Passion Punch

by Tricia Leedom

  “I’m sorry,” she said, struggling to compose herself. “Do you want some help with that?”

  “It’ll go away on its own,” he snapped.

  April pressed her lips together, suppressing another giddy laugh. “I meant the rope. I assume you’re setting up a shelter of some sort to get us out of the rain?”

  “There’s a tarp in my pack. Bring it here.”

  She thought she would make it easier on him and bring the whole bag but, when she bent to pick it up, it didn’t budge. How did he do all of those things with a baby hippo strapped to his back and make it look effortless? She dug around inside the pack and found the green camouflage tarp easily enough. When she brought it to Jonas, he took it without a thank you and spread it over the rope he’d tied between the two trees.

  “Is there anything else I can do?” she asked.

  “Nope. I got it. If you need to relieve yourself, do it now. But don’t touch anything and be careful where you step.”

  Now that he’d mentioned it, she did have to pee. She eyed the thick, leafy curtain beyond the glow of the flashlight. It looked like a scene out of the movie Jurassic Park. She shivered, listening for velociraptors. She didn’t want to go off in the night by herself, even if it was just around the next tree, but she couldn’t drop her pants and squat right in front of Jonas either. Taking a length of biodegradable toilet paper from the roll she’d spotted in Jonas’ backpack, she glanced back at him to make sure he was close by before she stepped out into the darkness.

  “Please don’t get eaten. Please don’t get eaten,” April recited as she squatted awkwardly behind a bush. She was pulling up her pants when a branch cracked off to her right. Thoughts of hungry jaguars, or worse, vengeful Capuchin monkeys flashed through her mind. She dashed into the clearing still zipping her fly and tripped over Jonas’ two-ton backpack.

  Doing a faceplant on the mossy ground, she forgot all about her fear as the wind was knocked out of her chest with a whoosh.

  “You okay?” Jonas loamed over her.

  She honestly didn’t know how to answer that question. She was lost in the middle of the Amazon rainforest with a man who’d thrown a knife and murdered someone right in front of her without compunction. She was pretty sure monkeys had put a hit out on her. And now, the only appropriate outfit she had for trekking through the jungle had soaked up the wet earth beneath her body like a sponge.

  She pushed herself up and knelt on the ground. “No. Not at the moment, but I don’t think things could get any worse.”

  Jonas didn’t appear to be listening to her. He stared off in the distance, his head tilted at an angle. She was about to ask him what he heard when she heard it too. The growl of a motor coming closer.

  The rainforest creatures grew quiet, amplifying the soft patter of steady rainfall.

  April climbed to her feet. “Do we need to run?”

  Jonas shook his head. “Probably not. I hid the bike well and wiped our tracks.”

  Probably not? That didn’t sound very reassuring.

  The vehicle came and went, but there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be back.

  Jonas ducked under the edge of the camouflage shelter virtually disappearing from site. At least, they wouldn’t be easy to spot once the flashlight was turned off.

  While she’d gone off to relieve herself, Jonas had stuck four sticks in the ground and tied the corners of the tarp to them to hold the sides up.

  April ducked under the edge of the shelter too. “Is that a sleeping bag or a tent?"

  “It’s both. It’s called a Bivy sack.” Jonas knelt on the ground, rolling it out. Beside him, a self-inflating pad unrolled as it filled with air. “A one-man tent with a built-in sleeping bag. The pad is for extra comfort, but the earth is pretty soft here anyway. Get undressed. We’re not getting in there with wet clothes. You can hang your things under here to dry.” He pointed to the center rope where a second flashlight dangled from a cord illuminating the space in a cool-white glow. He started to back out of the shelter.

  “Wait. Where are you going?”

  He glanced away. “To scout the area and relieve myself. It might take a while so climb in and zip up.”

  “What if they come back?”

  “Stay put and be quiet. You’ll be fine.” And with that, he was gone, taking the flashlight that hung from the branch outside the shelter with him as he disappeared into the forest.

