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His mouth brushes the shell of my ear, wracking my body with more shudders. “I’ve got you, Pen.”
“Hold on,” the man says before shoving us off the platform in one fluid motion, and suddenly, we’re soaring through the air.
Logan’s chuckle tickles my cheek, but I cling to his sides, keeping my eyes shut as the line bobs above our heads.
“What are you doing?” I pant when he turns my head and tucks it under his chin.
“Open your eyes.”
I give the slightest shake, brushing my cheek against his chest. “You’re not the boss of me.”
His laugh is the rumbly kind, vibrating deep enough to rattle my bones. “Technically, I am the boss of you.”
“Semantics.”
“Trust me. You’re missing an incredible view.”
I pry my eyes open to the most astonishing sight of the entire tour. The misty mountain air is crisp, and the panoramic view of rolling green hills stretches out before us, beneath a sky so brilliantly blue it takes my breath away.
“Look over there.” Logan says, pointing at a waterfall cascading into the river we passed when we arrived.
A flock of red and blue parrots soar below our feet, squawking as if saying hello, and with Logan’s arms still holding me tight, I finally crack a smile.
“I guess it is pretty beautiful.”
He’s gazing out across the terrain with a look so serene, it begets the stiff and orderly man I’m just getting to know, reminding me of the boy I once loved.
Maybe that’s why I choose this moment to use the sky as my confessional. Regardless of what happens from here, I need him to know one truth.
“I didn’t sell her ring, Logan. I… I would never do that.” His blue eyes, a startling contrast to all the colors swirling past us, capture mine. “I just wanted you to know.”
“Thank you,” he says tightly. “And I suppose I should thank you for pushing me to do this, too.”
Almost absently, he adds, “It’s been a while since I’ve allowed myself a bit of fun.”
We’re descending quickly now, faster and faster, gliding toward the end, and at last, I smirk. “Maybe I make a half-decent assistant after all.”
* * *
I convince Logan to stop for a bite to eat at one of my favorite food truck spots before we head back to Summit Estates. He’s predictably reluctant, but when Javier confirms my claim that Shrimpy’s has the best shrimp tacos on this side of Keerah, he caves.
We’re back in our stuffy work attire, seated at a table by the waterfront where boats drift lazily in and out of the marina, accompanied by the soft jingle of signal bells.
It’s been half an hour since we left, but already, Logan’s mask has been replaced, leaving the excitement of our afternoon secretly stowed behind the gates of Adventure Park.
My feet throb and my muscles ache, but there’s something calming about being by the water at sundown. Like I could melt into the chair across from him and stay here, listening to the quiet bustling of the marina all evening long.
I fidget with my skirt, crossing and uncrossing my ankles as the silence stretches between us. The urge to fill the void coils around my neck, choking me until I finally give in.
“Strong work back there, Penelope,” I say, impersonating the stone-faced man across from me. “Couldn’t have secured that contract without you.”
Logan gradually drags his gaze from the marina to me.
“Why, thank you, Mr. Anderson. You’re too kind.” I smile, fluttering my eyelashes.
“Are you finished?” he asks, feigning apathy when he’s, honest to god, the worst actor on this planet.
We both know I’m hilarious.
