He hesitates, then gives me a reluctant nod."If things get worse, aye."
It's not much, but it's something.I lean forward and kiss him, letting my lips linger on his.The warmth of his mouth is both comforting and distracting, exactly what we both need right now.This man can soothe and annoy me simultaneously, which seems impossible, but it's true.
"All right," I tell him when we finally peel our lips apart, "what's the plan for tonight's stunt?The one with the explosives and blindfold that I'm definitely still freaking out about?"
Kirk's expression brightens immediately.Give this man a death-defying challenge and he's like a kid on Christmas morning.
"We need to leave in an hour," he says, checking his watch."The crew will be setting up the pyrotechnics while there's still daylight, but the actual stunt happens after sunset."
"And you're sure this is safe?"I can't help asking again."Like, actually safe and not just Kirk Balfour safe, which I'm learning is a completely different definition of the word 'safe.'"
Kirk gently kisses me, then rubs his thumb over my lips."It's as safe as any stunt can be.I've practiced the route, memorized every ledge and foothold.The explosives are only for show---they'll be far enough away that I won't feel more than a blast of hot air."
"And the blindfold?"
"It comes off after the first section."He hugs me closer, his hands settling on my hips."Trust me, Gretchen.Please,mo leannan, trust me."
I would love to argue, to make him promise to cancel the whole thing, but I can see the excitement in his eyes.This is who he is, the man who leaps without looking, who lives for the rush of adrenaline and who finds freedom in the face of danger.It's as much a part of him as his accent or his insufferable stubbornness.
I reluctantly surrender to the inevitable."Okay, but I'm going to be there watching, and if anything goes wrong---anything at all---I'm calling in every emergency service in Scotland."
He grins in the cutest way with his cheeks dimpled."I wouldn't expect anything else,mo leannan."
If he dies tonight...I can't even think about that.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Kirk
Night has descended on the world, and the only visible illumination comes from the stars and the faint glow of Loch Fairbairn far below.Tonight, I will undertake a dangerous new stunt, but I have no intentions of killing myself in the process.Aonach Eagach is nothing but a shadow in the darkness, its jagged ridgeline barely visible against the sky.The film crew has set up powerful floodlights at strategic points, creating pools of harsh illumination that make the mountain seem even more forbidding.They'll switch those on when I begin my descent.The director for this stunt is a British bloke, Eli Arrington.
Gretchen stands off to the side with the production team, arms wrapped tightly around herself despite the heavy jacket she's wearing.I catch her eye and wink, trying to reassure her, but her answering smile in strained.The lass is terrified for me.I dinnae like seeing her that way, but oddly, the thought makes me want to kiss her.
"Five minutes, Balfour!"Eli shouts, his voice carrying on the crisp Highland air.
I nod once, rolling my shoulders to loosen them.My body is a finely tuned instrument that needs proper preparation before I put it through its paces.As I stretch my arms over my head, a familiar tension rushes through me, invigorating my muscles.The blindfold sits ready in my back pocket, a simple strip of black fabric that will transform this stunt from impressive to legendary.
The makeup artist rushes up to me for one last touch-up, dabbing something onto my face that's supposed to make me glow dramatically in the artificial light.I stand here patiently, already mapping out every step of my descent in my mind.I've practiced this route a dozen times in daylight.The darkness adds an extra element of challenge, but nothing I can't handle.
Gretchen has appeared at my side, her face tight with worry."I know you need to do this.The blindfold part specifically, right?"
"Aye."I hook my thumb under my chin and give the lass a quick kiss."The blindfold's just for the first thirty meters.After that, it's a straightforward descent with some flashy pyrotechnics.I've done it dozens of times in training."I tug Gretchen closer until her body is plastered to mine."The blindfold makes it look more dangerous than it is.I've memorized every handhold."
She searches my face, her golden-hazel eyes glimmering in the darkness.A wee thrill rushes through my veins.Nothing else can quite compare to having someone care enough to worry about you.
"Okay, I know you're insane," she whispers."And I'm insane for watching you do this."
I brush a feather-light kiss across on her forehead."That's why we're perfect for each other,mo leannan.We're both a wee bit mad."
The director calls for positions, and reluctantly I release Gretchen.She steps back, her fingers trailing over mine until the last possible second.
"Don't die," she calls out after me, her statement partly a plea, partly a command.
"Wouldn't dream of it, lass."
I stride toward my starting position, feeling the weight of every eye on me.The crew has fallen silent, the mountain air carrying nothing but the faint hum of generators powering the floodlights and the occasional crackle of a radio.This is the moment I live for, when everything narrows to a single point of focus, and the rest of the world falls away.
Eli approaches me, clipboard in hand."Remember, we need you to hold for three seconds at each explosion point.The camera drone will be tracking your descent, so make it look good."He pauses, tapping his headset."I worry, Balfour, that the audience can't see if you're just going through the motions.They need to feel your fear."
