Hector patted Jack on the back. “I’m happy you changed your mind, amigo.” He grinned knowingly, wiggling his eyebrows. “You could not resist her, ¿no?”
Jack wasn’t exactly sure what had happened. He looked at his house and sighed loudly. “Apparently not.”
Chuckling, Hector loaded a couple of bags in the Jeep before wandering off to answer a phone call from his wife.
Jack packed a few more supplies in the back of the vehicle, keeping an eye out for Dr. Kendrick. Right now, she was in his house changing her clothes. After showing her to the bathroom on the main floor, Jack had hurried back outside. Having a pretty girl inside his house, especially one who made his pulse jump erratically, left him feeling vulnerable.
When she came outside a few minutes later, Jack suppressed his response of male appreciation for the attractive doctor. She wore a pair of tan cargo pants and a fitted lime-green tee.
“Are you ready?” he asked gruffly, frustrated with how she made him feel.
“Yes. Thank you for allowing me to leave the rest of my stuff at your house.”
Yeah, like I had a choice. He cut her an annoyed glance but kept his mouth shut.
“What can I do to help?” Her chipper voice grated on his already taut nerves.
You got yourself into this Mathison. “Just make sure you have everything.” He walked away from her but then stopped and pivoted back around. “By the way, you’re carrying your own pack, Dr. Kendrick.”
She narrowed her eyes a fraction, but kept her smile in place. “I planned on it. I’m not some helpless female. And my name is Sophie.”
Jack held her gaze for a few seconds, wishing she wouldn’t have reminded him about her name. Addressing her as a doctor kept her at a professional distance. The crazy attraction he felt toward her demanded he keep as much space between them as possible.
“I don’t think you’re helpless, Dr. Kendrick, just incredibly naïve and optimistic.”
This time her smile faded, and her eyes reflected disappointment rather than defiance. He swallowed back the desire to soften his answer and call her by her first name. Instead, he turned away to heft another bag into the back of the Jeep.
Hector ended his call and walked back over toward Dr. Kendrick. “Señorita,” he said, holding out his hand.
Jack turned and watched Dr. Kendrick take Hector’s hand. The genuine smile she offered him was nothing like the tight-lipped smile she had just given Jack.
“Hello…I mean…hola.”
Hector’s eyes flashed with merriment. “It is a pleasure to see you again, Dr. Kendrick.”
The woman’s eyebrows shot up. “You…you speak English?”
Hector chuckled sheepishly. “Sí.” Lifting her hand, he brought it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
Pink colored her cheeks as she pulled her hand away. “I hope I didn’t say anything to offend you yesterday.” Her eyes skittered over to Jack. “I’m not exactly sure what I said.”
“Nothing to offend me, I assure you.” Hector glanced at Jack and chortled. “Nothing at all.”
So what had she said about him? Jack was dying to know but wasn’t about to give Hector the satisfaction by asking him.
“If you’re done flirting with the doctor, do you think we can leave?”
Hector continued to laugh. “Sí. Sí.”
Dr. Kendrick slipped the backpack from her shoulders. Before she could put it in the Jeep, Hector raced to her assistance. “Señorita, let me get that for you.”
“Thank you, and please call me Sophie.”
Hector grinned and helped her into the back of the Jeep. “All right. Sophie it is.”
Jack climbed in behind the wheel and adjusted the seat. Hector took shotgun and said, “Let’s go.”
As Jack pulled away, a cell phone jingled an unfamiliar ringtone that was silenced when the doctor answered. Curious, Jack listened to her end of the conversation.
“Yes, Peter, I’m safe.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t call last night. The guide couldn’t take me…until this morning.”
Who is Peter? A boyfriend?
“I know. I…I miss you too. I’ll call as soon as I can, probably not for a couple of weeks.”
Jack made a stop at an intersection; in the quiet of the car, he could hear Peter’s voice tell Sophie how much he loved her.
She let out another deep breath. “I know you do.”
