by Blue Davis
Little footsteps crawled down his back. He shivered and arched his body. His breath halted as he squirmed. Something was making a fast-paced trek across his body. “Fuck!” He wiggled and hit his own waist with a flat palm, trying to get it off, whatever it was.
She covered her mouth and giggled.
He scratched his skin and twitched. He grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and yanked it over his head. A little eight-legged scorpion-looking creature made its way downward, getting closer to his dick. He jerked back, trying to throw it off. “Aghh!” He slapped it away with the tail end of his shirt.
She continued giggling. She was now hunched over, laughing hard.
The eight-legged thing wriggled away into a bed of moss.
Her laugh was cute, but that thing looked poisonous. “Good to see your deep concern. That thing coulda’ fuckin’ killed me!”
“It almost made its way beneath your belt,” she howled.
“I wasn’t gonna let him down there.” He liked to be talking about his dick with her, but he wished it were under different circumstances. He twitched again. “I’m itchy just thinking about it.” He shivered.
She busted up into a deep-bellied, silent laugh, the kind you do when something is hilarious—so funny you can't breathe or talk.
“Well, I’m glad I could amuse you.”
She wiped her eyes and reached in the pack. She still had residue of laughter and had a huge grin plastered to her face.
She took out the peanut butter and crackers and laid them on a paper towel. She spread the peanut butter on a cracker. Great, I’m getting eaten alive and she’s wolfing down crackers.
She handed him a cracker-peanut butter creation.
His shoulders eased. Really? He took it as if it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him.
Back home, girls clawed for his attention by proving just how well they could “mother” him. Most would get up early to make him pancakes or eggs and toast. It was always about money. They used him just like he used them. By the end of it all, he wasn’t sure if he was winning or losing.
This girl, Lexi was different. She didn’t care about money, and he was the one who looked after her. She wasn’t messy or reckless. He was just worried about her safety and felt a strange responsibility toward her. He didn’t like it, but he couldn’t exactly control it either.
He took the peanut butter crackers. “Thank you. Making yourself some?”
Her eyes lowered to his bare chest and further down. “Yes.”
Was she just checking me out? He hadn’t taken the time to put his shirt back on. Did she enjoy it?
She plopped a cracker in her mouth. Her lips were the smoothest berry red, her teeth, bone straight. He could have spent hours watching her chew.
She covered her mouth as if she knew she was being watched. He was careful not to say anything. The more he’d flirted with her, the more withdrawn she’d become. Should he tone it down some? Less flirting, more silence? Who can understand this shit? What just happened between them and did she desire him too?
His hand needed to take one of the crackers and feed it into to her delicious mouth, but he fought the urge.
She poked strands of her jet-black hair behind her ear and blotted her forehead with a paper towel. “Hot out here.” Her eyes still glowed from the laughter she’d had at his expense earlier.
The jungle was alive and breathing. There were animals, birds, wildlife. And so many trees, bushes, ferns, and whatever. It was hard to see what was coming or going. That insect thing had snuck up under his shirt without him even noticing. “Yeah, let’s get moving,” he commanded, standing.
She packed the provisions and waited for him to take the lead.
They set out on the trail again and walked for hours. His belly and shoulders became leaner. It became increasingly difficult to step one foot in front of the other.
“Just a sec,” she said, reaching into her pack.
He squatted and took water out of his sack. His thirst had reached new levels, his mouth and throat feeling as dry as sandpaper. The water had revived him, but he was still losing power.
She held the map with one hand and pointed. “We need to go here now. Off-trail.”
It didn’t look easy, but he kept his spirits up. He opened his arms and faced her. “I’m all yours, sweetie. Lead the way.”
She curled her upper lip and scrunched her nose. It was obvious she didn’t like what he’d just said.
Why? He focused hard on his statement. I’m all yours… sweetie… lead the way. He repeated the words in his head. I’m all yours, sweetie. He straightened his back. She didn’t like that? He made a mental note to tame his tongue around her. “I’m sorry,” he offered.
Her eyes softened. “It’s okay.” She paused. “I think you better lead the way still though. I got the general direction, but I don’t know where the heck I’m stepping. And there’s a gazillion trees in the way.”
“A gazillion is right.” His arm was aching from the constant vine-slashing, but at least there was an actual trail. Now she wanted to wander off into the thick rainforest and who knew what kind of Amazon awaited him? He imagined another set of legs crawling up his neck. He shivered. “All right, let’s go.”
She laughed and stepped behind him.
They found themselves entrenched in wilderness. Sweat dripped down from his armpits and rolled down his torso onto his shorts. His heated skull throbbed. He flapped the front of his shirt and let the momentary air cool him. He continued slashing down the branches and moving forward with her following close behind.
This was twice as much jungle as the survivalist course he did last year in Tennessee. The trails back then had practically been paved out for them and some of the team had still whined. If they could only see what he had to do now. The task was not for the weak-minded or the physically challenged. He charged on through the humid forest.
A group of branches snapped back and hit him in the face. He squeezed his eyes shut and froze. I’ve had it. This is ridiculous.
A new round of giggles sounded from behind. There she was, laughing at him. Again.
