I panic. "What do you mean? Are you married or something?"
His head bobs back. "No. I'm not a cheater."
"Then..."
"The guys would never say anything to you. But the women, well, I don't know if they would question you. I don't want you to deal with any stress."
I lean into his ear. "What if they're jealous?"
He arches an eyebrow. "Jealous?"
"Yeah. I did have the hottest guy out of the entire crew rescue me."
He grins. "Can you tell Dirk that?"
I laugh. "Maybe if you play your cards right."
He pecks me on the lips then sits me up on the rock. "All right, Flower. Let's get cleaned up and dried off. If any of the guys come down here and you're naked, I'll have to put a bullet in their head."
I look at him in horror.
"I'm kidding," he adds then mumbles, "Sort of."
Carlos would say things like that.
He scrunches his face. "Did I say the wrong thing?"
I force a smile. "No. Let's finish."
He grabs the shampoo and soap off the rock, and we go deeper into the river.
The current is hard to wash and paddle in. He drags me through the water to him. "Wrap your legs around me."
I do, and he braces my back with his arm and guides me backward to get my hair wet. He lifts me. "Hold on to me."
I wrap my arms around his shoulders.
He takes the shampoo and massages it into my scalp.
"Maybe you should work at a salon."
He grunts. "Only for you." He massages my head some more. "Time to rinse."
I lay back in the water until my hair is clean then he helps me back up. When we're done, we head back to the riverbank. He dries me off with his towel, and I put his T-shirt back on.
"I forgot to wash my clothes."
"We have stuff back at the camp. You can do it there."
"Okay."
He nervously shifts.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Can I please look at your wrists and ankles and anywhere else you have injuries? I want to put new bandages on, too."
My heart races.
He's trying to help me. Let him look.
It's not safe.
Yes, it is. He is safe.
I take his hand, walk over to the tree trunk, and sit down, then take a few deep breaths.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Yeah." I hold my wrists in front of him. He removes the bandages and studies each wrist. When he finishes, he kisses my hands and sets them on his lap before removing his first aid kit out of his bag.
He drags his finger on my skin, next to a deep wound that never went away after the first day they handcuffed me. "This worries me. I'm surprised you never got an infection."
"I washed it with soap whenever I could."
"Smart girl." He sprays something on it then wraps it in gauze.
"I'm going to have scars, aren't I?"
He hesitates then looks at me. "Probably."
"Guess I'll have to wear bracelets or something."
He stays quiet and repeats the same thing on my other wrist then pats his legs. "Let me see your ankles."
I swing my legs up onto his thighs.
After he removes my water-soaked bandages, he scrutinizes my injuries but says nothing. The more time that passes without him speaking creates an anxious flutter in my chest.
His face hardens and turns red.
I swallow the lump in my throat. "Are you mad at me?"
He picks his head up. "No. How could you think that?"
"You look angry and aren't saying anything."
He briefly closes his eyes. "I'm upset with what they did to you. You could have internal bleeding from these bruises or an infection from the sores."
"I don't. I'm fine," I try to reassure him.
He goes quiet again, shaking his head in tiny movements while wrapping my ankles up.
"I feel like you're mad at me," I blurt out.
My pulse beats in my neck.
I need to shut up.
He moves toward me, and I instinctively retreat.
His eyes widen. "I was going to pull you on my lap."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
What the heck is wrong with me?
He holds his hands up. "It's okay. I'll try not to move fast like that again."
I release a breath and scoot closer to him.
He slowly slides his hands under me and puts me on his lap. "Flower, I'm not mad at you. No one should be upset with you for your injuries."
Rationally, I understand what he's saying. I know it's the truth.
"I think I'm really screwed up," I whisper.
He places his hand on my cheek. "No, you aren't."
"How do you know?"
"Easy. I'm the hottest guy here." He grins and winks.
"That's true." I kiss him.
"We better get back. You sitting on me without panties and kissing me is going to give me a case of blue balls all day."
"Maybe we can find a tree off the beaten path," I suggest into his lips.
He groans. "Don't give me visuals."
"Or we take a Jeep and..."
"Well, well, well," Zoe's voice rings in the air.
I freeze, and Hunter raises his eyebrows. We both slowly turn.
"Bit of jungle love going on here?" Zoe smirks.
Dirk is next to her with his arms crossed and an arrogant smile.
Hunter gives my ass one last squeeze and rises with me in his arms. "We were just leaving."
Dirk grunts. "Don't mind us."
Hunter grabs his bag and slings it over his shoulder.
"You're such a gentleman, Hunter. Dirk made me walk through the mud." She turns, and the back of her T-shirt and legs are covered in dirt.
Dirk gapes. "Are you kidding me? I offered to give you a piggyback ride when it got muddy."
"So all the brush could hit me once your thick head got past it? No, thanks."
"You're such a diva. How did you last fourteen months in a hole?"
"I wasn't in the pit the entire time. I was the entertainment." She smirks.
"Good to know. And I'm so glad I rescued you. So much appreciation."
"Real heroes don't look for praise."
I clear my throat and blurt out, "I don't have shoes. But I do like my perks, Zoe. Since Hunter's the hottest guy here."
Dirk's forehead creases. "Do you all have some sort of bet going on about who can dig at me the most?"
Hunter stifles a laugh. "Nope. You do enough for us to come up with things independently. Have a good bath."
"Bye." I wave.
We get halfway up the hill before Hunter pauses. "You are officially the coolest woman ever."
"That was kind of fun."
"Plus, true," Hunter adds.
I laugh and peck him. "Definitely true."
He continues carrying me through the jungle and directly to the campfire area. Ryker, Axel, and Malin are sitting on tree stumps. Penelope and Julieta are standing over the makeshift table and stirring something. A camping griddle is over the fire.
"Breakfast?" Hunter asks.
"Yep. The ladies practically begged to make it, so who are we to deny them?" Ryker grins.