Chapter Seven

"So, tell me a little more about this project," Kate said as they trudged through the endless greenery. With every step, her jeans rubbed against the insect bites, irritating them, but she ignored it and pressed forward. She was just thankful to have her pants back on. Yanking them off and dancing around like a crazed marionette had been embarrassing. But that's what happens when an Amazonian centipede runs up your pant leg and attacks.

At least the bite hadn't been anywhere more intimate. Now that would've been humiliating.

"I developed a new kind of drone."

"Really?"

"Something that could change aerial warfare."

Wow. She'd had a feeling he was smart, but this sounded other level intelligent. "Impressive. I don't know much about drones, though."

"An unmanned drone is ideal because if it gets shot down, there's no loss of life. But their functions are limited. At least they were until Spectre."

"Spectre is your design?"

"Yeah. And it's more than just an upgrade. This thing can do it all, pull off stunts and outsmart the enemy. In theory, anyway. Now I need to create a prototype to prove it. I'm hoping this businessman I'm meeting will fund the first round as I tweak it."

"Then what? Sell it?"

"Yes. To the U.S. government, if all goes according to plan."

Kate's eyebrows shot up and it occurred to her she was trekking through the jungle beside a genius. Anyone capable of creating that kind of thing was brilliant. Suddenly, her job as a park ranger didn't seem all that important or interesting. But, she was intrigued.

"So, how does one become a genius engineer?" she asked.

Donovan chuckled. "Lots of hard work and determination. Plus my stint with the Navy taught me exactly what our guys need to help them defeat the enemy—whether the teams have boots on the ground or they're behind the drone controls far away from the actual mission."

"That's right. What did you like better? Being a SEAL or working in intelligence?"

"The life of a SEAL wasn't for me. Truth be told, I wasn't cut out for the battlefield. I hated being in the middle of the action and the only reason I attempted becoming a SEAL in the first place was because my father told me I'd never make it. He said I wasn't cut from the same cloth and didn't have what it takes to make a team. That I belonged in an office, using my brain. But he's never really understood me and that just fueled my fire."

Donovan looked down and kicked a rock out of their path. His words made Kate sad and she realized her close relationship with her own father had been the reason she became a ranger. So she could be outside all the time and feel close to him. Her dad had been her biggest cheerleader and she couldn't help but wonder why Donovan's dad hadn't supported him.

"You seem damn capable to me. When that plane went down, you were fearless. You helped so many people, including me, and made sure everyone got out safely and directed them to a secure location. Then you went to the pilot and were asking questions." Her anger bubbled over when she thought about him having a father who couldn't see how remarkable and badass his son was. She sensed his father's opinion mattered, though, and his lack of confidence hurt Donovan. "You were amazing back there, Donovan. Truly."

"Thanks. What can I say? I'm a stubborn pain in the ass and I love a good challenge. No matter what my dad believed, I knew I had the fortitude to get it done. Sure, the drown-proofing, pushups, running and all that endless swimming in the ocean grew tiresome, but I pushed through it and completed the training. I was damn proud of myself, too."

"You should be. That's incredible."

He lifted the strap of his messenger bag and gave her a self-deprecating smile. "And, I'll be the first to admit, I feel better-armed with a laptop than a Glock."

"So all that training, you make it and then what?"

"I met some great guys who I'm still good friends with, but when word got out about my computer skills, the Navy decided to move me over to intelligence and it was a much better fit for me. I'm not like my SEAL friends who love running around the world, shooting guns and taking down bad guys. I prefer fucking up the enemy at my keyboard. And I'm pretty good at it, too."

Her mouth edged up. She had a feeling he was being modest and underplaying his tech talents.

"So, tell me how you became a ranger at a national park," he said, steering the conversation away from him.

"Oh, well, my job isn't nearly as exciting as yours have been."

"I disagree. You deal with bears."

She chuckled. "True. But the trick with that is mostly trying to avoid them." Kate stepped around a large, lichen-covered tree that probably fell years ago. Maybe even decades ago. She bit her lip, wondering if she should tell him about her father? Letting out a low breath, she finally said, "My dad raised me after my mom left when I was still a baby, so we were really close. He introduced me to nature and showed me how beautiful it was…"

Her voice cracked and Donovan glanced over at her, waiting for her to continue.

God, she missed her dad. Every single day.

Clearing her throat, she forced herself to press on. Donovan had confided in her and she would return the favor. "He died in a boating accident when I was sixteen. I spent the next couple of years in and out of foster homes, and I've pretty much been on my own ever since. But, when I'm outside, enjoying nature, I can still see and hear him. My dad loved nature and he introduced me to the amazing beauty out there just waiting to be discovered and appreciated. The cool thing is I see him all the time. Every time a bird warbles a pretty song or a spectacular sunset turns the sky a beautiful shade of oranges, reds and pinks, I see him. Each time I listen to a babbling creek or inhale deeply and smell the crisp air tinged with wet evergreen boughs, I feel him. Maybe it sounds silly…"

"No. Not at all." Donovan glanced over, his caramel eyes studying her. "That's really special, Kate. It's your way of keeping him alive."

