Part 67 (2/2)
Both men turned and, drawn by Claire's expression, found themselves returning to the elevator considerably more quickly than they'd left it.
”If you two are quite through exposing yourselves, maybe we could think about getting... now what?”
Dean had disappeared around the doorframe.
”This is some weird.” His voice came from directly behind her. ”There's just this door in the sand. From this side, you can't see the elevator at all.”
”Don't step where it should be!” Claire shouted. She didn't want to think about what could happen should three realities, elevator, beach, and Dean, suddenly find themselves sharing the same s.p.a.ce. When Dean reappeared, she backed away from the door, leaving him room to get in. ”Come on.”
Jacques stepped between them, his long face wearing the half rakish, half pleading expression she found so difficult to resist. ”Cherie, how often is there the chance to enjoy such a sunset?”
”And how enjoyable will it be if I leave the elevator and it disappears?”
”So before you leave, we prop the door open with a rock. If only the door is real here, then the elevator will go nowhere.”
”You don't know that,” Claire muttered, but she could feel her resolve weakening. It was a beautiful beach; brilliant white sand stretching down to turquoise water, the setting sun brus.h.i.+ng the entire scene with red-gold light.
”If I cannot convince you, cherie...” His eyes twinkled under lowered lids. ”... then I dare you.”
”You dare me?”
”Oui. I dare you to enjoy yourself, if only pour un moment.”
”You think I'm incapable of enjoying myself?”
”I did not say that.”
”Well, I'm not. Dean...”
Dean had already found a rock. He rolled it up against the open door and, telling herself that Jacques' theory made a great deal of sense, Claire stepped over the threshold.
After a few moments of antic.i.p.atory silence, when neither the elevator nor the beach seemed affected, Jacques threw up his hands in triumph. ”You see,” he said, catching them again. ”I am right.”
Nearly body temperature, the water invited swimming, but both mortals contented themselves with tossing shoes and socks back into the elevator and wading through the shallow surf. Behind the open door, the beach rose up to become undulating dunes and finally a multihued green wall of jungle vegetation.
”Austin would love it here,” Claire laughed, digging her toes into the sand. ”It's the world's biggest litter bo... oh, my G.o.d! He'll be frantic!”
”I don't think it works that way.”
Fighting to keep her balance in the loose footing, she whirled to glare at Dean. ”What makes you such an expert?”
He held out his arm, watch crystal reflecting all the red and gold and orange in the sky. ”The second hand hasn't moved since we got here.”
”Oh, I see,” she snarled, ”time has stopped. Did it ever occur to you that it might be your watch?”
Crestfallen, he shook his head.
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