Page 62 of Chasing Paradise

“I just don’t want to promise you something I have no idea about. A person could get lost in the rainforest for weeks. Longer, even. That’s why you bring a guide.”

The wordweeksswirled around my brain as we ate and then started to walk once again.

“What is it?” Wick asked, studying my profile as we walked in a steady ‘power walk’ instead of a jog.

“Weeks. Stuck here for weeks. We will run out of protein bars.”

“There is plenty of food here. We won’t starve.”

“Plenty of what? Guava and bananas?”

“Yeah. There should be Brazil nuts and some other fruits, possibly, too. And various protein sources.”

“If you suggest we are going to be eating bugs, I swear to God…”

“I mean, they are a great—and abundant—protein source.”

“I’d rather suffocate and eat you,” I said, getting another laugh out of him.

“Good to know, duchess. But I wasn’t thinking bugs anyway. There are tons of smaller streams and rivers that lead into the Amazon River. Lots of fish in them.”

“You know how to fish?”

“Yep. Do you eat fish?”

“I mean, it would never be my first choice, but yeah. What kind of fish?”

“Pacu, peacock bass, armored catfish, and piranha are all—”

“Wait, you caneatpiranha? The things that can eat us?”

“I mean, the whole piranha eating people thing is grossly exaggerated in film. But, yeah, piranha are a pretty common food source around here. They’re used in a lot of different soups and stews.”

“We would cook them, right? Before eating them?”

“Not a sushi fan, I take it.”

“I basically likeallof my food cooked, if possible. Preferably cooked in some nice butter or oil and lots of spices. Served over rice. Or pasta. Or with some crunchy chips for dipping…”

“Maybe we should stop talking about food,” Wick suggested, giving me a soft smile.

“Probably smart. You owe me an all-you-can-eat buffet after this.”

“You got—” he started to say when, suddenly, we heard raised male voices. Just talking at first.

But then, “There!”

“Fuck,” Wick said, grabbing my hand.

And then we were off, running as fast as our legs could carry us, Wick half-dragging me when I lagged behind on my shorter ones.

This time, though, we didn’t have the advantage of not being spotted by them. They were hot on our heels and heavily armed.

To try to get me to move faster, Wick took my backpack, but even relieved of its weight, I was struggling to keep up.

I heard the water before we broke through a clearing to reveal a cliff with a river running below it.

Shit.

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