that… well, first he had to earn her trust. With a wry smile, he remembered something he’d read somewhere. You can’t make someone trust you. All you can do is be someone trustworthy. It was a place to start.
“I’ve never lied to you, Cara. I’ve been brutally honest and that’s the way we’re going to keep it. I told you before. I’m on your side. I’ll answer your questions honestly and tell you what I think is best. The decision will be yours as long as it doesn’t endanger you or the rest of the team. Does that sound all right to you?”
She regarded him in skeptical silence.
“I don’t want you to be a prisoner here.” When she opened her mouth to speak, he raised his hand to stop her. “Let me finish. You can come and go as you please… if you agree not to go back to Portland without talking to me first, if you’ll clear it with me before you leave the compound, and if you’ll take someone with you whenever you go. I swear it’s only for a little while.”
“I can live with that… for a while. Thank you, Joe. It means a lot.” Her tentative smile softened her features.
Watching her expression change from skepticism to guarded hopefulness tugged at his heart. He enjoyed seeing her happy. That was all it was. “Still think I’m as bad as Dennelli?”
Her blue eyes sparkled. “You’re arrogant and bossy, and I really thought you were going to stand by and let that girl kill me downstairs… but no, you’re nothing like David. I was angry and just wanted to strike out at you. I’m really sorry. No one should ever be compared to him.”
He frowned. “You realize you give that guy superhuman powers, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t!”
“You’re convinced Dennelli will kill me if I go after him. Have a little faith. I’ve got a few talents to bring to the table. What can I do to earn your trust?” His gaze held hers, waiting for an answer.
She shrugged. “I want to trust you.”
“Okay, that’s something. We’ll start there.” He watched her for a moment, wanting to move closer, to reach out and touch her cheek. How long was this urge to put his arms around her and slay her dragons going to last? These feelings would only complicate things. On the other hand, they weren’t entirely unpleasant. He stepped back and turned toward the door.
“High ropes course in ten minutes.” He closed the door behind him.
Chapter Ten
----
Sunday, 8:32 am
T HE UTILITY POLES jutting thirty feet in the air, with cables connecting each one, didn’t look insurmountable from the ground. Maybe she’d actually get through this. Tyler and Joe helped her into the harness and gave her a ten-minute orientation on transferring between cables. The bottom line—never have both carabiners detached from a cable at the same time. Seemed like a no-brainer to her, but she nodded in all the appropriate places.
Joe climbed up the pole first, a rope attached to his harness, with Tyler belaying him from the ground. He made it look easy enough so, when it was her turn, she stepped up to the pole.
Tyler hooked the belay rope to her harness. “Let me guess, scared of heights?”
She forced a smile. “Is it that obvious?” She might have known he’d see through her.
“You’ll do fine as long as you follow the safety procedures.”
Of course, he was right. It just didn’t make her feel any better. When he was in position, she put her foot on the first rung sticking from the side of the pole and began to climb, bending her knee almost to her chest, claiming the next rung on the opposite side and pushing herself upward. By the time she reached the platform where Joe waited, she was gasping and shaking from exertion. She clung to the pole and tried to catch her breath. So much for keeping her fear hidden. Her inability to unclasp her fingers from the pole must be quite amusing to him. He could go to hell if he thought she’d move from this platform any time soon.
“Hey, Party Girl, you
“I’ve never lied to you, Cara. I’ve been brutally honest and that’s the way we’re going to keep it. I told you before. I’m on your side. I’ll answer your questions honestly and tell you what I think is best. The decision will be yours as long as it doesn’t endanger you or the rest of the team. Does that sound all right to you?”
She regarded him in skeptical silence.
“I don’t want you to be a prisoner here.” When she opened her mouth to speak, he raised his hand to stop her. “Let me finish. You can come and go as you please… if you agree not to go back to Portland without talking to me first, if you’ll clear it with me before you leave the compound, and if you’ll take someone with you whenever you go. I swear it’s only for a little while.”
“I can live with that… for a while. Thank you, Joe. It means a lot.” Her tentative smile softened her features.
Watching her expression change from skepticism to guarded hopefulness tugged at his heart. He enjoyed seeing her happy. That was all it was. “Still think I’m as bad as Dennelli?”
Her blue eyes sparkled. “You’re arrogant and bossy, and I really thought you were going to stand by and let that girl kill me downstairs… but no, you’re nothing like David. I was angry and just wanted to strike out at you. I’m really sorry. No one should ever be compared to him.”
He frowned. “You realize you give that guy superhuman powers, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t!”
“You’re convinced Dennelli will kill me if I go after him. Have a little faith. I’ve got a few talents to bring to the table. What can I do to earn your trust?” His gaze held hers, waiting for an answer.
She shrugged. “I want to trust you.”
“Okay, that’s something. We’ll start there.” He watched her for a moment, wanting to move closer, to reach out and touch her cheek. How long was this urge to put his arms around her and slay her dragons going to last? These feelings would only complicate things. On the other hand, they weren’t entirely unpleasant. He stepped back and turned toward the door.
“High ropes course in ten minutes.” He closed the door behind him.
Chapter Ten
----
Sunday, 8:32 am
T HE UTILITY POLES jutting thirty feet in the air, with cables connecting each one, didn’t look insurmountable from the ground. Maybe she’d actually get through this. Tyler and Joe helped her into the harness and gave her a ten-minute orientation on transferring between cables. The bottom line—never have both carabiners detached from a cable at the same time. Seemed like a no-brainer to her, but she nodded in all the appropriate places.
Joe climbed up the pole first, a rope attached to his harness, with Tyler belaying him from the ground. He made it look easy enough so, when it was her turn, she stepped up to the pole.
Tyler hooked the belay rope to her harness. “Let me guess, scared of heights?”
She forced a smile. “Is it that obvious?” She might have known he’d see through her.
“You’ll do fine as long as you follow the safety procedures.”
Of course, he was right. It just didn’t make her feel any better. When he was in position, she put her foot on the first rung sticking from the side of the pole and began to climb, bending her knee almost to her chest, claiming the next rung on the opposite side and pushing herself upward. By the time she reached the platform where Joe waited, she was gasping and shaking from exertion. She clung to the pole and tried to catch her breath. So much for keeping her fear hidden. Her inability to unclasp her fingers from the pole must be quite amusing to him. He could go to hell if he thought she’d move from this platform any time soon.
“Hey, Party Girl, you
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