Page 166 of Love Me in the Dark
I ate first and then showered but couldn’t find any of my clothes. Chris gave me a robe and said Margo and George had flown home. They took my things with them.
“In case I needed to keep moving,” Chris explained.
“You planned to find me?”
“Of course. I was worried sick.” Chris stroked my upper thigh, a clear sign he wanted to make love.
“Sorry, I’m exhausted. And I’m on my period.”
“Of course. You need to rest.”
“I will. But I want to brush my teeth first. Can I use your toothbrush?”
“Of course. I’ll call the desk and get another.”
In the bathroom, I shook off how strange Chris was acting and loaded his brush with the minty fresh paste. He probably just missed me. I didn’t want to think about whether I missed him or not. Instead, I worried about Bram. Did he get a hut? How would he get home? Did he have a long-lost girlfriend or wife?
Plopping the brush in my mouth, I dropped the cap. Bending to retrieve it, I spotted a red, silky cloth. I picked up panties. They weren’t mine. I spat out the toothbrush and marched into the room to confront Chris.
“I don’t know where they came from,” he promised.
“Unlikely,” I hooted. I started to leave.
“I’ve missed you like crazy, Jayne. Don’t do this.”
When I opened the door, a woman stood behind it. George’s cousin Tara held a key card in her hand. The woman Chris spent the evening talking to at the wedding had a key to my hut.
“Jayne. I thought you went home,” she said, her eyes wide.
Staring back at Chris in disbelief, I realized he hadn’t been looking for me.
“What did you do?”
Chris reddened but spoke up. “I thought you were dead.”
“For fucking real? Where’s my luggage? My phone?”
“In the river,” Chris mumbled. “You followed me into the jungle and never came out. I thought I’d be suspected. So, I told everyone you broke up with me and flew home.”
Tara bolted, but Chris and I kept screaming at each other. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
“How could you?” I shrieked.
With a crazed look, Chris came out on the deck at me. “You can’t tell me you didn’t climb that tree in the jungle.”
“What are you talking about?”
Chris pointed. Bram watched our fight. He wasn’t alone. The staff gathered as well.
“You can’t tell me you didn’t fuck that big brute who rescued you.”
“Oh, Brute. I did fuck him. Every night.” I got in Chris’s face. “I loved every minute of it.”
That’s when Chris shoved me. I almost fell into the water. But Bram was beside me in an instant, steadying me. He moved me out of the way and reared back his fist, ready to knock Chris out.
But Chris pulled a pistol out of nowhere.
Fuck.
