I shut off the engine and looked over at her.

For a second, I just smiled.

The little black sundress was perfect for a hot summer day. It was light, short, and showed off her petite frame without looking like she was trying too hard. The sides were cut open around her waist and back, and the thin black straps of her thong sat high on her hips. Every time she shifted in the seat, the dress moved with her and gave me another reason to keep looking.

The black fabric stood out against her warm, sun-kissed skin. She had on a matching visor, her long dark hair falling around her shoulders, and a pair of white walking shoes that were probably the most practical thing about the outfit.

She climbed out and stretched after the drive. The hem lifted for a second before falling back into place.

I got out on my side in a tank top, shorts, and sneakers. Nothing special.

She caught me staring.

“What?”

“You make that dress look good.”

She looked down at herself, then back at me.

“You think so?”

“I know so. You’re going to get some attention today.”

Her cheeks turned a little pink.

“Oh, stop.”

“I’m serious.”

She put on her sunglasses and gave me that smile that usually meant she liked the compliment more than she wanted to admit.

“Well, come on then. Let’s go make some memories.”

“Lead the way.”

We headed inside, passing the gift shop and a small food area before the path opened up in front of us.

And there it was.

The canyon was huge. Pictures really don’t prepare you for it. The river looked like a thin line way down at the bottom, and the bridge seemed to be hanging in the middle of nowhere between the rock walls.

My wife stopped.

“Oh… wow.”

She just stood there for a few seconds, taking it in.

“Told you the pictures wouldn’t do it justice.”

She nodded without looking away.

I pulled out my phone.

“Turn around.”

She looked back at me.

“What?”

“I need a picture of you with that behind you.”

“Already?”

“Absolutely.”

She walked over near the railing and turned around.

At first, she gave me a normal smile.

Click.

Then one hand went to her hip.

Click.

For the next one, she lowered her sunglasses a little and gave me a grin.

Click.

“Okay,” I said. “Someone’s getting into this.”

“If we’re taking pictures, we might as well have fun with it.”

She turned a little to the side and tried another pose. The wind moved her dress and her hair just enough to make the pictures look less posed and more like we had caught the moment naturally.

“Like this?”

“Perfect.”

I took another.

Then she turned her back to me and looked over her shoulder. One hand gathered a little of the dress at her waist while she shifted onto one leg.

I lowered the phone for a second.

“Okay. Now you’re showing off.”

She smiled over her shoulder.

“Maybe.”

The canyon stretched out behind her like something off a postcard.

Click.

I looked through the pictures.

“These actually came out really good.”

“Let me see.”

She came back over and started scrolling.

“Wow.”

“Pretty amazing view, huh?”

She leaned against me and kept looking at the screen.

“Yeah. The canyon’s not bad either.”

I looked at her.

“Oh, so we’re complimenting ourselves now?”

“Maybe both.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

We hadn’t gone much farther when two guys walking toward us noticed us and came over.

“You guys want a picture together?” one of them asked.

They had volunteered so quickly that I had a pretty good idea what had caught their attention, but I wasn’t going to turn down a free photographer.

“Sure. Thanks.”

I handed one of them my phone, and we stepped in front of the canyon.

My wife moved in beside me.

“Don’t make one of your stupid faces,” she whispered.

“I was going for mysterious.”

“You don’t know how.”

I put an arm around her waist.

The guy with my phone looked at the screen.

“Perfect. Right there.”

Click.

We shifted a little.

“One more.”

Click.

Then another.

“These are coming out great.”

They definitely weren’t in a hurry.

Neither of us noticed that when my wife moved, the side of her dress had caught on one of her hip dermal piercings. The fabric pulled out of place just enough to leave the front of her little black thong visible.

The guys didn’t say a word.

A few seconds later, one of them brought my phone back.

My wife smiled.

“Thank you so much.”

“It was definitely our pleasure,” one of them answered almost immediately.

Both gave her one quick look up and down, then headed off with big grins on their faces.

I watched them go for a second.

Something about that response felt a little too enthusiastic.

We stepped off to the side and started looking through the pictures.

“These actually came out really good,” I said.

She leaned against my shoulder while I swiped through them.

“Oh, I love that one.”

Then I went to the next picture.

She froze.

“Oh my god.”

“What?”

She pointed at the screen.

The dress was clearly caught on her piercing, and the front of her thong was right there in the picture.

Her face went pink.

“Oh my god. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t notice either.”

She looked at the picture again, then toward the path where the two guys had disappeared.

That’s when it clicked for me.

I grinned.

“Well… I guess it really was definitely their pleasure.”

She stared at me for half a second, then cracked up.

“You’re terrible.”

“I’m just saying. In hindsight, they were pretty enthusiastic photographers.”

“Don’t even start.”

“Too late.”

She adjusted her dress and looked at the photo one more time.

“We’re never showing that one to anybody.”

“Deal.”

“Delete it.”

I looked at her.

“Yeah, right. This might be the best picture I got all day.”

“Richard.”

“I’m kidding. Mostly.”

She shook her head, trying not to smile.

