“I’m not an outdoors person,” Mary confessed. “I’m sorry.”
Neal looked conflicted. “We could go back, but I’m supposed to stay away from the resort until Beehag’s heir is off the property tonight.”
Mary forgot the bugs momentarily, staring at him in shock. She recalled their conversation from earlier, when she’d pointed out he’d never had his revenge for what Beehag had done to him. “Oh. I can see why Scarlet might not want you around for that.”
Then it occurred to her. “We’ll be out here until tonight? After dark?” She hadn’t brought a flashlight, and the idea of these big, looming trees after dark, and all the things that would be hiding among them was enough to bring her to hysterics.
“I plan to be back right about sunset,” Neal said soothingly.
“Oh,” Mary hiccuped. “Okay.”
She lifted her chin. “I can do that.”
It didn’t sound as bold as she would have liked it to, but Neal smiled at her in a way that melted her knees, and she felt able to sling her bag across her body and start hiking again.
Chapter Sixteen
Neal watched Mary trudge courageously in front of him, distracted by the sway of her hips and the glimpses he got of the curve of her ass. He wished she had brought less with her, mostly because the bulky bag covered his view.
He wanted to praise her bravery, for continuing to hike out in a wilderness she was clearly terrified of, but he was fairly sure she wouldn’t believe him, and he didn’t want it to sound like empty flattery.
Shortly after their lunch, it began to rain. At first it was a light drizzle that they heard on the leaves above them more than they felt, but within fifteen minutes, it had turned into a deluge. Mary put on her raincoat.
“I’m glad I brought this after
all,” she said cheerfully, pulling the hood over her head. “I know you thought I brought too much.”
Neal was wise enough not to agree with her.
It was still warm, so Neal didn’t mind that he was shortly soaking wet, but it slowed their progress as the ground became slick and hazardous.
The trail itself was not wide, knobby roots were constant obstacles to clamber over, and the moss grew slippery as the rain continued.
Conversation proved difficult, between the concentration on walking and the noise of the rain; the jungle canopy acted like percussion under the raindrops, and the fall of the rain was all collected on leaves that would then dump on them unceremoniously when full of water.
Mary struggled on gamely, and offered Neal an overly-bright smile whenever their glances crossed.
This was a terrible idea, he told himself. Way to go, Romeo.
He would have berated himself further, but then they rounded the corner of the trail and there was an opening in the trees. The view suddenly expanded, showing a tiny cove below, cradled by cliffs, and the waterfall he’d wanted to show her when he’d suggested the hike. Everything was shrouded in mist, so the ocean below was reduced to a single line of breakers before vanishing, and the sky above melted into foggy trees above them.
The waterfall itself was a silver ribbon from the cliff to their right, crashing past them down to the sliver of beach below.
“Oh!” Mary said beside him, and her fingers found his as they stared. “It was worth it.”
If he had not been standing right beside her, Neal would not have heard her over the fierce roar of the little fall and the pounding of the ocean.
He looked at her skeptically. “Are you sure?”
Her hair, once neatly braided, was wild and half-loose, plastered against her wet face. Neal wasn’t sure what was sweat and what was rain. Even her raincoat was limp in the wet, and her pants clung to her curves. But her face, already red-cheeked, had lit up at the gorgeous view, and Neal thought that she looked utterly gorgeous in all her disarray.
“I’m sure,” she said, giving Neal an impulsive hug, a little hindered by her soggy purse and wet raincoat.
He squeezed her tightly in return, and the curves of her body pressed against him made him forget the miserable trip and even the beautiful view. When she might have drawn away, he kissed her, and she wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck and kissed him in return.
Her mouth tasted like honey and promises, and her breasts beneath the crinkly raincoat were firm against his chest. Neal was tempted to peel her out of it right then and there and lay her down on the jungle floor to make love to her on the spot. But he settled for caressing her through the unwieldy garment.
“It was definitely worth it,” Mary declared with a smile, once he had released her.