Page 69 of If the Summer Lasted Forever
“Are you sure?” he asks, smirking at my shaking leg. “Because youlooka little nervous.”
I turn to him. “Did you know that miners used to carry canaries with them when they were going through caverns?”
He shakes his head, still smiling.
“You’re probably wondering why,” I say, though he didn’t ask and probably doesn’t care. “If one keeled over, it meant there was toxic gas nearby, and it was time to get out of there.”
“And yet another lovely story.” He smirks. “You should consider writing children’s books.”
I crack a smile despite myself.
Landon pulls into the parking area, turns off the Jeep, and pivots in his seat, resting his arm on the wheel. “If this particularcavern was dangerous, I don’t think they would allow people in there.”
“What if someone has a heart attack or an allergic reaction or…breaks a leg in the middle of the tour? Then what?”
“Well, I’m assuming the first step would be getting them out of the cave.”
I know I’m being ridiculous, but the thought of walking underground…with the cave walls closing in on me…
Panic rises in my chest.
Landon studies me for several minutes, and then his smile softens. “We don’t have to do this, not if you don’t want to.”
“But you want to. You’ve been looking forward to it.”
“I’ve been looking forward to spending the day withyou. The caves are just a nice bonus.”
I inhale slowly and then exhale through my nose, trying to calm myself. “I can do it.”
“You sure?” He raises a questioning eyebrow as if he doesn’t believe me.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to get some lunch first?”
“No, I’ll change my mind.” I roll my head, stretching my neck. “Let’s get this over with. Forty-five minutes, right?”
“That’s what the brochure says.”
I softly close the door, on the edge of chickening out. As I’m giving myself yet another pep talk, Landon comes around the front of the vehicle, sets his hands on my shoulders, and presses me against the side of the Jeep. “Thank you for being brave,” he murmurs.
Startled, I laugh. Or I try to laugh…I was hyperventilating before, and now my air’s gone.
His mouth meets mine, the pressure of his lips just firm enough to make my knees tremble, and then he lets me go.
“You can’t just sneak up on a girl and kiss her,” I say lightly, holding his sides to catch my balance while pretending my entire world didn’t just tilt on its axis.
He raises an eyebrow, giving me a wicked look. “I can when the girl does it to me the night before.”
Well, there you go.
Twenty-five minutes later,we’re in the caverns, and I’m breathing just fine. You know…mostly.
“You okay?” Landon asks, gently setting his hand on the small of my back.
I nod, focusing on the rock formations and colors, and ignoring the fact that the mountain is surrounding me.
“Just pretend you’re a dwarf, mining away in your mountain home,” Landon teases quietly so the other people on the tour won’t overhear him.
