Marie Higgins

by Amazon Sunset

  Felix bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud. It was good to know she had listened to him. He stepped to the side of a rack of clothes, hoping the two women wouldn’t see him right away.

  “Oh, Miss Landon, I’m quite certain Mr. Knightly is not that harsh. I’ve known him for several years, and he’s a very reasonable man.”

  Miss Landon snorted. “He hasn’t shown me that side of his personality yet. Perhaps I just bring out the worst in him.”

  Nodding, Felix couldn’t agree more.

  She growled again and stomped her foot. From the heavy thud, he could tell she wore men’s boots now. Good. At least she followed directions.

  “Are you certain this is the right size?” She yanked the blanket to the side and walked out of the room. Sticking out her right foot, she displayed the boots to Consuelo. “They feel big, and they don’t look good on me.”

  He rolled his eyes. Women and their fashions.

  Consuelo crouched as her hand went to Miss Landon’s foot and touched the boot. “I do believe these are the right size.” She stood and folded her arms, running her gaze down her customer. “Miss Landon, you will be traveling through the jungle. Looking good will be the least of your worries.”

  Felix nodded. Smart woman. Too bad he couldn’t say that about the younger lady standing beside her. He must admit wearing men’s clothes did not look good on her. Maybe it was because the trousers hugged her thighs and her bottom, showing him the slender body her dress had kept hidden. And the man’s shirt she wore… He gnashed his teeth. Why did she have to wear something so form fitting? In the jungle when the temperature rises to a near boiling, that white shirt would cling to her moist skin. Keeping the other men off her would be harder than fighting the mosquitoes and poisonous ants.

  Cursing fate, he bunched his hands together at his side. They hadn’t even begun their trek and already he was thinking improper things. Perhaps being her guide wasn’t the best decision he’d made. He should return the money to her father and stay far away from the tempting beauty.

  No. He couldn’t turn away from his last escapade. His grandmother needed him soon, and he’d begin his responsibilities to the earldom as soon as he took Miss Landon to her father. He’d make certain to keep her upset at him every minute of their journey so he wouldn’t become attracted to her.

  Clearing his throat loudly, he made his presence known as he stepped away from the racks of clothes. Consuelo spun around and offered a genuine smile.

  “Good day, Mr. Knightly.”

  He nodded. “Indeed, it is a spectacular day.”

  He glanced at Miss Landon who snapped her head up and looked at him with wide eyes. Purposely, he slid his gaze over her attire again, this time in slow measurement for her benefit. Instead of making her upset as he thought it would, her expression softened, and her green eyes brightened. Her luscious lips parted as her chest rose and fell in a quick rhythm.

  It irked him that she hadn’t given him the response he’d expected. “Miss Landon, are you ready?” he barked.

  She inhaled and snapped her mouth closed. Her facial features hardened with her glare. Good. Just the way he wanted her—belligerent.

  “Yes, I am. Consuelo was kind enough to help me pack.” She pointed to the packs on the floor. “I hope you’re satisfied now.”

  He marched to her things and rummaged through, hoping to find something that would upset him. Unfortunately, he didn’t. Straightening, he gave her a nod. “This will work.” He grabbed the packs and flung them over his shoulder. “Come. It’s time to leave.” He looked at the older woman. “Thank you, Consuelo. You have been extremely helpful.”

  Pink dotted her cheeks. “You’re welcome, Mr. Knightly. Enjoy your trip.”

  Enjoy? He didn’t think that was an emotion he’d experience at all.

  * * * *

  What an incorrigible man!

  Katrina stood by the railing of the small, one-level steamboat as it crept along the twisting river, trying not to think of the bossy Mr. Knightly. Since leaving the store, he’d commanded every step she took until they’d reached the boat. Even now as they sailed, his domineering voice boomed through the air, disrupting her thoughts. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he hated this type of adventure. He snapped at everything she did and barked at the others as if they’d done something wrong as well.

