I have expected her to get the vapors. I gave a short, mirthless laugh and shook my head.
"You've been watching too many cowboy movies," I said. "Snake venom moves through the body so quickly it is next to impossible to actually suck it out of a bite. Doing that could actually introduce bacteria into the punctures that would make Hunter more vulnerable to infection."
While I was talking to Eleanor, I hadn't realized that Hunter's eyes had closed again and he was starting to shake. The shivering ramped up in intensity enough that I could feel it, and when I turned my attention back to Hunter, I could see that his face was soaked with sweat. Waves of concern washed over me and I silently cursed myself for not knowing where we were. At least if I had some idea of where the island was located geographically, I would have a better idea as to what species the snake might have been, and how dire the situation truly was. I turned to Eleanor, trying to keep my voice as calm as I could so that the situation didn't become any scarier.
"Eleanor, I need you to go back down to the beach and bring up blankets, clothes, and as many kitchen supplies as you can. Please bring the black case that is in my clothes trunk, too."
Eleanor nodded and started away from us. I patted Hunter’s leg.
"It's going to be alright," I said.
The words seemed to comfort Hunter. His shaking had abated slightly and even though his eyes were still closed, it seemed that he was feeling less afraid. A few minutes later, Eleanor made it back to the cave carrying as much as she could. She laid everything out on the ground and started back toward the shelter to gather what she hadn't been able to bring with her on the first trip.
I took a flask that we had salvaged from the boat's galley and splashed some of the rum onto the snakebite, hoping that it would kill as many germs as possible. I dressed the wound and then created a pallet on the floor of the cave. Before resting him onto the blankets, I held the flask to Hunter's lips. He took a few sips and then lowered himself down, resting his head on the clothes that I had fashioned into a pillow. I busied myself with moving the rest of the supplies into the cave and setting them up as best I could, knowing that Hunter would have to stay put for at least the next twenty-four hours. He wasn’t going to be able to get back to the beach or help with the shelter until he recovered from the bite, and from what I was seeing, there was a lingering worry in my mind that he might not get through it at all.
Chapter Twelve
Eleanor
"You're awake."
Hunter had been sleeping for nearly two days and seeing his eyes open when I stepped into the cave filled me with an incredible sense of relief. I dropped the fruit I was carrying into the basket I had woven from dried leaves and rushed to Hunter’s side, crouching down beside him and looking into his face.
Hunter gave me a weak smile from his pallet.
"I think I am," he said. He tried to sit up and groaned, lowering himself back down. "I'm not sure that I want to be, though."
I laughed and reached over reflexively to take his hand. I had meant the gesture as a sign of celebration and support, but something passed between us when our palms touched, and he lifted his eyes to look at me. My heart started trembling in my chest and I felt like I couldn't get control over the words trying to come from my mouth. It wasn’t until that moment that I had thought about the cold distance that had been between us since I had turned away from his kiss in the jungle. I realized then that we hadn’t spoken and had barely shared the same space since then, but now that chill had thawed and I felt something simmering between us. I wished that I could understand what had happened when we were there together, everything so seemingly perfect except for the harsh memories that were coursing through my mind. I had wanted him. My body craved his touch and my mouth watered at the thought of tasting his kiss again. Yet I had pulled away when he moved in.
What had that left him thinking and feeling?
I knew that it had to be that moment that had caused him to withdraw so much and what was causing me to question what I was feeling now.
"You’ve been cramped up in here for a while," I finally managed to say. "Maybe you'd like to get down to the water, wash up a bit and change your clothes."
Hunter nodded.
"That sounds amazing.” He looked around the cave. "Where's Gavin? I’m feeling a little shaky and I’m not sure that I can get down to the water myself."
I looked around as well even though I knew that the other man wasn’t there. I hadn’t seen him that morning.
"I don't know. Maybe he went back to work on the shelter. He was fairly certain that the storm was going to hit yesterday, but it didn’t, so I think that he’s getting more anxious the longer that he has to anticipate it."
Hunter let out a sigh and nodded.
“Alright,” he said. “I guess I’ll just have to try to make it.”
He started to climb to his feet and I reached forward to grab his arm.
“I can help you,” I offered.
Hunter looked at me and I felt the spark again. I had taken his glasses off when he fell asleep so now I was gazing directly into the indescribably sexy green pools without the glare of the lenses blocking my view. We stared at each other for several long seconds, the heat between us evident even though neither of us said anything. I took hold of his hand with one of mine and gripped his elbow with the other. I could feel his muscles trembling as he started walking and I knew that is muscles were feeling the strain from the time that they had been unused. After a few steps, however, he seemed to find his strength again and was walking with greater stability. I didn’t let him go, not wanting to trust too much in his tired body and cause him to fall and hurt himself again. With Gavin missing, I was fairly certain that I wasn’t going to be able to haul Hunter back into the cave and figure out how to nurse him back to health for a second time. We made our way carefully toward the pool and as soon as we approached it I felt my face heat up, the memories of the time that I had spent in that water thinking about Hunter still fresh in my mind.
“Um,” I said, looking around when we got to the edge of the water. “I’ll turn around so you can get undressed. Just get in the water and let me know.”
I turned around even though that was the absolute last thing that I wanted to do in that moment and waited while I heard the soft thud of his pants hitting the ground and then the light splash of him step down into the water. I couldn’t help but imagine what it would look like for that spectacular body to dip beneath the surface, but I didn’t turn around until I heard him call for me.
I didn’t bother to take off the gym shorts and shirt that I was wearing. It was hot enough that they would dry when I got out, and even if they didn’t, I had done what passed as laundry on the island and would be able to change into yet another set of gym shorts and shirt that I had snagged from Gavin’s supplies. I didn’t love that I was wearing his clothes, but I would rather deal with that than live in the same dress that I had arrived in or try my hand at weaving leaves into an Eve wardrobe. I walked down into the water with him carrying one of the coconut halves that I had emptied out and put by the side of the pool. I filled it with water and used it to rinse Hunter’s back. I wanted to resist touching him, but I couldn’t. I poured another shell of water over him and reached out to gently run my hand across his skin. His muscles were firm and perfectly formed beneath my palm and I heard him let out a sigh when I touched him.
I stepped slightly closer to him and whispered for him to tilt his head back. When he did, I poured water over his hair and reached up to tousle it with my fingers. Hunter moaned slightly and I bit down on my lower lip to control the surge of desire that rushed through me. I continued this way, helping him bathe away the dirt, sweat, and tightness of lying in the cave for two days.