Back To You - A Second Chance Romance

“I could go and pick you some of those flowers if you want,” I offered, noticing she was still admiring them.

“Oh, no. It’s okay. Those actually stink really bad, and they have toxins that can make you hallucinate before they kill you.”

“Wow, why does everything around here have to kill you?”

“Maybe it’s nature’s way of fighting back. Man kills the rainforest, so the rainforest has found ways to fight back.”

“Well, it’s not making itself that appealing. I feel like everything I touch or touches me is going to kill me.”

“Look at that waterfall.” She pointed at it. “How can you say it’s not appealing? Listen to the sounds of the birds, the rushing water, the wind. I love it here.”

I closed my eyes, and it didn’t take me too long to know what she meant. “There’s a sweet smell in the air.”

“It’s those flowers up there,” she said, pointing to some high up on the cliff near the waterfall.

“I thought it was you,” I said, turning on my winning smile as I leaned in closer to smell her hair.

She laughed and pulled away, only to look me in the eyes. “Are you trying to charm me, Jake?”

I gave a little shrug. “Maybe,” I said with a smile before leaning in for another kiss. I couldn’t get enough of it either. I didn’t want to stop. I couldn’t help but want to be near her.

I made out with her for a few minutes there with the sounds and scents of the jungle around us, and it was pure magic. After, she leaned back in my arms, and we sat there. A few minutes later, a little cloud opened up, and it began to rain.

“There’s barely a cloud in the sky,” I said.

“There’s enough obviously,” she said, holding out her hand to catch the drops. “Why do you think it’s called the rain forest? It actually rains a lot here.” She took my hand and we ran to a thicket of trees where we took shelter only after she checked it for creatures that might be the end of us.

As we huddled, I kissed her again, and even though we had a pretty thick canopy above us, we had gotten soaked before the rain had passed.

“Oh man, I’m soaked to the bone,” she said with a giggle. “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t have anywhere to be.”

“You still look amazing,” I said. I squeezed the water from my shirttail while she squeezed it from her hair. “I bet Ben’s cursing.” His production had no doubt been delayed by the sudden storm. It was going to set him back, and he was probably already in a shit mood.

“Ben should have known better and been prepared,” she said with a shrug. “I still can’t believe he wanted to come here. I tried to warn him.”

“That’s Ben when he gets his mind made up. He’s known for this kind of stuff, but trust me. It will all be a masterpiece when he’s done.”

“Until then, you’re at his mercy.” She gave a maniacal laugh.

I let out a sigh. That was so true. “I’m ready to get home,” I said, not realizing how it must have sounded. It wasn’t that I wanted our time to be over, but that must have been how she had taken it.

Her smile faded. “Yeah, me too. I have a lot to do with my research, and I’m going to eventually set up a lecture from all I’ve learned.” She took a deep breath.

“I do like spending time with you, though.” I tried to make it all better. “I could stand here with you forever, even soaking wet.”

“That’s sweet. But let’s face it. It’s not that realistic, is it?”

Reality was not working in my favor. “Sounds like you have a lot on your plate.” I didn’t know if she could clear any of that time for me or if she would. She had chosen it over me before. What would make this time any different?

“Yeah, so much to get back to, but then, you have a busy schedule as well. I’m sure you’re always running crazy, living the life of a superstar.”

“It’s not that bad, really. I mean, I’d have time for more.” More of her. Hell, I’d make time. I’d make her the focus of my entire life.

I couldn’t believe I was thinking about it. It seemed like I had made up my mind about us. I had to figure out a way to get her back. And I was going to spend all the time we had left trying to convince her.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kate

Never had the Amazon been so magical as it had the past few weeks with Jake. Not only had I been spending a ridiculous amount of time with him in his off time, but I had managed to sneak to his tent a few nights. We had also gone back to the waterfall several times, but only until the rest of the crew began going as well.