  He reminded her of the tavern owner that had taken over when she was in her sixteenth year. Up to this point in her life, she’d been helping in the kitchen, but when Mr. McDougal started managing, he instructed her that she needed to wait tables. He made her wear skimpy dresses and expected her to flirt with the drunken customers. McDougal said the tavern would bring in more money if she did what he requested. Although it turned her stomach, she followed his rules. Never in all that time, did he think she had a mind—or an opinion. She was to shut her mouth and not talk back, which of course, was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.

  Even coming to Brazil didn’t compare to the torture McDougal had put her through.

  The farther into the jungle they sailed, the thicker the knotted trees became until she couldn’t see anything in between each. The sun glinted off the murky water, making shadowy figures of the trees and bushes. It was so peaceful and still, except for the men on the boat wandering around as they kept the vessel moving and the occasional shouts from Mr. Knightly. It still upset her that he hadn’t allowed her mother to come along. But in truth, having her mother take this journey would not have been wise. Thankfully, Mr. Knightly kept to his word and there was another woman onboard. She was a good ten years Katrina’s senior, and hadn’t yet said one word to her. Katrina hoped they would at least carry on one decent conversation during the trip.

  A movement in the water caught her eyes, and she studied the shape as the barge crawled closer. She leaned over the railing a bit more, trying to see what skimmed just under the surface. Some kind of animal, to be sure.

  The creature was long and pointy at both ends. Beady eyes watched her, barely above the water. At first she thought it to be an alligator, but the river wasn’t transparent enough for her to see clearly, and she didn’t think an alligator could be that large.

  She leaned closer to get a better look. As the boat passed, the animal lifted its head and snapped its long jaws, jagged with sharp teeth. Suddenly, two hands grabbed tightly to her waist, and she jumped.

  “You fool!” Mr. Knightly scolded. “Do you want to fall in the river and become that crocodile’s lunch?”

  With shaky hands, she placed them over his to remove his hold. Instead, she found comfort in those long fingers spanning her waist. Her heart hammered more from his nearness than from the snapping crocodile.

  “Forgive me for causing you alarm.” More than anything, she didn’t want him to think she had no common sense. For once in her life, she wanted a man to take notice of her intelligence. “I…um, I assure you I was in control and wasn’t going to fall.” She met his gaze over her shoulder. He stood so close his rugged jaw nearly touched her forehead. She could lean in and rub her forehead across his day’s stubble if she let herself.

  Slowly, she moved her focus to his lips. At first they were straight and hard, but the longer she stared, they softened and parted. When she met his eyes again, their color wasn’t dark with anger as it had been before. Instead, he wore a simple expression of kindness.

  Kindness? No, she must be mistaken.

  Yet she knew he was kind because he’d shown her by allowing her to purchase clothes at Consuelo’s earlier this morning.

  He pulled away, taking two steps back. Once again, anger lines appeared on his handsome face. “Just make certain you don’t get too close and fall overboard. I can promise the crocodiles will get to you quicker than I will.”

  She nodded. “I’ll remember your warning.” Swallowing hard, she leaned against the railing and looked in the direction they sailed. “How much farther do we go before traveling on foot?”

 
; “We’ll sail through the afternoon, and by early evening we’ll be to the point where we can walk.”

  “All right.”

  This time, it was a movement across the river that caught her attention. Three more crocodiles slid on their bellies away from the shore and pushed themselves into the water with their feet.

  “Look.” Mr. Knightly pointed, moving nearer to her, his arm outstretched toward the reptiles. “They will follow us for a little while before becoming distracted.”

  “Why do they want to follow?”

  He looked at her with an eyebrow arched. “Because sometimes things fall off the barge, and they want to make certain they are there to see if it’s edible.”

  “Oh.” A shiver coursed through her and she tightened her hands on the railing.

