Chapter 6
6
VIOLET
These team-building days are to analyze the team, but today I could not concentrate on what our new employee, Judith, was saying during our afternoon snack break because all I could think about was Lincoln.
My stomach felt like an Olympian gymnast was doing a back handspring and roundoff when he spilled his heartfelt words and he told me he is attracted to me.
He was sincere, too. I could feel it. He doesn’t mince his words and I really like that about him.
I want to take you out on a date.
Dating. That is something I haven’t done in a very long time. Too long, come to think of it.
The last guy I dated, Chad, was a nice guy, but I never saw myself with him long term. We were never on the same page and I’m not sure why I stuck it out as long as I did. And the sex, eesh. It was, well, it was just sex. Two years of just sex . What was I thinking?
Following our midafternoon break, Uncle Hank marches us outside for the last activity: the leap of faith .
I’m not a fan of heights. My heart ricochets around my chest at the thought of having to climb the thirty-foot ladder to the top of the foot-wide totem pole.
That’s not the part that scares me the most. It’s jumping off, harnessed in some kinky-looking bondage harness, and then trusting it will hold the weight of my body while I’m suspended in midair.
And I have to jump off at the same time my partner does.
It’s petrifying.
Beads of perspiration appear along my top lip and my hands feel sticky to the touch. I’ve had nightmares of splatting to the ground from thirty feet up. It’s a step too far for me and a demon I’m yet to face.
Everyone gets harnessed up while I stand over in the shade, watching from the sidelines.
Observing each paired-up team, I watch as they climb the pole, work together, communicate, encourage each other, take their leap of faith, and come back down again.
I think this is one of the best teams we have gained for Urban Soul Studios so far. They are motivated, they communicate well, and they are willing and ready to learn. I’m too busy daydreaming, looking out across the open football fields to the left of me, when a Scottish voice startles me.
“Are you not joining in?” Lincoln in a harness is doing nothing to hide his enormous package. Man meat galore. Someone send help.
“Violet?” Lincoln calls my name to get my attention.
Thank God my lowered gaze is disguised behind my sunglasses. “I’m not a fan of heights.”
“Am I doing this one myself, then?”
“Yes. You’ll never catch me doing that.” I arch my neck back to get a better view of the enormously long pole that looks like it disappears into the sky from this position. “It’s so high.” I wrinkle my nose.
“Do you trust me?” he asks.
“Um.”
“Not even after our truth and lies game?”
“I do. It’s… I…”
“I would never let anything happen to you. I’ve done this before.” Lincoln holds out his hand. “Trust me. Do this with me.”
Oh, no, no, no, no. “I can’t. I’m too scared. What if I splat all over the grass and then those poor people will see my ass go through my face? And that’s only the tip of the nightmares that will live in their brains forever. Those poor people will need therapy. For life. And it’s so high and what happens if I get to the top and I can’t jump, and, and, and…”
Before I know what’s happened, Lincoln’s cupping my face. “Breathe, Violet, breathe.”
He slides my sunglasses on top of my head, then gently dusts my cheek with his thumb. “In and out. Deep breaths.” He pulls me back from the brink of my mini meltdown.
I copy him, breathing in and out slowly.
“That’s it, Violet. You okay?”
My heart slows down in my heavy chest.
“Yeah.” I stare up at him. “I like your eye color, too,” I admit, bringing my thoughts to life.
“Oh, do you now?” He smirks.
I take a step back.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” We’re at a staff event. I must have had a lobotomy I wasn’t aware of.
Lincoln chuckles and points to the sky. “Come with me up there. Face your fear. Don’t do it for me; do this for yourself. Trust me, please. ”
I shift on my feet from left to right, considering his invitation.
He adds, “It will be the best thing you ever do and you’ll be telling everyone about it for years to come. I promise.” He holds out his pinky for me to take.
He wants to make a pinky promise with me; that’s cute.
I chew my lip. “You’ll watch out for me?”
“Hundred percent.”
“And you won’t let me fall?”
“Never.” He shakes his head, making his dark locks flop onto his forehead.
I grab his pinky with mine before I change my mind. Squeezing our fingers together, he pulls me closer.
“Good girl.”
Those two words send a rush of arousal to my pussy; my panties will be soaked by the end of the day.
“Let’s do this, Violet.”
“My thighs will never go through the harness loops. Will it take my weight?” I blurt.
“Shut up, woman, you have amazing thighs. You are damn fine, girl. Where are you getting this shit-talk about yourself from?” he scolds.
