Reggie stood on the opposite side, giving them a thumbs-up sign.
Really? A thumbs-up? She lifted her arms to the side and shrugged.
"Walk that way." He yelled and motioned upriver. "Follow the river to where we parked the bus and you'll be fine. I need to find the others. If you see anyone else, tell them to keep walking up river. It's all fine."
"He has a different definition of the word fine than we do," Luke muttered from behind her.
Several feet ahead of them, Bill balanced precariously on a boulder and held Savannah with both of his hands. Her backpack and poncho had wrapped around debris in the water. She had one leg up on the shore, both hands in Bill's, but the other leg was submerged.
"I'm stuck!" Rushing water whooshed against Savannah's face.
Luke ran to help, leaning into the river to untangle her from where she'd gotten snagged by underwater tree roots.
Raindrops felt like bullets pelting their faces. With each step toward the trio, Alyssa's shoes made a sucking sound when they pulled free of the grasping mud.
Savannah lay on the ground for a minute, eyes closed and face muddy. "Spa day. Next time I choose the one activity outside of diving we do."
Alyssa pushed her hands over her eyes and struggled to catch her breath. None of this seemed real. Maybe she should be grateful that they hadn't capsized at sea, but right now all she could think of was how long it had taken them to arrive here by boat. At least an hour, she thought. How many miles did that equal?
Luke sat on a boulder next to Bill, both men staring at the river with shock on their faces.
Hand over her eyes, she looked up and down the river, relieved to see people crawling onto shore and yelling for one another. She couldn't be sure, but it appeared most were okay.
"We'd better start walking. I don't want to sleep here overnight," she said to no one in particular before looking at the thick jungle they needed to traverse. "I don't suppose you have a machete in your special diving bag, do you, Survivor Man?"
He grinned and shook his head no. "Joking at a time like this? That beats hysteria. You're right. We need to start walking. It's going to take awhile to get back."
"We need to stay together. It will be easy to get lost with such thick underbrush." Bill helped Savannah to her feet.
Luke stood, grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked her up and down. "How do you feel? Anything broken? Any bites?"
"Bites?" Fear froze her in place thinking about what could have bitten her.
"Just be careful, there are snakes around and most of them blend. They'll be difficult to see in this weather and a few are pretty aggressive."
She thought of that yellow one they'd seen eating a bird on the way here and gulped. "Thanks for freaking me out even more. I really didn't need an image. I'm fine. No bites."
"Good." He yanked her toward him and kissed her. Hard. "Whatever happens, don't let go of me, okay?"
"On the way down here, I noticed some houses and clearings. Maybe we can find some shelter for awhile, dry out as much as possible before continuing, and alert someone as to what happened." Bill had retrieved a baseball cap from his backpack and now adjusted it low over his eyes.
"It's going to be really thick walking through all of this. Are you going to be okay with that?" Savannah asked her. "I'm only asking because you're so petite...you know...I mean, you look delicate."
Suddenly feeling a pigmy surrounded by giants, she straightened her spine. "I can handle it. Let's go instead of standing around talking about it."
They formed a line, Bill in front, then Savannah, with her in the middle and Luke behind her. They trudged through the thick underbrush, rain making it almost impossible to see so she kept her eyes focused on the ground. Thankful for the long pants, she stepped gingerly over gnarled roots, slipped a few times in the mud only to be caught by Luke, and pulled her legs free of spikey trees that seemed to grab at them with horror show animation. They all held onto each other forming a train of yellow ponchos moving through intense green forest.
She collided into Savannah's back. Blinking, she looked up to see the cause of the sudden stop and squinted toward the clearing where a tin-roofed cabin stood. Bill motioned toward it and they automatically moved forward as one.
"I don't think anyone's here." Bill knocked again. No answer.
Looking around the property, she doubted anyone lived here at all. It had been cleared, yes, but the animal pens were empty and there weren't any signs of human inhabitants.
"How far do you think we've come?" she asked, shivering down to her bones.