"I suppose it is," she said softly. And despite being alone in the world, she felt an indescribable comfort. Like he was still there and with her on some ethereal level. "After the last twenty-four hours, I'm beginning to think…"

But she didn't finish her sentence.

"What?"

She rolled her shoulders back. "Just that I'm not getting any younger and maybe I should focus more on the present rather than the past. Make more of an effort to go out, meet new people, not hide away and spend so much time by myself." He seemed to be considering her words. "I don't take many chances and I know people probably look at me and think I'm more boring than paint drying. They call me Cautious Kate at work and it annoys me sometimes. But, it's the truth."

"Bullshit," he said in a low, gravelly voice.

"I'm sorry?" She stopped walking and he turned to face her.

"You think you should do more? What about traveling solo to Rio during Carnival? How about getting shot at and lost in the rainforest? After a plane crash. Then jumping off a cliff and kissing a stranger. And that's in less than twenty-four hours. I think you've been pretty busy, Ms. Halloran."

Her face flushed at the mention of their kiss. "You forgot getting bit by a giant centipede," she added, mouth curving up.

"Yeah, that too." He reached a hand out and tilted her chin up. "Don't let anyone dull your shine. Because that's the first thing I noticed about you, Kate. You light up a damn room."

Her heart thundered. That might be the nicest thing anyone ever said to her. She swallowed hard, lost in his dark eyes. Before she could say a word, he kissed her. A firm, serious kiss that sealed his words. And it was over sooner than she would've liked.

She felt the loss of his hand the moment he dropped it from her face, swiping it across his brow. It was starting to get really humid and she hoped the temperature wouldn't become unbearable.

"I get what you mean, though," he said, and they started walking again. "I spend so much time alone, locked up in my apartment and staring at my monitors. Maybe we should make a pact."

"What kind of pact?" She lightly touched her lips. They still tingled from his brief kiss. A kiss she wished they would've extended.

"To live more fully. When we make it to Rio, let's dance and drink too much at Carnival. Let's go to Copacabana and Ipanema and swim in the ocean."

"And come with me to Tijuca National Park. We'll hike to the waterfalls and climb all the way to the top of Mount Corcovado to see the Christ the Redeemer statue up close and personal."

"Done. What else?"

"We'll pet monkeys and eat too much junk food."

"How about just you pet the monkeys and I'll take your picture?"

"You don't like monkeys?" she asked.

"They kinda creep me out," he admitted and she burst out laughing.

"Oh, c'mon! With their little, human-like fingers and toes and—"

He threw a hand up. "Stop! You're going to give me nightmares. You ever seen Monkey Shines? That movie scarred me."

She shook her head, smiling. "Never would've guessed the smartest and toughest guy I've ever met would be scared of a little ol' monkey."

Donovan paused, chest puffing out slightly. "Smartest and toughest, huh?"

"Remember, I don't get out much," she teased.

"Smartass." They started walking again. "Okay, how about we make a deal? I'll pet a monkey if you go hang gliding with me."

Although hang gliding in Rio was a bucket list item for many people, Kate much preferred keeping her feet on the ground. But she'd just said she needed to take more chances, be more exciting. "Deal," she said and stuck her hand out.

When Donovan reached his large hand over and wrapped his fingers around hers, holding it a moment too long, she felt a warm zing of electricity. "I'm holding you to it," he murmured, his eyes filling with heat.

She tossed him a smirk. Maybe if she was really lucky, he'd be holding her down on a bed later, too. Pulling her hand back and giving her head a clearing shake, she focused her attention on the path ahead, keeping an eye open for any hazards. She had to keep her wits about her, but as the hours rolled by, she was looking forward to getting to Rio more than she'd ever looked forward to anything else in her life.

The unbearable heat and humidity continued to grow with every passing minute. They'd finished the last of the bottled water they were sharing and Kate was parched. Her clothes had never fully dried out because of the constant moisture in the air and she felt clammy and uncomfortable. There was nothing worse than wet, chafing denim.

Donovan paused. "You hear that?"

Kate tilted her head, listening closely to the sounds of the jungle around her.

"Sounds like running water," he continued. "We should see if it's drinkable. Boil some and fill that empty bottle."

Kate nodded, her dry tongue like sandpaper in her mouth. After walking a little further, they broke through a wall of thick vines and Kate's jaw dropped at the image before them. It was like they'd stepped into a magical world with a beautiful waterfall cascading into a pool of crystal blue.

"Oh, wow," she murmured. They walked across spongy, emerald green grass and when they reached the pool, Donovan was already pulling his shirt off.

"I'm going in," he announced. "Look away if you're shy."

He didn't give her much warning and, truth be told, the last thing she wanted to do was look away as he stripped down to a pair of black boxer briefs. Swallowing hard, admiring his perfect body, she faced another choice—be Cautious Kate and turn around to give him privacy, or embrace a new, bolder, upgraded version of herself.

Licking her lips, she watched him wade into the clear blue pool, her eyes skimming down his smooth back, lean waist and coming to an abrupt halt on his firm peach of an ass before he dove below the surface. She bit the inside of her cheek and began unbuttoning her shirt, fingers fumbling. He'd already seen her without pants, so what was the big deal? Besides, she was so damn hot and wanted to rinse the sweat off.

