kids scrambled into two lines. Summer watched with pride as the girls lined up alphabetically, just as quickly as the boys did.
Chance opened the door, which revealed a set of concrete steps descending into the subterranean cavern. He motioned to Neil and Tara, and the three of them went down first, while Summer and Rick stayed near the back of the lines.
Kyndal came over to them. “Hank, did you show Rick the surprise you found this afternoon?”
“No, Mommy. I go get it!” The three-year-old zoomed off on his errand.
Summer squeezed Rick’s hand. “That was some story.”
He gave a modest shrug and pointed to his friend. “Kyndal’s a photographer. She captured the entire event with her camera, and then she and Chance wrote a book about it. It’s fascinating.”
“And available at all the local bookstores.” Kyndal laughed. “I’ve become an expert at shameless self-promotion.”
Summer vaguely remembered hearing about the story around town a few years back. “I’ll have to get a copy. I’d love to read it.”
“I’ll give you a copy,” Rick offered. “I’ve got five signed by the authors.”
Hank came running up, proudly gripping a box turtle, and Rick sat down on the lawn to hear the little boy’s story of its capture. A squawk from the monitor on Kyndal’s hip sent her scurrying into the house.
Summer moved around the group of campers, listening to the exuberant chatter from the kids as they emerged from the dark hole in the ground. The ancient room was a hit. The anticipation of seeing it herself made her heart beat a bit faster.
When everyone had a turn, she and Rick were the only ones left.
Rick had Hank in his arms again as they descended into the dimly lit cavern where Chance waited. With each step, the scent of damp earth became more pronounced, and the temperature dipped a few degrees. Summer moved slowly, allowing her eyes to adjust from the twilight outside to the near-dark inside.
As they got to the bottom of the steps, the child started to wail. “No, Daddy. I don’t want to. I want to pway wif de kids. Pwease, Daddy?”
Chance took his son into his arms and raised an eyebrow toward Rick. “I’ll take Hank back up. Think you two can find your way around by yourselves?”
Rick laughed and nodded. “I know my way around this place pretty well.”
Chance clapped him on the shoulder with a broad grin. “Take your time, and go on in the room. We’ve got a half hour still before it’s time for the bats.”
As Chance ascended the steps, Rick reached out to Summer and pulled her to him. His mouth pressed hers, kissing her thoroughly and leaving her breathless.
While she brought her respiration under control, he pointed to a small opening in the side wall of the cave that glowed from the lantern light within. “There are paintings on the walls and animal pelts cover the floors. We suspect the Native Americans used it for fertility rites.”
Summer was shocked by his words. “A room for making love?”
He nodded and the thought sent her heart into overdrive.
She looked at him and saw her own reaction reflected in his eyes.
“Um...” Rick cleared his throat. “Maybe I’ll just mosey on back upstairs. You take as long as you want.”
She nodded. “Good idea.” Her pulse didn’t return to normal until he was completely out of sight.
* * *
RICK SAW JUPITER emerging as the first object in the night sky. “Won’t be long now,” he told the group.
“They’re not as predictable as Old Faithful,” Chance said. “But they have to eat, and they do that as soon as it gets dark.” He took the few spare minutes to tell the kids about the vandalism the cave had received.
It was a good lesson for the kids to hear. It might keep them from defacing property in the disgraceful way Chance and Kyndal’s cave had suffered a few years back when it was a prime party place for local teens bent on drinking and mischief.
Rick watched Summer’s face, intent on Chance’s words. Her eyes flashed with anger as Chance relayed the story of the names scrawled in spray paint on the walls just inside the entrance.
Her face was so expressive. He swallowed hard, remembering the heat that registered in her eyes outside the ancient room. He would have given his right arm to have had a couple of hours to remove her clothing one item at a time and slowly explore each area as it was exposed.