Luke winced and looked over his shoulder toward the river. "Not far. At this rate, I'm not sure we'll make it to the road before dark. It was after three when we boarded the boat at Lamanai and we've been walking for at least forty minutes. I don't know." He shrugged and looked at Bill. "What do you think?"
"I don't really want to be in the jungle after dark," Savannah said, pushing open the door. "We can at least get dry a bit. Come on."
Good girl sensibilities told her not to trespass. Soggy girl logic said to get her ass inside a dry building. She followed Savannah while Luke and Bill discussed it in the rain.
"I'm so cold." Savannah stripped off her clothes where she stood. "I've got another shirt in my backpack. I need these wet clothes off."
Teeth chattering from the extreme wet, she wandered into the bedroom. Maybe this was someone's getaway from the city because, although furnished, a layer of dust covered everything and it smelled as if it hadn't been aired out in awhile. She mirrored Savannah's actions, ripped off her clothes until naked, and wrapped herself sarong-style in a sheet.
"Good idea." Luke dropped his backpack and pulled off his shirt. "I don't think I've ever been so wet...well, with my clothes on I mean, I've been—"
"I get it." She smiled at his logical self explaining the obvious. She grabbed the blanket off the bed and held it out to him. "Share with me. It's cold."
Wrapped in floral sheets, they looked like they were going to a toga party. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her as she pulled the blanket over their shoulders.
"Any more sheets?" Bill asked from the doorway, the only one still in his wet clothes.
She nodded toward the closet before dropping her head against Luke's chest. "How long are we going to stay here?"
"A lot of vipers are nocturnal and then there are the jaguars to worry about—"
"Never mind. I don't want to know. You'd think I'd learn by now not to ask you these kinds of questions."
Bill donned a pink sheet covered with Mickey Mouse figures. "I hope everyone else is okay, that's all I can think about. We'll take a break here, but I don't think we should delay too long."
"I found a space heater and it looks like there's a generator," Savannah called out from the other room. "Bill, can you go out and deal with the generator?"
"Yep." Bill shook his head and reached for his wet clothes.
"Do you need help?" Luke asked, making no move to release her from his hold.
"Nope. You two look warm, stay that way. I'll be back." He smiled as he pulled on his jeans beneath the sheet.
She saw the worry in his eyes, though, and knew he thought of his friends still out in the rain and the jungle.
"It's weird we didn't run into anyone else out there. We can't be the only ones who washed up on this side of the river." She looked up at Luke. "I won't ask you if you think anyone drowned because you'll probably tell me they were all eaten by crocodiles or some other horrible thing."
He laughed and shoved his hands through her hair. "Am I really that bad? Last night you asked me why I was so happy now you act like I'm the biggest cynic you've ever met."
"I think you're both. Happy, yes, but a cynic down deep." She rubbed her hands against his sides for warmth. "Let's go help Savannah with the space heater and bring her a sheet."
On her way out of the room, she gathered their wet clothes to spread out by the heater.
&nb
sp; "Wait." He walked to her, the blanket hanging from his broad shoulders like a cape and the flowered sheet tied around his waist. When he reached her, he framed her face with his hands and kissed her with such tenderness that she thought her heart would implode. "If I need to be stranded in the middle of the jungle in a cabin surrounded by lethal creatures, I'm glad I'm with you."
"So romantic." She laughed and stepped away. "Lethal creatures, huh? You're horrible in a crisis, Luke. Absolutely the worst."
"What'd I say? I'm a realist," he called from the other room. "Hey, there's an indoor bathroom. That's a plus, right? Optimistic enough for you?"
Smiling, she spread the wet clothes in front of the dormant space heater before handing Savannah the pair to the Mickey Mouse sheets. The supermodel-in-training walked around the main room dressed in a dry t-shirt with obviously no bra and panties that declared 'juicy' on the ass. Long black hair hung down her back, already combed and perfect looking. No wonder she had a hard time making friends with other women...she defined the word 'intimidating.'
"I'm not sure why these people have Mickey Mouse sheets, but at least it's something dry to wear while we wait for our clothes," she said, looking away from the tall brunette.
