Ben
I stood a few feet away from the rock climbing wall, arms crossed as I watched Sutton instruct the campers. It was really irritating how good he was at the camp counselor stuff — far better than I’d ever been. Where I’d expected an obnoxious ass, he was outgoing, cheerful, and kind. And sure, he was a little cocky, but the kids in our group weren’t bothered by it. They gobbled it up.
And even worse, he seemed to already know how to do a lot of things. He’d been an expert at setting up tents and starting fires, and now he was deftly showing the boys how to tie a figure eight knot to their harness, walking them through the steps with a calm patience that didn’t fit my image of him.
"Alright boys, safety first!" Sutton called out cheerfully. "Always check your harness is secure before starting your climb. And remember, the auto belay system will catch you if you fall — it can be a little daunting to put your trust in a machine, but it's totally safe."
His confident tone and easy smile put most of the kids at ease, though a few still eyed the tall wall nervously. I had to admit, Sutton was good with them. Dammit. I didn't want to be impressed by anything about Sutton Holm. The guy was an arrogant jerk who'd broken Parker's heart. He was the enemy, and he was an arrogant jerk.
"Use your legs to push yourself up," Sutton explained, reaching for one of the rocks. "Your arms are just for balance and grip."
“What if it doesn’t catch us?” one of the boys asked, eying the auto belay suspiciously.
Sutton didn’t mock the kid; instead, he smiled kindly, reaching for the rope and tying off his own harness. “Would it make you all feel better if I give it a test run? If this equipment can handle my bulk, it can surely handle any of you, right?”
The boy nodded, his cheeks turning pink. “But what if you fall?”
“I’ll be okay,” Sutton said. “They keep the camp equipment in top condition.”
The boys all turned to me, forcing me to agree with Sutton. “We check the auto belay system regularly.”
Sutton began to climb, and I couldn't help but notice how Sutton's muscles flexed as he ascended the wall with practiced ease. His shorts rode up slightly, giving me an eyeful of his toned thighs and — and shit, was I really checking out his ass right now? I forced my gaze away, but it kept drifting back as if magnetized. His muscles were round and powerful, flexing with every movement.
"See how I'm using my legs to push up?" Sutton called down to the campers as he pushed through a technical big move that could only be achieved by an expert climber, leaping for a grip near the top of the wall, and dangling for a second before he kicked his feet into footholds and settled back in his harness, comfortable and secure.
“Show off,” I muttered.
As he sat back in his harness and kicked off the wall, the belay system slowly lowered him down. "See? Nothing to worry about with the auto-belay. If it can handle a big guy like me, you'll be just fine!"
He flashed a cocky grin, and I rolled my eyes. Of course he'd find a way to brag about his size. But as much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. From his thick thighs to his beefy biceps, he probably had a hundred pounds of muscle on any of the kids in the camp. As his feet landed softly on the ground, he glanced at me, shooting me a smile that looked almost nervous, then turned back to the campers, helping them gear up so they could climb three at a time, each on a different section of the wall.
"! !" one of the campers called from the wall. "Can you watch me try? I think I've got it now!"
I felt a flush creep up my neck. The last thing I wanted was to get closer to Sutton and his irritatingly cheerful energy.
"Actually," I lied, clearing my throat, "one of the counselors is required to watch from a distance. You know, to get a big-picture view and make sure everyone's doing well."
Tommy's face fell slightly, but he nodded. "Oh, okay. I guess that makes sense. You can watch me from there."
I silently cursed myself. What the hell was wrong with me? I was letting my stupid attraction to Sutton interfere with my job. But the thought of standing next to him, smelling his sunscreen and sweat, hearing that deep laugh up close... it was too much. I caught his eyes on me, but did nothing, focusing on watching the campers and cheering them on — from a distance.
I'd just have to keep reminding myself what an asshole he really was. No matter how sexy he looked scaling that damn wall.
As the last of the campers finished their climbs and headed off for lunch, Sutton sauntered over to me, a cocky grin plastered on his face. I tried to keep my eyes focused on his face, but they kept betraying me, darting down to his muscular legs exposed by his shorts.
"So, Torres," he drawled. "Why didn't you want to climb? Afraid of heights?"
I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Please. I was just following protocol. Someone needs to keep an eye on things from up here."
Sutton's eyebrow quirked up, clearly not buying my bullshit. "Uh-huh. And it has nothing to do with not wanting to make a fool of yourself in front of the kids?" Ah, there was the asshole side of him.
"Fuck off, Holm," I snapped. I took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. "I grew up here, remember? I’ve been climbing that wall since I was a toddler.”
“I didn’t know that, actually,” Sutton said. “Must have been an interesting childhood for someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” I snapped.
“Yeah, you know. An introvert who loves books.”
“I love the outdoors, too. They’re not mutually exclusive hobbies.”
