Page 114 of Why Cruise

“Perfect. You’re going to use your legs, not your arms. You’re holding on for balance, not to pull yourself up. Push into your left foot. Squeeze your butt. Stay as close to the wall as you can.”

She took a deep breath and did exactly as I said.

“Oh,” she said, surprised to find herself one foot higher. “That was easier.”

“Great. Walk your right hand over. Find a hold you don’t have to stretch for. Right there, you got it. Nope, left hand to the left a little more. You want a wider grip.”

“But it’s green, not pink.”

“Your feet are following the pink. Your hands can do whatever you like.”

“Break a nail, my ass,” she grunted as she pushed into her right foot this time. I grinned.

Foot by foot, we made it up the wall.

“You’re almost there. You have a choice to make. The pink jug is a big step. There’s a green crimp right there. But you’ll only get a toe on.”

“Pink.” She groaned with the effort, but her hand slapped the top. I vaulted to the top of the wall and grabbed her forearm to pull her the rest of the way up.

She looked down at her feet like she couldn’t quite believe they were there. She looked up at me and huffed a laugh before she lost it, giggling and bouncing in a circle. She got way too close to the edge. I grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her to me.

“I love you.” The words were out of my mouth before I realized it.

She grabbed a fistful of my shirt and yanked me down to her. Her kiss tasted of victory. She tore her lips away.

“And Theo, too?”

It suddenly got hard to breathe. I turned my head to find him in the crowd below, but she grabbed my face and forced me back to her.

“And Theo, too?”

“And Theo, too.” I said, barely above a whisper.

“And Ren?”

“He doesn’t…”

“And Ren?” she insisted.

“It’s complicated.”

“If I can climb that dumb wall, then you can say it.”

“Why are my omegas braver than I am?”

“Say it.”

I closed my eyes. This felt like falling off a cliff. I nodded. “Ren.”

She wrapped her arms around my neck, her leg coming up high on my hip. This kiss was sloppy, almost drunk, like tasting her for the first time and wanting more than I could handle. I lifted her off her feet, guiding her leg around me. I wanted in her. I wanted all of her.

She broke the kiss first, gasping for air.

“Okay, but how do we get down?” She peered over the edge.

“Coming down,” I called to the attendant, who was probably royally pissed at this point.

“Can I just jump?” She asked as I put her down.

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