"Like I said, you earned it, we both did. Now, we're here. Close your eyes."
Carson frowned at him. "Why?"
"Because it's a surprise. Go on, close your eyes." When Carson obeyed, Jack got out of the truck, then helped Carson out too, taking both of his hands. "Keep your eyes closed. Trust me, I won't let you fall."
Step by step he took Carson closer to his goal, until Carson cocked one head to the side. "I hear water," he said. "Sounds strange. What is it?"
"Open your eyes and see."
The waterfall was hidden behind thick forest and rock ledges, and was such a breathtaking sight that Carson remained silent, lips parted in wonder. Jack took a moment to appreciate Carson's mouth, imagining himself nibbling on that full lower lip, before reluctantly focusing back on their surroundings. It had been his reaction too, when Vivian had first shown him this piece of heaven. All around the tall waterfall, the jungle was at its most lush, the water was crystalline, and the splashing of the water created a small rainbow that filled the deep pool created by the falls with color.
"My God..." Carson looked at Jack. "How did you find this place?"
"Vivian. Like I told you the day we met, she knows this country better than she knows herself." Jack looked around; he never got tired of this place. He glanced back at the truck. "It's getting dark, we better make camp. I think it's going to be a warm night, so we could sleep outside. There're still too many boxes in the back of the truck and it'll be more comfortable lying on the ground than curling up in the cabin. What do you say?"
"I agree," Carson said, practically vibrating with excitement. He looked like a kid on his first camping trip.
They made a small fire, brought out their sleeping bags, dusted themselves off, then went to the pool and washed their faces and hands before preparing something to eat. They were sharing a cup of coffee, gazing up at the dark sky as more and more stars became visible, when Jack decided to say the words going around in his head.
"Carson?"
Green eyes looked curiously at him, the light from the fire making them look more catlike than ever. "Hmm?"
"I'm glad you're here."
Carson gave him an affectionate smile. "Me too. I've done many things that I've regretted deeply afterwards. This definitely isn't one of them. Thank you for inviting me." He yawned widely. "I'm sorry, I'm exhausted."
"It's okay, Carson. It's been a long day, and we worked hard. Go to sleep. We have round two tomorrow."
He stoked the fire as Carson slipped into his sleeping bag, then after making sure the camp was secure, Jack joined the other man, placing his bag close to Carson's.
He looked at Carson, thinking back to their day. He recalled the moment he had finally acknowledged that he was in love with Carson, something he knew had probably begun the day they met. The question was, should he do something about it?
He knew that Carson was attracted to him; there was enough sparkage between them to create a lightning storm. And of course, there was the banter and the sexual innuendo, the smiles and the glances. But even if by some miracle Carson decided to stay in Jawara, would he be interested in a relationship with Jack? Carson had said he wasn't interested in casual sex, but there was a big difference between that and getting involved in a serious relationship.
Realizing such thoughts were getting him nowhere, Jack snuggled into the warmth of his sleeping bag, sighing deeply as his body finally relaxed after the grueling day.
"Goodnight, Carson," he murmured, already feeling drowsy.
"Goodnight, Jack."
Half an hour later, however, Jack was still very much awake, and torn between amusement and annoyance. The reason why he wasn't resting was lying by his side, wriggling and twisting continuously.
"Carson," he finally said. "Would you keep still, for pity's sake?"
"Everywhere I lie there's a root sticking into my back," came the whined reply, muffled by the bag.
Biting his lip to keep from laughing, Jack couldn't help but mutter, "Be glad it isn't sticking somewhere else."
"You're hilarious, Jack, simply hilarious."
Jack leaned forward, rubbing his hand gently over Carson's shoulder. "Just close your eyes, imagine you're back in your own bed, tangled in decadently black satin sheets and snuggled around your favorite pillow."
He kept his touch light, hoping to feel the body beneath his hand grow less tense, but after a few minutes Carson growled in exasperation.
"It's not working," he complained. "Imagining I'm in a bed doesn't make the roots any less real."
