Discovering Sophie (7 page)

“So, do you need to use the restroom or what?”

She blinked, embarrassed by the direction of her thoughts. “Uh, yes.”

He pointed a finger behind her. “It’s over that way.”

Grateful for a chance to get her feelings under control, she turned away and started for the restrooms. She had only taken a few steps when she paused and looked back at him over her shoulder. He was still watching her.

“You aren’t going to leave me here, are you?”

The look that crossed his face said he’d been contemplating doing exactly that. Seconds ticked by before one corner of his mouth lifted. “I won’t leave you, Dr. Kendrick.”

Relief washed over her, and she smiled. “Okay. I’ll be right back.”

She faced forward and resumed her trek to the bathroom. It was difficult not to look back to see whether or not his eyes still followed her. She resisted the temptation, though, because it shouldn’t matter either way—at least that’s what she told herself.

* * *

Jack waited until the doctor was out of his view before he groaned in frustration. He had made a lot of mistakes in his life, but agreeing to take this woman into the jungle had to be the worst. The pull he felt toward her was like free-falling from a cliff before plunging into the water.

Hector sauntered up next to Jack and grinned. “She is a very beautiful woman, ¿
no
?”

Shooting a warning glance Hector’s way, Jack refused to be baited in to commenting on the undeniable statement. “I’m going to see if the canoes are ready.” He moved toward the river. “Are you coming with me?” he called over his shoulder.

Hector laughed. “
Sí
, I’m right behind you.”

Five minutes later, Jack and Hector began to load all of their supplies into a canoe tethered to the one they would be traveling in.

Jack hefted Sophie’s heavy pack onboard, and caught the scent of her perfume. His reaction to the tantalizing fragrance was ridiculous. Immediately he remembered how good it had felt to have her in his arms, even if it had only lasted for a few seconds. He crouched down, scooting her pack over to allow room for more of their gear.

Glancing up, he caught sight of Sophie walking toward him, applying lip gloss to her full lips. Yeah, she was beautiful and looked more like a college student than a medical doctor. His heart thumped erratically as she drew closer. Jack needed to get a grip on these wild emotions she evoked. He reminded himself that this woman was no different from any other and could not be trusted. Hadn’t she already lied to him in order to get her own way?

She stopped beside him and slipped the tube of gloss into her pocket. “We’re traveling by canoe?”

“Yep.”

Hector jumped into one of the vessels, and it almost toppled over. Her eyes widened. “I’ve never been in a canoe. Are they safe?”

“For the most part, yes.” Jack stood up, his six two frame towering over her. “Do you know how to swim?”

Surprise flitted across her face. “You want me to swim in the river?”

“Preferably, no. I just need to know if something happens that I won’t have to rescue you. You know like CPR and mouth to mouth. That kind of thing.”

She narrowed her gaze. “I can swim, Mr. Mathison. And I’m very familiar with cardio pulmonary resuscitation.”

Getting her angry with him was one way to take control of the situation. He felt better already.

“Just checking, Dr. Kendrick.” He met her gaze, and for a few heartbeats, they stood there staring at one another.

Hector coughed, bringing their staring match to an end. “We’re all set to go.”

As they boarded the craft, Jack instructed Sophie to sit in the middle. For some twisted reason, he half hoped she would require a little help. She didn’t, expertly taking a seat in front of him without so much as rocking the boat.

Hector looked back over his shoulder. “Ready?”

“Yep,” Jack said, digging the paddle in the water.

It took a few minutes for him and Hector to get into a rhythm. Soon they were smoothly flowing along with the current as they traveled deeper into the rainforest. Jack drew in a deep breath of the humid air, realizing how much he loved being here.

After a while, Jack’s muscles burned and perspiration beaded across his forehead. He switched sides with the paddle as Sophie turned, viewing the passing foliage of the tropical forest. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, revealing the curve of her cheek and part of her slender neck.

Jack’s pulse tripped as attraction rocketed through him. Okay, so he found her appealing. It didn’t mean anything, right? Maybe if he stopped fighting these feelings, his fascination with her would fade. Besides, she had a boyfriend who was in love with her. Jack might as well relax and enjoy the scenery. All of it.

