by Kimberly Fox
“God it’s so hot in here,” Julia says, fanning herself. “When are we going to get there?”
Megan looks at Tanya and grins. “I’m going to hike five hundred miles and I’m going to hike five hundred more.”
“No stop,” Julia says, covering her eyes with her hand as Megan sings at the top of her lungs.
Tanya jumps in for the next line and sings: “Just to be the girl who hiked a thousand miles, to jump in your waterfall.”
This is usually how it goes with these two. They make up songs and then sing to each other, alternating lines and embarrassing Julia and I in the process. I have no idea how they come up with rhyming words so fast but they’ve had a lot of practice. They’ve been doing it since grade one.
The whole bus jumps in with the da lat da, da lat da, da lat da, da lat da and soon everyone is clapping and singing and having a good time. Even Mr. and Mrs. Prentis are bobbing their heads. Everyone is into it except Julia who is staring at Megan with dead eyes.
“Julia you sing the next verse,” Megan whispers.
Julia just glares at her. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
I glance back over my shoulder at Chase. He’s tapping his finger on his muscular leg as the bus sings. He winks when he sees me and I turn back around feeling a warm tingling radiating through my body.
The song dies down as we arrive at the rainforest. The vegetation is so lush and thick. I walk up to a plant on the side of the dirt road and touch a dark green leaf that’s the size of a small table. The trees are high and full with tiny colorful birds darting from branch to branch. There’s a little path that snakes through the dense rainforest from the road. There’s nothing around here, not even a Starbucks. That’s how secluded it is.
Chase steps up beside me and glances down at the beautiful blue flower that I’m looking at. It’s bigger than my hand with large petals and little antennae things in the middle. It’s not like the flowers back home. This thing looks alive.
“I’d pick it for you but I’m afraid it’s going to eat my hand,” Chase says with a laugh.
The gravel crunches as the taxi pulls up behind our bus. “We have trouble,” I say, looking at the blond in the back seat.
I breathe in uneasily. “I’ll go talk to her.”
Chase follows me and I feel a bit braver with him by my side.
“Hi!” Stephanie says, stepping out of the cab. Aaron follows her out, staring down at the dirt road.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Hiking,” she says, motioning down to her brand new hiking shoes. “What does it look like?”
Aaron hasn’t taken his beaten and dead zombie eyes off the ground.
“It looks like you’re stalking my friend’s wedding party,” I say, roughly. “That’s what it looks like.”
“Go home, Steph,” Chase says. “Nobody wants you here.”
She raises her chin letting her blond hair fall onto her shoulders. “You don’t own the rainforest. I’m hiking.” She grabs her fiancees’ arm and yanks him forward. “Come on, Aaron.”
The crowd parts and glares at the unwanted couple as she walks through them towards the path. Megan’s hands are clenched into fists as they walk by her.
They disappear down the path and everyone just kind of shrugs and follows them.
“You know I’ve been thinking about what you said last night,” Chase says as we follow the group down the path.
My breath catches in my throat. “About what?”
He smiles. “Having a relationship. Exclusivity, monogamy. All of that stuff.”
I take a tight breath. “Really?” I ask, trying to sound nonchalant but really I’m insanely curious to hear the next few words about to come out of his mouth.
He takes a deep breath. “You know I think-”
“Hello Mr. Chase,” Mr. Prentis says interrupting at the most horrible time possible. He offers his hand. “We haven’t met yet. I’m Tanya’s father.”
Go away! I scream in my head even though I’m smiling sweetly on the outside. I really want to hear what Chase was going to say.
“Nice to meet you, sir,” Chase says, shaking his hand.
“Tanya tells me that you’re a Navy SEAL,” Mr. Prentis says, nodding and looking impressed.
Chase swallows hard. “That I am, sir.”
Mr. Prentis’ stern face breaks out into a goofy smile. I’ve never seen him look so starstruck before. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen him look anything but stern before. His eyes are bright and shining like a little kid meeting his favorite pro athlete.
