“Nope. Never. I’m kind of nervous, actually. Not a big fan of heights.”
Enzo laughed. “Then why the hell would you bring me here?”
“Because it looks like fun.” She looked up, her stomach now full of butterflies. “Sort of,” she muttered as she took a deep, calming breath.
“It’s safe. Don’t be nervous. Or we can just, I don’t know…not do it.”
“Nope. We’re doing it.” For the project she was working on in her spare time, she had to get over her stupid fear of heights. No time like the present, right?
Enzo ran to his car to take off his glasses and put in the disposable contact lenses he kept in the glove compartment. When he returned, an employee came and handed them paperwork, and once everything was explained and signed—and JL was thoroughly freaked out—it was time to get harnessed in and begin.
Slowly she began to climb. One arm up, followed by a leg on a colored peg, then again with the opposite leg and hand. Enzo was right next to her, climbing faster and more assuredly; he’d definitely gotten the hang of it faster than she had. “So why not always wear contacts?” she asked. She needed to make conversation because she was nervous as hell. And also, without his glasses on, she was able to get an unobstructed view of his beautiful brown eyes, which left her a little unhinged and a lot disarmed when he looked at her.
“My eyes are sensitive, and after a while they become irritated by the contacts,” he said as he continued to climb.
She inched her way up, one foot on the next peg, then the other. The higher she went the more comfortable she began to feel, and then she felt dumb for not having done this sooner and for having let her fears get the best of her for so long. She looked up and saw that Enzo was way above her.
“So glad we did this.”
“Yeah, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.” As soon as she said that she lost her footing. She shrieked as she grabbed for a hold and missed. She dropped maybe half a foot before the rope snapped taut, but it felt as if she was plummeting to her death. In her harness she swung from the rope like a pendulum, both hands gripping the rope. JL couldn’t hear anything but the blood rushing in her ears and the hammering of her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut. When the swinging slowed, she opened one eye tentatively, saw how far up she was, and then promptly shut it again. She was vaguely aware that people were talking to her, but she could hear nothing except the sound of her fear.
And then Enzo was by her side.
“Jamie Lynn.” She couldn’t open her eyes, but she could hear his calm voice. “Listen to me. Look at me.” She shook her head and held the rope tighter.
“Jamie Lynn,” he barked. This time his voice was louder and more assertive, and she opened her eyes. “Listen to me. Focus on me. Only me. Don’t look down. Don’t look at anything but me.” His voice was unwavering. She nodded slightly. “Give me your hand.” When she didn’t, he added, “I let you take control of this date long enough. I’m in charge now. Give me your hand.” She shook her head from side to side, the rope scraping her forehead since she had it clutched so tightly to her. “Baby, give me your damn hand.” She looked into his eyes and—slowly, shakily, fearfully—reached for him. Quickly he grasped her hand. There were voices coming from below, but all she could focus on was his. “Okay, good girl.” He glanced across. “Right by your left hand is a peg. Place your hand on it. Do it now.” Her legs were trembling so badly she wasn’t sure how she could reach for it. He was bracing himself against another peg but at the same time was trying to push her closer to the wall so that she could reach a handhold.
She missed on the first attempt because she had one hand holding Enzo’s and the other holding the rope and didn’t want to let go of either of them to reach for the fucking peg. “Jamie Lynn. I’m going to swing you forward again, but you have to let go of the rope this time. Do it,” he commanded. She took a breath and whimpered as he swung her