My water during the break was clearly spiked with bravery pills because, before I know what is happening, I am harnessed up and standing at the bottom of the pole with Lincoln by my side.
Uncle Hank chatted to me the whole time I was getting equipped, but I can’t repeat a single thing he said because there’s a high-pitched squeal piercing my ears. It hasn’t stopped since I stepped foot into the stupid harness.
“Violet.” A muffled low tone comes from my right. I think that’s the Grim Reaper calling me.
“Violet.” Lincoln’s voice makes me jump. “Look at me. ”
I do.
“You are going to go first, and I will be right behind you. Once we’re up there, we will count to three, then jump. We are jumping into a void, but see these?” He pulls on my harness, and I nod. “If you miss the swing, these straps will support you. You won’t fall. Okay?”
I hope my father knows I would like white lilies at my funeral, a black gloss casket, and I’ve always loved that slow Hawaiian version of “Over the Rainbow.” I would like them to play that at my funeral.
“Violet, did you get all of that?”
“I think so,” I lie; I have no idea what he just said.
Lincoln chuckles. “C’mon. Let’s do this. You first. I’ll be right behind you.”
“What if I fall down the pole? I’ll squash you. My ass will be in your face.”
“What a way to go. Sounds like heaven.”
I swat his arm as he lightens the mood.
“Now, stop stalling and climb the pole, Violet.”
“You’re so bossy.”
“Just get up this pole and make it your bitch. Face your nemesis. You can do this, and I am behind you every step of the way.”
“Watching my ass.”
“It’s a nice ass.”
I take my first step onto the pole, muttering about his behavior since we met and move higher so we are out of earshot from the rest of team. “First, you tell me you saw nothing.” I take another step. “Then you tell me you saw everything and that you’d like to visit Hollywood. I mean, really? That’s a cheesy line if ever there was one. I thought I had you all figured out, but then I didn’t and now I am back to thinking you just want to check out my ass.” Another three steps up and I tell him how his smooth talking won’t work on me. I grip the peg above and move up again. “You are just like all the other men, aren’t you? Only after one thing.” I ascend step by painful step. “Wow, it’s hot up here.” I keep focus on my hands, determined not to look down.
A chuckle from behind me alerts me to just how close Lincoln is and his laugh makes my pulse race.
“Are you mad at me?”
“Yes.”
“I never would have known,” he deadpans. “You’ve reached the top.”
“What?” It’s windier up here, making it difficult to hear. “Oh my God, Lincoln.” I suddenly feel dizzy and sick all at the same time.
“Focus on your hands.”
“This is where I die, isn’t it? Can you tell them I want lilies at my funeral, please? And if my sister cries at my funeral, it will be crocodile tears. That girl will be glad I am gone. And please find someone to look after my dog, Pom-pom. He’s my baby.” I think I might start crying.
“You are not dying. Now listen to me, Violet,” Lincoln coos softly from below. “You are going to pull yourself up onto the pole. But there is only a foot width to stand on, which means, when I pull myself up, I need you to stand still. You hear me?”
“I can’t do this,” I wail.
“You can. You’re a force to be reckoned with. I know you can do this.”
I pull myself up. God, that is hard with only a tiny space to maneuver on. I keep my head tilted back, only looking at where to put my feet through one open eye.
Lincoln suddenly appears by my side and wraps his powerful arms around my waist, and we wobble slightly .
“You made it.” He pulls me closer.
“Everyone will be watching. You’re cuddling me.” My heart picks up a faster tempo.
“We have to. There’s no space.”
“We made it,” I say unbelievingly.
“ You made it, Violet. You did it.”
“Only because of you,” I whisper, holding on to him for dear life.
“Nope, because of you. You did this yourself.”
“I made it.” I feel such a sense of achievement.
“You did. Now, are you ready to take a leap of faith with me?” He looks me dead in the eyes as the warm wind swirls around us.
“No.” My shout gets lost in the wind because he grips me tighter and jumps us both sideways off the tiny pole like he’s freaking Batman. I scream at his moment of insanity, and a sudden jolt makes me wince. I look up and find Lincoln gripping the trapeze bar above with one hand, the other still wrapped around my waist.
“I’ve got you, Violet.”
I pant heavily in and out.
“You’re so goddamn beautiful. I really want to kiss you.” Lincoln stares at my lips.
“I want you to kiss me too,” I whisper. I’ve never wanted to kiss someone so badly.
“Say yes.”
“To what?” I frown.
“Going out on a date with me.”
I don’t hesitate. “Okay.”