Men and their stupid pride. Melinda shook her head.
“You better do more than try, Raines,” April said as she walked by loaded down with a large pack on her back, a smaller one slung across her chest, and dragging a small sledge with a crate of lab equipment. April was the essence of teamwork. “Or I’ll kick your ass.”
Real worry crowded Cody’s expression in response. So April intimidated him more than Buck did. Melinda bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
“Come on everyone, let’s load up and get going,” she said. “I want to get there before dark so we can start setting up.”
“No offense, Doc,” April said. “But when we get there I’m probably going to crash for the night.”
Melinda grinned. “Fair enough. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 3
Hours blended together one after the next as Buck and the rest of the group trudged through the jungle behind nimble little Pedro.
Everybody carried or dragged equipment with them, but as the biggest and strongest of the party, he carried or dragged the most. He didn’t mind being the pack mule. The strenuous physical labor felt good. It focused all his energy on his body and cleared his mind, honed it to a sharp edge.
He missed being at work and with his team. Sure, he loved Mindy and right now she needed him more than his team did. But he was going stir crazy stuck in the house with nothing substantial to do. In the hours Mindy was at work he’d taken to running long miles, spending hours at the gym, and doing home improvement that didn’t absolutely need to be done just to keep from going nuts.
Being out in the world and pushing his body felt glorious. The chances of any shit going down while they were in some tiny Amazon village that required him to act as “security” for the team were slim to none, but he bet he’d be able to find plenty to keep him busy and anticipating all the work he could do made him happy. That he could do it all and still be with Mindy made it even better.
And after they got home, he’d go to the Commander and beg to come back to work before he lost his fucking mind from boredom.
He imagined Ice and Wolf faced the same problem. Maybe if they went in together the Commander would be more likely to approve their request.
Until then he welcomed the fire in his legs as he climbed and dragged and scrambled and trudged. He kept his head down and moved forward hour after hour, loving every bit of it.
He rammed into Mindy when she stopped in front of him, shaking him out of his thoughts.
She “oofed” and looked over her shoulder at him, a silly grin on her face. “Watch where you’re going Bigfoot.”
“Very funny. Are we there yet?” He peeked over her shoulder. He’d been so lost in thought and following Mindy on auto-pilot the sun going down hadn’t even registered. Not that it made a whole lot of difference in the dense jungle. Daytime looked a lot like dusk under the canopy of trees, but now that he looked up he had to admit that actual dusk was pretty dark.
The path they’d been following opened into a clearing in the jungle where the tribe had built their village. As they stepped out of the surrounding jungle and into the light of torches and community fires, the bustle of the village stopped and all eyes landed on them. But when they recognized Pedro the trance broke and excitement filled the air. People ran to hug him until he disappeared in a circle of villagers.
Buck and the rest of them stood back, watching. It was cool how everyone knew him and were so happy to see him. Then an older woman approached and the villagers parted.
“Pedro,” she said, and held out her arms. Shorter than Pedro, she had to be just as wide.
Pedro grinned ear to ear and hurried into a hug. “Abuela.” She nearly engulfed him, but he didn’t seem to care.
The rest of the villagers crowded around, waiting for their turn, chattering in a language Buck had never heard, but the smiles on their faces and the excitement in the air was enough translation.
“They’re happy to see him,” Mindy said.
“Looks that way,” Buck said. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but these people were an odd mixture of outside world and isolated tribe. Some of them wore simple cotton dresses or pants and shirts made from modern fabrics, some wore nothing more than loincloths. A few wore nothing at all. All of them, though, had some sort of facial tattoos. And no shoes. Everybody was barefoot.
“They’re naked,” Cody said.
“Not all of them,” April said.
“Enough of them,” Cody said.
“What’s the matter, Cody, never seen boobs before?” April asked, nudging him with her elbow. Even in the firelight Cody’s blush was obvious.
“Of course I have, just not so many of them walking around like it’s no big deal.”
“It’s not, to them,” Mindy said. “This is just how they live. So you have to stop staring.”
“You never told me I’d have to live with naked people,” Cody said.
“Jeez, you’re uptight,” April said.
“Cultures this different take some getting used to,” Mindy said. Ever the diplomat.
Pedro waved them over, and after piling their equipment at the edge of the clearing, Mindy led them over to him.
“This is my wife’s abuela. Her name is Kaba. She’s one of the village elders,” Pedro said.
Mindy bobbed her head and said to Kaba, “It’s my honor to meet you, Kaba. Thank you for allowing us to be your guests.”
Pedro translated. Kaba took Mindy’s hand in hers and smiled. Through Pedro she said, “Pedro says you are medicine woman. We are honored to have you here. When Matcha, our medicine woman, returns from her travels, she will help you.”
“I welcome her help,” Mindy said. “I’m Melinda. These are my people, Buck, April, and Cody.”
Pedro translated loud enough for all those crowded around to hear. Buck had been paying attention to the conversation, but when Pedro pointed to Buck and said his name, Buck glanced around meaning only to wave and say hi. But everybody was staring at them, and way too many were staring at him. Especially the women. And they didn’t hide their interest. Most of them looked like hungry predators who’d spotted their next meal.
