Free Loveless by N. Isabelle Blanco Page A

sounds suspiciously like “ Bullshit ”.
    He glares at Sophie before turning and throwing me a wink that I somehow feel all over my nipples. When he motions for me to go first, I find myself rushing to obey.
    His stare is like a hot caress on my ass the whole way up, and I nearly lose my footing twice.
    All bets are off when we get to the thirty-five foot wall. We’re all getting strapped into our harnesses, and Elijah smiles at both of us. “I hope you girls know the games are over. You’re going down.”
    “Oh really?” I ask.
    Sophie scowls at him. “You’re not more of a monkey than I am, bitch. We’ve proved this too many times.”
    Elijah returns her glare with one of his own. “Listen, chimpanzee, I let you win all those times because I felt bad for you.”
    We all line up in front of the wall.
    “Hah, hah, hah. Keep lying to yourself. We all know that’s something you’re really good at. Right Paige?” Sophie raises her eyebrows in my direction.
    “She hasn’t known me long enough, and even so, you’re full of shit, Sophie.”
    I can’t help but laugh at the way they argue. It’s actually quite adorable. “I beg to differ, Eli.” I don’t even realize I used his nickname until his head flies in my direction and his expression tightens with lust. Hands shaking, I get into position, and go on as if nothing is wrong. As if my whole body isn’t on fire for him. “I realized day one that you’re delusional.”
    “That’s it. I’m beating your ass to the top first. And after . . .” He leaves the comment hanging, either unaware of Sophie’s part-shocked part-delighted expression, or not caring that his friend heard him.
    We begin climbing at the same time. This wall is more challenging than the ones before it, and I have a harder time finding a proper hold. Therefore, I’m forced to take my time, concentrate, even though I’m sure Elijah is probably beating me by now.
    Nope. One look down shows me he’s right below me.
    Eyes on my ass.
    “Aren’t you trying to win?” I call down.
    “I will. Don’t worry. Just enjoying the view first.”
    Sophie is on my level, five feet across from me. She catches my stare out of the corner of her eye, and motions toward Elijah with her head, mouthing, We have to win.
    Yeah, we do.
    A devilish impulse bubbles up. Biting back a giggle, I shift, lifting my leg high, trying to find just the right footing.
    Found it.
    I pause in my new position, just two seconds for effect, knowing that my  pants are stretched across my ass to the max.
    A sharp intake of air comes from below me.
    Smiling, I lift myself up, making sure my back arches just right—
    “Motherfuck!”
    Startled, I look down in time to see Elijah lose his hold and fly off the wall, sustained by nothing but the harness as it begins slowly easing him back down to the ground.
    “Yes!” Sophie cries, making me realize that we’re still in competition.
    We both playfully glare at each other before taking off, climbing as fast as we can.
    I win. But barely. My hand touches the top less than a second before Sophie’s does.
    “Damn it!”
    “Hah!” I can’t believe I won!
    Elijah waits for us on the ground. The stare he gives me, those eyes ablaze, warns me. He isn’t going to let what I did slide.
    An adrenaline rush hits, leaving me light-headed. With his arms crossed and that powerful neck tilted back to look up at me, he seems more than a little dangerous as he waits for my feet to touch the ground.
    I should be on guard.
    I should try to land a little farther away from him.
    Magnetized by my need for him, I let my body land right next to his on the mat.
    Elijah wastes no time, sweeping my foot out from under me. I crash on the mat with a gasp, and then he’s there, crouched above me, one of his large hands wrapped around the front of my harness, his fingers so close to my hard nipples.
    “Did you think that was funny baby?” he asks in a smooth voice, sizing me up.
    Like a man about