Page 35 of Below the Barrel

“Want to strap yourself to me? That way, if the cord breaks, I’ll break your fall,” he says, his tone light but his eyes holding that playful glint that drives me insane.

I glare at him. “You’re the worst.”

But somehow, the offer doesn’t sound so bad. I mean, if I have to die, at least I’ll take him down with me, right?

I sigh, nodding reluctantly. “Fine, but if you make one more joke about dying, I swear…”

He just laughs again and grabs the harness, stepping behind me to help strap me in. I hate how my skin tingles the moment his fingers brush against me, how my body reacts even though I try so hard to fight it. He pulls the straps tighter, securing them across my chest and waist before buckling my harness to his own, and then his arms are suddenly around me. I can feel the heat of him, the solid weight of his chest against my back.

“You okay?” he asks quietly, his lips dangerously close to my ear.

No, I want to scream. But my voice betrays me. “Yeah,” I manage to croak.

He guides my hands to the straps in front of me, ensuring I’m holding on before he grabs on, his other hand slipping aroundmy waist to pull me closer. I swear my lungs stop working as he presses me firmly against him, his breath tickling my ear.

“I’m so proud of you,” he whispers.

I nearly melt at his words, my heart hammering wildly in my chest. Of course, he can’t see the way my face flushes, but I know he feels the way I tense in his arms. My mind is a mess, spinning from the close contact, from his soft, low voice that sends heat straight to my core.

The next thing I know, we’re off. The zipline jerks and suddenly we’re flying, the wind roaring in my ears as the jungle blurs beneath us. I scream, clutching the straps for dear life as the trees blow past us in a blur, but there’s something exhilarating about it too. The rush, the speed—maybe it’s because Koa is holding me, grounding me, that I feel like I can breathe.

When we land on the next platform, I can barely stand. My legs feel like jelly, but Koa keeps me steady as the crew disconnects us and prepares for the next zipline. I should be terrified for the next part, but all I can think about is the warmth of Koa’s body against mine.

As we get strapped in again, his lips brush against my ear, his breath hot against my skin. “Hearing you scream like that turned me on way too much,” he murmurs, his voice sending a shiver down my spine.

I gasp, my heart jumping into my throat as he presses himself against me, the unmistakable hardness of him making my breath catch.

“Koa,” I whisper, barely able to find my voice.

“Just being honest,” he teases, his arm tightening around my waist again.

I bite my lip, refusing to scream this time as we take off again. But despite the flurry of nerves and heat coursing through me,there’s a strange sense of comfort in the way he holds me—like nothing in the world could hurt me as long as I’m in his arms.

And that scares me more than anything.

By the timewe finish with the ziplines, my entire body feels like it’s buzzing. Part of it is the adrenaline that’s still coursing through me, but the other part is most definitely because of Koa. Every touch, every whisper—it’s like he’s rewired my senses, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever recover from it.

The crew is already guiding us toward the next activity, the cave tour. I’d hoped that by some miracle, I’d be able to catch my breath, but of course, we have to keep moving, and my heart hasn’t stopped racing since Koa pressed himself against me on that last zipline.

“Come on, Princess. Try to keep up.” Koa’s teasing voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I glance up to see him grinning over his shoulder, as we follow the rest of the group into the mouth of the cave.

“Shut up,” I mutter, “and I told you to stop calling me that.” There’s no bite to my words. I’m too distracted by the massive limestone entrance looming ahead. The opening is wide, and from the outside, it looks like nothing more than a dark hole in the earth. But as we step inside, the cool air hits me, and the temperature drops instantly. It’s a welcome relief after the heat of the jungle, but there’s something eerie about it too.

The guide ahead starts talking about the history of the cave—how it was formed, and the ancient tribes that used it for rituals—but my mind is elsewhere. The sound of dripping waterechoes through the chambers, and every step we take seems to reverberate through the stone walls. Stalactites hang from the ceiling like jagged teeth, and pools of water glisten faintly in the dim light provided by our flashlights.

“Kind of spooky, isn’t it?” Koa’s voice is closer now, his shoulder brushing against mine as we walk side by side.

I nod, swallowing hard. “Yeah, a little.” My voice sounds small in the cavernous space.

He chuckles, and for a moment, I wish I could be as calm as he is. The tightness in my chest hasn’t gone away, but it’s not the cave making me anxious. It’s the fact that Koa is so close—again—and I don’t know how to handle it. Every time I try to focus on the tour, a whiff of his scent or the warmth radiating off him pulls me back, drawing me into the storm of emotions he’s awakened.

We stop at a large chamber, the ceiling towering above us. The guides pause to let us take in the view, explaining how the stalagmites were formed over thousands of years. The other surfers are taking photos, laughing, and chatting, but I’m distracted by the faint sound of water trickling somewhere deeper in the cave.

Without thinking, I step away from the group, my curiosity getting the better of me. I follow the sound, the dim light of the cave flickering on the damp walls as I move toward a narrow passage. The air smells earthy and cool, and the ground beneath my feet is uneven, covered in small rocks and puddles.

“Maliah, wait up.” Koa’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn just as he catches up, his flashlight illuminating the passageway ahead.

“What are you doing?” he asks, though his tone isn’t accusatory—more curious than anything.

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