“Okay.” He turned his body toward her and lifted the camera so they could both see. Her arm brushed up against him as she leaned in, and for the briefest moment, they glanced at each other, sending a pleasant jolt through his body.
One by one, he scrolled through the photos. Frankly, if he hadn’t witnessed it with his own eyes and the photos were the only thing to go on, one would think Miriwasthat badass vine-swinging adventurer she’d been trying to emulate.
“Hmm…I look rather good,” she said, causing Rafa to laugh. “What, you don’t agree?”
Her smile was wide and charming, and…damn. She was getting to him again.
“I appreciate the confidence, that’s all,” he said.
“Well, I mean, I’m sure it has more to do with your skill as a photographer than my acrobatic prowess, but Tarzan better watch out. There’s a new swinger in town!”
This time, Rafa burst out laughing.
“You laughing at my talents?” she said with a grin.
“No, I’m laughing at you calling yourself a swinger.”
“Swinger, schwinger,” she said, shrugging.
He hung his head and chuckled. “That’s not any better.”
“Whatever. I’d like to seeyoutry,” she said, handing a vine to him.
“If you want to fill me in on what exactly you were trying to do out there, I’d be delighted to try,” he said, laying on the playfulness.
“I wastryingto swing and then launch into the air and land like this,” she said, demonstrating a crouched position on the ground straight out ofLara Croft: Tomb Raider.
“All right. Here,” he said, lifting the camera strap over his head and handing it to her. “Watch me and weep.”
Not that he had any experience with vine-swinging in the jungle, but he couldn’t resist her goading. He yanked on the vine, making sure that it would hold his weight, then with a quick intake of his breath, he backed up, then ran and lifted himself from the ground, tucking his feet beneath him before swinging his legs through and launching himself in the air, landing on the ground in more of a Spider-Man stance than Lara Croft, but, hey, it was pretty damn good for a first attempt.
“What the hell?! How did you do that?” she said as she lowered the camera from her face.
“Now, hold on a minute,” he said with a smile, “were you taking pictures of me?”
She brought her shoulder to her chin with a coy smirk. “It’s only fair, don’t you think?”
He laughed and walked over to her to inspect the photos. Though while Rafa’s vine technique was a solid nine-point-five to Miri’s six-point-two, the pictures told a different story. Judging by these photos, Rafa’s skill looked more like it would be something that would end up onAmerica’s Funniest Home VideosthanAmerican Ninja Warrior.
“These are horrible,” he said with a hearty laugh.
“Horribly amazing, you mean,” she said with a grin.
“Maybe don’t quit your day job, that’s all.”
She playfully shoved him in the stomach.
Warmth washed over his face. Had a woman ever touched him like this? So playfully? Teasingly? Delicately? He couldn’t recall, but man, he liked it.
“Show me,” Miri said. “Teach me how to do that jump thing you did.”
“I don’t even know exactly what I did.”
“Yeah, well, it was better than what I did.”
“Okay, here,” he said, walking over to set the camera on a rock then returning to Miri. “So what you want to do is when you get off the ground, tuck your legs up like this,” he said, demonstrating by pulling himself up on the vine then returning to the ground. “And then when you’re getting close to completing your arc, bring your legs back like this, then launch yourself into the air. Go ahead and try.”
She took a deep breath, then brought back the vine before trying again.
