Page 26 of Colombian Chemistry

I didn’t know why, but Irene brought him back out of me. And if felt good—really good—to feel like my old self again.

“You love this adventure stuff I got you into. Admit it,” she said. “I saw your face light up when we were careening down that cliff. You were enjoying it.”

Once again, she wasn’t wrong. I shrugged and tried to brush it off, but the crack in my façade broke with a little smile.

“You did enjoy it.” Her pretty little dirt-smeared face twisted up with a knowing smirk.

I shrugged it off. “I may have had a little bit of fun.”

“Who in their right mind likes near-death experiences?”

“I’ve only been retired a few years, and I guess I did kind of miss the life and death action of my previous life.”

“I think you’re completely bananas!” She spun her finger in a circle around her temple.

“Of course you would. You’re also the girl who’s scared to walk on the sidewalk because you may trip and break your neck.”

“I am not afraid to walk on the sidewalk! In fact, studies show that walking is one of the best things you can do for yourself in terms of having a healthy heart and a long lifespan. And the actual percentage of pedestrian deaths each year is—”

“Sweet Jesus, Irene! I was joking!”

“Oh,” she conceded quickly.

“You’re so touchy. Lighten up a little.”

“Me lighten up? You’re the one walking around all the time like an angry gorilla.” She started moving in circles with a frowning face, apparently mimicking a gorilla. It looked more like she had some kind of back injury... or head trauma.

My brows lifted to my hairline as I watched the show. “That’s your ‘angry gorilla’ impression?”

She stopped and shrugged. “You know what I mean.”

I struggled to conceal my smile. “I actually don’t. I’ve never walked like that in my life.”

With a huff, she crossed her arms. “I mean the angry part. You’re so grumpy all the time.”

“Well, I’m grumpy because I’m stuck in the jungle with a woman who scammed me into thinking I was getting paid fifty grand. Now I’m not only not getting the money, but I’m also out a Jeep. So this adventure of ours actually cost me money.”

She shrunk a little and peeked down at her toes. The way her face drooped from the guilt made me feel guilty myself. I hated being the one that wiped the permanent look of innocent joy off her face.

“Sorry about that,” she said quietly.

“It’s fine. It is what it is,” I answered. “No sense in dwelling on it. We just need to figure out how to get to this town so we can find a ride out of the jungle.”

“Look!” she said as she pointed over my shoulder.

I turned back and looked and saw the plume of grey smoke drifting up from the trees below.

“Is that the town?” she asked.

“I think it is.”

“Will they have a shower? Clean clothes? Oh my God, my dress is completely ruined. And I really need some new shoes. These were not a good choice for hiking.”

I swept a gaze up and down her figure and took my time letting my eyes drift up her legs. They paused again after they worked their way up the buttons holding closed her little pink dress and situated right on her full rack.

“I know. It’s totally ruined.” She gestured to the state of her torn and muddied dress.

Of course innocent Irene had mistaken my roving gaze as one to assess the state of her fashions rather than the one it truly was... the one that assessed every inch of her perfect assets.