through a giant sieve until it shattered—filled the air, jerking his thoughts out of their delightful reverie.
“Here they come,” Chance called, and at that moment the entrance to the cave blackened with a mass that moved as one entity across the open space, then broke into what seemed like millions of pieces as they reached the tree line and scattered.
Though he’d seen it many times, the sight of the bats never ceased to fill Rick with a sense of awe, which made him appreciate Summer’s reaction even more. She squeezed his hand, and her breast brushed the back of his arm as she bounced up and down with excitement.
The turbulent breeze from the beating of the bats’ wings seemed to suck the air from everyone’s lungs, but it returned just as quickly. Shouts and squeals reverberated from the group, with Summer’s louder than everyone else’s.
She clutched her chest like her heart might escape and swiped at tears streaming freely from her eyes.
Shannon put an arm around her waist. “Why are you crying, Ms. Summer?”
Summer laughed, pulling the hem of her T-shirt up to wipe her nose and eyes. “It’s so...so magnificent. It’s even better than a rock concert!”
A woman who found bats magnificent? More enjoyable than a rock concert? Summer’s words drove through the spot her kisses had burned in his thickened hide. It nicked at his heart, this vulnerability. He was falling for this woman. Falling hard and fast.
Hell-pee-roo! His breath froze in his lungs. A marine and a fairy princess. What am I getting myself into?
CHAPTER TWELVE
“I’VE LECTURED HIM SEVERAL times about safety. He’s promised not to go anywhere dangerous,” Rick said. He and Neil were once again on their nightly search for Howie. The kid was a master at hide-and-seek. So good, in fact, Rick made it a point to search for him, trying to learn his strategy. It was kind of fun—a real challenge. Neil found it beyond annoying and showed no remorse about voicing that opinion.
“Well, if you ask me, the kid’s as loopy as my mom’s chenille robe.” An irritated grunt pushed through Neil’s bared teeth. “Just call him in free again.”
Rick shook his head. “Not yet. This is the thing he does really well that sets him apart from the others. His time to shine. It won’t hurt to give him a few more minutes.”
“Very touchy-feely of you.” Neil shot him a quizzical glance. “You going soft on us, Mr. Rick?”
“Nope.” The near-constant erection caused from being around Summer was a good indicator he was being honest with his answer, but he couldn’t share that bit of information. “The kid’s begging for male attention, and this strikes me as an innocuous means of getting it. You have to agree that, except for all the wild stories, he’s pretty well-behaved.”
Neil scratched his head. “He’s got one hell of an imagination, all right.”
Rick couldn’t hold back the chuckle. “Which makes him think of hiding places that wouldn’t enter the other kids’ minds.”
“Um, speaking of imagination.” Neil lifted the lid on a trash can and peered inside. “Is mine working overtime, or have you and Summer managed to put your differences behind you?”
The question wasn’t much of a surprise. The staff surely noticed the warming climate surrounding him and Summer, and he’d suspected there might already be some talk. “We’re making a concerted effort to get along.” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“Get along or get it on?”
“We don’t want to be a distraction.” Rick scanned the roof of the dining hall. Would Howie consider a rooftop dangerous? Limbs from overhanging trees would give access, and Howie certainly had proven his climbing agility. Hell, the kid was part monkey. Thankfully, nothing on the roof looked suspicious. Rick dropped his gaze to the ground. “But as long as you brought up the subject.” He’d been curious and now seemed a good time to ask. “Did I notice some interest in Tara on your part?”
Neil gave a lopsided grin. “Strictly one-sided. She evidently has eyes for only one guy, and it’s not me. They’ve been together for, like, eight years.”
“Too bad.”
“Yeah, her loss.” Neil punctuated his remark by pushing his glasses farther back on his nose.
Rick spotted fresh footprints in the mud left behind from Friday’s deluge. They led behind the building. Putting a finger to his lips, he jerked his head in that direction.
Drawing on the infinite hours they’d both pretended to be ninjas during childhood, the two men stealthily followed the footprints to the door of the storm cellar.