Page 76 of Ripped

I shake my head at him and he smiles wider.

“I guess we’ll see.”

Connor does not have his own shoes, so Leon takes him to get him fitted up.

“How’ve you been?” Tucker asks and for the first time in ages, that question doesn’t feel like sandpaper on my soul.

“Good,” I say, completely honest. “I’m doing really well.”

“You look good.” Tucker glances over to Connor and Leon. “Especially with him.”

“Yeah.” I watch as Connor tries on a pair of shoes. “He’s been…” Good doesn’t even come close to capturing what Connor’s done for me or how he makes me feel when I look at him. It’s so incredible it takes my breath away.

Tucker gives me another hug. “Well, whatever he’s doing, it’s working.”

Connor jogs over, shoes and a chalk bag in hand. “I’m ready!”

Tucker points us toward the bouldering section of the gym, then goes back to helping other climbers.

“How did you know?” I ask, pulling Connor close.

“I found the shoes first. Don’t laugh, but I thought they were some weird kind of cycling shoes at first.”

I definitely laugh, dropping my head onto his shoulder.

“Hey, I said don’t laugh.” He pokes me in the side.

“Okay, okay. How did you figure out they weren’t cycling shoes?”

“The internet, duh. And then some Facebook stalking to figure out you used to climb here.” His smile turns sheepish. “Is it okay? That I called Leon and Tucker?”

I run my thumb across his brow, across his cheek, and finally, that delicious bottom lip that he’s got stuck out in a pout. “Yeah, it’s okay. Thank you.”

“Good, because I have no clue what to do here, so you’ll have to teach me.”

I walk him through the colored holds, how to keep his body flush with the wall, how to use his toes to push off. He looks overwhelmed by the time I’m done, eyeing the wall like it’s going to collapse on him.

“It’s not that bad. Want me to go first?”

He nods, eyes still wide. I pick a V2 route to start with—not too easy, but not hard either. It’s been a couple years since I’ve done this, but the muscle memory should come back to me quickly. The holds are pink and I slowly pull and push myself up the wall until I can tap out at the top. When I climb back down, I’m breathing hard and shaking my arms out.

Connor’s eyes are like saucers. “That was so cool.”

“Yeah?” I laugh at his enthusiasm.

“Your arms. Your shoulders. Oh my god, your ass.”

“Were you just checking me out the whole time?”

“I mean, yeah, isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?” he asks. So cheeky.

“Well, it’s my turn then.” I pat him on the arse for good measure.

We find a nice and easy V0 for him to start with and he flies up the wall like he’s made for it. “Can I do it again?” he asks the second his feet touch the thick, cushy mats.

We climb for a couple hours before Connor checks the time and declares that we have to go. We wash the chalk off our hands and change. When I stop to say goodbye to Leon and Tucker, they make me promise to come back again soon.

“Where to now?” I ask when we’re back out in the sunshine.

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