  April undressed down to her slightly damp bra and panties and hung her clothes from the line before climbing into the Bivy tent with the flashlight. The outer shell was made of a waterproof Gortex material, but the sleeping bag inside was soft and lightweight, and most importantly, dry. It felt wonderful to be out of the rain. She zipped up the outer shell and discovered the tent had a built-in wire that kept it off her head so she could lean up on her elbows without touching the top of it. It was cozy and surprisingly comfortable, but it would be a tight fit for two people when Jonas returned.

  Whenever that would be. He’d been gone twenty minutes so, but it had felt like an hour. He said he was going to relieve himself, had he meant he was going to take care of his, um, situation? Would he really jerk off in the jungle? She should have been offended he would rather expose himself to an insect-infested rainforest than ask for her assistance, but her heart hurt for him. He was so used to being alone and relying on nobody but himself, he didn’t know how to ask for help when he needed it.

  Sighing, she lay on her back staring up at the green camouflage ceiling and blew a damp strand of hair off her face.

  An image floated into her head of Jonas swatting mosquitos as he feverishly beat off in the woods. She giggled. What on earth had gotten into him? Did danger really turn him on like that? No wonder he was so committed to his job. Another laugh bubbled up her throat, and she covered her mouth.

  She exhaled a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. How far from camp had he gone? She was comfortable and relatively safe for now, but what if he didn’t come back? Shoving that terrifying thought out of her brain, she closed her eyes, listening for his footsteps. All she heard was the sound of raindrops kissing the trees and the chirps and whistles of the resident critters.

  She was dozing lightly when Jonas unzipped the Bivy tent. He crouched in front of her naked except for a pair of briefs. His erection was conspicuously absent. A hollowness in her gut accompanied her disappointment. He didn’t need her after all. Or maybe he’d taken a walk and it had gone away on its own.

  “Move over.” He tossed the flashlight into the head of the tent. Then he placed his gun and knife next to it, before he slid into the sleeping bag and took up most of the room.

  His body was hot to the touch, and he smelled slightly musky, but it wasn’t unpleasant. He scooted lower stretching out his legs before he zipped up the tent. She tried to give him as much room as possible, but her breasts still pillowed against his chest in the confines of the tight space. She didn’t want to think about how good it felt when he clearly wasn’t interested, so she focused on his chin. “Do you want me to turn around?”

  “That would be good,” he said in a tight voice.

  She wriggled until she faced away from him with her back pressed against his chest.

  “Stop fidgeting,” he hissed.

  “I’m trying to get comfortable. Why are you so grumpy?”

  Something hard and insisted jabbed her in the backside and she jumped. “Please tell me that’s not a snake.”

  “Damn it,” he hissed. “I told you to quit wiggling.”

  “What’s going on, Jonas?”

  “That asshole Leto thought it would be funny to spike my drink with Viagra.”

  “What? Are you kidding?” In her surprise, she rolled toward him again, and her breasts mashed against his chest again.

  He gritted teeth.

  “Are you all right? How much did he give you?”

  “Not enough to kill me or I’d probably already be dead, but enough to keep me erect for several hours.
Ignore it and go to sleep.”

  “Oh, Jonas, that’s hysterical.” She giggled, unable to stop herself.

  “It’s not funny. I could have had a heart attack.”

  “You didn’t, thank God, but you have to admit it’s kind of hilarious. Of all the things Roman could have done to you, he gave you a boner.”

  Jonas grunted and tried to turn away from her, but his broad shoulders prevented him from turning, so he gave up.

  When her thigh accidentally bumped his erection, he sucked in a sharp breath and his face turned red.

  April sobered instantly. “Are you sure you’re okay? Seriously. Does it hurt? Is there anything I can do?”

  “You can go to sleep,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “You don’t have to be so tough, you know. I won’t tell anyone, if you ask for my help.”

