Page 39 of Kiss of Fury

“Keep your eyes on the road,” she cautioned.

“What road?”

He had a point. Laughing, she clung to the bar. “You must have attended the Gozar School of Driving.”

“I want to get where we’re going faster so we’ll have more time to spend there,” he said reasonably. “Do you want me to slow down?”

Itwaskind of exhilarating to fly across the tundra, racing toward a surprise. Since becoming a mother, she’d always chosen the safe, practical route. Why not let loose? Enjoy. Feel. Be. “No. Can you go faster?”

Cheeks dimpled. “Hang on.”

They’d sped across the tundra for about fifteen minutes when the flat terrain took on an incline that turned into a series of slight rolling hills. He reduced the speed. The grass became patchier, the ground rockier, and he slowed to a crawl. She clung to the bar as the vehicle bounced along, hoping they didn’t hit arock. If they were going to break an axle, this was how they would do it.

“We’re almost there,” he said as they started up a rather steep hill. They crested the top, and he braked. “Ta-da!”

“Oh my gosh!” Partly shrouded in patchy fog lay a valley, at the bottom of which jewel-toned pools of water bubbled. Hot liquid from the planet’s core hit cold air to form the clouds. The minerals in the rock colored the water in shades of blue-green and violet. “It’s a hot spring!”

“I thought we could take a dip,” he said. “Hot springs are quite ubiquitous on this planet.”

A huge, heated aquifer existed under the planet’s surface. The availability of instant hot water provided a huge boon to a cloudy planet relying on solar for power. Solar barely served the energy needs of the sparse population, hence the use of herb cakes for heating. Given the breezy climate, windmills might have been an option, but like most nation-planets, Refuge banned them due to the danger they posed to wildlife. Windmills had caused the extinction of many species of birds, bats, and other flying creatures before the interplanetary community outlawed them.

“Yes!” She bounced on the seat and kissed him.

He started down the slope, driving slowly to give the wheels purchase and avoiding a slide. A few stalwart tufts of grass broke through gaps in the rocky terrain. As soon as it leveled out, he stopped the wagon, and they got out.

“It’s warm!” she exclaimed, shedding her heavy coat and tossing it on the seat of the cab. In the valley, shielded from the wind, with the heat rising from the pools, the mineral-scented air felt balmy. The water bubbled invitingly. “I assume it’s not boiling, or you wouldn’t have suggested a dip.”

“It’s quite pleasant.”

Three irregular-shaped pools met in the middle, forming a kind of three-leaf clover. She moved toward the water.

“Be careful on the sharp rocks,” he warned.

Devoid of vegetation, even a single blade of grass, the solid rock terrain on the perimeter of the pools was jagged and uneven except for a flat area encircling the water. “It’s smooth next to the pools,” she observed.

“Erosion. A geyser erupts periodically, and the pool overflows,” he explained.

Slipping off a shoe and sock, she dipped her toes into the water.Bath water—complete with bubbles.“Perfect. We should have brought—”

He pulled two bath sheets from behind the seat of the cab.

“Towels,” she finished. “You really did plan for everything.”

“Tried to.” He carried them over and dropped them on a nearby dry, flat rock.

“Don’t suppose you brought any swimsuits?”

“Nope,” he said cheerfully.

“You’ll do anything to get me naked.”

“Like you said, I tried to plan for everything.”

She laughed, shed her clothes, and slipped into the water, groaning with pleasure. They had a small bathtub at the cabin, but for expediency, she showered.I’ve been missing out.But still, a bath at home could not compare to the sensual pleasure of skinny-dipping in a balmy grotto. She found a natural ledge to sit on. Frothy water swirled around her shoulders.

Mike disrobed and padded to the pool, his erection bobbing. She wiped her hand across her grin. Getting naked had factored into his plan.

“Hi.” He sat next to her.

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