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Chapter 19
Atlas
“Always keep one of these attached to the line. Only remove one at a time and pull to make sure it’s secure. Got it?” the instructor asked.
“Got it,” they all said in unison.
“Okay, go for it. Have fun. And be safe.”
Bently and Belle led the way up the stairs before attaching their gear to the ropes course line. Remy and Mikel followed them.
“I don’t know about this,” Mia said, grasping her husband’s arm for dear life.
Andre attached his clip to the metal rope and then hers. “It’s completely safe.”
Jasmine hung back, staring up at the highest level of the ropes course. Atlas held out his arm. “After you.”
Her green eyes flicked to him, flashing with apprehension. “It’s a long way to fall.”
“I’ll catch you. I promise.” His words had never felt truer.
She blinked away and headed up the stairs, attaching her gear. He followed as she passed the first floor and moved past the second, all the way to the third. He peeked out the window, his stomach flipping. It’s a lot higher from up here. She continued on the stairs, up to the highest course, almost like a challenge. Whether it was to see if he could back up his words with action or to prove something to herself, he didn’t know.
She moved her hooks to the first cable above them and climbed the rope ladder. Her round ass swayed as she moved farther on. He followed once she was at the top. She’d chosen a tire obstacle. Her little body reached out to the rope as her feet jumped from one tire to the next. He swallowed hard and took his turn. The other couples laughed and screamed occasionally from below. No one was up here except them. A light breeze blew over him. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
The next option was a wooden plank or a line of large hoops. He wiped his brow. Jasmine stood panting only inches from him. She turned towards the hoops. His stomach dropped. Of course she chose the scariest obstacle. Her hands trembled on the line.
“I’ll go first.” The words left his mouth before he’d thought it through. But something inside him told him she needed this. Needed to see him prove his words true.
He slipped his arm across her, putting one clip on the line in front of hers before repeating the process with the other. With little room on the platform for maneuvering, he brushed against her. He grabbed the swaying ring, trying his damnedest to not look down.
He turned back to Jasmine. Her vulnerable eyes were glued to him, her cheeks reddened from the exertion. “You don’t have to do this one.”
“Are you going to?”
She nodded. “I’m feeling a little reckless today.”
More unflinching honesty from this lost beauty.
“I told you, I got you.” He grabbed the other side with his hand and leaped. The feeling of free-falling only lasted a second. Both hands grasped the edge of the wide hoop.
She gasped from behind him. He fought hard to find his balance, but it was impossible. The hoop wiggled under his feet. He had two choices: jump to the next one and cling for dear life or go back. Failure was not an option. He pushed himself forward and grasped the plastic.
“Oh, shit,” Jasmine said. He couldn’t turn around and look because his primary focus was not to fall to his death. He grabbed the metal cable attached to his gear and held on as if his life depended on it. After a few shaky moments, he was able to center his gravity. He only had three more of these to go. Only. This had to be safe. But his body screamed at him in self-preservation to go back.
“You got this,” Jasmine encouraged.
A surge of determination washed over him. He reached for the next ring and leaped. He grasped the hoop and looked down. Big mistake. His stomach lurched and flipped. His head spun. He clung to his gear and tried to find his balance once again. Atlas was directly in the middle of this death trap. It was just as far back as it was forward. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Almost there. What’s your worst fear?” Jasmine asked.
“Is that supposed to make me feel better right now?”
“Just answer!”
“Falling to my death,” he answered deadpan.
“Other than that.”
