Page 33 of A Quick Stop in Paradise

“Spin classes, running a couple times a week, and my personal favorite, jump rope. Mom told me not to jump on the bed when I was little, so I had to find an acceptable outlet.”

“Ah, same. Got told off a lot for climbing furniture and counters as a kid. I think I found my acceptable outlet. I think your outlet’s turned outquiteacceptable, too,” I said, letting my gaze drift back to where her ass was just about level with my eyesight. Not the worst place for it.

Without looking back down at me, she said, “You’re staring at my butt, aren’t you?”

“I am, but don’t worry, I asked permission.”

She laughed, and she made a move on up to the next hold, taking this one more carefully, cautiously. We made small talk as she pushed herself up higher, and she was damn good for a beginner, working her way up and already close to the top of the climb when I heard footsteps coming from behind me, and I looked back at where Allison looked appalled, wearing her orange track suit she always wore for climbing—well,alwayswas a stretch for the three times I’d gotten her here.

“Jesus Christ,” she said, “she just started and she’s already so good that I hate her.”

“Hi, Allison,” Ryan called down from near the top of the wall, a little short on breath. “Love you too.”

“I hate you, asshole,” Allison laughed. “Fall off.”

“I think I won’t.”

“Nice to see you,” I said. “Good day at work?”

Allison laughed, gesturing up towards Ryan. “Holy hell, though, how long have you been here? It takes me like an hour to get anywhere.”

“Just a bit,” I answered for her. “She clapped her hands with chalk and leapt up onto the wall and started jumping around like she was born to do it.”

“I literally hate you both,” Allison laughed, slinging her bag on the floor and dropping to do her warmup stretches, which she was absolutely rushing through. I sat with her, and once it was the two of us close together, Allison dropped her voice and said, “So everything’s okay now with her?”

“Her family are all douchebags, but aside from that—she’s doing well, actually. Not only that,” I said, raising my voice enough for Ryan to hear again, “but she’s agreed to help me with your mission.”

Allison went scarlet, hugging herself. “What? Oh my god, are you going around talking to people about that?”

“God dammit,” Ryan gasped, and I saw her pump out—one arm, holding fast onto a red hold she’d clearly underestimated, quivered despite her visible attempts to hold it still, and she dropped, pushing off the wall and landing a little clumsily but with the general right technique on the mat. She shook out her arms, turning back to me and Allison with an exhilarated smile on her face, a little flushed from the exercise but clearly on the high. “Yeah, Brooklyn told me all about how you want to go around having tons of hookups with total strangers—”

“Fuck off,” Allison laughed, coming out of a stretch and standing up. “IsaidI’d be curious totryit literallyonetime.”

Ryan grinned, tugging back a strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail, tucking it behind her ear. “Me too,” she said, and Allison stopped.

“What, you want to hook up with a girl, too?”

“While we’re laying it all out in the open, sure,” Ryan said, trying to put on a casual smile but I saw her not quite able to meet either of our gazes. “Just while I’m here. I asked Brooklyn if she could help me pull off the same thing. So we’re in the same boat.”

Allison scrunched up her face. “So you finally admit to being gay.”

“No, fully heterosexual,” Ryan deadpanned. “Just like every woman who wants to hook up with another woman.”

“There’s one right there,” Allison said, gesturing to me. “Brooklyn would happily—”

“Allison,” I said, “are you planning on climbing today, or just standing there talking about how desirable I am?”

“Ew,” she laughed. “I don’t know which sounds worse. Okay, I’ll climb literally once so you can get off my back.”

Allison wasn’t quite as bad as she made herself out to be—not as good as Ryan was, and she cursed with every move she made, as Ryan sidled up next to me with a glowing smile on her face.

“So, how are we supposed to get her to hook up with a girl? I feel like she’s going to be picky as hell.”

“She’s not,” I laughed. “She acts like she is! But then as soon as there’s a girl paying attention to her, she’s all starstruck… just a little bratty. There’s plenty of people into that.”

She made a face at me. “Are you one of them?”

I snorted. “Even if Allison were a good… how much older would she have to be… even if Allison were old enough to drink, that girl would not be close to my type.”

---