She leaned to the side, skimming her hand across the water. Hopefully there wasn’t something under there that was hungry. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Jack said. “I would think as a doctor you might need your hand.”

She abruptly snatched her hand back. “What’s in there?” She turned to look at him for an answer.

“Quite a few things that bite.”

“Oh. Thank you for warning me.” Her lips curved up into a smile. “I guess I should’ve known that.”

Yeah, she should have. How much time had she really spent in the jungle? “You need to be a little more cautious, Dr. Kendrick. You said you’ve been to Central and South America before. I hope you weren’t
lying
about that.”

Her smile faded and two little lines creased between her eyebrows. “I didn’t lie,” she said, turning around to face him.

Jack raised a skeptical brow.

She cleared her throat. “Look, I don’t typically try to deceive people. I’m sorry about letting you assume I was a man. Could we please start over?”

Her apology seemed sincere, and the tension in his shoulders was messing with his rhythm. It was time to face the facts and move on. She was here. He had agreed to take her with him. He was attracted to her, and he wasn’t looking to act on that attraction. She had a serious boyfriend. Simple.

Some of the tension eased. “Okay.”

She studied him for a few seconds, and then slowly her mouth lifted into a soft smile. “Thank you, Jack.”

Oh, man
. Swallowing, Jack gave her a curt nod and looked away. It was a good thing she was off-limits. The last thing Jack would ever do was steal another man’s girlfriend away. After all, he knew what that felt like.

* * *

Sophie turned back around to face forward, relieved Jack had accepted her apology. She was confused and very intrigued with her handsome guide. She wasn’t sure what to think about him. Arrogant, yes. But underneath his gruffness, she sensed there might be a softer side to him.

Trying to drive the puzzling thoughts away, Sophie gazed at the gorgeous scenery. Huge trees lined the bank of the river, some of their branches dipping into the water. The noises coming from within the trees sounded similar to some of the tropical exhibits at the Denver Zoo.

It also reminded her of the few times, so long ago, she had spent in the rainforest with her father. Flashes of memories bombarded her mind as they slowly floated down the river. She remembered her father showing her a beautiful Red Macaw with its yellow and blue tipped wings. Sophie had wanted to take one home, but her father had always been very adamant about keeping birds in their natural habitat.

Then there were the times when he had taken her swimming in one of the many pools at the base of waterfalls generated during the rainy season. Maybe she would get a chance to swim in one again, but doubted there would be as many as she remembered. The rainy season was winding down, and she had read reports predicting November would be drier than normal.

Hector ended her musings by pointing out a couple of monkeys swinging in the trees. They brought back memories as well, and Sophie wanted to get a picture of the playful monkeys to show Camille’s children when she returned home. Reaching into one of her pockets, she pulled out her digital camera and took a number of pictures before the monkeys were out of sight.

She took several more shots as she panned the tropical surroundings. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Jack’s shoulder. If she turned just a little more, she’d be able to capture his image, and she needed at least one picture of her guide, right? Besides, Camille would want to see how Jack had aged. Which, incidentally, he’d done quite well.

Straddling the seat, she pulled the camera down and turned toward him. “Do you mind if I take a picture of you?” She kept her voice neutral and tried to keep her eyes from drifting down. Her peripheral vision took in the way Jack’s muscles flexed as he paddled the canoe effortlessly.

His lips curled up slightly.
Darn
. Her eyes had only strayed for a second. The smug look he gave her made her almost change her mind.

“I don’t mind,” he said, that arrogant little smirk back on his face.

“It’s not for me, Mr. Mathison. Camille and her brother will want to see you.” She winced at the mild deception. While her friend would like to see Jack, the picture was really more for her benefit.

He flashed her a smile. “Of course.”

Did she really want a picture of him?

Swallowing her pride, she raised the camera up, and centered him on the screen. Those eyes of his glittered with amusement, his teeth white against tanned skin as she depressed the button. “Thanks,” she said, turning around to discreetly review the digital image. The man was gorgeous and very photogenic. A deep chuckle sounded behind her and she almost pushed the delete button.