  After a few minutes passed without any more words between them, Katrina became more and more aware of how close he stood. Why hadn’t he moved yet? He had plenty of opportunities.

  The moisture on her neck grew, whether from the horrid heat or the man’s nearness, she couldn’t decide. She swiped her hand along her neck, tilting her head back and closing her eyes as she opened the shirt at her throat just enough to allow a little air to venture inside and refresh her, if only slightly. When she blinked her eyes open, Felix’s attention was on her hand. His gaze darkened, but not with anger. A different emotion flashed in his eyes this time. Pleasure shot through her from seeing his intense stare, and her heart beat faster.

  She licked her dry lips. “This heat is wicked.”

  He blinked a few times before meeting her gaze. “Get used to it. The humidity is only going to get worse the farther into the jungle we go. Not only that, there won’t be much of a breeze because the large trees will block the air’s circulation.”

  She nodded. “I understand.” She moved her hand across her neck again, this time tugging loose the first button on her shirt. Felix’s gaze dipped to the spot, and she didn’t want him to look away. The desire in his eyes was unmistakable.

  Working in the tavern from a young age, she recognized the look of lust on a man’s face. Before, it had always sickened her. Now, it stirred warmth inside her, making her want things that were not possible. Strange that she would feel this way. Most definitely it was the heat warping her thoughts.

  Nevertheless, those things in her imagination would never be probable with a man like Mr. Knightly—the rogue! She had decided years ago she would not become like the immoral women she had grown up around. Instead, she would save herself for her husband. Mr. Knightly acted like most of the men she’d met at the tavern. They were not looking for marriage.

  Katrina cleared her throat and turned away from him. A rush of air blew from his mouth in a relieved sigh. Why had he acted this way? The man was certainly a curious person.

  “My father’s attorney, Mr. Jamison, mentioned you were an associate of my father’s. Is that correct?” She rotated her head to glance his way.

  “I met him once a few years back in Rio de Janeiro.”

  “Would you tell me what he looks like?”

  Confusion glinted in his eyes. “You have never met him?”

  “Never. My mother kept me from talking to him as I grew up.”

  “Hmm, I see.” He released a heavy sigh and nodded. “Well, your father has wavy brown hair like yours, and he’s probably just as tall. I remember him being a confident man—much like his daughter, I’m certain. I’ll recognize him when I see him again, but I don’t exactly know where his rubber tree plantation is located.”

  “So how will you know which way to go?”

  “My man Manuel knows the way.”

  She placed her hand on his arm. “Then we’ll be all right, since he’s your man.”

  He glanced at her hand as if her palm burned him, so she quickly removed it. He looked back upon the river, his jaw tight and his gaze narrowed.

  Katrina folded her hands together, reminding herself he didn’t like her touch. It would be hard to keep from making any physical contact with him since she’d always been an affectionate person. Obviously, Mr. Knightly was exactly the opposite, and she didn’t want to upset him anymore than she already had.

  “Miss Landon, I know how stubborn you can be, but you must trust me on this trip.” His face turned toward her again. “You must do as I say instead of what you think you should do.”

  She scowled. Once again, he was stirring her temper. Why did he think he had to do this…and why did she rise to the challenge? “What are you talking about, Mr. Knightly? Have I not been following orders like an obedient dog as you so eloquently phrased it yesterday?”

  He shook his head. “You have, but only if I threaten you. I don’t want to argue about this. You must do what I tell you or this trip will be very long and tedious for both of us.”

  She blew out an exasperated breath. “I cannot understand why you think I’m such a wayward child. I assure you, I will do as you have asked.”

  “Splendid.” He leaned his face closer.

  She had the urge to pull away but kept from doing so, only to see how close he’d get. His hot breath blew across her face, yet she still didn’t want to withdraw. No longer did he smell like alcohol. Instead, she detected the scent of grapes.

  “There are ten men who will be accompanying you into the jungle.” His voice lowered. “You must not make a spectacle of yourself. Understood?”

