Amazing Part 16
"Seriously, you both want to do that?" Cathy pointed at the clear blue sky.
"I dive a lot," Annie shrugged.
"And I haven't in a long time," Auggie explained.
"You two are kind of nuts," Cathy smiled.
"Kind of?" Auggie frowned.
Just as he was about to expound on how nuts they really were the trio heard Brett yelling as he approached the ground.
"We're next," Annie hopped a little and led Auggie over to get suited up.
***555***
As the small plane ascended Auggie started to laugh.
"What?" Annie asked as she did all the safety checks on their equipment.
"I wonder what Joan would say if she knew what was going on," Auggie smiled.
"She might tell me I am a bad influence on you," she poked a finger into his chest and he captured her hand.
"Maybe I am a bad influence on you," he kissed her hand.
"You two ready?" the instructor called over the sound of the engines.
"We are," Annie tugged her attention from her handsome boyfriend.
The instructor clicked all the fastenings in place. Since Auggie was taller than Annie he was pretty much giving her a piggy back ride until they were released into the air.
"Let's do this Walker," he turned his head and she rewarded him with a kiss.
"Have fun," the instructor called as he pushed them through the open door.
The initial free fall was as exhilarating as Auggie remembered, the rush of air, the drop of his stomach. All of it was heightened though by the feel of Annie pressed behind him, her breathing catching and releasing in his ear.
She patted his shoulder to indicate she was getting ready to pull the ripcord, which would pull them back up almost 3 stories in a matter of seconds.
"It's beautiful," Annie yelled over the sound of the wind.
"It sure is," Auggie agreed.
They glided gently for a few minutes, Annie could see large farmland edged by more tropical looking foliage. As they approached the ground Annie held tightly to Auggie's shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Your legs are going to hit first, I'll give you plenty of warning," she informed.
"I'll get you down safely," he replied with a wide smile.
"You always do," she kissed the back of his neck.
"OK, we are coming in," Annie piloted the chute to bring them in straight.
"Three, two, one…" Annie counted off and Auggie felt the earth approach.
His feet hit the ground and even with the momentum of Annie behind him he landed upright hitting the ground at a jog. Annie detached the chute and stayed wrapped around Auggie while the team came to separate their gear. Once free she slid down his back and got her own feet on the ground.
"Thank you," he turned and found her cheek with his cupped hand.
"You're welcome," she nodded into the hand.
Ed and Molly were fighting over which one of them was going to jump. Emily was suiting up and Kendall was walking out to the plane, but Annie and Auggie were in a kind of 'endorphin bubble' from their jump and they missed it all. A staff member handed them a clue as they walked back to the jeep.
"I want to do that again," Auggie sighed.
"I want to do you right now," Annie pushed him against the back of the jeep and kissed him thoroughly.
He smiled into the kiss and held her tight to his body.
"We have work to do," he reminded her.
"I know," she acknowledged but didn't stop kissing him, although her fervor ebbed.
The change to long slow kisses didn't help Auggie focus though and soon his hands were sliding up under the back of her shirt.
"Annie?" he questioned as his hands moved back down and pulled her closer still.
Her hips shifted making them both moan into the kiss.
"Annie? Work?" he ground out as her nails found their way to his sides.
"I know," she repeated.
"We are reaching a tipping point here," Auggie began when Annie relinquished his lips and moved her mouth to his neck, "where we either need to stop now or finish this."
"Oh my God, you guys," a third voice joined the conversation.
Annie froze and separated herself slightly from Auggie's body. The next thing she heard was a giggle and she realized it was just Kendall and Danielle.
"Hey, how was your jump?" Annie asked innocently.
"Really exhilarating," Kendall picked her words purposefully.
"It really is a rush," Auggie agreed with a grin, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on Annie's hip.
***555***
Once in the jeep Annie opened the clue and presented their options: a walk through the Outback looking for aborigines with matching didgeridoos and learning to play a song or a 1 mile trek through land and water through a rain forest full of snakes and spiders.
"The trek would give us a more legitimate chance to injure ourselves," Annie pointed out their initial plan to get Gwen alone.
"Annie, I know how you feel about spiders," Auggie said with no teasing.
"I'll be OK, I think this is our best bet," Annie reached for his hand.
She followed the directions to the starting point of the trek. The instructors gave her the scoop, follow the trail marked with the red ribbons, in and out of the river, watch out for uneven terrain, snakes and spiders. The crew would move their jeep to the end.
"Got it," Annie noted and realized Danielle and Kendall must have gone to the other challenge, smart girls.
A mile wasn't very long, but the terrain was really rough and the rivers rocky and slippery. Auggie slipped twice and brought Annie down hard with him once.
"We might not need to fake anything," Annie laughed as she saw the blood trickle down her arm.
"You OK?" he looked concerned.
"Yeah, just a Aaaaah!" she screamed as she noticed the good-sized spider on Auggie's shoulder.
"Where is it?" he didn't flinch and knew why she screamed.
"Your shoulder, I'll get it," she offered.
"It's OK, I can get it, which shoulder?"
"Left," she cringed as he reached up and flicked it off.
"Let's keep going," he smiled and reached for her elbow.
They made it to the end, exhausted by their efforts and both thinking the CIA should incorporate this 1 mile stretch on its survival training course.
"You guys OK?" the staff person at the other end noted the scratches and Annie's slight limp.
"Yeah," Annie nodded.
"Need some medical?" one of them looked at her with concern.
"Depends on what's next?" Annie answered truthfully.
"Here's your clue," one guy handed it over while another handed Auggie a bottle of water.
"We can finish," Annie smiled.
"You sure?" Auggie was actually concerned for Annie after one particular fall.
"Yeah, I just have to get us 6 miles in the Jeep, it isn't my driving foot," she relayed.
"Oh thank god, wouldn't want to injure the driving foot," Auggie snarked.
"Come on Spiderman, let's go," she waved to the crew and led Auggie to the jeep.
Annie took her sweet time checking he vehicle to make sure one of those creepy critters wasn't under a visor or in the drink holder, she didn't want to drive them off the road in a panic. Once clear she gently lowered herself into the driver's seat and started the engine.
Danielle and Kendall beat them to the Pit Stop, but Annie was all smiles when they reached Gwen.
"You two OK?" Gwen asked.
"Kind of, mostly just scratches, but I think I tweaked my ankle," Annie leaned on Auggie.
"We'll get you all fixed up," Gwen smiled warmly.
A male staff member brought them to a trailer set up as a medical facility, complete with exam tables and a drug cabinet. He was quiet and proficient as he cleaned the scratches and wrapped Annie's actually swollen ankle.
"You guys should rest in here for a bit, it is cooler and you can hydrate," the guy smiled at Annie.
"Thanks, um, I was wondering if I could talk to Gwen for a second, it's kind of a girl thing," Annie wrinkled her nose.
"Sure, I'll grab her," the guy said and exited hastily.
"Nice play Walker, exploit men's universal fear of all things related to female physiology."
"You have no idea how effective that can be," she grinned.
"Hey, you guys OK?" Gwen came in and grabbed some water.
"Yes, we're fine actually. We were hoping to get a few minutes of your time…."
TBC…