Savannah smiled and wrapped the sheet around her waist. "I wish I had hair like yours."
"Why on earth would you want this mess?"
"You're soaked but you look cute as hell with all of those curls." Savannah motioned toward the space heater when it came to life. "Bill's a genius with all electronics, but don't tell him I said that. He has a giant ego." She sat cross-legged on the floor and held her hands toward the glowing red metal. "I thought we'd see more people from the boat, didn't you?"
Sighing, she sat next to Savannah and stared at the heater. "I did. Maybe they all landed on the other side of the river and are with Reggie."
"I think we should keep walking," Savannah said, meeting her gaze. "I think we should go back out in an hour or so, after our clothes dry. We were drenched because of the river, not the rain. Our ponchos will keep us dryer now, don't you think? Luke will listen to you and Bill will listen to him."
"What makes you think Luke will listen to me? He's convinced we'll be dinner for either a snake or a big cat if we leave." She smoothed her hands over her sheet-covered thighs.
"He's head over heels with you, he'll listen." Savannah winked. "Lucky you. I'm a little jealous."
She had to concentrate so she didn't faint from shock. "Jealous?"
"He's the real deal and he only has eyes for you. You're lucky to have a guy like that. Don't let him slip through your fingers."
"He's one of kind, there's no doubt in my mind about that."
"Hold onto him."
She thought of Luke's earlier command not to let him go and shook her head. "You can't hold onto someone who wants to leave, that's just how it is. I learned the hard way not get overly attached to someone else because they'll ultimately disappoint you. Whatever happens happens. That's life."
"You don't strike me as cynic." Savannah tilted her head and looked at her through narrowed eyes. "Just because your ex was an ass doesn't mean all men are. By shutting out the possibility of love, you give the ex power. Why would you want to do that?"
She sighed and rested her chin on her knee. "I felt like such a fool, you know? I doubt anyone has ever cheated on someone like you but—"
"Don't do that." Savannah looked at her with sad eyes. "Heartbreak is universal."
"I'm sorry, I know. I didn't mean anything by it." She stared at the heater. "Finding out that my ex cheated on me consistently for eight years makes it hard to trust, that's my problem. But you're right."
"Luke is different. I work and hang out with men. Trust me. I know a good guy when I see one. Luke's the kind of man you want a ring from...kids...the whole sha-bang. Don't you want all of that?"
"Whole sha-bang, huh? Luke and I are just having a good time. The arrangement we have works. It's ideal." She shook a stray curl from her eyes and sighed.
"You two certainly know how to fool everyone then. From where I'm sitting, you have him in the palm of your hand...and vice versa." Savannah rubbed her hand over her eyes and let out a long sigh. "I really don't think we should stay here. I'm worried about my friends. We've traveled together for years, they're like family to me."
She touched Savannah's arm in sympathy. "Sounds to me like they're an adventurous bunch. I'm sure they're fine. They're all probably together with Reggie, headed up river. Maybe we shouldn't stay here."
"We'll get dry and then think about it," Luke said from where he lounged by the door.
She wondered how long he'd been there. When he'd announced his enthusiasm over the indoor bathroom, she'd assumed he'd been otherwise occupied. He pushed away from the door, gaze locked on hers, sat behind her, pulled her between his legs, wrapped them both securely in the blanket, and rested his chin on the top of her head.
"I'm certainly happy that you're all warm and toasty." Bill slammed the door behind him. "I just killed a snake by the generator, had to stab it with a shovel. Where's my sheet?"
They all looked at each other and burst out laughing. What an entrance.
* * *
"So then we were all in Barbados when this one—" Bill pointed at Savannah—"decides to challenge the locals to a steel drum sound off competition."
"I played in the band in college." Savannah grinned with pride.
"She won." Bill and Savannah nodded at the same time. "I couldn't believe my eyes. She had the entire town square cheering for her. That was a good trip."
"Cozumel was pretty great, too."
Bill met her gaze, his grin slow. "They've all been fun."
