A Few Precious Momments

         Emily shook her head, but she was smiling as she looked up at the cliff above her.
         “How do I let you talk me into these things?” she laughed, tucking a lock of long auburn hair behind her ear. She turned around just as her best friend, Warren, was pulling a t-shirt over his head. Her stomach flipped as she caught sight of well-defined abs, and she turned back to the cliff before he could see the colour blooming in her cheeks, or the feral light in her eyes.
         “Because I’m epic and adorable?” he laughed, hoisting his pack onto his shoulders.
         “Mmm,” was her only response.
         He sidled up behind her on silent feet. “You’re releasing your pheromones again,” he whispered in her ear, hands on her hips. Emily shivered and he chuckled. “Come on, let’s get started.” He turned and began checking his gear.
         “How high is it again?” Emily asked, pulling on her safety harness and adjusting the straps.
         “Six hundred feet. Won’t be a problem for me, of course… are you sure you can make it?” He was kneeling on the ground, watching her butt out of the corner of his eye as she readied herself.
         “I should be okay as long as we can stop to rest on that ledge.” She pointed to a ledge about two-thirds of the way up.
         “At your pace, it’ll be dinner time before we get that far.” He laughed as she swatted his arm, then walked over to the cliff and attached his safety line to the posts left by previous climbers.
         “Too bad the food’s in my pack. You may get there first, but you won’t be able to eat until I join you,” Emily laughed, green eyes flashing in the warm sun. She walked over to the cliff face, a few feet to Warren’s left, and began to climb.
         “Sorry, can’t hear you from up here!” he called, already several feet above her.
She rolled her eyes and began to climb, muttering about boys and pacing herself.


         “Almost at the ledge,” Warren announced, a tired edge to his voice, several hours later.
         Emily looked up to see him sitting comfortably against the cliff face, supported by his safety line. His t-shirt was damp around the neck and shoulders, the harnessing outlining his backside nicely. A pang of jealousy ripped through her, and she leaned her forehead against the rock in front of her, balancing on the tips of her fingers and toes. Her shorts and tank top were drenched, plastered to her body and clinging to every single curve. Her breath came in short gasps and her arms were shaking. For a moment she stood there, wondering if she could make it to the ledge, before taking a deep breath and reaching for the next handhold. Warren watched in silence, a grin splitting his face as she started moving again.
         “’Atta girl,” he whispered, deciding to reward her when they reached the top. When she was almost level with him, he turned and reached for another handhold as the wind picked up.
         “Damn wind,” Emily muttered as it ripped the tie from her hair, blinding her. She shoved it back behind her ear, knowing that tie was lost and that there were several spares in her pack, and located another handhold just out of her reach. She reached for it, pushing off with her toes, and heard the sound of pebbles dislodging from the rock just below her.
         Her hair blew across her face again.
         She missed the handhold and yelped as she felt herself falling, grabbing her safety line with both hands.
         “Emily! You alright?” Warren called, turning just as her line jerked taut about four feet below where she had started.
         As she opened her mouth to reply, there was a screech of steel against stone and then Warren was watching her fall, down and down and down. Her scream of fear pierced his ears, and then he was rappelling after her, praying to a god he didn’t believe in. Her screams died abruptly and his adrenaline kicked in, propelling him faster. He hit the ground at a run, screaming her name.