As Jack pressed on the gas pedal, he let it sink in that Sophie hadn’t reciprocated the declaration of love. In fact, she didn’t sound like a woman who missed her boyfriend all that much. Why did that make him feel better?
He ground his teeth together and downshifted hard, not liking where his thoughts were taking him. Being attracted was one thing. Acting on that attraction was something else entirely.
* * *
Sophie ended the call with Peter and caught Jack’s reflection in the rearview mirror. His lips were pulled tight as if he were angry again, his gorgeous eyes focused on the road ahead.
Turning her gaze away from the driver, Sophie felt guilty for comparing the color of his eyes to the azure sky overhead. Here Peter had just expressed his love and concern for her and all she could think about was the way Jack Mathison made her feel.
Why would she be attracted to a guy like him? Sure, he was extremely handsome, but his personality left a lot to be desired. No wonder the grouchy male was still single.
She lifted her phone, needing to text Camille that she was really on her way before she lost cell phone service. As she pushed send, Jack rounded a corner sharply, tipping her pack over and making Sophie hold onto the door to keep upright. “Hey.”
Jack’s eyes flickered to the rearview mirror, his lips lifted at the corners. “Sorry, the roads from here on out are very much like the jungle will be. Unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.”
Sophie got his message and wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. She barely refrained from sticking out her tongue.
“I appreciate your reminder of the risks I’ll face, but I assure you I’m prepared.”
“I hope so,” he muttered as the Jeep hit a big rut in the road that made them all bounce.
Hector turned around, flashing a white-toothed smile. “Don’t let Jack scare you. We’ll both make sure you will be safe.”
Jack shot the man a contemptuous glare. For what? Being nice?
“Thank you, Hector,” Sophie said sincerely.
As they ascended higher into the mountains, Jack shifted into a lower gear, and Sophie watched the muscles in his arm harden with the movement. Her mouth went dry, and she averted her eyes, trying to concentrate on something other than his biceps, the expanse of his well-built shoulders, or how blue his eyes looked against his tan skin. Stop it! What was wrong with her? She did not like Jack Mathison.
Squirming uncomfortably in her seat, she focused on the view. Costa Rica’s landscape was absolutely breathtaking. The green trees were large and majestic, surrounded by colorful flora. She squinted, trying to penetrate the thickness of the tropical forest. Was her father out there somewhere?
She stared at the passing scenery until her eyelids felt heavy. Unable to fight it any longer, she relaxed her head against the seat and closed her eyes.
Sometime later, she felt someone shaking her. “Wake up, Doc.”
She didn’t want to wake up and shook her head, burying her face into her arm.
“C’mon. We need to get going.”
“Five more minutes,” she mumbled, wanting the person to leave her alone.
“Look, lady,” a voice said sharply, “if you don’t wake up, I’m leaving you.”
Chapter Five
The voice registered in Sophie’s brain and suddenly she remembered where she was. Instantly, she shot up and slammed into something hard. She cried out in pain and heard a muffled moan from the person she had hit.
Now wide awake, she stared into the steely gaze of Jack Mathison. He held a palm to his forehead. She rubbed her
own head, feeling a small lump forming as she climbed out of the Jeep. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
Jack dropped his hand and eyed her warily. “I think I’ll live.”
Hector snickered under his breath as he unloaded the Jeep.
Sophie lightly pressed her fingers on the sore spot and gave Jack a pointed look. “You have a hard head.”
Hector’s snickers turned into uncontrollable laughter.
“Me?” Jack snorted and looked at her incredulously. “I don’t think I’m the only one who can claim the title. That, Dr. Kendrick, belongs to you, too.”
He had yet to call her by her first name, but given the fact that she’d just slammed her head into his, she decided to let it alone. As she turned around to retrieve her backpack, her knees started to buckle. Just how hard had she hit her head? She felt woozy and started to pitch forward.
Jack’s arms shot out and caught her. “Don’t tell me you’re going to faint.” The annoyed tone of his voice was edged with concern.
