Sarcasm laced Penny’s words, making Rafe frown. This beautiful, courageous, force of a woman thinking she wasn’t the epitome of bravery didn’t make the least damn bit of sense. He knew grown men who didn’t have the balls to go through everything she’d dealt with over the last week.
Hell, traveling to a foreign country would’ve deterred most people. She’d not only navigated the streets of one of the most notorious South American cities, but had had no intention of leaving even when they’d threatened to put her ass on a plane. And there hadn’t been the slightest bit of hesitation when Fuentes suggested their little trip into seclusion.
Fuckin’ A. She jumped off a goddamned cliff!
Penny doubting herself pissed him off. But what infuriated him even more was knowing that she wouldn’t believe him even if he listed off each of her accomplishments in a fucking PowerPoint presentation.
*
Six hours, four blisters, and a precarious hike later, each breath took more effort than Penny would’ve liked. The stagnant jungle air invited insects to buzz around her body as if she were a walking buffet, and the cloud of bugs worsened the closer they got to the river.
She didn’t care. Let them eat her alive. She’d suffer through a lot worse if it meant feeling even a degree cleaner.
They stepped through the edge of the tree line, and there it was. The river. Murky brown jungle water never looked so damn good. Rafe’s hand landed on her arm before she could dive in face-first. After twenty-four hours without a drop to drink, she seriously contemplated pushing him in.
He chuckled when she shot him a murderous glare. “Just let me take a look around the area. We wouldn’t want any surprises popping out, okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve had about all the popping and dangling I can handle for a while.” She shooed him away. “Go. Inspect. And then I’m diving into that river like an Olympian.”
Penny understood his caution. Even though the river meant they were on the right track, it also made them more vulnerable. It didn’t stop her from giving the water a longing look as Rafe disappeared back into the jungle.
Her leg was bouncing like a pogo stick by the time he reemerged from the trees after what felt like eons. “We’re all clear. If you want to wash up, now’s the time.” Rafe gave the river a side eye. “Only wish our Fuentes buddy had been hospitable enough to pack us some iodine tabs.”
About to slurp a handful of water, Penny stopped. “Iodine tabs?”
“A survivalist’s friend for staving off a parasitic invasion, because chances are that if the water didn’t immediately fall from the sky, it’ll make us sick. But I guess that’s the least of our worries right now.”
Penny could’ve smacked herself as she dug out Logan’s bug-out bag from her pocket. “And I suppose that would be something a commando type would make sure to pack in one of these things?”
Rafe’s mouth formed into a dimple-inducing grin as he reached for the clutch. Wrapping one palm around her nape, he hauled her in for a fierce kiss. “Goddamn, Red. You’re a fucking beautiful genius.”
“It was Logan who stuck it into our things. I just thought to grab it. Does that mean you’re going to kiss him when we get back, too?” Penny teased.
Rafe chuckled. “I just damn well might.”
Penny accepted his hand as they navigated the slick rocks. River water sprayed up, misting any inch of skin that wasn’t already damp with sweat. She took a seat and watched him pull out two brown pills from the bug-out bag and drop them into their procured canteen.
He caught her watching him and winked. “It’ll have a metallic taste, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the other option. Looks like Logan also thought to load us up with the necessities, because there’s dried jerky and antibiotic ointment in there, too.”
“Looking more and more like that kiss is going to happen,” Penny joked.
“Jealous, Red?” Rafe’s mouth twitched into a forming smirk.
“Maybe.”
He handed her the canteen. “Bottoms up.”
Penny wrinkled her nose as the first drop of water hit her tongue, but she chugged it eagerly. Microscopic parasites or not, it was the best damn thing she’d ever tasted. She downed her share and passed the canteen back to Rafe, their fingers brushing.
Maybe it was the luminescent glow of the moon, or the wild call of jungle animals protesting their presence, but she half expected a melodic, hidden voice to break into a love song and cartoon lions to roll their way down the riverbank.
After meeting Rafe, she understood what women meant when they said a man possessed the ability to undress a woman with his eyes. Even dusted in the grime of nature, Rafe’s intense gaze made her feel flat-out sexy. Wanted. And it had been a long, long time since anyone had made her feel that way. If ever.
She hoped he’d act on that look, but he tore his gaze away and spread his weapons out on a nearby rock. “I don’t like being out in the open, so let’s make this a quick scrub-down.”