Relieved there's another topic to focus on, I tease, "Well, well, well."
They slowly turn.
"Bit of jungle love going on here?" I smirk.
Hunter rises with Vanessa in his arms. "We were just leaving."
Dirk grunts. "Don't mind us."
Hunter grabs his bag and slings it over his shoulder.
"You're such a gentleman, Hunter. Dirk made me walk through the mud." I turn to show them my backside.
Dirk gapes. "Are you kidding me? I offered to give you a piggyback ride when it got muddy."
"So all the brush could hit me once your thick head got past it? No, thanks."
I don't know why I'm trying to make him my enemy, but I can't seem to shut my mouth.
"You're such a diva. How did you last fourteen months in a hole?"
"I wasn't in the pit the entire time. I was the entertainment."
He scowls. "Good to know. And I'm so glad I rescued you. So much appreciation."
"Real heroes don't look for praise," I bite back at him.
Vanessa blurts out, "I don't have shoes. But I do like my perks Zoe. Since Hunter's the hottest guy here."
Dirk's forehead creases. "Do you all have some sort of bet going on about who can dig at me the most?"
Hunter stifles a laugh. "Nope. You do enough for us to come up with things independently. Have a good bath."
"Bye," Vanessa waves, and they leave.
Dirk stomps over to the log and sets his backpack on it. He rips off his shirt and takes his boots and pants off, so he's only in his underwear. He looks up. "Stare much?"
Heat rushes to my face, I shut my mouth and turn toward the river. "Sorry."
He strolls past me, carrying a small bag, and gets in the water. He turns back. "Are you coming in?"
I swallow hard, trying to tear my eyes away from the V of his abdomen and the tattoo of arrows pointing into his pants.
"Fine. Suit yourself." He spins, takes three steps, and dives into the water.
Holy...oh God...he's...oh God.
I regain control of my shaking legs and go into the water. After I dip down, I remove the T-shirt and throw it on the rock that isn't too far away.
Dirk washes his hair, and I pretend I'm enjoying the water, but I can't stop ogling his rock hard everything.
He comes toward me, and my insides quiver. He holds out his bag. "Take whatever you need."
I lean out of the water a little, but my nipples and down are still covered. "Thanks. I—"
"Zoe, what is that?"
"What?"
Dirk reaches for me and tears something off my back shoulder and throws it far into the current.
"Ow!"
"Zoe, stand up."
"No." I cross my arms over my chest.
"Zoe, you have leeches on you. Stand up now."
I jump out of the water. I cry out, "What? Get them off!"
"Stay still."
"Oh God. Get them off. Please!"
He checks out the front of my body then spins me. "Stay still." He spends several minutes ripping dozens off my back, then picks me up and carries me over to the rock.
"What are you doing?"
"Stay still. I need to make sure you don't have them anywhere else. Just chill out for a minute."
Tears fill my eyes. "Okay."
He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I think I got them all, but let me make sure."
As his eyes scour every inch of my body, the heat in his eyes grow. The noise of the jungle animals howl and the river rushes past us.
He removes a few more. His fingers trace on my skin. "You're bleeding in a few spots, and there's already a bit of swelling. When you're done, I'll put some steroid cream on them. You can take some ibuprofen too."
"No. I don't need that."
"You do. You can get an infection."
"I'm fine." I try to get up, but he steps in front of me.
"Zoe, this isn't up for debate."
I push him out of the way. "No." I go further into the water than I should, and the current begins to take me downstream. I try to catch my footing but can't, panic, and water goes into my lungs.
Dirk dives under the water, grabs me, then pulls me back. I'm coughing, and he wraps his arms around me and rubs my back. "You okay?"
When I catch my breath, I try to push out of his hold, but he tightens his embrace.
"Stop fighting me all the time. You act like I'm out to hurt you."
Something inside me breaks. I didn't even know I had anything still whole, but it snaps in two, and