Page 16 of His Lucky Paige

“Joel, don’t…” she said looking away.

“Can’t help it baby, I haven’t seen you in almost ten years, other than flashing passes here and there, and those don’t satisfy a person.”

“I’m not here to satisfy you. I’m here because the brilliant idiot I grew up with managed to get himself trapped in the mine…with my father no less,” she stated lifting her hand and smacking the back of his head.

“Ow…what was that for?”

“For letting him go down there and getting him stuck by blasting and causing more of a cave-in. If that didn’t let it sink in I’ll be glad to do it again. Damn it Joel, you promised me four years ago that you’d keep him safe…”

“And I did, he’s fine right?”

“No thanks to you. I could gladly strangle you,”

“But you won’t because you’re too sweet for that,” he countered.

“Try me…let’s just go. I’d like to get out of here before my body begins to shut down, speaking of which, here,” she said digging in the pack and pulling out a bottle of water and a handful of granola bars. “But first I think you’ll need these…” she added removing the pack of wipes.

“Think of everything, don’t you?” he teased as he wiped the worse of the dirt and grime from his hands and face placing the used ones in the small bag she’d pulled out and laughing when she placed the bag into her pack.

She shrugged seeing him watching her movements. “No reason to litter. Here…you’ve got some more…” she told him as she wiped around his nose and then down the side of his mouth.

“Thanks,” he smiled as he ate the granola and drank the new water. “I ran out back there.”

“Figured you wouldn’t have much by now,” she replied. “You up for this? The climb out can be brutal.”

“I’m good, but tell me the truth, are you?” he asked staring into her eyes. “You look like hell Paige, beautiful no doubt but still, you’ve got circles under your eyes…”

“Gee thanks for reminding me that I’m no raging beauty,” she said sarcastically letting out all of her pent up frustration on him. “See if I ever bother to save your sorry ass again. I should have let you rot down there.”

He smiled grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him. “You’d never do that Paige.”

“Try me…”

“Gladly,” he winked covering her mouth with his, invading her mouth with his tongue as she gasped in surprise. “Ah baby, I’ve missed you…” he told her as they parted to draw in air.

She reached up and pushed him back from her. “You pig. You think you can kiss me like that because I once let you? News flash, that Paige is gone.”

“No, she’s not,” he countered pulling her back to him as she began to move away, “she’s right here…come on Paige, you’re the one who suggested we meet here.”

“Because I knew you’d be able to find it not because I wanted to visit the place.”

“So you’re saying you don’t feel anything being here? It’s all in my head? The way your eyes lit up when you saw me?”

“I’m glad you’re alive it means I don’t have to tell your mom you’re dead.”

“Tell me I imagined the way your lips responded to mine, or the way your tongue danced with mine. Tell me you didn’t feel the pull Paige.”

“So what if I did? It’s been a hellacious fifty-four hours. I haven’t slept and it’s only natural I’d feel the ghosts of this place popping up.”

“Ghosts? There were never any ghosts here Paige the only thing that was ever found here was magic.”

“Stop it, Joel.”

“You don’t remember Paige? The way our bodies melted into one another and found heaven right here underneath this diamond sparkle?” he asked lowering his mouth to the curve of her neck.

“We were kids, stupid kids. This place is dangerous, getting here was no walk on the beach. Why do you think I refused to even contemplate using it to get everyone out?”

“Because you wanted to keep it for us?”

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