“Let me just say that it’s a wonderful sacrifice that you’re making for our country,” Mr. Prentis says, still shaking his hand. “I would like to thank you for your service and for your strength in protecting this God loving country and all that we hold dear.”
“It’s not much of a sacrifice, sir,” Chase answers. “It sure is fun to shoot and blow up things.”
“No,” Mr. Prentis says shaking his head. “It’s amazing what you guys do. The skill and courage that it must take is phenomenal. You’re a true American hero.”
“It’s just a job, sir,” Chase says. I’m surprised at his reaction. Normally he’s so cocky and full of himself but now that he’s getting some actual, legitimate praise he’s playing it down.
“No, it’s not,” Mr. Prentis says, finally releasing Chase’s hand. “You’re risking your life to make real change in the world. That’s God’s work you’re doing.”
They start chatting about weapons that I’ve never heard of and places that sound like they’re out of the Lord of the Rings books and I quickly tune out.
“Herb loves Navy SEALs,” Mrs. Prentis says, walking beside me.
He’s not the only one.
“He reads every book he can find on them and is quite the follower,” she says in a quiet voice.
I stifle a laugh when I picture Mr. Prentis in his garage with a Navy SEAL calendar hanging on the wall, full of hot, shirtless Navy SEALs.
“Just know that your difficult work is truly appreciated,” Mr. Prentis says, firmly. “You’re an inspiration to us all.”
“Well thank you, sir,” Chase says, but he’s looking at me with a grin.
“I want to shake your hand again,” Mr. Prentis says, reaching out and grabbing Chase’s hand. Chase shoots me a look as Mr. Prentis finally releases him.
Mr. Prentis looks at his palm and smiles. “Can I get a picture?”
Mrs. Prentis has the camera ready. We all stop and Mr. Prentis puts his arm around Chase and pulls him in close. He smiles from ear to ear, looking prouder than ever. I have to fight back the giggles threatening to burst out of me. I’ve never seen Mr. Prentis like this with anybody.
“Say Navy SEALs,” Mrs. Prentis says, holding up the camera.
Chase raises his round shoulders back and places his hands as if he’s holding an M16. Mr. Prentis sees him and copies him, but somehow doesn’t look as tough standing there in his sandals with the black socks pulled all the way up his skinny calves, his large dorky sun hat, and the thick suntan lotion on his big nose.
Mrs. Prentis takes the picture and he rushes over to see. “This is going over the fireplace,” he says, brimming with excitement. He runs over to show Tanya and Mrs. Prentis follows.
“Hear that?” Chase says, walking tall with his chin in the air and with his shoulders back. “I’m an inspiration.”
“Wow, GI Joe,” I say sarcastically. “You really are an American Hero. And here I thought you were just a sleazy perv.”
Now back to what we were talking about before.
“Oh I’m a perv too,” he says with a grin. “All good heroes have a tragic flaw.”
I step over a herd of renegade roots crossing the path like thick ropes. “So what were you going to say before?” I ask, trying to act casual but feeling every nerve in my body on full alert.
“I was just saying how sexy you look in your hiking shorts,” he says, stepping over t
he roots.
“No,” I say, looking at him sideways. “That wasn’t it.”
“Well it should have been,” he says, looking me up and down. “I’d follow you up Mount Everest if I got to stare at your ass in those tight shorts the whole way up.”
“I think you should climb up a volcano instead,” I say, raising an eyebrow.
He leans in close. “I’d rather climb up onto you. You’re hotter than a volcano.”
“And more deadly,” I say, poking his hard chest with my finger and pushing him away. “Watch out or you’ll get burned.”
He opens his arms. “That’s what I’ve been waiting for. Come and burn me.”
You’re hot enough.
We hike for the next hour chatting and laughing as we enjoy the thick, lush scenery and spectacular birds. I like his company and he always has me laughing.
The path starts to rise on an incline and I notice him struggling a bit on his bad knee, no matter how hard that he tries to hide it. I stop every so often, pretending to be fascinated by a plant, an insect, a bird, anything to give him a rest without insulting his manhood.
