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“Okay. As long as you don’t go off and leave me. I’ll be slow.”

“I won’t leave you.”

Anna was grateful for those words and wished they were true in the real sense of them. What the fuck was she doing thinking like that right now? Or ever. “Thanks, Hayley. Do you mind if we go at the back, so we don’t hold anyone up? These kids look vicious.”

“Not at all. I’ll kick their asses for you if they make any more comments.”

Anna laughed. “My hero.”

Just climbing up the steps to the start of the course was scary. Her heart was thumping and adrenaline was coursing through her veins. She gripped onto the safety ropes as if her life depended on it because it did.

“You’re fully clipped in. Totally safe,” Hayley said, coming up behind her and resting her hand on the small of her back.

“I don’t feel it, but thanks.” Anna gave Hayley a big smile. She wasn’t feeling that either but wanted Hayley to have a good time. She was being so patient and supportive, after all.

“You’re already doing great.”

Anna turned away and faced the zip line towards the next tree. Nerves made her legs feel weak. She did not dare look down. Child after child zipped along it, seemingly without a care in the world. She could do this, couldn’t she? After what seemed like an eternity but was probably no more than a few minutes, she went for it, moving forward off the platform and flying through the air towards the next tree. When her feet made contact with the platform, she scrambled to get on it, then hugged the tree.

What the hell had she got herself into?

Hayley gave her an enthusiastic double thumbs up and a huge smile from across the way. It was so sweet. Anna smiled back. She loved it when Hayley encouraged her like this and coaxed her outside of her comfort zone, giving her courage. Anna had not been going above her nerve in her life as much in recent years.

Hayley flew towards her, at speed, smiling and kicking her legs as she went. On the platform she held up her hand in the air and they high-fived. “Rock on, dude!”

“Yes. Quite.”

“How did you find it?” Hayley was buzzing.

Anna nodded once. Her jaw and neck felt super tense. She was doing this. “Not too bad.” She gripped the rope by her head for the next challenge. “But maybe ask me up there?” She looked up towards the top part of the course, nearly triple their current height. Her tummy fluttered at the thought of it.

Hayley reached out for Anna’s other hand and held it. Her fingers entwined with hers sending sparks all the way along Anna’s arm.

“You’re going to be fine.”

The feeling of Hayley’s hand holding hers started to make Anna’s legs feel weak for another reason. It was the longest physical contact they’d had since Hayley had got back. Her head started to feel a bit fuzzy. Hayley squeezed Anna’s hand harder. The weight of it in hers was so heavy and full. Alive. Pulsating. Debilitating. Being this close to Hayley was proving exceedingly difficult, both on this assault course and during the whole trip. Anna was so sexually attracted to her it was ridiculous. Her head swirled. She had to get down from here. And soon.

“I’m so impressed that you are doing this. It’s really something to see you feel the fear and do it anyway. You’ve got this.”

“I’ve been overtaken and shamed by a bunch of kids. But thank you for the vote of confidence. It may not sound like it right now, but I do appreciate it.”

“Do I need to squeeze you?”

Anna laughed. “What?”

“If you freak out, I hug-squeeze you. Remember? It calms you down.”

“Oh.” Anna remembered the times when Hayley would hug her so tight because it ‘helped’. She’d liked it for that, but also, in another way too. “Er, let’s see how I get on.”

“Your call.”

Anna got going on the next obstacle, walking across grid-like rope towards the next tree. Despite walking like a gangly giraffe falling in and out of the squares, this one wasn’t so bad. She liked having her hands and feet on the net at all times to protect her from falling to her peril.

“See. You’re killing it!” Hayley called from behind her.

Anna got to the next platform and turned back to face an eager Hayley. “Your turn.”

Hayley moved at pace, making it look easy. Her arm muscles strained as she gripped each rope and concentrated on what she was going. Anna swallowed, feeling hot and bothered by the sight.