by Amy McKinley
He crouched next to her, playing with the long strands of her ponytail. Time ticked by, and his presence eased some of the fears running rampant through her mind. This wasn’t the first time she’d been bitten by the horrid insects. They gave her the creeps, but there was no way to avoid them in the jungle.
She was thankful that she hadn’t fallen into the bacteria-ridden spines of the palm when she tripped. There’d been one close by. The ants’ bites were awful enough, and she knew she couldn’t scratch them. Her misery would last longer. As more time passed, she relaxed further. The water helped.
Chris stirred beside her. “Will you be okay if I go set up our camp? I’ll only be gone for a few minutes.”
She swiped at her tears. “I’ll be fine. I’m just upset.”
He bent again and brushed a kiss over her lips. “You’ll be all right. Get some rest, and you’ll be good as new.”
She nodded, then Chris moved swiftly behind her to set up their camp a short distance away. No longer did she worry that he’d abandon her. He exuded competence and strength. That wasn’t what bothered her—the stress of their predicament did. Since he wasn’t by her side, she allowed herself to give in to her self-pity and open up the floodgates for a good cry for a few minutes. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and her shoulders shook in silent sobs. Dropping her forehead to her uninjured arm, she took several steadying breaths, willing the pity party to go away. She’d wipe away all evidence of it before he returned.
Fate must have intervened to send me to him—someone so innately good, capable, and powerful. It wasn’t something she was accustomed to. The only constant in her life, after her father had been killed in the street in her youth, had been the one who’d caused her the greatest distress, and from whom she ran even now.
Not too long after she’d rubbed the tears from her face, Chris came to sit next to her, their makeshift fishing line in hand. “I thought I’d catch us some fish for dinner rather than leave you too long to hunt.” He dropped the line, complete with a wiggling bug on the end, into the water. It floated downstream, squirming on the surface. It didn’t take long.
Keeping her face averted, she gritted her teeth against the feel of his weighted stare. “I told you, I’m fine.”
He grunted in response right before he jerked the line, setting it. He must have felt a nibble. Following the line of transparent thread, she smiled as he pulled a small fish from the stream. “At least they’re biting.”
“Yeah, but we need a hell of a lot more than that.” He cast the line in again and settled in to wait for the next one. By the time he was finished, ten fish lay next to them. “I’ll clean these and start a fire. Are you feeling well enough to come to camp with me, or do you want to keep your arm submerged a while longer?”
“I’m ready.” She pulled her hand out, and he inspected it.
“The swelling looks like it stopped.”
Soon, the welts would form small blisters, and they’d have to cover them with bandages. God, I’ll have to deal with this for a week.
Chris looped a piece of twine through the fishes’ gills, stringing them up so he could carry them. Taking her good hand in his, he helped her to stand and walk to where he’d set up their things. “Have a seat over there, and I’ll get all this cleaned and cooking. Should be ready in no time.”
It seemed that their roles had reversed, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. The only thing that looped through her mind was that they wouldn’t be moving out just after dawn like he’d planned. They were delayed again, and it was her fault. If only she’d been more careful.
Chapter 12
Mari
“Are you comfortable?” Chris positioned the mosquito netting around Mari’s hammock in their new camp.
“I’m better now.” The sky was dark with threatening clouds, and they were about to turn in. It was late in the day, and they’d planned to spend a few of the hotter hours resting. Chris busied himself with his hammock, climbed in, and drew the gauzy curtain around him. They had eaten their meal and put out the fire. With full bellies, they were ready to sleep. Almost.
A light rain fell, slipping through the gaps in the leaves overhead. Their spot wasn’t as protected as the one they’d been in before, and it made her feel vulnerable. It was farther from the guerrillas’ camp, though—at least she hoped it was.
The ground sloped uphill. Chris had positioned himself closer to the river, saying if an enemy came, there was a high probability they’d come that way. He wanted to be the first line of defense.
Chris
Chris woke to the usual melody of the jungle. After making a quick catalog of the noises, his muscles eased. The usual pre-dawn sounds buzzed all around them. Careful not to wake Mari, he slipped from his hammock. For a moment, he stood over her, just taking in everything about her.
Through the mosquito netting, he followed the rise and fall of her chest. A thin T-shirt outlined her breasts. Some time ago, she’d stopped wearing a bra. It only added heat and caused chafing in the jungle. The fewer clothes, the better, so long as they were slathered in DEET to prevent as many bites as they could. Malaria wasn’t something either of them wanted to experience.
Her hand rested flat against her abdomen, and he checked the swelling of her arm, as they’d decided to wait to bandage it until she woke. At least she hadn’t scratched the welts open in her sleep.
She faced him, rocking in her hammock, and he wanted to smooth away her worry lines. Things would get better, or so he hoped. For the hundredth time, he wondered at how he was married. Something deep in his psyche, unwilling to surface yet, spoke of heartache. Something had happened in his past, and he worried about what would happen when the memory came to light. Did it have to do with a problem between them?
For the life of him, he couldn’t fathom leaving his wife alone, where she would be forced to flee for her safety, which was what she was doing.
