Adam's Eve

8

“Eva, it's your turn please.” The tour guide repeated for the third time rather patiently.

Eva trailed her eyes across the zipline, and uncertainty thrummed through her stomach. Suddenly, she felt an overpowering body heat from behind, and Adam was speaking into her ear.

“What, Sweetheart? We've not even gotten to the highest peak and you are cowering already.”

Spinning around, Eva threw him a glare, knowing very well he was trying to provoke her. “How many people have died from ziplining?”

The guide, looking startled from the question seemed to scramble for words, but it was Adam who answered her question. “Well, I can't know the exact number, but quite a bit. Usually from snapping of the belt or the clip pulley.”

“Adam!” The tour guide said with a chastising look, focusing her gaze on Eva. “Eva, this place is as safe as safe can get. Trust me on that. Besides, this is the lowest of the ziplines.”

“You know what, I'll just go first.” Adam said, sidestepping her. “Meet me there.”

And before Eva could protest he was standing in front, waiting for his harness to be strapped onto the rope. The tour guide threw Eva a look, shrugged and then clipped Adam in.

The man didn't waste anytime, and he was soon off the ground, zipping down the inclined rope without a care in the world.

The excitement she sensed about him prompted her to try, to not let her fears keep her from doing what every instinct pounding through her flesh was urging her to.

The tour guide turned to her, but Eva was stepping forward before she could speak. “I'm ready, Janet.”

“Well, it was about time.” A warm smile touched the good-natured tour guide's lips.

Within thirty seconds, Eva was soon clipped on to the rope, and before she could lose the nerve, she threw herself down the zipline. She screamed, expecting the belt to snap at any moment as she held on to it, blood rushing through her ears.

Realizing her fear was not forthcoming, she finally allowed herself to let go of the belt. Air rushing past her, she felt like she was levitating, her heart pounding excitedly with the rush.

By the time she got to the end point where Adam stood waiting with his camera, snapping away at her, she felt invigorated to do it all over again.

“Oh my God, that was...”

“I know.” He brought his camera down, and they both said at the same time, “...so much fun.”

They both laughed.

There were three more ziplines, each higher and steeper than the other. Eva rushed to do the first two excitedly, until they got to the fourth one.

She looked around at the mountain peaks that seemed so near, the depth of the zipline 70 meters above the ground, and she swallowed nervously.

As if he always knew what she was feeling, Adam was grasping her on the shoulder. “You can do this, Eva.”

Eva nodded, so desperate to prove herself to him, for him to consider her more at his risk-taking level, that it astonished her. Not to mention the way his nearness made her whole body thrum with want.

“Yes, I can.” And she did, loving every minute of the pulse-pounding activity.

➽───────────────❥

“You were right. They do make some pretty good salmon steak. Wow.” Eva commented as they stepped out of the eatery where'd they'd gone to have their dinner.