Almost.

To make it not look so obvious, she asked Hector to turn around for a picture. He lowered his paddle and posed. Then he held out his hand. “Let me get one of you,
Señorita
.”

She handed him the camera and smiled, while simultaneously wondering if Jack would show up in the background.

Hector took several shots until Jack interrupted him. “Hey, Hector?” he asked with sarcasm. “Do you think we can wait on this
Hallmark
moment and keep paddling?”

A wry grin tipped Hector’s mouth. “
Sí
, Jack.” He handed Sophie her camera, his lips spreading into a grin.

Looking over her shoulder, Sophie cast Jack an annoyed look. He shrugged and gave her a lopsided smile. “We’re almost there, Dr. Kendrick. You might want to turn around.”

Sophie whirled around and saw men near the water’s edge. Returning the camera to her pocket, she felt excitement bubble up at the prospect of really starting their journey. The canoe scraped along the bottom as Jack maneuvered it to the shore. Sophie stood up just as Hector jumped out to bank the watercraft. The movement rocked the boat and she started to lose her balance, her arms flailing backward.

“Careful,” Jack said, his hands settling on her waist.

“Thank you.” The gentle pressure from his hands rendered her motionless. What was it about him that made her so responsive to his touch?

“Hang on a second.” Jack jumped out of the canoe and held out his hand for her. Good manners made her accept his help. She tried to ignore the jolt of awareness that zinged as their palms connected.

A muscle twitched in Jack’s jaw as he lowered his eyes to their joined hands. As soon as she touched the ground, he released his grip and turned away from her.

Jack spoke to the men in Spanish, and they immediately started to unload the canoe. When one of the men lifted Sophie’s backpack, Jack said something to the man in Spanish and pointed at Sophie. The man grinned and set the pack down in front of her.

She met Jack’s gaze and read the challenge in his eyes. He was just waiting for her to complain. Clamping down her irritation, she picked up the heavy, full frame backpack and slipped the straps over her shoulders. Jack’s lips curved up ever so slightly before he slung a pack over his shoulder and picked up a couple of tents.

“Follow me,” he demanded, walking past her.

She quickened her pace and matched his step evenly. She wasn’t following him just because he commanded her to.

“Are you hiring those men to carry everything else?” she asked, struggling with the burden of her pack.

“Yes.”

Unbelievable
. He
was
trying to prove a point. Full of righteous indignation, she stomped next to Jack, determined to carry her own weight.

A group of children ran alongside of them, their high pitched giggles conveying their delight at the visitors. Sophie’s heart softened at the sight of the brown skinned, dark-eyed children. One little girl lagged behind the group of older kids, running as fast as she could with bare feet. Suddenly, the little girl tripped on a branch and tumbled to the ground. With all the chaos their arrival created, no one seemed to hear the child’s cry for help.

Sophie stopped and shrugged the heavy pack from her shoulders. The child looked at her with big brown eyes. She couldn’t be more than four years old. “Let me take a look, honey,” Sophie said, kneeling down next to her.

The child’s cries subsided as she watched Sophie with curiosity. Gently, Sophie examined the small knee, imbedded with dirt and tree bark. As she wiped the dirt away, she saw nothing had broken through the tender skin. “You’re going to be okay, sweetie.” Sophie patted the little girl on the head and gave her a soft smile. The child might not understand English, but hopefully the tone of Sophie’s voice would reassure her.

A shy smile appeared on the little girl’s face as she got to her feet and raced toward the other children. Sophie smiled and turned to get her pack when her gaze collided with Jack’s. His lips were lifted slightly, and his pale blue eyes held hers with warmth she’d never seen before. He studied her for a few heartbeats before he lifted her backpack and strode away without saying anything to her.

Sophie followed him, thinking maybe he wasn’t such a jerk after all. She scratched that idea as she stopped and stared at the donkey Hector and the other men were loading down with most of their supplies. Jack had failed to mention this to her. “Didn’t you just tell me you hired those men to carry the supplies?”