April snorted beside him. “Looks like the ladies like what they see.”
“They’re going to have to settle for Cody,” Buck said. “I’m taken.”
April glanced at Cody and Buck followed her gaze. Objectively, he wasn’t a bad looking guy. Hence Buck’s concerns—okay maybe mild jealousy—about him working with Mindy. But most of the women of the village didn’t seem to notice him. They watched Buck, instead.
Their attention left him uncomfortable. Awkward. For the first time ever, he didn’t want a bunch of women gawking at him.
And yet, it wasn’t like he could hide or blend into the background. He stood a foot or more taller than everyone around him. He was too damn big to hide.
“Don’t worry big guy,” April said. “They’ve just never seen anyone like you. Once they get used to you it’ll wear off. They’ll see you for the obnoxious lout you are and shift their attention to pretty little Cody.”
It was Buck’s turn to snort. “I’m glad you’re on this trip, Nguyen.”
She preened next to him. “Of course you are.”
Mindy, Pedro, and Kaba had been talking, but now Mindy came back to the rest of them. “They’ve set aside a couple of houses for us. People gave up their homes for use and are doubling up with their families so we can have a place to stay and work, so we need to make sure we show our gratitude.”
Mindy directed most of her attention to Cody.
“Why are you looking at me?” he asked.
“Why do you think?” April asked.
“I’d rather stay in one of these huts than sleep in the jungle, if that’s what you’re saying,” Cody said.
“Good enough,” Mindy said. “Just don’t insult them.”
Buck followed Mindy, who followed Pedro into the village. In the center of several surroun
ding circles of small wooden houses they passed a long building with a thatched roof that bowed in the middle. At each end the roof came up to a point with an opening under the eaves to allow smoke out and air in. Geometric designs were woven into the walls. The building had to be a central hall for gathering the whole village.
Pedro stopped at a couple of little houses near the outside perimeter. The buildings were wooden with thatched roofs. “This one is for you to stay in, the house next door is for you to work in,” Pedro said. “I will stay with Abuela.”
With that he turned and headed into the welcoming arms of his family while Buck, Mindy, April, and Cody stood alone outside a dark empty hut.
“So much for the welcoming committee,” Buck said.
He pulled a flashlight from his pack and pointed it into the hut. Inside was a dirt floor, some wood furniture, an adobe fireplace where the residents must do their cooking, and a pile of rolled bamboo mats.
“Where are we supposed to sleep?” Cody asked.
April pointed to the mats. “I’m guessing those are the beds.” Cody looked like he wanted to protest, but remembered his promise to Mindy so swallowed it down. “Someone want to help me get the fireplace lit?” April asked.
April and Mindy went to work supplying light, and once the fireplace was lit Buck shut off his flashlight to conserve batteries.
“C’mon Cody,” Buck said. “Let’s drag the equipment to the other hut so it’s safe. Hopefully by the time we get back the women will have food for us.” Buck grinned at Mindy’s scowl. “Just kidding.”
He’d better be kidding or he’d never get into Mindy’s bed again. One thing she didn’t go in for was traditional gender roles, and he was fine with that. He didn’t give a shit if she cooked or cleaned. He liked his women—woman—smart, sweet, and tough. Mindy had all three in spades and Buck figured if he wanted to eat or wear clean clothes he could damn well cook and wash for himself.
“You better be,” she said, a smirk curling the corner of her lips.
Buck laughed, then leaned down to plant a kiss on her. One kiss wasn’t enough, though. The energy of the day—the flight, the drive, the long hike—still flooded his system and Mindy tasted salty and sassy like all that hard work. He really wanted to grab a fistful of her hair, drag her up against a wall, and take her right there.
“I’ll go with you,” April said. “Cody, you stay here with Doc.”
Right. April and Cody. And a village full of people. He could get past the village, but April and Cody probably not. He wasn’t really up for an audience, and he doubted Mindy would be either.
“Okay, c’mon Nguyen. Cody, make sure you cook us something tasty, y’hear?”
Mindy’s snort chased him and April out the door.
After he and April stashed the equipment in the other hut, they returned to find Pedro and a couple of the village women had brought them a hot meal. They thanked them and wolfed it down. It didn’t take long until Buck’s eyelids started drooping.
“Is it time for bed yet?” Cody asked, stifling a yawn.
“Yeah. I’m ready to hit the sack,” April said.
After clearing dinner away and banking the fire, both April and Cody claimed their separate territory by rolling bed mats on opposite sides of the room.
“Be right back,” April said. “Nature calls.”
Cody sat in his corner and pulled a toothbrush, neck pillow, and lap blanket from his pack, and went about his business of preparing for bed.
“Where do you want to sleep?” Buck asked Mindy, putting his back to Cody. Four people sharing a space this small required forced privacy. He’d done it enough times when on missions with his team, it came as second nature now. As much as Cody irritated him, he still deserved his privacy. Buck would probably have to teach Cody about respecting group privacy.
“How about over here?”
