Magenta Mine (Invertary 3)

“How many people are out there?” Harry said.

“There’s a crowd. The twins went home for a tent. They’re parking here for the night because they don’t want to miss anything. Looks like others are going to do the same. Every noise you make is coming out of the mine loud and clear. And I mean every noise. You sure you want to stay in there for the night? You won’t get much privacy.”

Harry thought it through. Magenta was scared as a rabbit at the dog track. If he let her get away from him now, he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to corner her again. He weighed the odds in his head. Missing his chance by leaving the mine straight away, or dealing with a furious Magenta when she found out everyone heard her personal business. He picked a night with Magenta. Although he did hope she didn’t chase him with a shotgun when she found out they’d spent the night in the mine needlessly.

“We’re staying here,” he told Matt.

There was definitely a cheer this time.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Matt wasn’t convinced.

“Yeah. I’m sure. I’m not leaving here until Magenta knows she’s mine.”

“You are seriously deranged. She’s going to take a rusty knife to your balls when she finds out.”

Without conscious thought, Harry’s hand shot down to protect his fly. That sounded way worse than a shotgun.

“Can you do something to the vent, give us a bit more privacy?”

There was booing.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Matt sounded resigned. “You realise you’ve grabbed a tiger by its tail?”

Harry grinned. “Don’t worry. I plan to play with the whole cat.” He heard footsteps echo through the tunnel behind him. “She’s coming back. Talk to the engineer. Buy us the night.”

“It’s your funeral. The engineer will be back first thing in the morning. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“Don’t freak out on me. This isn’t illegal. You’re still a good cop.”

“Yeah, but as a cousin I need to have my head examined for letting you talk me into this.”

“When you find your soul mate, I’ll help you out.”

“Not going to happen.” Matt’s words had such finality that they made Harry laugh.

“Who are you talking to?” Magenta said behind him.

Ha

rry turned towards her and, as usual, the rightness of seeing her slammed him in the chest. “Matt. There’s good news. The engineer can get us out in the morning.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly. “Good. That’s good. One night is more than enough.”

“I hope so,” Harry said under his breath.

10

It was hard to ignore Harry in the intimate darkness of the mine, but Magenta tried her best. Her body had been sensitised by his touch, to the point where she was painfully aware of the still air around her. Before Harry had left for university, and Magenta had realised she’d developed a crush on her best friend, she’d daydreamed about kissing him. They’d been the dreams of a child. Chaste kisses, timid touches. Him holding her gently. Nothing like the reality of kissing Harry the man. There was nothing timid about the grown-up version of her childhood crush. He was confident, sexy and mind-blowingly skilled. So much so that the need to repeat the experience almost crushed the shock she had over kissing him in the first place.

However much she wanted to kiss him again, she had to resist. There was no future for them. He was a computer genius, a guy with two doctorates and a multimillion-dollar business. She was a high school dropout who sold underwear for a living. She’d known back in school that they were worlds apart. She was far too stupid for Harry. A fact her schoolmates had taken every opportunity to rub in. A fact her mother had reinforced whenever she could. She looked at the man who made her lose her mind, and shivered. All she had to do was resist him until the morning. Then, when the door opened, they’d both go back to their completely separate lives.

“We might as well get ready for bed.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wished them back.

“I’m all yours.” She felt Harry’s smile zing through her body like a ball in a pinball machine. To fend off her rebellious hormones—the ones that wanted her to rub up against Harry like a cat in heat—she recited a mantra in her head. I will not kiss Harry. I will not touch Harry. I will not lick Harry.

It didn’t help

“I mean.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, before remembering what he’d told her about that gesture. “We need to get the place prepared for sleeping.” She pointed to the gear she’d dragged back with her. “I have sleeping bags and mats.”