Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Avery
M y heart raced as I stood at the edge of the cliff, silently begging the roar of the waterfall to drown out the chaos in my head.
No such luck. Apparently, Mother Nature wasn't in the mood to play therapist today.
Rude.
This was just the first of two waterfalls we'd be tackling today, and already my nerves were frayed from the events of the previous night, which were determined to keep flooding back in a rush of memories and lingering sensations.
God, what had I been thinking?
I'd been so forward, so… unlike myself. The wine, the hot tub, Brody's smoldering gaze—it had all combined into a dangerous combo of desire and recklessness. I could still feel the ghost of his touch on my arm, still see the way his eyes had darkened with want.
“I'm thinking it might be the best kind of trouble,” I'd said. Who even was that woman? Certainly not the controlled, meticulous planning Avery Grant I knew myself to be.
But then, just as things were about to escalate, reality had come crashing back in like a bucket of ice water. Panic gripped me tighter than my Spanx after Thanksgiving dinner, sobering me up faster than a triple shot of espresso. What was I doing? This wasn't me.
So I'd fled. Again! Mumbling some half-assed excuse about how we had to get up early. I practically leapt out of that hot tub, escaping to the safety of my room. No doubt leaving Brody more confused than a chameleon in a bag of Skittles and probably more than a little frustrated.
“Ready for this?” Brody's voice yanked me back to the present like a bungee cord of awkwardness.
I swallowed hard, suddenly hyper-aware of his proximity.
His hand on my lower back felt like a branding iron, and standing on this cliff's edge, I realized I was teetering on the brink of something way bigger than just a physical plunge.
“Let's do it,” I nodded, shocked by the steadiness in my voice. Inside, I was about as calm as a bobblehead over a speed bump taken too fast.
And then we were falling. The world became a blur of mist and thundering water as we plummeted toward the churning pool below. My stomach lurched, terror and exhilaration coursing through my veins.
As the water rushed up to meet us, I wondered if I was falling in more ways than one. Talk about on-the-nose symbolism, universe.
We hit with a shock that knocked the breath from my lungs.
For a moment, everything was chaos—swirling currents, the deafening roar of the falls, the burning in my chest as I fought to surface. Then Brody's hand found mine, pulling me up like a muscular life preserver.
We broke the surface together, gasping and laughing like two idiots, and the world seemed brighter somehow, more vivid, like someone had cranked up the saturation on reality. Every sensation was heightened—the cool water against my skin, the thunderous sound of the falls, and the sight of Brody's brilliant smile.
“That was incredible!” he shouted over the noise, his eyes alight with excitement.
Water streamed down his face, his hair plastered to his forehead in a way that shouldn't have been attractive but somehow was. And don't even get me started on the way his wet shirt clung to his muscular frame, outlining every curve and plane like it was auditioning for a sculpture museum.
I quickly averted my eyes.
“Yeah, it was… something,” I managed, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach that felt like a butterfly mosh pit.
Brody grinned, seemingly oblivious to my inner turmoil. He pointed to a steep, rocky path leading up and away from our current position.
“See that? It leads to an even bigger waterfall. That's our real challenge for today.”
I eyed the treacherous-looking climb warily. “You're kidding, right?”
Brody’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Nope. Come on, Spark. Where's your sense of adventure?”
With a resigned sigh, I followed him toward the base of the falls, where a series of slippery rocks formed a treacherous path upward.
I eyed the ascent warily, my confidence doing a spectacular vanishing act.
“Don't worry,” Brody said, catching my hesitation. “I've got you.”
We began our climb, the rocks slick and treacherous under our feet like some kind of Slip 'N Slide from hell. I found myself struggling more than I'd like to admit, my hands scrabbling for purchase on the smooth, wet stone. Brody, on the other hand, moved with an easy grace that both impressed and irritated me. Show-off.
“Need a hand?” he asked, extending his arm toward me with a smirk that made me want to push him off the rocks.
I hesitated, torn between my pride and my precarious position. Finally, practicality won out, and I reached up to take his hand.
Brody pulled me up easily, and suddenly we were face to face, our bodies close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him.
He smiled, and we continued our ascent, pausing halfway up to catch our breath.
I leaned against the rock face, acutely aware of how close Brody stood—too close—pointing out a rainbow forming in the mist. His arm brushed against mine as he gestured, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.
The moment felt charged, intimate, like we were the only two people in the world.
I struggled to maintain my composure, reminding myself that this was just another assignment, that Brody was simply my partner for this project. That’s all.
But as I watched him, his face animated as he described the way the light was refracting through the mist, I found it harder and harder to remember why I was fighting this attraction.
“Uh-huh,” I nodded, hoping my face didn't betray the fact that I'd been too busy admiring his jawline to absorb a word he'd said. “Fascinating. You're like the Bill Nye of waterfalls.”
Maddeningly, he just chuckled.
Then, as we continued our climb, disaster struck. My foot slipped on a particularly treacherous patch of slippery rock, and suddenly I was falling backward, my stomach lurching like I'd just stepped onto a roller coaster I definitely hadn't signed up for.
