Page 99 of High Water

“Then let’s go. Back to the entrance.” I nod.

I don’t have to say it twice. She’s marching onward and upward, and we’re making better time getting out than we did getting in.

When we reach the surface and make our way back down the trail to the entrance, a truck is just pulling up, one I recognize as Levi’s, and he hops out with Zephyrine at his side. Aspen hurries over to show them her find as Levi chastises us both for going in without telling anyone else. Complaints that are quickly silenced when he sees her video and she explains how well the map matches the paths we saw when we were inside.

“Well fuck. We’ve gotta get down there. Sooner rather than later.” Levi looks at us both.

“We do. But it’s gonna take equipment and people who know what they’re doing. It’s not particularly safe,” Aspen admits.

“Ladders are rotting. So are some of the support beams and tracks, which make for a trip hazard. Not to mention, there’s still a lot of weather getting in. Snow, ice—the lot of it.” I give Levi a quick rundown. “It’s warming up out here, but down there it might as well still be winter.”

“But if we had rope and experienced climbers, I think you could anchor in and rappel it. You’d definitely want someone who’s done something like this before,” Aspen agrees.

“So no chance of Rowan and me just giving it a go?” Levi looks between us, but his question is largely for me.

“No chance. Not if you don’t want to take some massive, unnecessary risks. It’s not going anywhere. It’s been down there for decades, I imagine.”

“Well, let’s get back to the Avarice and get to making some calls.” Levi looks frustrated but is willing to trust our assessment. “Hopefully, we can get someone out here by next week.”

“I can update everyone. Let the abbey and the Vatican know we have a lead, but it’s gonna take some time before we know for sure.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Levi agrees with her, and Aspen and I both nod along.

Once we’re back in the truck, rambling down the dirt road that leads back to the main part of the ranch, I feel like I can take a breath. It’s one thing to take risks like that when I’m on my own and the only one who’s ever in danger, and another when I’ve got Aspen with me. But I don’t think she’d take kindly to me badgering her about the dangers and risks. So I’ve just got to learn to balance my worry with the reality of being with someone who’s an unstoppable force. Particularly when she has a map and a purpose.

FORTY-TWO

Aspen

“This is a lot of work to put in on a house we only plan to live in for three years.” I take the glass of lemonade he pours for me, sipping it as he makes one for himself. I came out to see him at the homestead. While we’re waiting on the experts to come in and help us with our mine situation, he’s been putting the final touches on our new home. Anson’s crew already took care of all the big projects, but he insisted he wanted to do the finishing touches himself. So it’s been a long week of him out here, and today, I felt like coming to see it for myself while Fallon’s busy with extracurriculars.

“Well, I plan to spend a lot more here. Just gotta convince you to stay a little longer.”

“You sure you want that? I feel like I’ve been testing your limits lately…” I hedge. I’m curious how he’s surviving so far. He hasn’t complained, but then he doesn’t say much in general. We had our moment of reprieve in the shower the other day, but it’d been in the heat of the moment. In the daylight, like this, is a different thing. Or at least I think it is until I see the look on his face.

“When it comes to you, I don’t have limits.” He flashes a grin back at me as he slips the pitcher back into the fridge.

“Is that so?” I smirk, raising a brow as my eyes sweep over him while we make our way out to the porch. His ass looks amazing in the Wranglers he has on, and he’s just that little bit extra dirty and disheveled from working out here all day. The kind that has me thinking about sex and having his hands all over me. Not to mention, it’s golden hour, and the view from out here on the porch framing him in this light might almost be enough to convince me to stay forever.

“Try me.” He challenges me, looking back over his shoulder.

“Strip.”

“Strip?” His smile spreads in curious amusement.

“You heard me.” I hold my lemonade out as I gesture for him to get on with it.

He sets his down on the railing and grabs the back of his T-shirt with his free hand, pulling it over his head and tossing it to the floor. He starts to reach for his belt.

“Wait!”

I move around him, sitting down on the oversized porch swing he built. It’s massive, with a giant seat cushion and pillows. Quite possibly the comfiest one I’ve ever experienced in my life. I have every intention of spending as many hours out here reading and drinking lemonade as I can while I live here.

“All right. I just want to make sure I have a full, uninterrupted view, and I have somewhere comfortable to watch.”

He’s more than a little amused with the game we’re playing, and he closes the distance between us, standing directly in front of the swing as I use the balls of my bare feet to rock it back and forth while I sip my lemonade.

“This better?” He looks down at me.