  “I don’t need your help.”

  “I could give you a hand job?”

  “No. Fuck. No. Go to sleep, April,” he snarled. “I mean it.”

  She felt his pain and frustration as if it were her own. He’d been alone, fighting his own battles, since he was born. He didn’t know how to seek comfort from a woman. He’d never known tenderness, or affection, or laughter, so he didn’t understand those things. He couldn’t see the humor in the situation, and her laughter had only made him angrier.

  “I’m sorry.” In the dim light, she met his icy black gaze unflinchingly. “I was wrong for laughing, Jonas, but I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing at the ridiculous situation. I care about you.” She touched the side of his neck and was shocked how searing hot it was to the touch. “I care about you and not just because we share a son or have amazing sexual chemistry, I admire your strength and determination, your inherent kindness, and your resilience. I don’t want anything from you, except for you to know you can trust me with what’s in here.” She lowered her hand to his heart and a strong, steady beat thumped against her palm, reassuring her he would be okay until the drug left his system.

  She turned away from him and rested her cheek on her hands. He settled down behind her and they both drifted off. Sometime later, she woke to Jonas’ sharp intake of breath in her ear. His big hand cupped her breast and his erection pulsed against her backside.

  “Sorry,” he said in a hoarse voice and moved his hand to her stomach. “I fell asleep.”

  “Are you in pain?”

  “Not exactly.” He hesitated. “I thought it would start to fade, but I think it’s worse.”

  “You need relief,” she grumbled, expecting him to deny it.

  “I still don’t have a condom.”

  “I’m on the pill, remember?”

  Before he could change his mind, she shimmed out of her underwear kicking it to the bottom of the sleeping bag. When she pressed back against him, he groaned.

  “Does it hurt?”

  “Yes and no. I don’t want to use you like this, April.”

  Between the steely erection poking her backside and the big masculine hand unconsciously stroking her flat belly, she was already hot for him, but she had to tread lightly. “Maybe that’s because you care about me too.”

  His hand stilled.

  “You don’t have to admit it. I’m only pointing out why you might feel that way.”

  “You’re right. I do care about you.”

  She bit her bottom lip, fighting a smile, and was glad she was turned away from him. “Then you’re not using me. Let me help you, Jonas. I want to.”

  She unsnapped the front clasp on her bra. Then she guided his hand back to cover the left breast, and his touch electrified her nerve endings. When he took over and massaged her gently, she gasped and dropped her head back against his chest. As his touch became rougher and more possessive, her core tightened with anticipation.

  She reached back, slid her hand into the front of his briefs, and cupped his erection. It was enormous, diamond hard, and hot. She shoved his briefs down and straddled him backward. He didn’t object when she positioned him to enter her from behind.

  “Do it,” he growled.

  She sank down on him, and they both moaned. He pushed in deeper, stretching and filling her until she was fully seated with eight solid inches of hot pulsing male planted firmly inside of her.

  “I have to move,” he said in a strangled voice.

  “Then move. Please.”

  Without breaking their connection, he rolled her over so she lay face down on the mat, nudged her legs wider apart, and started thrusting inside of her. She braced herself on her forearms and arched for him as he came into her harder and faster. Her fingers bumped the knife he’d placed in head of the tent. She wrapped her hand around the hilt and squeezed it as she squeezed her inner muscles. Jonas cursed and grabbed the back of her neck. Pinning her down, he squeezed her breast as he rode her harder. He wasn’t gentle or quiet as he sought completion. The mild pain was a heady aphrodisiac that sent her careening over the precipice of release. She relaxed into it and floated down like a white feather on the breeze. Jonas growled one last time and came hard, shuttering and pumping into her until he collapsed on top of her.

  “Fuck,” he roared a moment later.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I’m still hard.” To illustrate his point, he withdrew from her part way and slammed into her again. The remnants of her orgasm flickered to life inciting a craving for more.

  “Mmm,” she mumbled. “Keep going.”

