“Focus!” Jack yells. “Right on me. Focus!”
I nod and get on all fours, then slowly get up and grab the rope. My hands feel like they won’t ever be the same as I reach for the next rope and step onto the final raft.
Jack can’t help me or reach for me, so it’s up to me to jump onto the platform. I almost close my eyes as I propel my body forward and land on the platform next to Jack’s bare feet. “Please tell me we won.”
He leans down and grabs my hands, pulling me to my feet. “We won!”
“Oh, thank God. My hands are curled like I’m eighty; they burrrrn!”
He starts massaging them and doesn’t let them go for the next few minutes as the rest of the teams make it across.
“Better?” he asks, still holding my hands in his.
I look into his eyes, and I lie. “No, they still hurt.”
“Then, I guess I’ll keep holding them,” he whispers. “Good job, Ivy.”
“You too, Jack.”
Things are perfect; I’m so happy I almost don’t register the fear on Jack’s face as a stone figure’s shoved toward us with flashing lights and fire.
Olmec’s voice sounds from the loudspeakers, except it’s Max’s; we’d have to be idiots not to notice that.
I squeeze Jack’s hand as we face our next challenge.
“Teams!” Max, aka Olmec, yells. “Approach my temple!”
“Don’t shit your pants,” I whisper yell.
Jack’s eyes are wide with fear. “No promises.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, seriously,” he adds. “He has free space in my nightmares, so I’m sorry I’m having a nervous breakdown right now!”
“I’ll give you a BJ!” I shout.
Anderson and Jude both stutter step and look over at us with their partners. I just shrug because…
Winning.
“What?” Jack does a double take. “Did you just say?”
We’re still walking toward Jack’s doom. “I’ll give you a BJ; just keep it cool.”
He suddenly straightens toward me. Wow, is that all it took?
He takes a deep breath. “I want two.”
“Son of a bitch, Jack!”
“Two BJ’s.”
“Jack!”
“ITS A REAL FEAR!”
“One BJ, and I’ll let you grab my boobs for ten minutes.”
Anderson’s jaw drops.
Jude looks ready to switch teams.
Whatever.
“Never offered me that,” Jude says under his breath to his partner.
“One BJ,” Jack says, taking another step. “Ten minutes of tit time, and I want to go down on you.”
I stumble.
Jude’s partner hits him.
Anderson curses.
And I laugh. “Is that a reward?”
Jack turns to me and winks. “Yeah, it really is.”
What can a girl say?
I do want to be a good partner. “Deal.”
“Damn,” Jack whispers. “I do love participation trophies.”
Same.
Chapter Thirteen
Max
“It’s not technically illegal,” Max says. Most of the board members seem pissed that Ivy’s trying to lure her partner through sex. “They did have a fling once, and clearly, they like each other. I say whatever goes at this point!”
One of the men slams more money onto the table. “She’s weaponizing him!”
“She’s incredible,” another says, voice full of awe. “Besides, didn’t she spend the night with him last night?”
Max sighs. “According to Dustin, they were late because they were together this morning, but any sort of details were left out because we’re still working on details, aren’t we Dustin?”
Dustin makes a noise in the back of his throat and shuffles his feet, then looks away.
“Did you just growl at me, you heathen?” Max asks.
Dustin shakes his head. “Sorry, I think I’m catching a cold.” He clears his throat six more times before making the same noise once more and then examining his fingernails.
“Never hire family,” Max says under his breath. “And again, we have no details. Simply pay attention to the game and place your bets on the game board, ladies and gentleman.”
Everyone stares at the screen and then down at the game board on the conference table.
Markers are picked.
Bets are placed.
And everything is right in Max’s world as he stares out at the incredible game he has prepared for the littles.
“A lot’s riding on this for the remaining teams,” Dustin pipes up again. “You sure you want to make it more difficult on them just because you think you’re some sort of wizardly matchmaker? I mean, it was pure luck last time with the interns. I doubt it’s going to happen again.”
Max taps his fingers against his chin in deep thought. “But if it could, wouldn’t that be worth it? Besides, this time it’s not the girl that’s terrified; it’s the guy that’s been acting tough this entire time and just wants to win. Let’s see if we can’t add more red to Olmec’s eyes. He does shoot fire, correct?”
Dustin pauses. “You want him to shoot fire? At people?”
“No, no, no,” Max says with laughter. “That would be crazy.” Everyone pauses around the table. “I just meant, as a scare tactic, you know? Like… spiders.”
“Spiders?” Dustin frowns. “Are we adding spiders now?”
“Do we have spiders?” Max asks.
Dustin sighs heavily. “I believe there’s a spider shortage.”