“I can’t take you anywhere.”

“Good. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere without you.”

That got a smile out of her.

After the photo incident, a drink sounded pretty good.

“You ready for one?” I asked.

“Yes, please.”

“That was fast.”

“I think I earned it.”

“You definitely did.”

We started walking again.

“Cold drink with a view?”

“Perfect.”

A few minutes later we found exactly that: a restaurant tucked along the edge of the canyon with big windows, a patio, and a bar overlooking everything.

“There,” she said.

“Straight to the important stuff?”

“You offered me a drink.”

“Fair point.”

We went inside and grabbed two open stools at the bar.

The bartender came over.

“What can I get you two?”

I looked at my wife.

“Lady’s choice.”

She didn’t hesitate.

“Two shots of Jack and two Fat Tires.”

I looked at her.

“Starting strong.”

She smiled.

“You wanted an adventure.”

A couple minutes later, the drinks were sitting in front of us.

She picked up her shot.

“To unexpected adventures.”

I raised mine.

“And making memories.”

We clinked glasses and took the shots.

She reached for her beer and let out a satisfied breath.

“Okay. That’s what I needed.”

“After the picture?”

“Especially after the picture.”

We sat there for a while talking and looking out at the canyon. It was one of those moments where neither of us had anywhere else to be, and that alone made it feel good.

I looked over at her.

“So what kind of trouble are we getting into next?”

She took a sip of her beer.

“I don’t know yet.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

She smiled.

“You’re the one who brought me here.”

We were almost done with our drinks when I nodded toward the bar.

“One more before we go?”

She looked at me.

“Another shot too?”

“Why not?”

She pretended to think about it.

“Twist my arm.”

I waved the bartender over.

Soon another round was in front of us.

My wife lifted her shot.

“To making the most of the day.”

I raised mine.

“And no more wardrobe malfunctions.”

She almost laughed into her drink.

“Oh, stop.”

We took the shots and chased them with beer.

A warm buzz settled in. Nothing crazy. Just enough that we were both a little louder, a little more playful, and in no hurry to leave.

She picked up her second Fat Tire and looked at me.

“I bet I can finish this before you finish yours.”

I laughed.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yep. And loser has to do whatever the winner wants.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You sure you want to make that bet?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay. You’re on.”

She lifted her bottle.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

“One… two… three.”

We both started drinking.

She took a normal drink, still smiling like she thought she had this handled.

I looked at her, looked at my beer, and tipped the whole thing back.

Her eyes got wide.

“Oh, you’re cheating!”

I couldn’t answer because I was busy finishing it.

A few seconds later I set the empty bottle on the bar.

Done.

She stared at my bottle, then at hers. She still had almost half left.

“No way!”

“You made the rules.”

“I cannot believe you just did that.”

“You should know better than to challenge me.”

She shook her head.

“I walked right into that one.”

“You really did.”

She took another sip and gave me a suspicious look.

“Okay. So what does the winner want?”

I gave her a look.

She narrowed her eyes.

“That face means I should be worried.”

“Maybe a little.”

I leaned closer and whispered, “I want your thong in the palm of my hand,” with a grin.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh, you’re terrible,” she said, trying not to laugh.

“Those were the rules.”

She looked around the bar, her cheeks turning pink as the alcohol and excitement of the day left her feeling bold and mischievous. She slowly lifted off the seat just enough to hook the straps of her thong and carefully slid them down her legs, slipping one foot out and then the other before handing them to me beneath the bar.

She placed them in my palm, and I closed my hand around them.

With a smirk, I whispered, “Oh my… are these wet?”

“Shhhh!” she hissed, fighting back a laugh. “You really do bring out my mischievous side sometimes.”

I grinned.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

She shook her head, still smiling.

“You make me so naughty sometimes.”

I laughed.

“And yet you keep making bets with me.”

She couldn’t argue with that.

Instead, she nudged my leg with hers and took another sip of her beer, the two of us grinning like we were in on some private joke.

The canyon stretched out beyond the windows, and somehow the day just kept getting more memorable.

She finished the last of her beer just as I signaled for the check.

As we waited, I noticed my wife’s hand disappear briefly between her thighs. She wore that familiar, mischievous smile that always meant she was up to something.

I handed my card to the bartender, who turned away to process the payment.

A second later, my wife leaned in close and brushed a wet finger against my lips. I licked them instinctively and instantly knew what I tasted.

I looked at her, immediately understanding the teasing look in her eyes.

She was trying very hard not to laugh.

I couldn’t help but grin back at her.

She glanced down at the growing bulge in my pants, her cheeks slightly flushed.

“Looks like I’m not the only one feeling… umm… hot,” she said with a giggle.

I shook my head and laughed softly.

“You are trouble.”

She smiled proudly.

“I know.”

The bartender returned with my card, completely unaware of our little private exchange.

I signed the receipt and slipped my wallet back into my pocket.

My wife was still grinning.

“What?” I asked.

She laughed.

“Nothing.”

But the sparkle in her eyes said otherwise.

I stood and offered her my hand.