Jack rolled his eyes, unzipping his bag and sitting up. He pulled Carson's sleeping bag closer, until it he could feel the other man's body next to him. "Better?" He suppressed a groan as Carson writhed experimentally against him. "Well?"
"I think so," Carson said, settling down on his back. He looked up at the sky and breathed, "Wow."
"What?" Jack asked, lying next to him.
"The sky... Without the city lights, the stars just look so bright." He turned to Jack. "You know the name of any constellations?"
"A few." Jack laughed. "Vivian's been trying to teach me, but I'm a lost case. I mean, I know the names, I can even find them in the sky. But I swear I don't see any scorpions, dogs, bulls or whatever. Just stars. For instance, take the Pleiades constellation, over there."
"Where?"
Jack looked at Carson, their faces a hairbreadth apart. "Er... Let me show you." He reached for Carson's hand, using his index finger to point at a group of seven glittering stars. His thumb unconsciously rubbed Carson's palm as he asked, "See it?" When no answer came, he turned his head to find Carson still looking at him. "Carson?"
"Mm?" Carson murmured absently.
"The Pleiades?"
Carson blinked, then laughed quietly. "Sorry." He gazed up at the sky, their linked hands helping him find the constellation. "I can see it."
"The Jawarans call it kilimia. They're supposed to be seven maidens being chased by hunters, or a mother hen with her chickens. Now, what do you see?"
This time Carson laughed aloud. "Seven stars."
"Precisely," Jack chortled.
Carson smiled at him, mirth and affection clear in his eyes, even in the dark. "Thanks, Jack. I think I can sleep now."
"Yeah?" Jack asked quietly, thumb caressing Carson's palm one last time before letting go of his hand.
"Yeah."
Carson closed his eyes, his breathing slowly changing into one of deep sleep. Shaking his head and chuckling again to himself, Jack closed his own eyes. Yep, he was damn glad Carson was there with him. Even if it promised to be hell on his libido.
# # #
Jack awoke just as the sun began to rise. He looked up into the thick trees above him, at the blue sky peeking through the near-solid blanket of leaves, and wondered for a moment where he was. Rolling onto his side, he spotted the empty sleeping bag lying on the ground and looked around for his companion.
His breath caught in his throat as he saw Carson bathing in the pool, water up to his waist, pale body glistening in the early morning sun. He watched as the appealing form vanished for a moment, ducking under the water to rinse the suds from the smooth skin, only to resurface seconds later, dark hair clinging carelessly to his face.
Jack shifted restlessly in his sleeping bag, his body beginning to respond to the vision before him. Carson made his way to the waterfall, standing on a rock and allowing the spraying waters to bathe him gently. Head thrown back, body arching, tossing the dripping hair from his face and his eyes, Carson was a wet dream come to life and Jack moaned hungrily.
Finally, Carson jumped into the pool, swimming lazily to the bank before he got out, water running in rivulets from his hair and down his naked chest. Jack laid back down, pretending to still be asleep, not wanting to be caught spying. He listened as Carson came closer, recognized the sound of cloth rubbing against moist skin, stifling a sigh as Carson got dressed.
The air shifted as Carson sat beside him,
his hushed voice startling Jack. "I know you watched."
Jack opened his eyes, seeing Carson looking down at him with an unreadable expression. "I'm sorry."
Carson shook his damp head. "Don't be. I didn't really mind," he said, although Jack could hear a hint of shyness in his tone. "I felt the instant attraction when we met. And... I think that hasn't changed?"
At the hesitation in Carson's voice, Jack sat up as well. "No, it hasn't changed at all, on the contrary. But other things have. The day we met, Roger tried to convince me to go to your hotel, to ask you out. But even then, somehow, I couldn't bring myself to do it. You're not a one-night stand I pick up somewhere, take home and screw senseless with no need to exchange names, pleasantries, or small talk. I didn't want that with you then, and I don't want it now."
Carson looked up at him, heart in his eyes. "What do you want?"
Jack smiled wryly, reaching for Carson's hand and lacing their fingers together. "I want more. Maybe more than you're willing to give."
