Page 43 of Prove You Wrong

With a waggle of his eyebrows, he pops his dimple at me. ‘That would be me, so, you’re in safe hands.’

‘You’re a high ropes instructor?’ Surprised, I shift backwards a little.‘I thought you worked in the pub?’

‘I’m a lot of things.’ He winks. ‘Best not to make snap judgements until you have all the facts.’

‘Nice dig.’ I chuckle. ‘And anyway, bad boys need to earn a living too.’

‘Ella,’ he sighs. ‘Ella, Ella. Would a bad boy be interested in following policy, or wearing a hard hat?’

The next thing I know, he reaches behind the desk and tosses a bright orange helmet at me. He’s already pulling his own harness on.

Adding all these extra layers seems counterproductive for a quick hookup, but I’m going with it. Maybe he has a proclivity for health and safety. Subtly, I check him out in all the kit, cinching taut across his body. With him looking like that, maybe I could get on board with this health and safety stuff, too.

‘Better sign this form, or Chunk will skin me alive.’

‘Am I signing my life away?’ I study the small print.

‘Pretty much, but I promise you’re safe with me.’

Reassured this is an established course and I’m not about to scale Everest, excitement is starting to build. I sign the form and then put on the hard hat.

Moving in close, he places both of his hands on my helmet as he secures my head torch. His eyes drop to mine, holding my gaze for just a beat before he pulls away and attaches his own torch.

‘Just one more thing.’ He reaches behind the desk again, fiddling with something. The sound of a switch clicks, and then he shoots me a grin. ‘Let’s go.’

Nate turns out the cabin light as he pushes the door open. It swings wide, revealing a different world. It’s like I’ve emerged into a fairy-tale. The trees near the entrance have been woven with golden fairy lights and a shimmering path leads into the darkened forest — an avenue of glowing trees illuminating the way.

The ground is soft underfoot with the litter of dropped pine needles as we follow the glowing route. Dotted further in the distance are some figures — a group of deer — shining white and gold. Up ahead, clouds of colour seem to be floating in the canopy.

A gate, strung with more fairy lights, leads to wooden steps with yet more lights woven all around. We pause here and Nate says, ‘You ready for this?’

My heart gives a thump and I say, ‘Ready as I’ll ever be.’

With a grin, he reaches out and unhooks the latch.

Inside the enclosure, Nate stops, turning to face me. He grabs something from my harness, holding up a heavy, clunky piece of kit the size of my hand.

‘Okay, this is your trolley.’ Nate slips seamlessly into instructor mode and I can’t help but smile at his professional voice and confidence.

This is absolutely not how I envisioned tonight going. I thought he’d be trying to sweet talk, or should I say dirty talk, his way into my pants, but instead I’m getting a safety lecture.

‘It’s a continuous self-belay system.’ He carries on explaining the ins and outs, dropping terms like dual pulleys and asymmetric lanyards until he finishes with, ‘Just always make sure you clip on.’

‘Okay, I think I’ve got it.’ I give a confident nod.

‘Awesome. So, ladies first.’ He ushers me in front of him. ‘Let me hook you up.’

He slots my trolley into the cable system and I follow his instructions for looping and clipping the equipment, relieved he’s so authoritative about it all.

‘Perfect.’ He offers me a reassuring smile. ‘I’ll be right behind you.’

He jams his trolley through the junction too and follows me closely as we start climbing a staircase that disappears above us.

A gasp escapes me as we leave the covered steps, emerging onto a narrow, raised platform. We’re high in the treetops, and although it’s still dark, a magical glow is suspended in the ether. Sparkling around us is a nebula of pretty fairy lights woven through the canopies of the trees — higher and lower than my vantage point — some near and some far.

I can feel Nate’s warmth behind me and enveloped in this stunning vision, a tingle runs through my body.

‘It’s … ’ I’m at a loss for words.

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