Luke leaned back on the palms of his hands. Alyssa remained between his legs, her hands sometimes caressing his thighs while they listened to Bill and Savannah talk about their travels. Once again, he couldn't believe Savannah had no idea that a man loved her.
Women were so clueless.
A comfortable silence fell between the four as they listened to the steady ting-ting of rain pelting the tin roof. Darkness had fallen outside while they dried. They'd all shared granola bars Luke had stashed in his backpack, drank some water, shared some stories, but now the question loomed in the air: go or stay?
"By now, someone must know that there's a problem. The bus driver, for one. They do this trip a few times a week. He must know something is wrong," Alyssa said.
"Our clothes have dried, we could wear our ponchos, start walking again. I'm really concerned about the others in the group." Savannah stared at Alyssa as if communicating in secret female code.
"The storm isn't expected to let up for a few days," Bill said. "Eventually, we need to leave here. I don't know about you all, but I'd rather spend the night in my comfy bed at Ramon's."
He sighed and closed his eyes. If the others were walking, then they'd get to the bus and do what? How long would they wait? Would they assume the worst? There weren't a lot of options.
"I've got some cash, I'll leave it on the table before we go." He looked around the room. "They have a hatchet in the corner, a few flashlights in the cabinet. We'll take them, leave the money, hopefully, that will be okay."
Alyssa turned and looked at him, her face hidden in shadow. "So we're going?"
"I think we should go." Bill stood and reached for his clothes first. "We have the advantage of at least having dry underwear now. That dip in the river was nasty, wasn't it? We all reek like rotten fish."
Alyssa grabbed his hand beneath the blanket, her gaze never leaving his face. He knew she was scared, so was he. Despite his apparent wild-man appearance, he was a city guy who wore suits to work and hiked well-worn trails on the weekends.
"It's going to be okay." He squeezed her fingers.
"Despite the lethal creatures?" She grinned.
"I've been called lethal a few times in my life." Okay, so he'd been called that in a courtroom, but she didn't need to know the details.
They dressed in silence. The truth was he wanted to stay here until morning, hike in the daylight through rain instead of night, but he also wanted to catch up with everyone. Most likely they hadn't all been able to find shelter. There had only been twelve of them plus Reggie and his son. If he were the captain and tour guide, he'd be worried about four people who didn't show up, but wouldn't delay the rest from getting to safety.
They piled their sheets and blanket in a corner, wrote a note of thanks, turned off the heater and generator, and left some money for the items they took. Alyssa stood outside beneath the covered porch and rearranged the backpack beneath her poncho. Savannah and Bill spoke softly in the corner, obviously more upset than either had let on about their missing friends.
"When we get back to Ramon's, I think I'm going to need a shower before that tequila idea I had," he said to erase the fear in her eyes.
She looked at him from beneath the yellow hood and grinned. Curls had dried in wild disarray around her face, her headband long gone in the river. Eyes were heavy with exhaustion and concern, yet she tilted her head to the side and winked.
"A shower could be fun. We'll take turns scrubbing each other's backs."
"And fronts." He held out a pair of rubber bands he'd found next to the flashlights. "Put these around your ankles so a snake doesn't go up your pants."
Her mouth fell open in surprise before she burst out laughing. "You really suck at pep talks, babe. Geez. Do you realize how many nightmares I'm going to have once we're out of here?"
"Take the rubber bands." He grinned and shoved them into her hands. He liked that she'd called him 'babe.'
Reluctantly, she grabbed them and did as instructed. Her hands shook and he knew she was terrified. So was he.
He looked into the absolute blackness surrounding the cabin and knew they needed to go before it got any later. "Let's head out."
He took the lead this time, hatchet in one hand and flashlight in the other. Alyssa held onto the back of his poncho, Savannah followed her, Bill took the back of the human train formation as they weaved over roots and ferns.
He never should have gone to the Belize National Zoo with his family. That's where he'd learned all about native animals and vipers in the area. At the time, he'd had no idea he'd need that kind of knowledge.
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