Am I the reason for her running, or why she’s in the jungle? He flinched. Shoving the thought away, he had an idea of something she could take joy in, which would be another step in bringing them closer. All he could do at that point was try to heal whatever rift had occurred between them.
Trying not to wake her before he was ready, he carefully unzipped his backpack and withdrew the map. There were a lot of things in his pack he couldn’t account for, though being a soldier helped him understand most of them. Mari’s fear about him joining the guerrillas didn’t sit right with him. There was something else, some kind of connection or bad blood between Mari and the guerrillas. He would figure it out in time.
Cupping his hand around a small penlight, he scanned the rivers on the map and made note of their locations. There it was—the spot he wanted to take her. It wasn’t too far. A grin spread across his face, and he put the map away before he went in search of food for them.
Simple berries and bananas seemed to make her happy, but coconut milk was preferable, and they ate the meat inside, too. It kept dehydration at bay and contained nutrients they needed. He scaled a palm tree then knocked down two green coconuts. Mari preferred them—she said they were sweeter. He repeated the process to reach some ripe bananas and found a bush that held berries that were safe to eat. Gathering everything, he went back to where she rested and set about opening the coconuts.
He heard a dull thud and whirled around, raising his gun against the threat. Nothing moved. He scanned the area and saw the culprit. A ripe coconut had fallen on its own. This is why we never sleep under the coconut trees. Falling coconuts could seriously injure them.
Chris’s machete striking against the outer shell of one of the green coconuts caused Mari to jerk awake, and Chris shot her a sheepish smile. Shit, I should have done this farther from her.
“Hi,” she croaked.
He ate up her curves as she shifted into a sitting position while stifling a yawn that caused her shirt to stretch tight across her chest. “Sleep okay?”
“For the most part. At least th
e worst of the cramping in my arm is gone.”
“Good.” After opening the second coconut, he rose to kiss her. “We got lucky with the ants. If you hadn’t jumped up when you did, you would’ve been covered in them.”
She shuddered. “I should be good to go today, maybe after we eat.” She stood up, and dizziness caused her legs to give out beneath her.
Chris lunged and caught her, steadying her on her feet. “Maybe later in the morning. You may be having a slight allergic reaction to them.”
Mari’s lip trembled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
With a gentle squeeze, he lifted her fully and carried her to a spot he’d covered with banana leaves. He helped her onto the makeshift mat before he handed her the opened coconut that was brimming with milk. “I’m sure you’ll feel better in a few hours.”
They ate together in companionable silence, even though he was fully aware of what occupied her thoughts. She wanted to leave the place, and really, he didn’t blame her. He knew there was something she wasn’t telling him. He felt it in his bones. “Mari, is there anything else you want to tell me about the guerrillas finding us?”
“About those two?” She frowned. “No.”
“Are you sure you didn’t meet Hannah before you left your aunt’s home?”
Mari lowered the coconut. “No. I told you, I literally ran into her here. I’d never seen her before.” He could see her temper prick in the color that infused her cheeks. “I can’t say the same about you, though. She knew you, and when you first woke, you definitely reacted to her.”
His anger simmered, but he pushed it aside. It was true. Hannah infuriated him. Why, he wasn’t quite sure. Something about her presence brought out his instinct to fight. “I can’t remember how I know her.” The damn amnesia still plagues me.
Her face fell. “I’m sorry, Chris. It bothers me that you two know each other. That’s all. Especially since…”
Since I supposedly abandoned her. “There was no way I would have left you for good, or intentionally. Or for her. There had to have been a reason I was pulled away.”
She avoided his eyes, which narrowed in suspicion. He hoped sooner or later she’d trust him enough to share whatever secret she withheld from him, and he hoped it would happen before it was too late. An internal clock ticked inside him, urging him to reacquaint himself with Mari and to unravel the mystery of their meeting here. The guerrillas were only one piece of the puzzle.
“I can’t explain it. Just that we come from two different worlds. Here, we’re on equal footing, but the fact remains… You’re military. Nothing good comes from those in authority here. Power corrupts, and drugs and the money they bring are the ultimate motivation for everything they do.”
He ground his teeth. “Mari, I was military before, wasn’t I? Why are we together in the first place, if that’s how you feel?”
She launched the coconut at him, but he deflected it. “Do you want me to leave?”
Circling her much smaller wrists with his hands, he dragged her into his lap. “Stop. You’re blowing this all out of proportion.”
She bared her teeth, her words forced out between them. “You stop bringing up Hannah. I already told you what I know.”
He reared back. That was still bothering her? “Okay, fair enough.” Taking in the rapid rise and fall of her chest, he gave in. “Look, I was wrong to say that. There is no way I’d leave you. I’m sorry. It’s this thing between us. You need to confide in me, to trust me. I won’t leave, no matter what terrible secret you think you have.”
A moment passed before she gave him a small nod. He wrapped his arms around her body, and she leaned into him. The electricity that sizzled when they touched was one of his favorite things.
