Jenna’s blood boiled while her humor sensor went off. This ignorant wench stood in front of her, standing too close, trying to use her height as an advantage. Did the dummy not notice Jenna was the same height? No advantage there.
Humor sensor won. Jenna laughed.
Instead of her height, she used her strength, pulling the essence of the ruthless authority she’d learned from her father into her gaze, into her bearing. She leaned into the guide, using her force of intimidation as she ground out her words. “First of all, Ranger Bob is a nickname, because he, unlike you, has a sense of humor. Second, we do respect the fact that he can keep us safe from all the many predators around us. However, a bird, regardless of the catlike noise it makes, is not something to concern us. My group wants to walk on. We would like our guide to walk with us. And just so we’re clear, I only stopped because Ranger Bob asked me to.”
Karen’s lips thinned and her eyes widened. A small quiver started in her chin. Turning back to Josh, she said, “Do something about them. Your job is on the line!”
“Shall I walk on?” Josh asked with his stony mask. His eyes were gleeful.
“No! They need to keep with the group. We’ll answer questions first, then we’ll walk on.”
Josh squared himself to the group in front of him. He clasped his hands behind his back and widened his legs into a power position. Standing there, with his broad shoulders, his large arms and body, and his intense, direct stare, even Jenna’s hackles rose, and she wasn’t in front of it. “Any questions?” he asked, his voice hard and deep, rumbling out of his muscular chest and slamming into all the wide-eyed tour-goers.
“Jesus,” Mike said, dropping his hands in front of his balls for some reason.
The Orange Team looked anywhere but at him. Josh looked back at Karen.
Mission accomplished.
“Okay, great, let’s keep walking until we see something else of note. I’ll lead the way.” Karen, head held high, still looking like she was about to cry, walked through her team, and then through the Red Team.
Without waiting for Josh, and not caring who was leading just as long as they were getting somewhere, the Red Team followed after Karen.
A half-hour later, Erika and Jenna were quietly talking about the types of windows that would look best on the top ten floors, when two older women fell in step with them. They might’ve been twins for how alike they were. Short, dark hair that looked dyed, dark eyes, weird jeans from yesteryear, plain white sneakers, and sweatshirts tied around their waists. They were both over seventy.
“Hello, girls!” one said. She had a lighter shade of jeans and slightly more wrinkles.
“Hi,” Erika said.
“You girls are sure pretty. All the boys are raving!” The other laughed.
Erika and Jenna looked straight ahead and muttered, “Thanks.”
“Oh yes, all the boys wish they were in your group.” The one with more wrinkles smiled broadly. “So, what do you girls do?”
“Architects,” Erika replied. Usually Erika was the friendlier between her and Jenna. Not so now. She was out of her element with this one.
“Oh! Business girls, Betsy.” Wrinkles smiled and nodded.
“Oh, how exciting,” Betsy responded. “We were wondering. We heard all of you talking so animatedly last night, and of course I knew it must be about work. Are you on a retreat?”
“Team building,” Jenna said.
“Oh, how wonderful!” Wrinkles clapped her hands in praise.
“Erika, Jenna, can I have a word?” Josh’s voice cut through the older women. He was walking backward on the path in front of them.
“Oh, yes, of course!” Wrinkles gave Betsy a meaningful glance before hurrying past Josh, landing next to poor Mike, who had been walking blessedly alone up until that point.
Josh was looking at Jenna, his eyes twinkling, his hair mussed as though he had been running his hands through it in frustration. “How are you girls faring?”
“Thank you,” Jenna gushed without hesitation.
“For?” Josh gave himself away by glancing at the wrinkle sisters.
Josh fell in line with them. “You made me look good earlier,” he said.
“Let’s just say we realized how much you were sparing us by not talking about the ‘wild’ things around us.”
“Yes, many people sign up for these tours to learn those types of things. Karen doesn’t understand that your group is not like most.”
“In more ways than one,” Erika replied in a dry tone.