But before I could even cry out, Brody was there. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me against him with lightning-fast reflexes.
Time seemed to stand still as we locked eyes, our faces inches apart. I could see every fleck of gold, bronze, and copper in his eyes… could feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest against mine.
If it had been a movie, the soundtrack would have swelled dramatically.
“I've got you,” he said, his voice barely audible over the roar of the falls and the sound of my heart trying to escape my chest.
We stayed like that for a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, neither of us willing to be the first to pull away. I was intensely aware of every point of contact between us, from his strong arms around my waist to the warmth of his breath on my cheek.
Finally, I cleared my throat, breaking the spell.
“We should… we should keep going,” I managed, my voice sounding strange to my own ears.
Brody nodded, releasing me slowly, as if reluctant to let go. “Right. Yeah. Let's do this. Unless you'd rather stay here and recreate more rom-com moments?”
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my smile. “Har har. Keep it up, and I might just push you off this rock myself.”
We reached a narrow ledge where we needed to sidle across, our backs pressed against the rock face. Brody went first, demonstrating the technique with practiced ease that made me equal parts impressed and annoyed.
“Just take it slow,” he called back to me. “I'll be right here if you need me. You know, to catch you again. Or to provide witty commentary on your technique.”
I followed his lead, inching my way along the narrow path. My concentration was split between the treacherous footing and Brody's encouraging words, which alternated between genuinely helpful and infuriatingly teasing.
As I made my way across, I was struck by how much I'd come to rely on him. The realization was both comforting and terrifying, like finding out your parachute was packed by someone you trust but who also loves practical jokes.
When we neared the top, we encountered a particularly challenging section. The rock face was almost sheer, with few handholds to speak of. Brody studied it for a moment, then turned to me with a grin that spelled either brilliance or trouble. Possibly both.
“I've got an idea,” he said. “But you're going to have to trust me.”
Before I could protest, he'd positioned himself, his hands on my waist. “I'm going to boost you up,” he explained. “Just focus on finding a grip, and I'll do the rest. And try not to kick me in the face. I'm rather attached to it.”
I nodded, trying to ignore the warmth of his hands on my body and the inappropriate thoughts their presence inspired.
As he lifted me, I stretched up, my fingers searching for purchase on the slick rock. For a moment, I felt suspended between earth and sky, held up only by Brody's strength and my own determination.
Then my hands found a solid grip, and I was scrambling onto the ledge above, feeling like a very ungraceful spider monkey.
I was hit by a wave of conflicting emotions—gratitude for Brody's help, frustration at my own vulnerability, and an undeniable attraction that I could no longer ignore. It was like being on an emotional Tilt-A-Whirl, and I was pretty sure I wanted off. Or maybe I wanted to go again. I couldn't decide.
“You okay up there, Spark?” Brody called from below. “Or do you need me to come up and dramatically rescue you again?”
I peered down at him, trying to muster a glare but probably looking more like a drowned rat attempting to be intimidating.
“I'm fine, thank you very much. Although I think I left my dignity somewhere back on that ledge.”
As Brody started his own climb up, I couldn't help but watch, admiring the way his muscles flexed with each movement. And if my gaze lingered a bit too long on certain… assets, well, I was just being thorough in my observation of his climbing techniques.
Finally, we reached the top of the waterfall and stood together at the summit, breathless and exhilarated, feeling like we'd just conquered Everest instead of a moderately challenging waterfall.
The view was spectacular—lush green forest stretching out as far as the eye could see, the river winding away into the distance like a silver ribbon.
Mother Nature was really showing off, like she'd heard we were coming and decided to put on her Sunday best.
But as I turned to share the moment with Brody, I found myself more captivated by his triumphant smile than by the breathtaking vista. His face was flushed with exertion, his eyes bright with the thrill of our accomplishment.
In that moment, he looked more alive, more real than I'd ever seen him.
Without thinking—because clearly, my brain had decided to take an impromptu vacation—I threw my arms around him in a fierce hug.
“We did it!” I laughed, caught up in the rush of our shared victory. “We didn't die. Take that, gravity!”
As we pulled apart from the embrace, neither of us moved. The roar of the waterfall faded into the background, replaced by the sound of my heart trying to break the land speed record.
I became hyper-aware of Brody's hands on my waist, the warmth of his body, the intensity in his eyes. There was a question there, a heat that made my breath catch in my throat.
Before I could remind myself of all the reasons why being this close to him was a bad idea (and boy, was that a long list), Brody leaned in.
And then his lips were on mine, and the world fell away.
The kiss was everything I'd tried to convince myself I didn't want—passionate, all-consuming, electric. The kind of kiss that ruins all other kisses, the kind that makes you believe in soulmates and fairy tales and all that mushy shit you pretend to be too cynical for.
Brody's hands tangled in my hair as he pulled me closer, and I found myself melting into him, all thoughts of professionalism and boundaries forgotten in the heat of the moment.
When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathless.
I was torn between the desire to lose myself in the moment—to grab Brody and kiss him again, consequences be damned—and the nagging fear that this could be the beginning of the end.
It was like being on an emotional seesaw, and honestly, I was getting motion sick.