“Come on.”

She laced her fingers through mine and stood, still smiling.

“Ready for our next adventure?” I asked.

She looked up at me, a playful grin spreading across her face.

“Oh… I think I am.”

We left the restaurant still carrying that easy buzz from the drinks.

The paths were quieter away from the restaurant, and every so often we stopped to look out over another part of the canyon.

Then I noticed an old red rail car sitting on a track that seemed to disappear straight down the side of the gorge.

“Hey. What’s that?”

She followed my eyes.

A sign beside it read: Incline Railway.

Her face lit up.

“No way.”

We walked closer.

The tracks dropped so steeply that from the top it looked almost ridiculous. A few moments later, one of the little cars appeared below us and slowly climbed toward the station.

“You can actually ride that to the bottom?” she asked.

“Looks like it.”

She looked down the tracks, then back at me.

“We have to do this.”

“I knew you were going to say that.”

“Come on. How often do you get to ride a train down into a canyon?”

I looked over the edge at the river far below.

“Apparently today.”

We headed toward the entrance.

“This place just keeps getting better,” she said.

“And we’re not even done yet.”

A little later we climbed into one of the red cars and took a spot near the back. A couple of guys were several cars ahead of us, with a few empty cars in between.

The attendant shut the gate.

Then, with a small jolt, we started moving.

My wife looked over the edge.

“Okay. That is steep.”

“Too late now.”

She looked at me.

“That’s comforting.”

The gears groaned as the car worked its way down. The canyon walls rose around us, and the river slowly got bigger below.

I glanced at her and tapped the pocket where I had tucked away the prize from our bet.

She immediately knew what I meant.

“Oh my god,” she said, trying not to laugh. “You’re still proud of yourself.”

“Very.”

“You’re never letting that go, are you?”

“Not today.”

She shook her head and turned back toward the view.

For a while we just took it in. The wind came through the open sides of the car, the machinery echoed against the rock, and every minute the top of the gorge seemed farther away.

“This is actually pretty amazing,” she said.

“A little different from our usual day out.”

“I don’t know. This one might be hard to beat.”

I leaned into her as she rested against the side of the rail car and kissed her neck hungrily. She responded by grabbing the back of my head and letting out a soft moan.

My hand moved up her thigh until I reached her wetness and felt just how turned on she was. I dropped to my knees and lifted her dress, diving tongue-first into her, savoring every taste of her. I used long, slow licks, taking my time as she gripped the back of my head with both hands.

Then I changed my rhythm, using only the tip of my tongue to circle her clit.

“Fuck… that feels so good,” escaped her lips.

I slid a finger inside her while my other hand cupped the curve of her ass, holding her close as the little red rail car continued its slow descent into the gorge.

One hand gripped the back of my head while the other clutched the metal wall of the rail car. Her body began to tremble as my tongue and fingers found their rhythm.

Then the shivers turned into full-body convulsions.

“Ohhhh God… I’m cumming!”

I held her steady, one hand on each cheek, as she pressed herself against me, lost completely in the moment. The little red rail car continued its slow journey down the gorge, even passing another car heading back up, but she seemed completely unaware of anything except the waves rolling through her.

“Oh God… oh God… oh God… I’m cumming!”

I never stopped, continuing my movements as her climax washed over her. She cried out again, her entire body shaking as she finally collapsed back against the wall of the rail car, breathless and overcome.

As her orgasm finally began to subside, she leaned back against the wall of the rail car, breathing hard.

A few shaky breaths later, she glanced toward the tracks ahead.

“We’re almost at the bottom,” she whispered, still trying to catch her breath.

She quickly smoothed out her dress and ran a hand through her hair, trying to compose herself.

Then she looked down at me and couldn’t help but laugh.

“Would you hurry up and get back on your feet?” she said playfully, cheeks still flushed. “People are going to wonder what happened to you.”

I grinned up at her.

“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea.”

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh again, then lightly smacked my shoulder.

“Behave.”

I stood up as the rail car continued its slow descent, the sounds of the gears echoing through the canyon.

She took one last deep breath, adjusted her visor, and intertwined her fingers with mine.

By the time the little red car rolled toward the bottom of the gorge, she looked almost completely composed again.

Almost.

The faint blush on her cheeks and the mischievous smile she kept trying to hide gave her away completely.

“Oh my god!”

Her eyes widened as she looked at me. She grabbed the hem of my shirt and, still trying not to laugh, quickly used it to wipe the evidence of her excitement from my face.

“You need to stand up,” she whispered between nervous giggles. “We’re almost at the bottom!”

I shot her a grin, and she shook her head, still trying not to laugh.

Then she slipped her hand into mine.

The rail car eased into the bottom station and came to a stop. The attendant opened the gate.

We stepped onto the platform together.

My wife fanned her face dramatically.

“Okay. Let’s find a bar. I think I’ve earned it.”

“After today? Probably.”

She smiled.

Then we headed off to explore the bottom of the gorge, still laughing about everything that had happened since we pulled into the parking lot that morning.

To be continued . . .