"Hey, it's okay. They're not going to do anything with an audience." Beth, seeming to read my mind, came over to the tree I was leaning against, hanging with Georgie. She reached out, brushing my hair back. "I love your hair."
"Why are they here?" I murmured, moving away and hiding my question behind my red cup of vodka and lemonade.
"Blane needed help with the other side of the zipline. Catching people. Seriously, I've already talked to them and told them not to be pricks about you turning them down."
"What did they say?" I pushed. She rolled her eyes and reached for my hand.
"They are just alpha holes. Ignore them and come have fun. Chitra and Andrew are getting everything ready. Do you want to be the first one to go?" She tugged me along to the edge of the cliff.
"Hey! You getting in line, babe?" Chitra played with her septum piercing. "It's almost ready."
I shook my head vehemently as I peered over the edge. While I couldn't see the rushing water all that well, I could hear and feel its effects on the air.
"How are you sure it won't fail? What if I get stuck halfway?" I stepped away so I couldn't see below.
"This particular zipline can pull people back. So if you get stuck, we'll just bring you back and try again." Chitra showed me the mechanics of the zipline. "And this is totally safe. It's the expensive gear from the park. It's not going to just snap."
"What, you think we'd let you drown?" Grace laughed.
We swiveled to face her. She licked her lips nervously and took a large gulp of her drink. Ruth rolled her eyes and looked around the party.
"We're good to go! Who's going first? Line up!"
Everyone looked at each other nervously. Swayze and I locked eyes and my heart sped up. What we'd done together... what I'd allowed him to do, to touch, was still fresh in my mind. The look of hunger on his face told me it was on his as well.
I didn't want to send those messages to both men, but I couldn't do what they wanted. Reflexively, I ran my hand along the tattoos that came to mind when I thought of them.
Faithful to my freedom
The idea of not being free, of being captive and trapped in someone's hold, was terrifying.
Breaking eye contact, I started to raise my hand, but Swayze stepped forward.
"I'll go."
"Yay, I'll let the boys know you're coming down,” Chitra chirped as Swayze went to her. As she and Blane helped him into the harness, Beth came to stand with me.
“You can tell she’s still totally not over him.”
“Who?” I looked over at my friend. She had her nose pierced in three different places and it made me want to try a nose piercing myself.
“Ruth. She slept with Swayze last summer and when he didn’t want to pursue anything, she lost it. She slept with Koito try to make him jealous, but that second rejection just made everything worse. That's why she doesn't want you talking to them."
I thought about it. It had been Ruth who was insistent that I tell them to go away. I hadn't told them that I'd kissed them both and had a moment with Swayze on the Ferris wheel, but rumors had been going around and I was a terrible secret keeper.
Well, exceptthatone. I'd take that to the grave.
Swayze was equipped with a harness and helmet and then clipped to the ropes.
"Are you ready?" Ruth asked. The smile as she talked to him made me... angry. Was she trying to get him back in bed?
Chitra pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Swayze is on his way in 3,2,1!"
Andrew shoved him into the pitch black and Swayze let out a scream that got further and further away until we heard cheering and laughter from the other side. Relief washed over the group, and everyone lined up to take their turn. Swayze appeared twenty minutes later coming through the trees, having run back, grinning ear to ear.
Ruth moved to stand behind me so that she could talk to Swayze. Chitra decided to go right before me and handed the walkie-talkie to Andrew, who was more than just a little buzzed. She glanced at me nervously.
"I'll let Koi and Blane know you're next. Make sure she's safe." She looked at Ruth, who nodded absentmindedly.