  “Are you serious?”

  She laughed at his incredulous tone and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Absolutely.”

  “You’re insatiable.” A deep rusty sound came from his chest and she realized it was a chuckle. He laughed again, harder this time, and the sweet sound warmed her heart.

  “What?” She laughed.

  “This is fucking ridiculous.” He bent down and gave her a tender kiss on the lips.

  She cupped his cheek. “What was that for?”

  “For putting up with me. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No, you didn’t. I’m tougher than I look.”

  He pulled out of her and guided her around to face him. She spread her legs to accommodate his hips, and he reentered her swiftly. He held still this time, letting her savor the wonderful feeling of him planted deep inside her.

  “You can start moving now.”

  “In a minute.” He kissed her again.

  “Whenever you’re ready.”

  “Mmhmm.” He nuzzled her neck.

  She gyrated against him and saw stars behind her eye lids. “Don’t tease me.”

  “I would never.” He kissed her slow and deep and began to thrust at an unhurried pace.

  She wrapped her legs around his hips. It was a struggle in the cocoon they were occupying, but it made things more interesting. She was almost to the edge when he dragged his mouth away from hers and bent down to suck her nipple. She bucked beneath him, urging him on.

  “Easy,” he said, turning his attention to her other breast.

  She stroked his back and slid her hands over his tight butt, urging him to come into her harder. “Please,” she begged, almost delirious now. His body was so hard and so hot, it felt like mating with fire. She needed more. She needed to—

  Her belly tightened and she climbed a little higher. As he kissed her neck, her hard nipples brushed the fine hairs on his chest sending shimmering sparks of pleasure to her core. “Please, Jonas. I need you.”

  “I need you too, babe. I need you, too.”

  Kissing her quickly on the mouth, he braced himself on his forearms and began to thrust faster until the sound of their labored breaths filled the small tent. Until their bodies were wet and sticky with perspiration, slapping together, straining for completion. Until April shattered hard, disintegrating into a shimmery white rainforest mist.

  Jonas drew out her release, making her rise and fall and rise again. Lost in sensation, she could do nothing but ride the endless luminescent wave. When he groaned and
followed her over the edge the final time, she held him tightly and floated away with him until he settled on top of her, finally spent and at peace.

  They dozed for a while and April woke sometime later to the feel of Jonas’ hot, wet mouth lazily suckling her nipple. She slid her fingers through his soft, prickly buzz cut and cupped the back of his head before she drifted off again.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  April woke to the sound of a growling motor in the distance moving nearer. Her head was tucked beneath Jonas’ chin. His arms were curled around her body, and his heavy thigh was flung across her hips. His big hand held her breast possessively. As he stirred too, he gave her a squeeze and made a noise similar to a purr low in his throat.

  “They’re back,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, we need to get a move on before they decide to call in reinforcements and start scouring the area.”

  “Would they do that?”

  “Your father’s been working on the PRIM for years, and it’s worth a ton of money.”

  Guilt squeezed April’s chest. “I knew he was Albatross, but I didn’t do anything about it.”

  “You were scared.”

  “I was stupid and selfish.” April unzipped the Bivy tent and sat up. The sleeping bag fell to her waist as she reached up to run her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame it.

  Jonas leaned up on one elbow, openly admiring her breasts. His hand settled over her hip and squeezed it gently. “Most people are stupid and selfish when they’re young. What happened in the past doesn’t matter, you’re doing the right thing now.”

  She bent down to kiss him. It was a slow, drugging kiss not meant to spark a fire, but their chemistry was combustible. The crisp hairs on his chest tickled her fingers as she slid her hand across his pecs, over his shoulders, and down his lean, bulging biceps. His hand slipped around to her back, skimming the surface of her skin as it rose upward and slipped beneath the wild tangle of her hair. When his tongue pushed inside her mouth, deepening the kiss, he grasped the back of her neck to hold her still.