“I noticed you aren’t policing Dale,” Jenna said, watching as someone pointed out a butterfly and three more people exclaimed.
“He isn’t near you girls.” Josh flicked his eyes to Dale, and then away. “My flock is tended, so to speak.”
“That’s a bit low, don’t you think?” Erika asked with a sly glance at Josh.
No pity showed on Josh’s face. “I warned her. I told her you were all a different breed. She chose not to believe me.”
“She chose to walk with her hand in your pocket.” Jenna clamped her mouth shut, immediately regretting that statement.
The scary guide had got under her skin somehow. She hated to admit it, but she got weirdly jealous every time Karen stole his attention, and annoyingly anticipated every time she got to speak to him again after an absence. She barely knew him, and probably had nothing in common with him, but she couldn’t wait to hear what he’d say next.
It was probably because he’d rejected her. That had to be it.
Erika, obviously catching the slip, shot Jenna a quizzical smile. She had a wicked gleam in her eyes.
“She tried, anyway,” Josh said indifferently. He didn’t seem to notice her tone, thank God.
“Let’s all stop here for a minute. I have something exciting to show you,” Karen said. “Charlie?”
“Excuse me.” Josh joined Karen at the front of the group.
Mike stepped back with Erika and Jenna, a pained look on his face, followed by Ada, and then Lewis.
“Those women were talking about yeast infections,” Mike said in a sickened voice and with a screwed-up face. “They were right behind me. I glanced back to shut them up, and they just smiled at me! What the freaking hell is going on with these people?”
“I just got quizzed about the Yankees,” Ada muttered. “I don’t care about baseball. Sure, I have season tickets, but that’s because of Ron. They thought I was a fraud when they found out I didn’t know all the stats. They wouldn’t go away!”
“Well, I got sucked into a conversation about some dude that needed to get a herpes test because his wife cheated on him,” Lewis exclaimed, looking at a gray-haired guy with a fanny pack. This group sure loved their fanny packs. “He came here to meet people. He came to the middle of the woods, in Nowheresville, with herpes, to meet people. And…he…was…not…joking!”
“Red Team,” Karen boomed, looking at Lewis and smiling. “Would you like to see the deer?”
They collectively shook their heads. Karen’s smile vanished. Josh’s eyes kindled and a grin budded. He was having a great time.
At lunchtime they broke into their respective groups. If it were left up to the Orange Team, the groups would continue to mingle and make friends.
Thankfully, it was not up to the Orange Team.
“How do you girls like the real deal?” Josh asked as he sat next to Jenna.
“When can we ditch them?” Erika asked with sauce.
“Karen would like to stick together for the day. Hopefully by tonight she’ll change her mind about this being a good idea.”
“Will you help her change her mind?” Erika asked, waggling her eyebrows.
“Yes,” Josh said, his stare hardening and the crazy glittering in its depths.
Erika tilted her head, unused to Josh’s hard stare. She looked at Jenna.
A surge of protectiveness rose up in Jenna, her usual reaction when her friend was in trouble or getting bullied. She forced it
down, knowing Josh. Knowing he was just trying to deflect. “Same team,” she said, trying to keep her voice even.
Josh barely got a moment to recognize Jenna’s warning look and back down accordingly before Karen was calling him again. The woman would not let him be.
“Excuse me,” he said to Jenna and Erika, noticing a look of relief on Jenna’s face.
She obviously didn’t think he’d pull it back. It was kind of insulting. He didn’t intentionally set out to intimidate people.
Well, not usually. Those first days with Jenna were an exception.
When he reached Karen, she had a distressed air about her. “Charlie, I thought we could talk about the size of the woods before we leave the clearing?”
Josh looked at the appreciative faces on the Orange Team, and the eye rolls on the Red. “Go ahead,” Josh said politely.
Karen looked at the two teams. “Red Team, gather round.”
Josh’s group didn’t even look up. They all stayed seated without so much as a civil glance in Karen’s direction. It was rude, sure, but all they wanted was to go home. How could Karen not see that?
