Me: Thank you.
Chapter 49
“When did you start rock climbing?”
I’m hanging almost upside down, my fingertips gripping the red handholds and my toes locked into the larger blue ones, on the inverse rock wall we installed recently at the youth center. Even in my topsy-turvy position, JD is still mouth-wateringly handsome at six-thirty in the morning.
He’s wearing one of the new powder-blue logoed polos we purchased that all employees who work here are required to wear. His shirt fits his massive torso like a second skin, accentuating the broad muscles of his chest. It takes a lot of effort and even more willpower to force myself not to stare and to look away.
I release my foothold and drop down onto the thickly padded floor. JD takes a quick step forward like he’s about to rush over and try to catch me.
Needing a minute since I wasn’t expecting to see him until later, I take my time brushing the hair out of my face. A few strands remain stuck to my cheeks with sweat. Wiping off the chalk from my hands on the sides of my yoga pants, I take a deep breath and reluctantly face JD.
“Austin and I started doing it together about four years ago. I’ve been wanting to try this one out but haven’t gotten the chance. I had some free time this morning so thought I’d play around a bit before my meeting with the town council members.”
“When’s that?” he asks, seeming interested.
“In a couple of hours. Fallon approved my idea for the music and arts center. Now I need to get the town council members on board.”
“Is there anything I can do to help? Are any of the councilmen or women football fans?”
He may be on to something. “You just may come in handy after all,” I tease, and a grin splits his face.
He lifts his chin up to the inclined wall. “What you were doing was really impressive. You must have some incredible upper body and core strength.”
I flip my ponytail over my shoulder. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”Why the fuck are you flirting with him? Stop it!“Is Connor in daycare now?”
“Yeah, just dropped him off.”
I make a mental note to stop by and play with him for a little bit before I have to leave.
“I was going to walk around the facility and check everything out again before I meet with my group at nine. What you’re doing looks more fun, though. Can you show me?”
Without waiting for my reply, he walks over to the wall, scanning it like he’s mapping out the best path to ascend.
“Here. Since it appears that you’ve never done this before, let’s start on the beginner’s wall.”
JD tugs on one of the auto belays.
“You’ll need to grab a climbing belt from reception if you want to use that,” I tell him.
“You weren’t using one.”
I smirk. “Don’t need one.” I leap up and grab a boulder and hang from it with one hand. “You may be good at football, Mr. Quarterback King, but you’re on my turf now.”
JD cocks that sexy, brown brow at me. “Is that a challenge, Miss Montgomery?”
“I guess it is.”
He sees my chalk bag on the floor and bends over to pick it up. He rubs the chalk ball over his hands and claps them together, creating a cloud of white dust in front of him.
“Challenge accepted. If I can make it to the top before you do,” he says, pointing to the more challenging wall, “you have to have dinner with me.”
Say no, Aurora.
“Deal. And if I win, you have to do bathroom checks for the next month.”
“Deal.” The gleam on his face is smug and cocky, and the desire to kiss that snugness off his face is overwhelming.
