Page 41 of Wild for You
I tear myself away from him, “I almost died!” I scream.
“You were fine. It was a nurse shark. They’re harmless.” He sits down, buckling over in laughter. “You yeeted that fucking tampon and kicked the shit out of a shark and somehow managed to swim all the way here.” He wipes his eyes. “Just when I think I’ve seen it all.”
I shove him and stand up. “If you weren’t down there jerking off to the coral reef, maybe you could’vetoldme that,” I hiss.
“Babe, I tried to tell you. I was filming it because I’ve never seen one up close, but you freaked out before I could get to you.” He tries to hide his smile, “I really am sorry.”
Looking down at my bottoms, he gestures to the blood that’s now flowing freely down my legs. “I should’ve known you’d got your period when you were so pale—and grumpy—this morning.”
I try to cover my crotch with my hands, but there’s no use. The blood is everywhere. “How would you have known?”
“Four sisters, remember” He taps his temple. “I have a Spidey sense for menstruation. Are you anemic or something? That seems pretty excessive.”
I nod, feeling completely and utterly humiliated. I don’t even have the strength to fight him when he wraps his arm around me to lead me back to the camp. “Come on, Bloody Mary. Let's get you cleaned up.”
* * *
Just when I’mready to wring Jack’s neck for filming perhaps the most embarrassing moment of my life and teasing me relentlessly about it, he goes all gooey on me.
After we get back to the campsite, he orders me to rest in the tent while he makes me a cup of tea—that’s what we’re calling the hot leaf water these days. The sun’s starting to set, and we’re once again feasting on a handful of oysters and a small fish. Jack didn’t have a lot of time to hunt today after the whole tampon/shark escapade, and I try to ignore my stomach’s cries of hunger.
I grip the half-filled soup can and slurp my hot beverage, pretending it’s a cup of coffee and savoring the warm liquid as it coats my throat.
“Fuck, I miss coffee,” I say between sips. I’m curled up by the fire, trying not to focus on the fact that I’ve got a wadded-up old t-shirt shoved between my legs. Not only did Jack embarrass me by laughing, but he’s been doting on me all day long and even gave me his shirt to use as a wilderness maxi pad.
“Usually, I bring instant coffee with me on my survival trips, but I thought I’d have time to restock before we headed back out.” His voice trails off, and his soft eyes meet mine. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you today, Gwen.”
He pulls my feet into his lap and begins to massage each foot, applying the perfect pressure. He rolls his hands up my arch like he’s mastered the art of massage, and I fight my eyes from rolling back in my head in sheer pleasure.
“It’s ok.” I look down at the ground between us, unsure of where the tension I’m feeling is coming from.
“You know, I’m proud of you for thinking on your feet.” He nudges my chin so I can look him in the eyes. “But don’t ever throw a blood-soaked tampon in a body of water again, ok?” He laughs. “You’re really cute when you fight back like that.”
“Cute?” I roll my eyes. “No one has ever called me cute before. I am notcute.”
“What adjective wouldyouuse to describe what happened today, then?” he asks mockingly.
“Um, I don’t know … fierce? Badass? Scary? Just to name a few off the top of my head.”
He grins and resumes his foot massage, switching to the other side, and I have to hold in a moan. “You are pretty scary … but do you know what I think?” His eyes twinkle with mischief, and I’m afraid to go down this road and let my guard down with him.
“What do you think?” I ask, letting my curiosity get the best of me.
“I think you put on this hard shell to push people away from you because you don’t want them to see what’s on the inside.”
“And what makes you think my inside is any different?”
He pauses as if considering this. “It’s how your eyes change from curious to guarded so quickly. How your breathing hitches when I move too quickly toward you. How you sometimes flinch for no reason.” He rubs his hand up the side of my leg, stopping just above my knee before sliding it back down.
Butterflies erupt in my stomach as I focus on him picking me apart piece by piece.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” he teases. “You have to really pay attention to notice it, and lucky for you, you’re the only person here for me to analyze.” He picks up my foot and plants a gentle kiss on top. “Besides, you’re not so bad to get to know. I have to admit, you never cease to surprise me, and you’ve kept our footage incredibly interesting.”
I take the opportunity to kick him in the balls, knocking the wind out of him. “Oof,” he coughs, “Hey, what was that for?”
“For trying to figure me out.” I reach up to grab his nipple, but he catches my hand before I can give him my signature purple nurple, which he remembers all too well.
“Not so fast, sweetheart.” He pulls me into his chest by my hand, a little rougher than I’d have expected, and wraps his arms around me tight. “Why must you always be so feisty?” He kisses me on top of my head. “You’re like a little feral kitten. You think you’re big and scary, but deep down, all you want is for someone with a little patience to rub you the right way in all your favorite spots.”