“Charlie, please tell your team to gather here so I can begin?”
“Karen, they don’t want—”
Karen’s look promised retribution.
“Red Team, please gather round so we can discuss interesting forest life,” Josh said, effortlessly hiding his disdain behind his woods-guide camouflage.
Like a bloodhound on a scent, Jenna whipped her head up and her eyes connected with his. A beautiful smile lit up her face that had a few men starry-eyed. She winked at him, setting his heart hammering, not to mention the effect on other parts of his anatomy, before she looked at Karen with a flat stare. “I speak for the whole group when I say, ‘no thanks.’”
“Red Team—” Karen began, using her authoritative voice.
Jenna stood up in a rush, her anger visible, her personal authority absolute. It was like watching a tornado touching down. Destructive, yes. A force of its own, abso-fucking-lutely. But people lined up with video cameras to record its beauty and awesome power. She was pushed past her limit of tolerance, and was about to explode. Only Erika could pull her back now, and this time, Erika was one hundred percent on board. More was the pity for Karen.
“Listen to me, lead team guide,” Jenna said, making the title sound small. The meadow got oddly quiet. “You work for us. Not the other way around. You tailor the hike to our needs, as paying customers. And we, the Red Team, do not want to hear about interesting forest life. We don’t care. We’d like to continue on.
“Now, your group wants to hear your speeches, and so you should make them. Being a head woods guide, however, means you should know when some people don’t.” More than a few of Orange Team nodded with Jenna’s argument. “You need to let Chuck take his group and dictate his lectures accordingly. But if you want to keep up this farce of group togetherness so you have an excuse to be close to him, well then, you’ll have to deal with our unwillingness.” Orange heads turned back to Karen, then gazes flicked to Josh. “If you want to kick us out and send us home, we’d thank you for it. But…” Jenna raised a finger, and waited until every single person in the clearing was leaning forward, waiting for her to finish. “You do that to us, and we’ll make sure your boss knows why we left early and how you bent the normal routine to suit your own ends.”
Jenna looked at Karen accusingly, backed by every person on her team, including, for once, Dale. Even most of Orange were nodding in agreement. They were probably scared not to.
Josh stood silently, trying to stay out of it. Jenna’s actions weren’t his fault and couldn’t be pinned on him. This would only be a short-term situation. But Karen could make his life hell short-term, and she also chose her team members for each trip.
It might be time to look for other employment. Or maybe none at all.
“Charlie, can I speak to you for a moment?” Karen said with a slight quiver in her voice. Jenna was still staring at her, daring her to retort. Even Josh would pause in the direct line of that stare. He wondered where she’d learned it. Family? Boss? Someone powerful, no doubt. Certainly someone with clout. Jenna used it like a tool, rather than a weapon, which meant she’d known its effects firsthand.
For the first time, Josh wondered who her parents were. And if they were as influential as those who raised him. As damaging.
“I can’t tolerate the way that woman speaks to me. Or to you,” Karen said when they’d stepped away. She looked frazzled and shaken.
“I’m sorry, Karen, I really am, but I tried to warn you.”
Karen gave him a pitying look. “I know, Charlie boy, you are trying. You can’t help it. But…what are we going to do with them? We can’t send them back. How would that look?”
Josh tried not to shudder. It was the first time she’d used “Charlie boy.” It was even more repulsive than just Charlie, if that were possible. “Break off and let me lead them to the dinner spot. All I’ve been doing is choosing the way and letting them argue about their job. I don’t lecture and they don’t wander. I only point out dangerous issues.”
Karen glanced at Jenna before her eyes narrowed, returning to his face. “I hear she broke up with her boyfriend.”
“Who did?” No sense in letting her know he was following her logic. Or jealousy.
“Jenna. The tall one. She was with that good-looking guy. Apparently they broke it off?”
“I don’t get involved, but they had an argument. She slept in her friend’s tent last night. Other than that, I don’t know.” Lie.