  “A spectacle? Tell me, how have I done that?”

  “Listen to me and quit interrupting.” He shook his head. “You are a very lovely young woman, and I don’t want them to get the wrong impression. You are not to bat your eyes or pout your lips. You are not to touch any of them even casually as you just touched me. Do you understand?”

  Her heartbeat knocked against her ribs in a different rhythm. He’d been irritating her since they met, but this…this request only made her want to deny him and make him more upset. Just the thought of going against his demand made her breathless. Perhaps touching him on purpose was not the right thing to do, mainly for her state of mind.

  Taking a deep breath, she calmed her rising ire and nodded. “Have you included yourself in those ten men?”

  “Yes.”

  “So that means you don’t want me touching you?” She arched an eyebrow.

  “Correct again.”

  “I suppose I can refrain. However, what happens if I tripped into you? Would you get upset that I used your body to catch my fall?”

  “Miss Landon…” he warned, narrowing his gaze on her.

  “And what if,” she continued quickly, ignoring his caveat, “I accidentally sprained my ankle? Would you not allow me to put my arms around your waist as you helped me walk?”

  His attention bounced between her lips and eyes, finally resting on her mouth. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. “Miss Landon, I see what you’re doing.”

  “You do?” She shrugged. “Tell me, what am I doing?”

  He shook his head. “You are trying to get around my request. As I have instructed, I do not want you touching me or any of my men. If you are in danger, then of course we will have to assist you in some way. But know this…I will not abide your flirtations.”

  Chuckling, she folded her arms across her bosom. “You are certainly full of yourself, Mr. Knightly, especially if you think I’m flirting with you.”

  It was his turn to face her and fold his arms. “You think I cannot tell when a woman is flirting?”

  “Oh, I’m sure you can tell, but why would you think I would flirt with you—or any of your men?”

  “Miss Landon, you are a tease. I know women like yourself, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot fool me.”

  “Who says I’m trying to fool you?” She grinned.

  A deep chuckle rattled in his chest, sending tingles shooting through her. She didn’t know why she would react to his voice like that, but she wasn’t certain she liked the disturbing flutters inside her body.

  Then again, maybe she liked them
too much.

  “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a lady’s flirtation, but not when I’m trying to protect her from nine other men.”

  No longer did he control the conversation. She did, and she liked it very much. She couldn’t help it. She just had to continue. Bantering back and forth with him was enjoyable. She also took pleasure in making him uncomfortable. “I didn’t know you were hired to protect me, too. How thoughtful.”

  His smile widened and his eyes twinkled. Apparently, he enjoyed the joking as well. Heat spiraled through her that had nothing to do with the afternoon temperature.

  “Miss Landon—Katrina, you’re playing with fire.”

  “I…” She swallowed hard, not realizing her throat had suddenly dried. “I didn’t know I was playing, Felix.” If he could use her name, she could certainly use his.

  Slowly, he nodded, his gaze fastened to her mouth again. “Oh, yes. You are most certainly playing a dangerous game.”

  Images of him and the dark skinned woman from this morning floated through her head. What would it be like to kiss him? His lips looked so very soft. The wild way he’d kissed the other woman made Katrina wonder what sensations would run through her when a man devoured her mouth like that.

  Good grief! She was losing control over her thoughts again. How did that happen?

  Suddenly, the barge jerked as if something had hit it. Unbalanced, she grasped for the railing, but her hand slipped, making her stumble. As quick as lightning, his arms circled around her waist, holding her up. She snapped her gaze to his. His eyes widened, and then their color darkened. His chest rose and fell with quick breaths, just as hers was doing. Oh dear! He’d been correct. This was not a game, so then why did he hold her so protectively?

  “Wh—what was that?” she asked in a whisper, only because the shock of everything had tightened her throat.

  “I’m not sure.” His gaze shifted to the water and he sighed. “It’s the crocodiles.”