Page 13 of Wired Ghost

Jake’s laugh still made her toes curl.

And then he kissed her.

What started out playful soon wasn’t.

“I’d give a million dollars for a shower and a bed right now,” Jake eventually said.

Sophie chuckled breathlessly. “Anticipation is the spice of life, to paraphrase the American saying.”

“You’re getting downright good at those truisms. Let’s move, so we can get out of this shithole and get busy.” Jake waggled his brows. “As they say.” He took the lead this time, taking the torch from her, and holding it high to light their way.

The makeshift light, which burned steadily, if smokily, wasn’t really adequate to illuminate Sophie’s footing. She stumbled over a rough protrusion on the floor.“Twin sons of a conjoined snake!”

“You’re sexy when you talk dirty, babe, but I don’t want you to keep stubbing your toes. Grab onto my belt.”

Sophie grasped Jake’s belt with both hands and focused on not catching her feet, mercifully covered with good quality hiking boots, on the rough, jagged floor. But even with the flickering flame, making their way through the lava tube reminded her of the case on Kaua`i where she’d gone into a similar setting, without a light, to rescue a young boy who’d been trapped down there for days.

Sound was muffled by the porous stone without a large space to amplify it like the cavern they’d originally entered. The walls were smooth as jet in some areas, prickly and porous in others, with needle-like protrusions stabbing down from the ceiling, the remains of lava dripping.

The tube-like tunnel went steadily downward, curving to and fro. Sophie frowned. They weren’t moving that fast, but she felt warmer.Maybe she was getting her heart rate up. . .

She refused to think it was nearby lava, warming the walls.

“I think we should talk,” Jake said.

“About what?” Sophie carefully navigated a large rock blocking their path.

“About our future.”

“We don’t have a future unless we get out of here.”

“Let’s assume we will.”

“I think it’s better to focus on right now.”

“See, this is why we’re a good partnership.” Jake tugged on Sophie’s belt, bringing her to a halt. “Do you hear something?” he whispered.

Sophie shut her eyes. Touch, hearing, and smell were amplified, where vision was next to useless. “I do hear something. It’s water dripping.”

“Good. I’m thirsty. Wasn’t going to mention it since there was no point.”

“Maybe there’s an underground pool ahead. These tubes often fill with water from the soil above. The good news is, the water’s usually pure and drinkable, because it’s been naturally filtered through the stone.”

Jake’s torch chose that moment to begin to sputter. Sophie quickly lifted hers to catch the last of his flame, and she stepped forward. “Now you can hold onto my belt.”

“Sure I can’t hold onto . . . right here?” He patted the part in question.

“Jake. Focus. Think—if there’s a pool up ahead, we might be able to wash up.”

“Get moving, woman!” He slapped her behind.

Sophie snorted a laugh.

Incredibly, she was having fun. She flicked a glance over her shoulder as she walked toward the sound of water. “I’m enjoying this, Jake. How strange is that?”

“Adventure is the best kind of fun in the world, and it’s not a real adventure if there isn’t some risk involved. Remember when we rescued those kids from the cult on the Big Island? And you asked me if it was always like that?”

“And you said, ‘only the best days.’ I remember that. I was getting used to being out of the office.” Sophie lifted the torch high. “Well. I think our water shortage is over.”

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