The secrets he sensed between them made him wary, but he gave her the space to tell him when she was ready, even though it felt as if he’d run that gauntlet before—and lost. “I’ve got a surprise for you after you eat.” He set her down and rose to pack up their stuff, transferring the extra supplies from the third pack to his. He buried the bag under a bush with a mound of leaves covering it. They didn’t leave anything useful behind. Anything could happen in the jungle, and he would be prepared.
“What kind of surprise?” Mari asked around a bite of one of the berries.
“You’ll see soon enough. Eat up. And we can head out.”
It didn’t take long to pack up the hammocks and mosquito netting. Everything else, they would wear. He dropped her boots next to her and discarded their broken coconuts away from where they’d camped. They wouldn’t be returning, but it didn’t pay to leave a trail, either.
Mari tugged on her footwear, careful of her sore hand and forearm. On shaky legs, she stood up. Chris had both packs on his back.
He threaded his fingers with hers as they walked to where the canoe was stashed. He dropped her hand then pulled the boat from its hiding spot and set it into the water. Holding the side, he reached out to help her in. Once they were both seated, he paddled them in the direction they’d been headed in the night before.
Mari twitched in her seat. “Is the surprise that we’re heading out early? That we’re staying on track for the border?”
“Yes and no,” he responded, unable to hide the smile in his voice. “You’ll see soon.”
The jungle stirred with the first rays of light through the previously dense clouds. The humidity began to rise, and the scent of rain hung in the air. They would have another downpour that day, for sure. At night, the rain would pound down on them, cooling the temperature for a short while. To some degree, it was welcome, especially because they would need to refill their canteens. They had a few hours of light remaining in the day, and they would take advantage of it.
Chris stayed vigilant for any ambushes in the surrounding bush or ahead in the water. He didn’t anticipate any trouble, as the guerrilla camp in this area was a good distance behind them, but one never knew. Soon, cascading water mixed in with the usual jungle sounds.
Mari glanced over her shoulder, a brilliant smile on her face. “A waterfall?”
He laughed along with her excitement. God, she’s beautiful, and when she smiles, stunningly gorgeous. His heart flipped over in his chest.
It didn’t take long for their little stream to meet up with the sparkling blue lake fed by the waterfall. The sight was magnificent.
“Are you sure we can do this, that it’s safe?” She nibbled her lip as she scanned the area around them.
“I’ll keep watch. Besides, the cool water will be a nice relief for your bites.”
Chris maneuvered their canoe over to the edge of the lake and helped her out before tying it to a nearby branch. The vessel bobbed in the rippling current. He left their packs to rest along the bottom of the canoe, which would make it easier for them to jump in and go if the need arose, or they could easily grab them if they decided to make a run for it. Either way, they’d be close.
Mari immediately pulled off her shirt and tossed it on the seat, followed by her boots and pants. As he stood and shed his clothes, she’d already unbraided her hair and shaken it out. With an impish grin, she swung her legs over the side of the canoe and stepped into the water.
Mere inches behind, he slipped his arm around her waist and tumbled them fully into the refreshing water. Twisting in his embrace, she laughed, releasing bubbles to the surface. He immediately let her go, and she broke for the top. Following, he closed the distance between them and again circled her waist, pulling her soft, slippery body against his.
Her arms wound around him, and she sealed her mouth over his. That was all it took. Sparks flew, and his skin felt like a current passed over him from her touch. As he lifted her, she automatically wrapped her legs around him, and he took them waist deep, closer to the waterfall. The roar of the water couldn’t compete with their igniting passion.
Arching against him, she dropped her head back, and he rained kisses on the curve of her neck. Her breaths came in little puffs, an
d he cupped a hand between her legs, reveling in her heat. Gliding his finger along her opening, he teased her, drawing whimpers as she pushed against the flat of his hand. He rubbed her clit, and she cried out.
Wrapping his hand firmly in the back of her hair, he tilted her beautiful face back to his and slanted his mouth across hers, their tongues tangling as he positioned himself at her entrance. She moaned and wiggled, trying to impale herself on his thick, throbbing shaft. God I want her. All the damn time.
Teasing her clit with his finger, he moved her lower and thrust deeply, seating himself all the way in. She broke their kiss, arched, and cried out. He latched onto her nipple and teased the taut bud. He pulled almost all the way out, only to slide all the way back in, over and over again. Her frantic little sounds drove him over the edge, and as he took her mouth with his, his hunger grew ravenous.
Another swirl of her clit, and her body squeezed his like a glove. Her back bowed as the orgasm seized her entire body. A scream burst from her lips, and he swallowed it with his mouth, increasing his pace until he followed with his own climax, just seconds after hers.
With her thighs tight around his waist, he held her in his arms. He was still inside her, and he never wanted to leave. She was heaven. With a quick but thorough glance around the lake, he checked for any unwanted visitors. Nothing had changed. The area looked secure. Satisfied, he walked them deeper into the plunge pool until the water reached his shoulders. He kept Mari in his arms, content with the closeness of their joined bodies.
She tilted her head and angled into the crook of his neck. One arm supported her above the water while he rubbed her back with his other hand, shifting the wet strands of her hair to the side.
“I like your surprises.” Her husky voice slid around his heart.
He chuckled, pleased with her reaction. “How are you feeling?”