He kept a hold of her, his muscular chest solid under her cheek. Oh, my. He smelled really good. The masculine citrusy scent probably affected her more than the bump on her head.
“I’m not going to faint.” She straightened and stepped out of his arms. “I just felt a little dizzy, but I’m okay now.”
It was stupid to have fallen asleep. What if she’d had her nightmare? Then she would feel obligated to warn him it might happen again, and that would be just the excuse Jack needed to not take her along.
She chanced a look his way and found him watching her quite intently. His expression was unreadable, but she could feel tension radiating from his entire body. She had no idea what he was thinking but she prayed he wasn’t going to rescind his decision about letting her go with him.
Her eyes zeroed in on the spot where she had accidentally hit him. “Your forehead is red and swollen.” Instinctively she stepped close to him and lightly brushed her fingers over his brow just under the marred skin. “I really am sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said gruffly and backed away to break the contact. “This is where we start our journey, so if you need to use the restroom, you better do it now.”
“Um-hmm,” she said absentmindedly, still focused on Jack’s face. The doctor in her wanted to apply a cold pack to the injured area and medicate him with ibuprofen. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. The woman in her…well, she didn’t want to think about that part.
“So, do you need to use the restroom or what?”
She blinked, embarrassed by the direction of her thoughts. “Uh, yes.”
He pointed a finger behind her. “It’s over that way.”
Grateful for a chance to get her feelings under control, she turned away and started for the restrooms. She had only taken a few steps when she paused and looked back at him over her shoulder. He was still watching her.
“You aren’t going to leave me here, are you?”
The look that crossed his face said he’d been contemplating doing exactly that. Seconds ticked by before one corner of his mouth lifted. “I won’t leave you, Dr. Kendrick.”
Relief washed over her, and she smiled. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”
She faced forward and resumed her trek to the bathroom. It was difficult not to look back to see whether or not his eyes still followed her. She resisted the temptation, though, because it shouldn’t matter either way—at least that’s what she told herself.
* * *
Jack waited until the doctor was out of his view before he groaned in frustration. He had made a lot of mistakes in his life, but agreeing to take this woman into the jungle had to be the worst. The pull he felt toward her was like free-falling from a cliff before plunging into the water.
Hector sauntered up next to Jack and grinned. “She is a very beautiful woman, ¿no?”
Shooting a warning glance Hector’s way, Jack refused to be baited in to commenting on the undeniable statement. “I’m going to see if the canoes are ready.” He moved toward the river. “Are you coming with me?” he called over his shoulder.
Hector laughed. “Sí, I’m right behind you.”
Five minutes later, Jack and Hector began to load all of their supplies into a canoe tethered to the one they would be traveling in.
Jack hefted Sophie’s heavy pack onboard, and caught the scent of her perfume. His reaction to the tantalizing fragrance was ridiculous. Immediately he remembered how good it had felt to have her in his arms, even if it had only lasted for a few seconds. He crouched down, scooting her pack over to allow room for more of their gear.
Glancing up, he caught sight of Sophie walking toward him, applying lip gloss to her full lips. Yeah, she was beautiful and looked more like a college student than a medical doctor. His heart thumped erratically as she drew closer. Jack needed to get a grip on these wild emotions she evoked. He reminded himself that this woman was no different from any other and could not be trusted. Hadn’t she already lied to him in order to get her own way?
She stopped beside him and slipped the tube of gloss into her pocket. “We’re traveling by canoe?”
“Yep.”
Hector jumped into one of the vessels, and it almost toppled over. Her eyes widened. “I’ve never been in a canoe. Are they safe?”
“For the most part, yes.” Jack stood up, his six two frame towering over her. “Do you know how to swim?”
Surprise flitted across her face. “You want me to swim in the river?”
“Preferably, no. I just need to know if something happens that I won’t have to rescue you. You know like CPR and mouth to mouth. That kind of thing.”
