with his body, planting his feet solidly, his torso leaning
against her as he caught hold of the safety rope with his right hand.
Only then did he slip his left arm around her waist and pull her to him. “I got you,
Becki. You’re okay.”
Alisha called from below. “Got you both. Ready for lower?”
“One second.” He squeezed Becki. “Come on, you with me?”
A slow stuttering gasp escaped her.
Good, someone was still home. “Becki, I need you to let go of the wall. I’m right
here, and I’ve got you, but we want Alisha to lower us. You ready for that?”
She didn’t move. Her fingers were still white-knuckling the holds.
Dammit.
He tucked his face right beside hers and nudged her cheek with his.
Her body went slack, her weight increasing.
“Alisha, hold tight.” Becki’s collapse put two full body weights on the rope, and
his belayer was totally fatigued. This could be a quick trip down.
He should have let Alisha climb, but logic hadn’t been a part of his thought process.
It was Becki in trouble, dammit. He took a deep breath and braced himself.
“I’m going to peel her off the wall. She’s passed out. You ready?”
He felt it, the slight change of pressure as Alisha managed to lift their weight an
inch or so. “No problem. Pull her off. I’ve got you solid.”
“Come on, Becki, I’ve got you. Trust me, okay?” The words were unneeded, at least
for her sake, but he had to say it. Had to reassure himself as he leaned back and
took her with him. He settled her into his lap, his arm around her an iron bar securing
her in place. If Alisha did lose control of the ropes, they’d hit the crash mats,
not the floor. He’d protect Becki from being slammed too hard with his body.
Still wasn’t his idea of a good time, crashing.
The instant Becki was clear from the wall, he snapped out his order. “Lower.”
“Lowering. Walk your way to the left a little, if possible.”
Alisha released the line smoothly, and Marcus breathed a sigh of relief as they passed
the fifteen-foot marker. The ten. When they reached the floor, his ass coming to a
nice easy landing, he glanced to the side to discover why Alisha had issued her strange
warning to move to the left. She lay flat on her back, butt to the wall and legs extended
toward the ceiling. She’d jammed her feet against a couple of larger holds and slipped
the rope under her body to get enough leverage to counter the double weight.
He’d praise her ingenuity later. Now his attention was on the woman in his arms.
“Becki, we’re down. Come on.”
He was ready to lay her out and check her over when she sat up and blinked in confusion.
“Marcus?”
“Yeah.”
She frowned, a crease appearing between her brows as she looked around them, at the
tangle of ropes, their positioning on the mat. She glanced at the wall, then back
at him.
“Why are you—?” Her eyes widened in panic. “Oh, no.”
Her struggles to stand were hindered by the ropes still connecting them. “It’s okay.
You’re fine. No one got hurt.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she scrambled at the knot securing the rope to
her waist belt.
Alisha stepped over, helping to straighten the tangled mess. “You want a hand with
the knot, Marcus?”
“No, but thank you.” He tapped her on the shoulder. “Get yourself a massage at the
hot springs if you want one. On my tab.”
Her face lit up. “Deal.” She glanced at the other woman, her concern clear. “Becki,
you need anything?”
“She’ll be okay,” Marcus cut in. “Grab your stuff, and you’re free to go.”
Alisha slid her gaze off Becki as she nodded. “See you tomorrow at seven. Becki, I’ll
call.”
The young woman fled the gym, pretty much as Marcus hoped she would. This next part
would be better done without any witnesses. He covered Becki’s fingers and stilled
her attempt at the rope. “Slow down. We need to talk.”
“No, I need to get
against her as he caught hold of the safety rope with his right hand.
Only then did he slip his left arm around her waist and pull her to him. “I got you,
Becki. You’re okay.”
Alisha called from below. “Got you both. Ready for lower?”
“One second.” He squeezed Becki. “Come on, you with me?”
A slow stuttering gasp escaped her.
Good, someone was still home. “Becki, I need you to let go of the wall. I’m right
here, and I’ve got you, but we want Alisha to lower us. You ready for that?”
She didn’t move. Her fingers were still white-knuckling the holds.
Dammit.
He tucked his face right beside hers and nudged her cheek with his.
Her body went slack, her weight increasing.
“Alisha, hold tight.” Becki’s collapse put two full body weights on the rope, and
his belayer was totally fatigued. This could be a quick trip down.
He should have let Alisha climb, but logic hadn’t been a part of his thought process.
It was Becki in trouble, dammit. He took a deep breath and braced himself.
“I’m going to peel her off the wall. She’s passed out. You ready?”
He felt it, the slight change of pressure as Alisha managed to lift their weight an
inch or so. “No problem. Pull her off. I’ve got you solid.”
“Come on, Becki, I’ve got you. Trust me, okay?” The words were unneeded, at least
for her sake, but he had to say it. Had to reassure himself as he leaned back and
took her with him. He settled her into his lap, his arm around her an iron bar securing
her in place. If Alisha did lose control of the ropes, they’d hit the crash mats,
not the floor. He’d protect Becki from being slammed too hard with his body.
Still wasn’t his idea of a good time, crashing.
The instant Becki was clear from the wall, he snapped out his order. “Lower.”
“Lowering. Walk your way to the left a little, if possible.”
Alisha released the line smoothly, and Marcus breathed a sigh of relief as they passed
the fifteen-foot marker. The ten. When they reached the floor, his ass coming to a
nice easy landing, he glanced to the side to discover why Alisha had issued her strange
warning to move to the left. She lay flat on her back, butt to the wall and legs extended
toward the ceiling. She’d jammed her feet against a couple of larger holds and slipped
the rope under her body to get enough leverage to counter the double weight.
He’d praise her ingenuity later. Now his attention was on the woman in his arms.
“Becki, we’re down. Come on.”
He was ready to lay her out and check her over when she sat up and blinked in confusion.
“Marcus?”
“Yeah.”
She frowned, a crease appearing between her brows as she looked around them, at the
tangle of ropes, their positioning on the mat. She glanced at the wall, then back
at him.
“Why are you—?” Her eyes widened in panic. “Oh, no.”
Her struggles to stand were hindered by the ropes still connecting them. “It’s okay.
You’re fine. No one got hurt.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she scrambled at the knot securing the rope to
her waist belt.
Alisha stepped over, helping to straighten the tangled mess. “You want a hand with
the knot, Marcus?”
“No, but thank you.” He tapped her on the shoulder. “Get yourself a massage at the
hot springs if you want one. On my tab.”
Her face lit up. “Deal.” She glanced at the other woman, her concern clear. “Becki,
you need anything?”
“She’ll be okay,” Marcus cut in. “Grab your stuff, and you’re free to go.”
Alisha slid her gaze off Becki as she nodded. “See you tomorrow at seven. Becki, I’ll
call.”
The young woman fled the gym, pretty much as Marcus hoped she would. This next part
would be better done without any witnesses. He covered Becki’s fingers and stilled
her attempt at the rope. “Slow down. We need to talk.”
“No, I need to get
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