Magenta Mine (Invertary 3)

“There will be no next time. That was a mistake.”

He gave her a look that said he clearly believed otherwise, and she fought the urge to kick him in the shin.

“What do you mean mistake?” a twin asked. “Did Harry trip over and his lips hit yours? How can you accidentally kiss?”

“Yeah, Magenta, tell dumb and dumber how you accidentally clung to me while I made you moan.” He folded his arms over his wide chest. He was mocking her.

“There was moaning?” Megan wailed.

“Get away from there,” Matt said. “This unhealthy interest you have in your cousin’s sex life is disturbing.”

“There is no sex,” Magenta shouted. “And if Harry comes near me again, there will be no life either.”

He laughed at her threat.

Magenta stomped over to where she’d left her flashlight. “I’m going to get supplies for tonight.” She pointed at Harry. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“Don’t worry. This is exactly where I want to be.”

Magenta wanted to smack the smug smile off his face. She growled with frustration as she headed into the mine, to where she kept a locked trunk full of equipment. Part of her wanted to run back through the mine to the tunnel entrance and leave Harry to deal with things on his own. A bigger part of her, the more sensible, responsible part, couldn’t do that to him.

She told herself that her resolve to stay with him had absolutely nothing to do with the fact her heart still raced and her lips were still swollen from his touch. It also had nothing to do with how needy her body felt. Or how desperate her skin was to be touched again.

No, her decision to stay had nothing to do with any of that.

Nothing at all.

9

Harry whistled happily while Magenta disappeared into the mine.

“Magenta, Harry?” His cousin’s voice broke through Harry’s cheer. “I hate to break up the party, but I have good news and bad news.”

Harry turned towards the voice. “Magenta’s gone into the mine to get her gear. Tell me. Bad news first.”

“Actually, it’s only one piece of news. It’s good and bad.”

“Okay, genius, give me the only news.”

“The council engineer has arrived and he’s brought a new piece of equipment with him. It looks like a huge motorised jack. He says he can get the door open now. He’ll use the jack to prop up the entrance beams until he’s had a chance to look at it properly tomorrow.”

Harry’s heart stopped beating. He was technically dead. And he was in hell.

“Did you hear me?” Matt said. “We can have you out of there within the hour. Your time to seduce Magenta by playing the damsel in distress is over. Sorry, cuz.”

Harry’s huge brain went into overdrive. “It’s starting to get dark—wouldn’t it be better to try this tomorrow, when the guy can see properly?”

“He’s come with floodlights. Plus he told me he was out here a couple of weeks ago, did a thorough inspection of the entrance and he’s certain it won’t collapse when the door opens. He only brought the jack thing as a precaution.”

“Tell him I’ll spring him a night at the hotel, and pay his tab at the bar while he’s there, if he waits until morning.”

He definitely heard a cheer this time. He shook his head in wonder.

“I like the way you think, son,” Betty called.

“Back off, Betty,” Matt said. “This is police business.”

Harry heard Betty’s grumbling become faint as she uncharacteristically did as she was told.