The Vertical
of Us

After a teammate’s accusations turn his life into a public spectacle, climbing star Eli Olsen refuses to read an apology for things he hasn’t done. He gets in his car instead.

At Granite Haven, the owner feeds him roast chicken. A shaggy dog sits on his shoe. Jas tells him to get some sleep—he can go back to being everybody’s golden boy tomorrow.

Eli is supposed to check out the next morning. Instead, he makes a bet: if he can climb Jas’s route, move for move, on his first attempt, Jas has to take him somewhere harder.

He would very much like to wipe that look off Jas’s face.

Unfortunately, Jas is worth watching. Especially on the rock. Especially when he forgets to be insulting and patiently shows Eli something nobody in a training gym ever taught him.

But Eli’s phone won’t stay off forever. He still has a name to clear and competitions he intends to win. And Jas, who once wanted him gone by checkout, is getting considerably worse at watching him leave.

The next time Eli asks Jas to save him a place, he wants them both to understand he means more than a room.

The Vertical of Us is a standalone contemporary M/M romance in the Boundless Us series, with competitive climbers, sharp banter, mountain-town warmth, and a complete happily ever after.