Page 63 of Stealing the Star Stone
“It wants us to go in that direction.”He pointed outside.
“I’m not keen on going splat.”She marched back to peer up the slide they’d fallen along.
He balanced his feet on the middle of the entrance, clutching the bag to his body.If he threw himself off, she had to follow, right?
He leaped, keeping his form tight, his legs extended.
“Thorne, you asshole!”trailed him to the pool below.
He burst out of the water, wiped his face, and waved to her glaring at him from the tunnel’s opening.It was higher than he’d thought, but he’d survived.
“I’m going to kill you.Just you wait,” she yelled, then sat on the edge, dangling her legs off.
He stilled.Was she afraid of heights?In his distraction, she’d managed to haul her ass over and was now hanging by her fingertips.
“You can do it,” he called, wading out of the water and onto the shore.
Her curses came and went as she glanced at him, down at the pool, into the tunnel, then at him again.At last, she inched her way over the edge, finding toeholds and grips.It was painful watching her inch down, making him hitch his breath and send up prayers.Especially when she slipped and scrabbled for another hold.
Ten feet to go, she let go.Her trajectory was clear, and it was bad.
Had she jumped, she would have cleared those jutting rocks.She bounced from one to the other like an antique pinball machine.Her garbled curses rose in pitch, until she landed, legs akimbo on the final rock not an inch from the water.
Clinging to the rock, her face changed from pale to green to purple.Laughter exploded out of him.Tears fell unhindered.Unable to help her down, he could only focus on getting himself under control.Having been kicked in the balls before, the pain was excruciating.He winced in sympathy.
“I’ll…kill you,” she managed to rasp, her eyes squeezed shut.
“Slow inhales and exhales,” he said, mid-chuckle.
“Fuck you, Thorne,” she yelled.“Fuck all of this.”With a gut-wrenching groan, she slipped off, her hands clutching her groin.
She sank underwater mid-grumble.
He shrugged off the bag and dove in, finding her with ease in the orange water.Her face was scrunched up, her cheeks pale as he dragged her to safety.
“Anything else hurt?”he asked.
“Can’t tell,” she gritted out through pinched lips.“Give me a moment.”
“Well, you made it,” he said and received a glare for his trouble.
Standing, he assessed their location.The light was almost gone—the vestiges of daylight in the crimson and pink on the horizon.They’d have to sleep here tonight, under the canopy of rock.It would protect them if it rained, and maybe hide them from prying eyes above.
Except, they had no blankets or fire.
He gazed at her, pain leeching from her features.
“We’re going to have to share body heat.”He glanced away, hiding his delight.
One stone in a day?Theyhadbeen lucky.
And now, he’d get to spend the night with her, naked, snuggling.
Damn, things couldn’t have ended on a better note if he’d planned them.
Chapter Eighteen
The moon, Lethara