Carson swallowed. "Ah. Um, I... I think I'd like that, I mean, I..." He closed his eyes with a groan. "Christ, I sound like a Victorian virgin on her wedding night."
Jack chuckled, then grew serious again. "What are you afraid of, Carson?"
"Disappointing you," Carson replied with a self-deprecating smile. He leaned against Jack, looking down at their linked hands. "I'm not good at this emotional stuff." He lifted his head and their eyes met. "I don't want to hurt you, Jack."
Jack felt an impossibly wide smile tugging at his lips. "I love you, too."
"I didn't say anything about love," Carson joked weakly. His free hand reached up to touch Jack's cheek. "I'm scared shitless I'm going to screw this up, but I do love you." He sighed softly. "So what do we do now?"
Jack brushed his lips lightly over Carson's. "We take it slowly, see what happens. There's no pressure, Carson. Let's finish our work here first. When we get back to Jawara City, we'll go out, have some dinner, catch a movie... How does that sound?"
Carson nodded, relaxing visibly. "Sounds great."
"One more thing."
Carson cocked his head at him. "What?"
"If we're going to do this... will you stay in Jawara with me? I know you're used to living in a big city, and here what you see is what you get. And I know I've got no right to ask you to give up everything for me, but--"
Carson touched his fingers to Jack's mouth, silencing him. "You're not asking as much as you may think. I don't have that much waiting for me back home. I don't really get along with my parents and as for the job... I was getting frustrated with all the dead-end cases, with failing over and over again. It was like swimming against the tide."
"I can imagine."
Carson looked straight ahead, lost in thought. "I like it here. I think I'm beginning to love this country as my own. With the exception of certain hostile tribes, deranged mercenaries and the occasional cannibal, I've felt nothing but welcome here," he quipped with a sudden impish grin. "These people... they're so amazing, resilient in spite of it all. You can't help but respond to them. And I don't think I've ever felt as peaceful, as content, as I feel working with you and the others. Even with all the mad rush always going on, I feel like I belong." He bit his lips, sounding hesitant. "It'd be a big change."
"Yeah, it would be. But I'm a selfish bastard, and I want you with me."
"Can I give you my answer when we get back to town?" Carson winced. "I want to, Jack, I really do. And I feel like a heel, because I think I should be able to say yes, and not feel this confused, but--"
"Carson," Jack interrupted, gently. "It's okay. I'm asking you to leave behind everything you've known all your life, to leave your home and quit your job and your country, to come live in a country you hardly know. If you'd said yes without hesitation, I'd probably think you were crazy and withdraw my offer."
That got him a reluctant smile. "Thanks, Jack." Carson fell back down on his sleeping bag, gazing up at the clear sky.
After a while Jack's curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "What's the deal between you and your parents?"
Carson laughed humorlessly. "I don't really know where to start. I guess I never quite managed to live up to their expectations. My mother wanted a sweet, polite, perfect little boy, and got a holy terror instead. My father wanted a straight A student, a lawyer to follow in his footsteps, and got a jock and a detective. They wanted their son to marry someone of old money like my father's family, someone with power, influence. And they found out their son was gay. We're definitely not one big, happy family."
"I'm sorry," Jack said, wishing he hadn't asked.
"It's okay." Carson met his gaze. "What about your parents?"
"They live in Colorado, on a small ranch. They're hippies at heart, so they were okay with me being gay. It's the job they have a problem with." Jack smirked, then sobered. "Maybe I'll take you with me on my next visit. They'd love you. My mother'd cuddle you to death, and my father'd tell you all about the good old days, and how he built the ranch from scratch with his bare hands."
"I'd like that, I think," Carson agreed, a mischievous gleam entering his eyes. "Now, we gotta get moving and you still need to wash the dirt off you. And it's only fair that I get to watch you take a bath as well. Turnabout being fairplay and all that."
It took an effort, but Jack managed not to flush at the heated glance Carson sent his way. "Geez, you don't play fair," he muttered.
He made his way to the pool, perversely taking off his clothes at a slower pace than necessary, aware of the eyes following his every move. He dove into the cool water, emerging a moment later to a wolf whistle.