Even though she was doing her best to look cool and act in control, undressing in front of a man she barely knew was a very big deal. Kate was modest and Brett had made her feel frumpy and undesirable every chance he'd gotten. At least her lingerie was sexy, she thought, letting the shirt slide off her shoulders and drop to the ground.

Donovan popped up, slicking his hair back, turned and froze. She could feel his gaze on her as she shimmied out of her damp jeans and shook her hair out of its low ponytail, letting her dark locks loose. Goodbye, Cautious Kate. And good riddance. She took a step into the cool water. It felt like heaven.

As she waded deeper, Donovan treaded water and watched her with hooded eyes. Digging deep, telling herself to be brave, she forced herself to swim closer to him. He met her halfway and there was no missing the lusty fire rising in his gorgeous, almond-shaped eyes.

"Do you have any idea—?" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat, regrouping. "You should be walking a Victoria's Secret runway wearing those huge angel wings."

"Hardly," she whispered.

He swam closer and brushed a wet strand of hair off her face. "Definitely," he rasped.

"I didn't always wear fancy lingerie. But, I had an ex who said I was frumpy and couldn't be more vanilla in my plain white sports bra. Gives a girl a complex." Even though she tried to keep her tone light, her heart grew heavy at the memory, once again reminding her of all the unkind things Brett used to say.

"Your ex sounds like a goddamn idiot." Donovan reached over, grabbed her waist beneath the water and dragged her closer. "Because, baby, you could make anything look sexy. And, if you're vanilla, then that just became my new favorite flavor."

Before she could respond, his mouth crashed against hers. Kate tipped her head back, allowing him access, and slid her arms up, circling his neck. They kissed passionately and she wrapped her legs around his waist, moaning softly as his cock brushed her core. Excitement threaded through every nerve ending and she rubbed herself against his hardness, yearning for a deeper sense of closeness.

God, it had been too long. She'd forgotten what sex was like. The saddest part was she'd never known what a good partner could bring to the table. Right now, she was on fire and Donovan was getting her more worked up than she'd ever been in her life.

He kissed down the side of her neck, fanning the flames coursing through her as his hand found its way between their bodies, rounding over her breast. A whimper escaped her as he molded and massaged, thumbing her nipple into a tight, little peak.

Her breathing turned into fast, desperate pants and she sucked his tongue into her mouth. She needed this, needed him. Of course, there was nothing practical about what they were doing or where they were doing it. But Kate didn't care. No man had ever made her feel half the things Donovan was right now and she didn't ever want to let go of him.

Somehow, Donovan maneuvered them beside the waterfall where he could touch the bottom. Her bra loosened and slid free. Dropping her head back as his mouth closed over a wet, puckered nipple, Kate felt the cool spray of water on her face. But it did nothing to quench the heat spiking through her body.

"You taste so good," he rasped between licks and nips as he worshiped every single square inch of her skin. She wanted more, needed to know what it felt like when he plunged deep inside her. "I need to feel you, Kate."

It's as though they were on the same desperate page. She wriggled against him and he groaned, cupping her ass and lifting her higher.

"Grind against me, Kate." He didn't need to tell her twice. Circling her hips, she rubbed her core against his very hard cock and dug her nails into his biceps. When his hand slid down her stomach into her panties, fingers finding her clit, she nearly wept. "That's it, baby. Use my hand."

Donovan knew exactly how to touch her and Kate let go. Her hips bucked as he sank a finger deep while his thumb continued to tease her swollen clit. With the water pounding down on them, Kate jerked as jolts of pleasure shot through her entire body. God. She'd never orgasmed this hard or fast before.

With a sharp cry, her entire body convulsed as she came. After a breathy gasp, she fell against Donovan's chest, trying to catch her breath, pulsing with aftershocks. He moved them away from the waterfall and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. Kate finally managed to lift her head, feeling dazed and exhausted after experiencing the orgasm of a lifetime.

And now she didn't know what to say. Thank you? Your turn? Can I keep you? If his fingers were that magical, she could only imagine what his cock was capable of.

"As much as I'd like to keep playing with this luscious body of yours, it's probably best if we keep moving."

His words were an understandable but disappointing cold shower, and she had to force a nod of agreement as he released her in the shallow end. She took a wobbly step back and his hand instantly shot out to steady her.

His mouth edged up in a wicked smile. "Okay?"

"Never been better. But what happened to my…" She was looking around for her bra when he lifted his arm and she saw it dangling from his index finger.

"Looking for this?"

Kate reached over and snagged it. As she quickly slipped it on, her gaze dropped to the front of his tented briefs. "You're sure you don't want to hang out here a little longer? Maybe I could help you with—"

Donovan lurched forward, slapped a hand over Kate's mouth and her eyes widened. "Shh," he whispered in her ear. The sound of low, approaching voices filled the air. "Hurry, get dressed."

Oh, shit. Kate nodded then quickly spun around, stepped out of the water and grabbed her clothes. Somebody was coming and they might need to make a fast exit.