The path comes up to a part where we have to climb up a few rocks. Chase grunts and breathes hard but he manages to get up. He’s rubbing his knee on top as I follow him up. Stephanie strolls towards us grinning like a villain in a Batman comic book.
“A Navy SEAL who’s having trouble walking a beginner path,” she says with an evil smile. “I guess America is not as safe as we thought it was.”
Chase clenches his jaw as he turns towards his cousin.
“Who the hell asked you?” I ask, stepping between them.
She continues laughing in her fake, bubbly laugh. “A six-year-old in Spiderman shoes passed you, Chase,” she says, snorting out a laugh. “Maybe that’s why we haven’t caught Osama Bin Laden yet.”
“Actually, we did,” he says, placing his hands on his hips. “Did they not cover the story in Whore Weekly?”
Stephanie glares at him. “No, they didn’t. Hey let me know if you have any more trouble walking up this beginner path,” she says, pointing to his knee. “I’ll have my fiancee, a real man, carry you.”
Chase stares her down. He’s trying to act like her words don’t bother him but the big vein popping out of his neck is saying otherwise.
“I’ll see you guys at the waterfall,” she says, heading back up. “If you can make it.”
Chase grimaces as he continues walking. He looks like he’s in pain now and isn’t able to hide his limp.
I bite my lip as I watch him go. “I know you don’t like talking about it but we can just hang out here if you want until the group returns.”
“I’m a Navy SEAL,” he says in a serious tone. “I can survive any condition.”
“Even IKEA on a Saturday afternoon?” I ask, trying to lighten up the mood.
He laughs. “Well, most situations.”
We continue hiking but he’s talking less as he fights through the pain. He’s a tough one. And a stubborn one too.
The path turns and I gasp when I see the lagoon and waterfall in front of us. “Wow,” I whisper under my breath. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Chase takes a deep breath as he looks at it.
Well, second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
The tall waterfall tumbles down slick rocks covered in bright green vegetation and colorful flowers into the turquoise lagoon below. It’s a secluded little oasis just for us.
And our group.
And Stephanie and Aaron.
Megan and Lucas run and dive into the water to meet Ethan, Matt and Tanya who are already swimming near the waterfall. The rest of the group is in various stages of undress as we admire the spectacular scenery.
I strip down to my bikini as Chase pulls off his shirt. We’re both watching each other out of the corner of our eyes.
“Shall we?” Chase asks.
“We shall.”
Chapter Nine
Chase
Day Three
Tanya is pulling out sandwiches from Ethan’s backpack and handing them out to everyone as I step out of the fresh warm water. The lagoon is paradise but it would be even better if everyone was gone and it was just me and Cynthia.
I still can’t believe that I almost said it. For a second, I was willing to have an exclusive, committed relationship with her. She just looked so sexy and irresistible in her hiking gear. I’ve always loved sporty women and I find nothing sexier than seeing a woman in outdoor gear. It drives me wild.
I just can’t have a relationship as a Navy SEAL. I’m constantly in danger over there and I have to have my head in the game. I can’t be thinking if she’s okay back home while I’m in the field. It could get me killed, or worse, get a friend killed.
She’s sitting on a rock with her friends but she keeps looking over at me as I step out of the water. She wraps her soft lips around her water bottle and I have to look away before I get hard.
“Hey bro,” Ethan says, tossing me a sandwich. I catch it and sit down beside him. Tanya smiles at me.
“Great choice on the hiking,” I tell her and her face lights up.
“Ready for the bachelor party tonight?” I ask Ethan.
“Bachelor party?” Tanya’s dad asks poking his head into our conversation. “Those are the devil’s work. Full of depravity and sin.”
“It won’t be anything like that, sir,” I lie. “It will be just a bunch of guys hanging out.” With a set of big tits in our faces.
Mr. Prentis looks at me and nods. “If you’re in charge Chase than I approve. I’m sure someone as responsible and honorable as you won’t let it get out of hand.”
