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A second invitation wasn’t required as she took the beach bag from him and skimmed the top of the steps as she hurried to the s her lavender swi trunks He used her beach bag to store his clothes

Rushing water had worn the huge gray boulders sed out holes to make placid pools while the musical cascade of water continued on its way down to the sea A dozen people were already enjoying the idyllic setting,on the warm stone

“Watch your step,” Gard warned when the crudely fashioned steps ended and they had to traverse the massive boulders

Luckily Rachel had put on her deck shoes The ridged soles gave her traction to travel over the uneven contours of the huge stones, part of thewater Once they were at the rushing stream’s level, Gard turned upstream

There was no for singly, they edged around a two-story boulder, flattened against its sheer face with a narrow lip offering toeholds They passed the main waterfall, where the streae, deep pool, and continued upstreaoat, cli from one stone to another Someti rock

No one else had ventured as far as they did, settling for the easy access of the rock pool at the base of the waterfall and the lower-level pools that weren’t so difficult to reach Rachel paused to catch her breath and looked back to see how far they’d come

The open-air restaurant with its roof of thatched pal the main waterfall Tropical plants crowded around it At this distance the brilliant scarlet color predo like clusters of thousands of red flowers

Almost an equal distance ahead of Rachel she could see a narrow rope bridge crossing the stream On the other side of the strea adobe house sat in the shade of spreading trees A large tan dog slept on a patch of cool earth, and froround was the quiet tumble of water on its doard rush to the sea

“Tired?” Gard’s low voice touched her

“No” Rachel turned, an inner glow lighting her eyes as she aze “Fascinated”

He passed her a look of understanding and swung back around to lead the way again “I found a place” The words came over his shoulder as Rachel fell in behind him

Between two boulders there was a narrow opening and the glistening surface of a mirror-smooth pool just

beyond it Gard squeezed through the opening and disappeared behind one of the boulders Rachel ventured forward cautiously From what little she could see of the rock pool, it alled in by high, sheer stones

But there was a narrow ledge to the right of the opening that skirted the pool for about four feet At that point it curved onto another boulder lying on its side, for hole It was secluded and private, guarded by the high rocks surrounding it Gard stood on the long, relatively flat stones and waited for her to join him

“Well? Was it worth the walk?” There was a knowing glitter in his eyes when she traversed the last few feet to stand beside him