She narrowed her gaze. “I can swim, Mr. Mathison. And I’m very familiar with cardio pulmonary resuscitation.”
Getting her angry with him was one way to take control of the situation. He felt better already.
“Just checking, Dr. Kendrick.” He met her gaze, and for a few heartbeats, they stood there staring at one another.
Hector coughed, bringing their staring match to an end. “We’re all set to go.”
As they boarded the craft, Jack instructed Sophie to sit in the middle. For some twisted reason, he half hoped she would require a little help. She didn’t, expertly taking a seat in front of him without so much as rocking the boat.
Hector looked back over his shoulder. “Ready?”
“Yep,” Jack said, digging the paddle in the water.
It took a few minutes for him and Hector to get into a rhythm. Soon they were smoothly flowing along with the current as they traveled deeper into the rainforest. Jack drew in a deep breath of the humid air, realizing how much he loved being here.
After a while, Jack’s muscles burned and perspiration beaded across his forehead. He switched sides with the paddle as Sophie turned, viewing the passing foliage of the tropical forest. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, revealing the curve of her cheek and part of her slender neck.
Jack’s pulse tripped as attraction rocketed through him. Okay, so he found her appealing. It didn’t mean anything, right? Maybe if he stopped fighting these feelings, his fascination with her would fade. Besides, she had a boyfriend who was in love with her. Jack might as well relax and enjoy the scenery. All of it.
She leaned to the side, skimming her hand across the water. Hopefully there wasn’t something under there that was hungry. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Jack said. “I would think as a doctor you might need your hand.”
She abruptly snatched her hand back. “What’s in there?” She turned to look at him for an answer.
“Quite a few things that bite.”
“Oh. Thank you for warning me.” Her lips curved up into a smile. “I guess I should’ve known that.”
Yeah, she should have. How much time had she really spent in the jungle? “You need to be a little more cautious, Dr. Kendrick. You said you’ve been to Central and South America before. I hope you weren’t lying about that.”
Her smile faded and
two little lines creased between her eyebrows. “I didn’t lie,” she said, turning around to face him.
Jack raised a skeptical brow.
She cleared her throat. “Look, I don’t typically try to deceive people. I’m sorry about letting you assume I was a man. Could we please start over?”
Her apology seemed sincere, and the tension in his shoulders was messing with his rhythm. It was time to face the facts and move on. She was here. He had agreed to take her with him. He was attracted to her, and he wasn’t looking to act on that attraction. She had a serious boyfriend. Simple.
Some of the tension eased. “Okay.”
She studied him for a few seconds, and then slowly her mouth lifted into a soft smile. “Thank you, Jack.”
Oh, man. Swallowing, Jack gave her a curt nod and looked away. It was a good thing she was off-limits. The last thing Jack would ever do was steal another man’s girlfriend away. After all, he knew what that felt like.
* * *
Sophie turned back around to face forward, relieved Jack had accepted her apology. She was confused and very intrigued with her handsome guide. She wasn’t sure what to think about him. Arrogant, yes. But underneath his gruffness, she sensed there might be a softer side to him.
Trying to drive the puzzling thoughts away, Sophie gazed at the gorgeous scenery. Huge trees lined the bank of the river, some of their branches dipping into the water. The noises coming from within the trees sounded similar to some of the tropical exhibits at the Denver Zoo.
It also reminded her of the few times, so long ago, she had spent in the rainforest with her father. Flashes of memories bombarded her mind as they slowly floated down the river. She remembered her father showing her a beautiful Red Macaw with its yellow and blue tipped wings. Sophie had wanted to take one home, but her father had always been very adamant about keeping birds in their natural habitat.
Then there were the times when he had taken her swimming in one of the many pools at the base of waterfalls generated during the rainy season. Maybe she would get a chance to swim in one again, but doubted there would be as many as she remembered. The rainy season was winding down, and she had read reports predicting November would be drier than normal.
Discovering Sophie Page 5