“You can count on me, sir.”
Mr. Prentis stands up and salutes me. I narrow my eyes, trying not to laugh, and salute him back.
Ethan’s mouth is dropped open. “What the hell?” he whispers to me when Mr. Prentis turns back to his sandwich. “I’ve been trying to get him to like me for months. What did you do?”
I shrug as I bite into my sandwich. “I was just lovable old me,” I say with my mouth wide open to give him a show of my chewed up food.
“I don’t get it,” Ethan says, shaking his head. “Why does he hate me?”
I’ve never seen Ethan so concerned about what someone thinks of him. He must really be in love with Tanya.
“Don’t even worry about it,” I tell him. “When you’re dating, the parents have all of the power in the relationship but once you get married the power dynamics flip. You’re the one who has the power. If they want to get invited to your place to see their daughter or grandkids you have to like them, not the other way around. You’ll see.”
Ethan stares out at the waterfall and nods slowly. “That’s not the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.”
“Thanks.”
He looks at me quickly and dips his chin. “I’m glad that you’re here.”
“Me too,” I say, taking an awkward breath.
We sit in uncomfortable silence. Us Taylor brothers have never been good with these kinds of moments.
“But seriously,” Ethan says after a while. “This bachelor party tonight. I don’t want-”
“You don’t have a say in the matter,” I say, interrupting him. “I need to get laid.”
Ethan runs his hand through his wet hair. “It seems like you’re getting pretty close with Cynthia.”
He doesn’t say it but the underlying message is clear: I shouldn’t be fucking around with Cynthia’s feelings.
It pisses me off but he’s right. She doesn’t deserve that.
“Thanks for the sandwich,” I say, getting up.
Stephanie is sitting on the edge of the group with Aaron watching everyone eat. I can hear her stomach growling from here. She forgot to bring a lunch.
I walk over with the uneaten half of my sandwich still in my hand. “Hungry?” I ask. She doesn’t have to answer. Her wide eyes staring at the wrapped up sandwich in m
y hand is all the answer I need.
“Catch.” I toss her the last half of my sandwich, throwing it way out of her reach so that it lands on the grass behind her. As she turns and reaches for it I snatch the cell phone sticking out of the pocket of her bag and keep walking.
Aaron asks for a bite of the sandwich and she snarls at him like a wild beast. Poor guy. He has no idea what kind of life he’s in store for.
I walk over to the waterfall and throw her cell phone onto the rocks on top where she’ll never find it. Phase one complete.
Tanya and Ethan grab everyone’s garbage and stuff it back into the bag. “Okay everyone,” she says. “We’re going to head back now.”
One by one the group gets up and starts the long hike back down the path.
I linger in the back and wave Cynthia over when she glances back at me.
“What’s up?” she asks, looking spectacular in her damp bikini and hiking boots.
“One more swim,” I whisper. “Just you and me.”
She looks down, smiling shyly as her cheeks start to blush. She looks unreal in front of the backdrop of luscious rainforest and dense vegetation. Her eyes are more vivid than the brightest flower, her hair is softer than the thick moss growing on the rocks and her skin is warmer than the turquoise water of the lagoon. She’s more beautiful than the best that Mother Nature has to offer.
She raises her chin and her eyes meet mine. “Two minutes.”
The last of the group has disappeared down the path leaving just the two of us in this perfect oasis.
I dive into the deep warm water as she bends down to untie her shoes. The water feels electric on my skin, washing away any stress and anxiety that I feel about my future. The water is so clear that I can see the bottom perfectly even though it’s over my head.
“Come on in,” I call out over the roar of the waterfall behind me. “There’s no one around if you want to leave your top on the shore.”
My body stiffens and I almost sink to the bottom as she reaches behind her back to undo her bikini top.
“In your dreams,” she says, cruelly dropping her hands back. She laughs at my devastated face and then dives in.
“That was mean,” I say when her gorgeous head pops out of the water a few feet from mine.
