Page 89 of Incompatible

We stop in a thicket of evergreen bushes, and Bay sinks down onto something, pulling me toward him. We kiss like we’ve lost our minds, almost biting at each other’s mouths, our hands roaming feverishly over our bodies. I’m standing, he’s sitting, so in that position I press my hips to his chest, letting him know I want more, nudging forward lightly, rhythmically, pulsing with my hips.

We break the kiss and I look at him. Bay’s eyes are half-lidded, his pupils blown, his breathing fast. He slides a hand down to my crotch, groping the bulge through my pants. There’s something distinct about his expression, his cheeks flushed. Slowly, he lowers his head and brings his face toward the bulge, but to do that he has to lean forward quite a bit, which catches my attention.

"What are you sitting on?"

"On something like a rock. Maybe I should move onto the ground…"

"Wait, what is that?"

Bay stands up, and we both look at the gray object, thickly overgrown with grass. Hidden in the bushes, so well it’s hard tonotice. It looks like a concrete block with openings on two sides, completely overgrown not only with shrubs but with grass too. No one mows this hidden patch, and everything grows however it wants.

"What could it be?" I wonder, brushing away the leaves and grass still stuck to the concrete block. "Honestly, it looks a little like some kind of chimney, except it’s sealed on top and has vents on the sides."

"Wait," Bay mutters, scratching his chin. "Something rings a bell." He crouches, studies the block from all sides, then starts walking around it and stomping on the ground.

"What are you doing?" I stare at him.

"When my parents bought this property, it used to belong to some colonel who originally built the house, but he had this obsession that a nuclear war would break out, and apparently he built himself a shelter…"

"Wow, seriously? That’s awesome. You think this is it?" I circle the block, studying the pattern of the plants.

"I don’t know. I remember when I was a kid, I heard my parents talking about how they’d have to deal with that bunker someday, but at the time it was completely swallowed by bushes and the entrance wasn’t even visible, so they just left it for later."

"No way, that’s amazing. Something like this on your own property? Maybe you can find the hatch!"

We both start stomping like maniacs, making circles within the radius of the vent block.

Finally, about ten feet away, Bay finds a patch of ground that sounds hollow. We push aside a thick layer of leaves, and underneath is indeed a huge hatch…

"Wow, I totally forgot about this," Bay mutters. "It’s been here for so many years."

"There’s a padlock," I say with disappointment, but Bay just grins.

"Hang on, I’ll run to the garage."

He comes back with a small crowbar.

"We’ll handle it in a second."

"You know, you could’ve just asked your parents for the keys."

"I doubt they have them. This bunker was probably last opened over three decades ago, when they moved in."

I sigh, disappointed. "Oh damn, that means it might be full of mold."

Bay wedges the crowbar under the hatch, and the padlock snaps like it’s made of dry sticks. Bay’s strength is unbelievable, so no surprise there. His body is like steel, sculpted and tattooed, beautiful. I pull myself together. This is not the time to admire my hot boyfriend.

"I don’t know. Look, there’s a ventilation system," he says, waving toward the vent. "And from what I know, there’s electricity wired down there too. We’ll see inside."

He slowly lifts the hatch, and inside we see stairs leading into darkness.

We switch on our phones. The bunker walls are smooth concrete with no moisture stains, so it seems water never made it inside.

We head down, and Bay spots a light switch on the wall. We exchange excited looks. It feels like an adventure, discovering a mysterious, forgotten bunker.

When Bay flips the switch, the interior lights up. Apparently the power really is still connected.

"Oh shit," I breathe out.