Page 74 of Sinners Reunion

I reach for the controller before it skitters off the ledge, and I manage to grab it, but it’s no use. The pulley system is too slow, and I’ll never line this up in time. In a desperate attempt, I get the Cattle over deep water and release the harness.

My attention shifts to Josie. Her fingers are slipping, and the platform is now still enough that we won’t put added strain on what’s left holding us upright as I help her back to safer ground. I reach for her dangling arm, and she takes my hand. After I secure my grip around her other wrist, I support her as she swings her lower half until her feet scrabble onto the platform.

We aren’t out of the woods yet, though. She still has to get over this railing without falling.

I glance down and spy the dark shadow cutting right, making its way toward easier prey—that drowning Cattle. Rose and Grim trudge out of the water and race for the staff exit, but there’s no time for us to breathe a sigh of relief. The attached section of catwalk lets out a groan.

“Be quick but gentle,” I say.

She smirks. “Where have I heard you say that before?”

“Now is not the time.”

“Oh, I know!” She eases her leg over the top railing. “New York, our third date. You had friction burns on your dick from our mutual masturbation contest on our second date. You told me to be gentle but⁠—”

The platform practically shouts at us as she gets her other leg on my side of the railing.

“We can go down memory lane another time. Right now, I’d very much like to get on solid ground.”

She shuts her mouth and turns around. We’re slanted at an odd angle, but we inch forward until we both stand on a platform that isn’t hanging on by a thread. More workers stand at the far end, motioning us toward them.

“Yes, like we need the encouragement,” I mutter.

We hurry off the catwalk and down to the ground floor. I’ve never been so glad to stand on something immovable.

Grim and Rose appear moments later, both of them rubbing a towel through their hair. They’re all smiles and joviality as they stand in the nude.

“For the record, we didn’t ask them to strip,” a worker says.

“I’m well aware,” I say.

Another worker appears with two I Survived Alligator Avenue t-shirts. She hands them to Grim and Rose, who begrudgingly put them on, followed by a pair of cotton shorts with white alligator teeth printed on the rump.

Grim looks positively adorable, sans the bit of bulging nutsack poking to either side of the tiny inseam.

“I think we deserve a t-shirt too,” Josie says. “We survived.”

I can already see where this is headed. “I’ll wear the shirt, but if you think I’m putting my ass in those shorts, you’re a damn fool.”

“Then call me a damn fool, because that’s exactly what I want to see.” She bats her eyelashes at me, but I won’t be swayed. I still have my dignity, after all.

I snatch up the shirt, swap it with my very nice polo, then head for the limo. Stress relief and maximum release can’t come soon enough.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Josie

It’s a shame his dick is so big. When he put on those tiny little shorts, it popped right through the bottom and just stared at me. Now I’ll have to let him wear normal shorts to the event this morning.

“I’ll have to come up with another punishment,” I say. “I won’t make you flash your cock to everyone under the sun, but you gotta pay for falling asleep while I was showering off the fear-sweats last night.”

He pulls off the shorts and trades them for a snug pair of boxer briefs. I love the way he fills them out.

“I have a better idea. Why don’t I get you off twice today to make up for falling asleep last night?”

I almost don’t hear him over the sound of me choking on my own drool. He’s so fucking sexy, from his salt-and-pepper hair to his stubble to that man bod that only guys over forty seem to have. He has a good mind as well. A good heart. Usually.

Stop falling in love with him, I scold myself.