I looked up and saw him moving farther ahead. I gaped at his strong legs and arms, muscles ripping along his skin, as the sweat began to trickle slightly down his back.
He was like an acrobat. It was like the wall was nothing to him. Meanwhile, I struggled along, always ten to fifteen feet beneath him.
“There you go. Foothold four inches to the left,” he called down, grinning at me.
I found the spot and pushed myself up. “Don’t be so cocky,” I called back.
“Just making sure you can make it.”
“How about you worry more about yourself?”
He laughed and let go of the wall with one hand, swinging his body outward. I almost screamed but choked it back instead. He cracked up at the look on my face, his laugh booming out over the forest.
“This wall is like the kiddie pool to me,” he said. “I could probably carry you up on my back.”
“Want to find out?”
“If you can catch me.”
I grumbled as he pushed himself back against the wall and began to climb again.
The sun beat down on my back as, foot by foot, we got closer to the top. I had no clue how high the wall was, and really didn’t want to ask, but I was pretty sure it was the highest thing I had ever climbed.
But he had been right when he said that it was easy. The cliff face was pocked and marked from years of weathering, years, and climbing, which made all of the handholds and footholds easy to spot and to grab. And since Reid was taking care of our safety lines, I didn’t have to do anything but concentrate on climbing up.
As I reached the halfway point, I was beginning to feel confident. I felt good, actually, like I was doing something not everyone in the world was capable of. I was climbing up a sheer cliff face using only my hands and feet and it was incredible. I felt free and excited for the first time in a while.
That was when I looked down.
“Oh shit,” I said.
“What’s wrong?” Reid called, concerned.
“I looked down.”
He laughed. “Come on, Becca, you scared me.”
“I scared myself! Holy shit we’re high!”
“Yeah. I guess I should have warned you.”
“How high exactly are we climbing?”
“You really don’t want to know.”
“Reid.”
He grinned down at me. “Let’s just say that after this, you’re officially a climber.”
I groaned and held tight to the wall. I wasn’t really afraid of heights, but it was hard not to have a small moment of panic.
“Becca, listen to me,” Reid said. “You’re fine. You’re with me. I’ve climbed more walls than I can count. Even if we’re high up, I’d never, ever let you get hurt. Do you understand?”
“Yeah,” I said softly.
“You’re fine. Say you’re fine.”
“I’m fine.”
“Say it loudly.” He let go of the wall and cupped his mouth with one hand. “I’m fucking fine!” he yelled out.
I laughed. “I’m fine!” I yelled, but kept my hands firmly on the rock.
“Yell it until your lungs hurt.”
“I’m fine!” I yelled as loudly as I could.
“There you go. Now let’s climb this bitch.”
I laughed again. I had to admit, it was fun yelling out over the forest below. And although I was still scared, I believed one thing with absolute certainty: Reid would never let me fall.
We continued that way in silence, Reid moving up ahead and working the safety lines, me following him up the best I could. My limbs were beginning to burn from the exertion and sweat rolled freely down my back, but I could see how close we were to the top.
And it felt good. The moment of panic passed and I felt exhilarated again, like I was the freest person in the world.
Without thinking, I climbed. I moved up and up and ever up, following Reid because I knew he’d keep me safe.
And suddenly, he was gone. I gaped for a second before his head popped over the edge of the cliff. “Almost there,” he said, grinning.
I laughed and moved faster. I was five feet away, then two feet, then inches. His hand appeared over the edge and I grabbed it. He leaned back and hauled me up, up, up over the edge, and my feet were planted on solid ground.
We stumbled back away from the edge as I threw my arms around him, laughing wildly from excitement.
“Great fucking job, Becca,” he said, laughing along with me.
“I climbed that bitch!” I said.
He cracked up. “You’re damn right you did.”
I looked him in the eyes, a smile plastered on my face. The sun made him seem to glow up here, and the view that spread out around us was amazing.
Then he kissed me, his arms wrapped tight around my body.