They rolled out their mats where she indicated and unpacked their own pillows and blankets. Nobody bothered with pajamas, or even undressing. They’d settle into better nighttime routines once they got used to the place. But tonight, everybody was exhausted.
Buck snuggled up to Mindy, spooning her from behind and wrapping an arm around her middle. She wiggled her butt, scooting herself closer and waking up his eager cock. Sex over the last weeks had been mechanical. While he understood she needed time to deal with the trauma of Siberia, he missed his sassy Mindy, the one who loved sex with him.
He sucked at communicating about anything deeper than a puddle. It was an issue he needed to work on if their relationship was going to progress, but every time he thought about trying to talk to her about PTSD, he chickened out. It made him feel like a jerk, because here he was this tough SEAL who could jump out of a plane and engage in the most dangerous, most clandestine missions, but he couldn’t face something as simple as talking.
So he’d spent the last couple of months try to show his support in every way possible, including doing sex however made her comfortable, even if that meant no sex at all.
Now, here they were in the middle of the Amazon sharing a hut with April and Cody, and this was when she chose to get sexy again?
He leaned in until his lips touched her ear. He couldn’t help nipping the earlobe, then running the tip of his tongue along the edge of her ear. He felt more than heard her quiet groan in response.
“What are you thinking?” he whispered into her ear.
She rolled to her back and looked up at him. Even in the dark he could see the sparkle in her eyes and the smile on her lips. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
“I’ve missed you too.”
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, gently at first, a few simple kisses. But these were different. They weren’t just quick obligatory kisses. She sighed and relaxed and stretched to meet him. The kisses were honest and earnest and wanting, and they turned him on. Which was unfortunate, given their circumstances.
Then her tongue prodded his lips to open, which, of course, he did, and they explored each other like they hadn’t for a long time. Her kisses were a reunion, an apology, and a confession.
“I want you so bad,” she said.
He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Jeez, Mindy. You picked a pretty shitty time for this. I mean, I’m all for the sex, but having an audience isn’t really my thing.”
“Me either. We’ll figure it out.”
He had a feeling she meant more than just the sex. We’ll figure out the sex, but we’ll also figure out the relationship. He hoped she meant her PTSD, too. He also had to figure out how to talk to her about it.
“We will,” he said.
“I love you, Grady. I don’t want to lose you.”
She hardly ever called him by his real name; only sometimes when she was really serious or really mad. It always sounded weird when she said it. Only his family called him Grady. To the rest of the world he was Buck. But when it came down to it, Mindy had become family, too.
“That’ll never happen, darlin’. You’re stuck with me.”
She smiled, then rolled to her side and wiggled her ass into his cock again. He groaned as his cock responded by jerking to life and he didn’t even try to repress the urge to thrust. Damn the layers of clothes between them. And April and Cody.
“Good,” she said.
It didn’t take long before her body relaxed in his arms and her breathing deepened into sleep, leaving him with a painful erection and no relief for it. They’d definitely have to figure that out.
CHAPTER 4
Melinda spent the next couple of days helping April and Cody set up their lab, before she began interviewing villagers. With only one interpreter, it was slow going, but Pedro had a deep well of patience and a great sense of humor, so each interview turned into a conversation.
While Melinda talked to villagers, Buck escorted Cody into the surrounding jungle to catalog plant life, and April alternated between helping Melinda with interviews and more often drawing blood and collecting other samp
les, and working in the lab.
Nights became an ongoing torture. She’d spent months struggling with her demons and basically uninterested in sex. The jungle made her feel alive again. She’d left the Russians, and Amaranthine, and her life behind her and suddenly she craved Buck like she had when they first met—but they hadn’t yet come up with a way to be together. The need for him only grew by the day, preoccupying her. It made it hard to focus through the constant throb of her lady bits.
She’d still have to deal with her problems once she returned to San Diego. They hadn’t disappeared just because she’d run away to the Amazon. But the reprieve gave her space to think. And get some work done. And maybe repair her relationship. As much as she loved working in the field, she didn’t want to live in the Amazon, so she’d have to go back eventually and face her own personal music. Until then, she’d do her best to figure out why the people in this village didn’t ever suffer from dementia.
She’d finally arranged time with Kaba, who was a busy woman. She, April, and Pedro sat with Kaba in her home.
Through Pedro, Melinda explained her project.
“Thank you for your time, Kaba. If Pedro hasn’t explained it yet, I’m a doctor and my job is to search for ways to cure diseases. The disease I’m interested in is called Alzheimer’s. It mostly affects older people, and the primary symptoms are memory loss and confusion. Patients can’t remember who or where they are, they lose memories of their lives and can’t identify people they love. They often lose their ability to think clearly or understand, and become confused.”
Kaba listened to Pedro, her expression becoming more horrified as he translated. “What a cruel fate.”
Melinda remembered her father’s decline. “Indeed it is. I’m here because I’ve learned that your village has never experienced anything like Alzheimer’s, so I want to study your people and your way of life to see if I can discover why, and if there’s something you do or eat or drink that can be used to treat the disease.”
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Jungle Buck (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Sealed With A Kiss Book 3) Page 3
