stomped over to his tent and started removing the rain fly. “We need to get the tents down and packed.”
Hector, who had been watching the whole thing, sauntered past, chuckling under his breath. “When the two of you are done, breakfast will be ready.”
Jack saw Sophie cast Hector a sweet smile. “ Muchas gracias ,” she said, moving next to her tent. “This won’t take me long.”
Jack took that as a challenge. Today he was determined to take his tent down first.
Sophie hummed while she worked. Jack picked up his speed, working as fast as possible, but the new tent poles had to be defective because they were wedged again. Then he realized Sophie was no longer humming. She sat back on her heels, staring at him.
“What?” he snapped.
She smiled at him knowingly. “Nothing, Jack. You must be very hungry.”
He watched her finish rolling up her tent and accepted defeat—Sophie had beat him again.
* * *
A few hours later they stopped for a break. Feeling hot and muggy, Jack shrugged off his heavy pack. He looked longingly at the clear blue pool of water they’d stopped by, imagining how good it would feel to dive in. A waterfall tumbled down one side, flowing between luscious green foliage and bright colored flowers.
Sophie sat on her pack, one hand stroking the donkey. “Poor Fred. He looks exhausted.”
Jack held back an eye roll. He was still in a foul mood, and for the past three hours, he’d listened to Sophie’s nonstop chatter. Oh, Jack, look how beautiful . Jack, look how darling that monkey is . It was like going camping with Merry Little Sunshine. She wasn’t bothered by the rain, the bugs, or even the snakes. What was wrong with this woman?
Nothing. And that was the whole problem.
“Jack?” Sophie said, standing in front of him with a bright smile. “This is beautiful. Can we swim in it?”
Well, now that she suggested it, he wanted to say no. “Sophie, we don’t have leisure time. Remember we’re trying to locate your father.”
The smile on her face disappeared. “I know why we’re here. I just wanted to—” She turned away from him and mumbled, “It doesn’t matter.”
Hector shot him a reproachful look. “ Amigo , what could it hurt?”
“It’s okay,” Sophie said flatly. “Jack’s right—we don’t have the time.”
Jack dropped his eyes, avoiding both Hector and Sophie’s condemning looks. Ripping open a granola bar, he bit off a chunk. It tasted like sawdust. He finished his snack and turned to find a bottle of water. He caught sight of Sophie as she tipped her head back, drinking from a water bottle. Helplessly, he stared at her slender throat. When she finished and pulled out her tube of lip gloss, Jack gave up.
Emitting a low growl, he stalked over to where Sophie sat. Standing in front of her, Jack waited for her to acknowledge him. Without looking at him, Sophie slipped the lip gloss back in her pocket and then studied her hiking boots intently.
Great. He was going to have to grovel. He hoped this wasn’t going to be a pattern. “Sophie, I didn’t mean to snap at you. I think it’s a good idea to go swimming.”
She lifted her lashes, still reluctant to talk to him. He held out his hand and offered her a smile. “It’ll be a nice break.”
* * *
Sophie lowered her eyes to Jack’s open palm. If she put her hand in his, she knew exactly what would happen to her. Against everything inside of her, she found herself attracted to this cynical man. Despite the apology, Sophie wasn’t going to fall for his nice mood this time. She ignored his outstretched hand. “We don’t have to on my account.”
He took a deep breath. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
She almost snorted. Jack clearly didn’t know what fun was. But the temptation to relive one of her fondest memories of going swimming underneath a waterfall with her father was too great.
“Fine.” She stood up and started marching toward the waterfall. He grabbed her arm, making her halt.
Hector, who had been watching the whole thing, sauntered past, chuckling under his breath. “When the two of you are done, breakfast will be ready.”
Jack saw Sophie cast Hector a sweet smile. “ Muchas gracias ,” she said, moving next to her tent. “This won’t take me long.”
Jack took that as a challenge. Today he was determined to take his tent down first.
Sophie hummed while she worked. Jack picked up his speed, working as fast as possible, but the new tent poles had to be defective because they were wedged again. Then he realized Sophie was no longer humming. She sat back on her heels, staring at him.
“What?” he snapped.
She smiled at him knowingly. “Nothing, Jack. You must be very hungry.”
He watched her finish rolling up her tent and accepted defeat—Sophie had beat him again.
* * *
A few hours later they stopped for a break. Feeling hot and muggy, Jack shrugged off his heavy pack. He looked longingly at the clear blue pool of water they’d stopped by, imagining how good it would feel to dive in. A waterfall tumbled down one side, flowing between luscious green foliage and bright colored flowers.
Sophie sat on her pack, one hand stroking the donkey. “Poor Fred. He looks exhausted.”
Jack held back an eye roll. He was still in a foul mood, and for the past three hours, he’d listened to Sophie’s nonstop chatter. Oh, Jack, look how beautiful . Jack, look how darling that monkey is . It was like going camping with Merry Little Sunshine. She wasn’t bothered by the rain, the bugs, or even the snakes. What was wrong with this woman?
Nothing. And that was the whole problem.
“Jack?” Sophie said, standing in front of him with a bright smile. “This is beautiful. Can we swim in it?”
Well, now that she suggested it, he wanted to say no. “Sophie, we don’t have leisure time. Remember we’re trying to locate your father.”
The smile on her face disappeared. “I know why we’re here. I just wanted to—” She turned away from him and mumbled, “It doesn’t matter.”
Hector shot him a reproachful look. “ Amigo , what could it hurt?”
“It’s okay,” Sophie said flatly. “Jack’s right—we don’t have the time.”
Jack dropped his eyes, avoiding both Hector and Sophie’s condemning looks. Ripping open a granola bar, he bit off a chunk. It tasted like sawdust. He finished his snack and turned to find a bottle of water. He caught sight of Sophie as she tipped her head back, drinking from a water bottle. Helplessly, he stared at her slender throat. When she finished and pulled out her tube of lip gloss, Jack gave up.
Emitting a low growl, he stalked over to where Sophie sat. Standing in front of her, Jack waited for her to acknowledge him. Without looking at him, Sophie slipped the lip gloss back in her pocket and then studied her hiking boots intently.
Great. He was going to have to grovel. He hoped this wasn’t going to be a pattern. “Sophie, I didn’t mean to snap at you. I think it’s a good idea to go swimming.”
She lifted her lashes, still reluctant to talk to him. He held out his hand and offered her a smile. “It’ll be a nice break.”
* * *
Sophie lowered her eyes to Jack’s open palm. If she put her hand in his, she knew exactly what would happen to her. Against everything inside of her, she found herself attracted to this cynical man. Despite the apology, Sophie wasn’t going to fall for his nice mood this time. She ignored his outstretched hand. “We don’t have to on my account.”
He took a deep breath. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
She almost snorted. Jack clearly didn’t know what fun was. But the temptation to relive one of her fondest memories of going swimming underneath a waterfall with her father was too great.
“Fine.” She stood up and started marching toward the waterfall. He grabbed her arm, making her halt.
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