His eyes narrowed on to her, his body stiffening. He worked hard, chopping down wood like a fucking lumberjack, so the royal princess could step her proper feet through. And all she could do was mock him.
“Don’t be mad,” she cried between giggles. “You’re just so freaking adorable.” She continued to laugh and even keeled over toward her knees.
A sudden warmth radiated throughout his body. He felt a heated flush sweeping across his face.
She’d liked it. She liked me making a damn fool of myself and was uninterested in my strength and agility. She glowed when he was real. His feet embedded deeper into the mud. “Go on, laugh. Get it out,” he said, grinning. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her.
She bit her knuckles and quieted down. The laughter kicked in again. She belted into a deep-bellied laugh. She was fucking adorable and she looked like a completely different person--someone who enjoyed his company.
She finally quieted. “Sorry,” she murmured, still wearing a mesmerized grin on her face.
“Oh no. Go right ahead. Glad I could entertain you.”
Her eyes wandered to his torso and shoulders then focused on his eyes. She opened her chest and arched her back. The top button of her blouse had come unbuttoned and her cleavage exposed itself through her tank top. Her breaths quickened as their gaze prolonged.
Was it the right time? It needed to be the right time. He fought the urge. “You ready?” he whispered.
She pressed her body against his and nodded, pursing her lips.
His dick hardened. He closed his eyes and stepped back. Her body heat had sent his hormones reeling. He decided to confront her when they reached their destination. He needed to get out of the creepy jungle. There was no way he was hanging out a minute longer than he had to with the fear of little animals crawling over his dick. He shuddered at the thought of
some creepy creature coming up to bite it.
“I mean are you ready to go?”
She lifted her chin and straightened her blouse. “Yes.”
He faced forward and slashed down a few more branches. He would have preferred laying her on the ground and giving it to her hard. He blew air from his lower lip and looked back at her.
She smiled and trekked close behind him.
The manlier he had acted, the more withdrawn she became. That was it, wasn’t it? He needed to stop the macho bullshit and be himself around her. He barely knew what that was. He’d been breaking hearts for as long as he could recall. He could be genuine around his brothers, but that was the extent of “realness.” Women, on the other hand, who understands them? Or better yet, who has the patience to understand them?
He checked on her again. An uncontrollable smile came to his lips. He turned and continued tearing through the treacherous path that lay before them.
* * *
Chapter 9
Lexi
What just happened? She wiped her forehead and recalled his sandalwood scent and soft lips. Her eyes wandered beneath his damp shirt to the arch in his lower back. His butt was tight. He strode through the jungle as if he owned the place. She could do without his macho mouth, but his self-confidence was appealing. He was even more sexy when things went awry. He had a sweet human side that was innocent and cute. She could see why girls were falling like flies for him. He was hot. His body was sculpted to perfection, through no accident. He had to have worked hard at the gym to have those muscles.
He turned around often to check on her. It was sweet of him, but she was fine. She bit her lip and met his gaze.
She yearned to be free of the hot, sticky jungle mesh. The constant stepping over and ducking under spiraling overgrowth tired her and dozens of twigs and branches had poked her too. Only a little further. Taking out the map again would only delay their arrival to camp.
Had he really held her hand? She wanted him to take her right then and there, but she was glad he had stopped. They both needed to be much more level-headed. She didn’t travel hundreds of miles to get down and dirty with some guy from back home. She came for the gold.
What sense did it make to screw here in the middle of the jungle? They needed to keep a watch out, especially since they could no longer see the surrounding ocean. They had seen no other boats around this morning, but that didn’t mean they were safe all afternoon. Suspicious thieves could easily ride up on old Bernardo and ask him questions. It was strange for a fishing boat to anchor so close to an island when he should be fishing in deeper waters. She vowed to keep a sharp eye open and not allow her bodily desires to triumph over her common sense.
They came to a clearing in the trees. Up ahead there was only flat ground, surrounded by a ton of large rocks. “Ah. I think this is it,” she proclaimed.
He drew in a long breath. The trip had worn them both. He shut his eyes, then reopened them, squinting. “Camp here?”
“I think so. Let’s have a quick look for the lava tubes, and then I promise, we’ll leave it for the morning.” If her navigation was correct, they were well on their way to having gold weighing their pockets.
He nodded. She was glad he was agreeable. She wasn’t ready to go exploring inside any creepy caves in the night, but she needed to make sure this was the right place.
The ground was flat and rocky, but it had an edge running sideways in the distance. She picked up her pace and walked out to meet it. The entrance to the tubes was like a cave entrance—circular and dark. She yelled back. “This is it!”
He gave her a thumbs up and continued unpacking items.
She sauntered back to camp, sat on a large rock, and went over her notes again. This is going good if I must say so myself. “We’re close. I’m pretty sure I know where the casks are buried.”
He nodded and piled together leaves. “Good. Tomorrow’s the day, huh?”
“Yep. Bright and early. We’ll be in and out in no time.” Should be a slam dunk.
His eyes gleamed. “Sounds great.”
He walked back to the jungle to get more roughage. He threw them on the ground and spread them evenly.