Nodding, he eyed me, eyes curious as they skimmed down over my body, leaving a trail of awareness in their path. “So you’re probably an amazing climber. I got into it recently, and I find it so…” He cleared his throat, leaving that thought unfinished. “Anyway, care to demonstrate your skill? I’m sure I could learn a thing or two from someone like you.”
Was he mocking me? “I don’t need to prove myself to you, Sutton. Let's just pack up and get some lunch, alright?"
As we coiled the ropes and stowed the equipment, I tried to ignore how effortlessly Sutton moved, his muscles rippling under his sun-kissed skin. He must have sensed that I was in a mood, because, for once, he didn’t try to chat. But I kept catching him looking at me, and it was unsettling to not know what I was thinking. Probably that I was a huge dork. In tense silence, we grabbed a quick lunch at the mess hall, wolfing down sandwiches as we made our way to the arts and crafts cabin. As we approached the small, wooden structure, panic started to set in. The thought of being in such close quarters with Sutton was making my heart race.
"Ready for some artistic fun?" Sutton asked cheerfully as we entered the cabin, immediately heading for the supply closet.
I felt my jaw clench. "Just... just don't go overboard, okay? We're making birdhouses."
Sutton turned, his arms full of paints and brushes, a look of confusion on his face. "Geez, what crawled up your ass? I'm just trying to make it fun for the kids."
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration and attraction warring inside me. "Sorry, I just... Never mind. Let's just set up before the campers get here."
As Sutton began arranging supplies on the tables, I wondered how it was possible for me to be the asshole in this situation. I needed to figure out how to tolerate Sutton, and to keep my feelings about him to myself. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Sutton wasn't a good guy. He'd been horrible to Parker. I had to remember that, had to keep my guard up.
"Hey, Sutton," I called out, my voice coming out harsher than I intended. "Why don't you stand watch by the door while the kids do art?"
Sutton's eyebrows shot up, his blue eyes widening in surprise. "Stand watch? What, you think they're gonna make a break for it with glue sticks and popsicle sticks?"
I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to snap back. "Just... please. It's better if one of us keeps an eye on things from the outside."
For a moment, I thought he might argue, but then he shrugged, that infuriating smirk playing on his lips as he gave me a little salute. "As long as you’re sure you can handle it, boss," he said, sauntering over to the cabin's front porch and stretching out on the little bench, welcoming the campers as they ran up.
“Why wouldn’t I be able to handle it?” I muttered, though Sutton was probably well aware by now of how flustered I got when speaking to the group. Fuck. I shook my head, telling myself I could do it. The campers started filing in, chattering excitedly about the project ahead. I forced myself to focus on them, on the task at hand. And suddenly, more than anything, I needed to prove to Sutton that I could handle the kids as well as he could.
"Alright, guys," I said, clapping my hands together. "Today we're making birdhouses. Who's ready to get their hands dirty?"
A chorus of cheers went up, and I started handing out materials. As I walked around the room, helping kids measure and cut, my mind kept drifting to Sutton. I could see him through the window, leaning against the porch railing, his muscular arms crossed over his chest.
"?" A small voice pulled me back to reality. "Can you help me with this?"
I knelt down next to the young boy, showing him how to attach the roof to his birdhouse. As I worked, I couldn't shake the feeling of Sutton's eyes on me. I glanced up, catching his gaze through the window. He winked, and I felt my face flush.
"Dammit," I muttered under my breath.
"What's wrong?" the boy asked, looking up at me with wide eyes.
I forced a smile. "Nothing, buddy. Just... thinking out loud. Let's get that roof on straight, okay?"
As the afternoon wore on, I found myself stealing glances at Sutton more and more often. Each time, he seemed to be looking right back at me, that cocky grin never leaving his face. It was infuriating. And incredibly hot.
By the time the last birdhouse was painted and set out to dry, I was a mess of conflicted emotions. How could I be so attracted to someone I was supposed to dislike?
As the kids filed out, chattering excitedly about their creations, Sutton sauntered back into the cabin.
"Nice job, Torres," he said, his voice low and warm. "You're pretty good with the little monsters."
I swallowed hard, willing my body not to react to his proximity. "Thanks," I managed to grunt out. "You didn't do so bad yourself, keeping watch and all."
Sutton laughed, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "Yeah, it was good I was there for security. I swear at least two squirrels tried to break in. And I won’t even tell you what happened with the woodpecker."
I burst out in an unexpected laugh, and for a moment, our eyes met. The tension between us was palpable, electric. I felt myself leaning in slightly, drawn to him despite every logical part of my brain screaming at me to stop.
Then the bell rang outside, signaling it was time to wash up for dinner, and snapped me back to reality. I stepped back quickly, nearly knocking over a chair in the process.
"We should, uh... we should clean up," I stammered, turning away from Sutton's intense gaze.
As I busied myself with gathering paintbrushes and scraps of wood, I could feel Sutton's eyes on me.