T-bar, I shoved my bum back.

Carmen touched my shoulder, all serious. “You ready?”

My mouth was so dry I couldn’t speak, so I nodded like a bobblehead doll having a seizure.

She smiled. “Good. When you’re ready just jump your knees up, and you’ll be free as a bird.”

I told myself not to glimpse at Roman, but my fucking eyes didn’t obey. Our gazes met and he looked right into my soul. It was like taking a calming pill. He did that to me—made me feel whole.

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