She bit her lip. He was still working hard after all that branch-snapping. He pulled his own weight and she needed to do the same. “Need any help with that?”
He stopped and eyed her. “Sit tight. Almost done.”
He hadn’t said much the whole walk. Was he anxious? Maybe he was just tired like she was.
“All done,” he announced, moments later.
“Great,” she beamed. “The perfect bedding.”
“Yep. Now keep in mind it’s going to be rougher than last night. It’s pretty rocky out here.”
“Yes, sir.” She raised her index finger. “Oh, wait a minute.” She rummaged through her pack until she landed on a blue and white checkered blanket she’d found at a thrift shop in town. “I have a blanket!”
He smiled and placed his knuckle on his chin. “What? Where was that last night?”
Her hands pressed on to her lap as she squeezed out a smile. “Oops.”
He chuckled and moved around on his feet. “You’re so funny,” he remarked, gazing at her.
She shook the blanket out in the air and wrapped it around herself.
He gave an approving grin. “That’ll work, put that over the leaves, you’ll sleep like a baby.”
Her arms fell limp. “There’s only one though.”
He smiled, his eyes flickering with warmth. “That’s okay. You take it. I’m used to roughing it.”
“James Ashton, you are not used to roughing it.”
He chuckled again. He had the most adorable laugh. His mouth reached up into a hot-as-hell lopsided smile. “True, but it’s just one night. I want you to be comfortable tonight, instead.”
He was beyond generous. Had he always been like this or was this a new thing? “I would have brought another, but I bought it before I even knew you were coming here,” she offered.
“Are you glad I came here, Lexi?”
He had asked that question a thousand times. Did it really matter what she thought? He was here and that was that. Soon they’d get the gold and go back to Florida, rich. “Yes. I honestly don’t think I could have done any of this without you.” There. Said it. Happy?
She spread out the blanket on her bed of leaves and stopped. “Hey. Why don’t we share?”
He held his breath and froze.
Heat spread through her body. God. He really doesn’t want me anymore. What did I do to scare him away this badly? Her shoulders sunk. “Well, I mean, if you don’t want to, it’s okay. I just thought maybe…”
He grabbed the hand that was holding the blanket and met her gaze. “Of course I want to.” He pushed some of his leaves over to hers and made one big pile.
She flung out the blanket and laid it on top. She chewed on the side of her cheek. “It’s still hot out, so we don’t need a cover.”
He shook his head slightly. “We don’t,” he murmured.
She kicked off her boots and collapsed on to the leaf mattress.
He did the same.
He felt for her hand. When he found it, he held it. He said nothing. Why was he so quiet? He went from being an smooth-talking flirt to a thoughtful gentleman. Whatever. He’s interesting but I need to keep my cool.
He leaned up on one elbow, his fingers propping his head. “Can I ask you a question?”
She nodded, curious.
“How would you feel about us… having sex?”
She tried to halt a nervous laugh. “This is a work trip, not a booty trip.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, it’s a booty trip if you count that pirate’s booty we’re after. Arrrr.”
“Ha. You got jokes, huh?”
“Yep. Spices and silk for all me men. Arrrr.” He stretched his mouth out and squinted an eye.
She fell back on the blanket, cracking up. She couldn’t hold it in. The trip
was stressful and he was hilarious. She relaxed her arms and finished the last remaining bits of laughter. “Well, uh… I don’t know. We’ve known each other for a long time. We’re competitors.”
He tilted his head. “Are we?”
Her heartbeat pounded heavy under her shirt. “Aren’t we?”
“I say we’re allies. Think about it. We’re out here together, going after the same thing, helping each other out. How can we go back to being competitors when we get back?”
Her core warmed. His words swirled into her every thought and made her pulse quicken. He’s thinking about the future. Including me in his future. “You’d make a better ally than Carl.”
His nostrils flared. He pushed himself into a seated position on the blanket. “Who the fuck is Carl?”
She sifted through words, thinking of a way to describe the one man who had taught her the meaning of the word ‘deception’. “Nobody,” she said.
He rolled his neck and grimaced. “Why are you talking about him then?”
“Relax. He’s not here, is he?”
He clenched his teeth and pierced her eyes with a hard glare. “Are you seeing him?”
Who the heck is he to question who I’m seeing? “Does it concern you?”
He squeezed her hand. His jaw tightened as his eyebrows knitted. “Tell me.”
She swallowed. “He’s just a guy I used to date. I still work with him, though I’d rather not. He’s the one who’s supposed to help move the gold when we get back.”
His shoulders relaxed. “I see,” he said in a low voice.
He seriously shouldn’t be worried about Carl. She had absolutely no interest in the guy. “He’s a jackass. We worked side by side before we ever moved in together. Everything was great at first and he helped me secure deals for the things I had laying around the house. I was never good at that. I brought home gold and silver all day long. But moving them on the market was another story.”
“So you still work with him, but you’re not with him.”
She pointed at him. “Bingo.” She sunk her shoulders. “Although, I wish I could break free from working with him too. It’s like I’m chained to him. I hate needing him to do things for me.”