“Okay…” she said suspiciously. “You go ahead, then. I’ll see you at the dinner spot. And maybe we can…meet up tonight?”
Josh took the cowardly way out. “Maybe,” he said, though he had no intention, not even the slightest notion, of seeing her naked. Not ever again, as a matter of fact.
She nodded and walked back to her group. Josh met his. “Okay, crew, let’s move out.”
“Yay!” Erika bounded up.
Jenna looked at him, measuring, calculating—no doubt wondering if she’d gone too far. Dare he think Erika wasn’t the only one with sway?
Dangerous thoughts. The intoxication of her was starting to get him drunk. She needed to stay a no-go.
Chapter Seventeen
Jenna pushed the stake into the ground to make sure the tent didn’t fly away. It was overkill, especially with two girls crammed in, but Erika couldn’t be reasoned with.
Jenna glanced up, realizing she’d been left alone with the tent. It was just like that little nitwit, arguing for something they didn’t need, then taking off.
“Jenna!”
Jenna’s head whipped toward the right, and she spotted Erika thrashing in the bushes. She ran over, agony pounding up through her feet with every step. “What is it?” Jenna asked with a thumping heart, needlessly squinting through the twilight, trying to make out what crouched in the thick bushes.
“My leg. It’s got me!” Erika yanked at her foot.
“What?” Jenna asked, panicked. “What has you?”
Erika grabbed hold of her thigh and pulled. Then she straightened her body and kicked, making aggravated sounds. That was when Jenna noticed the thick body wrapped around her friend’s foot.
“Oh my God, help! Is that a snake?” She grabbed Erika’s shoulders. “Don’t move. You’re not supposed to move. Did it bite?”
“Here.” Josh stepped to Erika’s right. “Stop moving.”
Erika went still.
Josh pulled up his pant leg, revealing a knife strapped around his shin. He unbuttoned a strap, then pulled out the huge, serrated blade. With a quick, practiced movement, he bent down and sliced. Erika took two jerky steps backward, a relieved smile on her face.
“Does it hurt? Are you okay?” Jenna asked, bending to Erika’s leg.
“Chill-ax. It was a vine.” Erika shook off a piece of vegetation.
Confused, trying to see what was hiding
in the coming darkness, Jenna watched Josh calmly tuck his knife back into its hidden holster and smooth his pant leg down. He grabbed something off the ground and handed it to Jenna.
She screamed and shrank away.
“Total girl response.” Erika laughed and grabbed the item. She held it up.
A twisted vine, just as she’d said, hung immobile in Erika’s hand.
“Dang it!” Jenna shoved Erika, and then put her hand to her quickly beating heart. “I thought you were being bitten by a snake or something.”
“But holy shit, Ranger Bob,” Erika said, her gaze dipping to Josh’s leg. “Who are you, Rambo?”
“Rambo’s worst nightmare,” Josh said with a smile.
Erika blinked up at his face. “Wow, you’re super-hot when you smile, did you know that?”
Josh’s smile dwindled. “Dinner is almost ready.” He barely looked at Jenna as he strode away.
Erika looked after him. “Did you see that knife? Woods people don’t use knives like that.”
“Of course they do,” Jenna said, not mentioning that while they might use them, they certainly weren’t so intimate with them. It looked like an extension of Josh’s arm.
“He’s hot. I bet he’s good in bed.” Erika was still watching Josh’s retreating backside.
The feel of his kiss, and how his lips had expertly moved against hers, made Jenna suck in a breath. She bet he was, too. Half of her really wanted to try again. The other half wanted to run away screaming from him, his craziness, and that big knife.
“Huh. I do like Phil, but…”
They crossed the clearing where they’d be for the night. Orange Team had showed up not long after Red had arrived, but the other three teams had been late. Karen kept checking her watch, but when she finally checked in with the walkie-talkies, it turned out they were taking forever because they were asking three times as many questions. They were moving at a snail’s pace. Flat-out terrible idea to have multiple groups together.
Unexpected Hero (Skyline Trilogy Book 1) Page 14