Chapter 18
Calypsta
Somewhere in the Jungle
When Kendra awoke the next morning, Reyne was no longer beside her. She had the bedroll all to herself. It was a cool morning, and she admitted that she missed his solid warmth. Regardless of her disappointment, she rolled over, in no hurry to rise.
“Get up, sleepyhead,” she heard him say, then felt a sharp sting when he swatted her backside. Kendra shot up, wide awake now and ready to kill. “How dare you strike me like that?” She rubbed her derriere for dramatic effect. “That stung.”
“Good. That was the intended purpose.” Reyne admitted with a mischievous grin. "Unless you liked it? If so, I’ll be happy to do it again.” He tapped the tip of the machete against his palm several times.
Glaring at his hopeful expression, she stood and stretched her sore muscles. Reyne tied the bedroll and blanket to his backpack, then handed her several pieces of jerky and the water canteen.
Once their meager breakfast was finished, she spotted another unique flower in the morning light.
Dewy moss greeted her knees as she dropped to investigate.
Long fingerlike petals were bright orange and blood red and oddly shaped like a fan.
It was unlike any flower she had seen before.
She stroked one petal, finding its waxy surface interesting and unique.
A quivering fern frond caught her attention. She leaned closer coming face to face with a pair of creepy eyes.
She blinked. The strange bulging eyes belonged to a giant greenish-brown hued, insect with a line of spikes on its back, six thick legs, translucent wings and two wavering bright orange antennae.
Without warning, it leapt over her head, landing on the back of her bare shoulder.
Kendra let lose a startled screech.
“Are you alright?” Reyne asked, concern etched into his features. Then, he flashed her a wide grin that revealed straight white teeth.
“Yes.” She lied, then snapped. “No. I’m not alright. Can you get it off?”
Reyne found a tree to lean against and took a lazy swig from the water canteen. “Get what off?”
As if the wretch didn’t know. Hateful, evil man. She spun around, presenting him with her back, “This… this giant…thing.”
He burst out laughing. “No.”
“What? Didn’t you agree to keep me safe?”
“Safe, yes. But you are in no danger from that poor creature. It’s just hitchhiking a ride. Besides, consider this revenge for being clobbered with a rotted log.”
“You deserved it,” she hissed and flinched when the insect moved another prickly leg. Although it galled her to beg him, she did so anyway. “Please.”
“Hum.” He rubbed a thumb over the dark stubble covering his chin. His expression exuding mock indecision. “I’ll get it off, but I want something in return for gallantly coming to your rescue.”
“What?” She glared at him.
He flashed her a grin. “A simple kiss.”
A kiss? She would rather kiss a toad. That wasn’t even close to being true, but she said “No” anyway.
“Suit yourself.” He offered a casual shrug, then began to stroll away.
The offensive insect moved a spiny leg onto her bare shoulder, and she could see probing antennae out of the corner of her eye. She stifled a shriek of disgust. “Wait, I’ll do it. Just get this hideous thing off me.”
“You’ll do what?” A dark brow arched, his steel gaze sparkling with mirth.
Her hands balled into tight fists at her sides. “I’ll kiss you, damn it.”
He quickly plugged the offensive insect from her shoulder and tossed it into the woods, where it hopped once, twice, then disappeared into the dense vegetation.
“Thank you,” Kendra muttered and her shoulders sagged in relief.
Then she noticed Reyne was staring at her with a gleam in his stormy gaze that said I’m going to enjoy toying with you. Well, she refused to grant him that much power, or satisfaction.
Determined to get this damned ‘kiss’ over with, she closed the distance between them.
Despite her bold determination, a wave of shy awkwardness drenched her as she placed a tentative hand on his shoulder.
Don’t look into his beautiful eyes, she reminded herself.
But what did she do? The opposite, of course.
The second her gaze locked on those remarkable grey eyes of his framed with lowered sooty lashes; she was utterly lost.
With a deep breath to calm her quickened pulse, she caressed the rough stubble on his cheek, then dug her fingers into the long ebony locks curling at his shoulder. Even damp with sweat, his hair was silky soft.
She hated that she enjoyed the texture beneath her fingertips.
Without breaking intimate eye contact, Reyne splayed lean fingers on her waist. Waiting. His pupils darkened with desire.
Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, then she hesitated, unsure how to proceed. Kissing a man was not something she had experience with.
She raised herself on her toes and her blunt nails scraped his nape as she tried to coax his head to bend down to her. Their lips were so close now, her stomach flipped and flopped, leaving her slightly dizzy.
A pained groan escaped Reyne as he unexpectedly plucked her off the ground by her waist and set her aside from him. “Not just yet.” Those sensual lips of his tugged at the corners. “I believe I’ll wait to collect my reward, so we can savor our, er…mutual anticipation.”
Mutual anticipation? The wretch was toying with her. Exactly as she had expected. She narrowed her eyes in irritation and waved a clenched fist before his face. “You. Are. Despicable.”
Reyne grasped her swaying fist, tugging it towards his chest. He brushed a brief, soft kiss on the top of her knuckles. There was no mirth in his gaze this time, only a glimmer of raw, stormy desire when he rasped, “And you, dragostea mea, are delectable.”
Dragostea mea. Her heart slammed into her ribs. Reyne had just called her 'his darling' in ancient Calysptian. She could only gape at him in stunned silence. What new game was he playing at now?
Reyne released her, offering her a final swig from the canteen before he shrugged into his backpack and headed down the trail, leaving her with no choice but to follow him through the jungle.
His words rang in her head. Mutual anticipation.
She was fucked.