Back To You - A Second Chance Romance

“Well, you’re not dead, so I’d call that lucky.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint everyone, but it’s going to take a lot more than that to take me down.”

“Good thing you’re in such good shape,” I said, brushing his hair back from his forehead.

“Yeah, well, I hope this doesn’t crush your opinion of me, but I was hoping I’d get something for the pain.”

I went to the table where the medic left a few things, including a bandage and tape. Beside them was a small foil packet of pain pills. “I’ll give you these now. You should be out of the woods.”

“How did you learn all of this stuff?” he asked. “I mean, there are how many snakes here in the Amazon? You knew exactly which kind it was and exactly how to take care of it.”

“Years of study,” I said. “But also, it’s my job. You learn all of those lines and your choreography. I could never do that.”

“It’s really amazing.” He took the pills and washed them down. “I guess it’s a good thing you went to off college after all.” He took my hand and closed his eyes. “I’m just going to rest a bit.”

Chapter Nineteen

Jake

I lay there stroking her thumb until I could finally sleep, and although she didn’t make a whole lot of conversation and we didn’t kiss or make love, it was nice just having her there with me.

It was a shame I’d had to go through such an ordeal to get her attention, and I hoped that now we could begin to come closer.

While I couldn’t help but think of how the whole thing could be avoided if she had only gone away with me to begin with, another part of me had to wonder if that were true. My life could have gone the same, but hers wouldn’t have. If I had found fame and a snakebite, that incredible woman wouldn’t have been there to spring into action for me.

It was a nice thought and brought me closer to forgiving her for not making the decision I wanted her to make ten years earlier. I didn’t want to hold a grudge, and if we could only move forward once and for all, I was ready to put all those years behind us. I felt like Kate and I could really pick up where we had left off.

Unless she didn’t feel the same as she used to. Maybe that was why she was avoiding me. All I could do was hope to get to the bottom of it. Maybe before we left the jungle, I’d have solid answers. I didn’t really want to go home without her.

Some hours later, I woke up in the night, still alone with her, her sleeping body draped across the bed, and her hand still in mine. I felt a surge of heat throughout my body, but it wasn’t from the venom. It was knowing I was alone with her.

I reached down and stroked her hair, which was splayed across the covers, across my legs. It was so soft and so sweet with her shampoo that I breathed in deep to smell it. She had always been so beautiful, every part of her, and as she stirred, everything about her and her little sleepy sounds made my cock stand at attention.

“Come here,” I said, moving over in my cot to make room for her.

She looked up and stretched while a dimly lit lantern showed me her sleepy eyes. “It’s fine,” she said, hesitating. “I’ll just go and use Austin’s bed. I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep. I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“You’ve stayed here all this time?” She could have gone back to her own tent by then. And where was Austin? Not that I minded how things had turned out.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to leave you if you had any problems. Besides, Austin came and got a few of his things. He said he’s bunking with Tess. He didn’t want you to die in your sleep and have millions of people think he snuffed you out.”

“That’s a dark thought, but that’s Austin for you.”

“Yeah, he’s really weird, but I guess I wanted to make sure you were still breathing too.” She gave a soft chuckle and I squeezed her hand.

“I am.” And at that moment, I’d never felt so grateful to be alive. “Thanks for caring about me.”

She patted my hand. “I’ve never stopped, Jake.”

“So my hand isn’t hurting right now, if that’s a good thing.” I held it up to show her, noticing she had bandaged it. The marks on my wrist and arm didn’t have any swelling to them, which meant it had gone down.

“That’s the pain medicine. I gave you more about two hours ago. Remember?” She pushed my hair back from my forehead and felt my forehead.