"Great ass!" Carson shouted from the bank.
Jack turned to glare at the other man, but lost his battle to laughter, joining in with Carson in shared mirth. It felt good to be that free again, that relaxed and lighthearted. And he owed it all to the green-eyed devil grinning cheekily at him from their campsite.
# # #
Chapter Eight
Three days later, exhausted but satisfied with the results of their work, Jack and Carson arrived at the Durak village where they were to meet with the rest of the team.
"The Durak are probably the friendliest tribe we've met so far," Jack told Carson as they sat in the truck. "Not only did they adopt Vivian after her parents died, but they sort of adopted us as well. They keep an eye on our camp whenever we're away." He gestured to the twin white tents erected a discreet distance away from the village. "That's our home."
"You'll have to give me the grand tour," Carson quipped with a smile.
"You're on." Seeing an old man approaching them determinedly, Jack squeezed Carson's thigh in a parting caress, then got out of the truck. "That's Hiji, one of the tribe's elders," Jack said to his companion. "He's the one who raised Vivian." When the man was standing next to them, Jack shook Hiji's hand warmly. "Hiji, this is Carson, a friend of ours. Carson, Hiji."
Hiji bowed slightly. "Any friend of these ruffians is a friend of mine," he said in perfect English, a warm smile lighting up his wrinkled face.
Carson chuckled. "Likewise. Seems like we're the first ones to get here," he commented, glancing around.
"Indeed. I was anxious to see you back. Tebogo from the Ubani tribe saw Geils and one of his men approximately a day's journey away from here, to the north. That was two days ago, plenty of time for him to get closer," Hiji said. "Also, I am not certain if this is to do with Geils, but Obasi found a white man unconscious this morning, some hours walk from the village. He and his wife stopped here last week on their way to N'bulungi. They are doctors of some kind, went by the names of John and Becca Isaac. From what little they told us, they had been hired by our government to do some experiments. On what, I do not know."
Jack frowned at the news. "And Obasi found him unconscious?"
"Yes. He was badly beaten. Our healer has been trying his best, but I am not very hopeful. The damage was extensive and he might have internal injuries
. I have sent Lebna to town, to fetch an ambulance to take Isaac to Jawara City, but you know how it is. Without any roads, it will take hours before they reach us. And you know they give priority to cases within city limits."
"And the wife? Any sign of her?" Carson asked.
"None. I sent men to try to track the man's path, see where he had come from. Perhaps it would lead them to her. They followed Isaac's trail for hours, going north to the N'bulungi region. My guess is that in spite of his wounds, he managed to walk a long while before finally collapsing. Whatever happened, it was within N'bulungi. As you know that place is forbidden to us, so the men came back."
"Forbidden?" Carson asked curiously.
"Yes. Very few people who have ventured into the region have ever made it out alive," Jack explained. "We'll have to do it, though. We've got to find Isaac's wife, especially if Geils is in the area. Chances are he and Benzin were the ones who attacked that man in the first place. Wanna come?" he teased Carson.
Carson gave him a sardonic smile. "Of course. I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to explore a forbidden land and never be seen again." The sarcasm was tempered with warm affection. "Lay on, MacKenzie."
Jack gave him a mock glare. "We've got to pack first, hotshot. Instead of the canteens we'll take two jerry cans. N'bulungi is about a five hour walk north of here, and the sun is going to be at its worst in a couple of hours. I don't want us getting dehydrated, and each jerry can holds five gallons. And we'll need to take some provisions too, enough for a day or two. We can divide them into our backpacks. Come on, everything we'll need is in our tents."
"Why can't we drive to our destination?" Carson asked as they walked to the two tents, and Jack caught him giving the truck a wistful look.
"No road or path wide enough. Walking is the only way to get there," Jack replied, grinning at Carson's disgusted grimace. "We should get there mid-afternoon, then we'll have to search for the Isaacs' campsite. Don't forget to pack extra ammo. If Geils is out there, we may need it."
The Ripple Effect Page 9