Page 8 of Beautifully Wild

“A linda garota gostaria de dançar comigo?” the hot guy says to Bree. He takes her by the waist, his pelvis connecting to hers.

She smiles at me, eyes wide. “He said, ‘Does the beautiful girl want to dance with me?’.”

Of course, Bree has already picked up the Brazilian Portuguese language. I wave her away. “Go.”

I do my best to ignore the guy who’s eyeballing me, and before an uncomfortable feeling of being alone settles in, Amy and Yasmine return with four Caipirinhas.

“I see Bree is making progress.” Amy grins at me. I nod while sucking my cocktail down. Swift sucking through a straw is my new superpower.

“Slow down, girl.” Yasmine takes my empty cup. “I volunteer to refill again.”

It finally clicks. “What’s the attraction at the bar?”

“Same attraction as here.” Yasmine nods in the direction over my shoulder.

I look to the guy sending me his best let’s-fuck look. He raises his chin and gives me a you-know-I’m-sexy wink. Ugh, could he be any more obvious? He’s now getting on my nerves. In the open air on the beachfront, another band takes to the stage.

“Let’s dance,” Amy says. She takes my hand, and we create space allowing our hips to move to the beat like our bodies are charmed by a musical spell. Soon, it’s simply us four girls dancing, and for the next hour, we barely give our feet time to rest.

By the time the next band comes on stage, my friends are grinding hips with random males. I dance alone. The quick samba step tests my coordination, especially after downing several Caipirinhas.

It’s a click to midnight, and my thoughts are in another zone where my head is light, and my heart is brave.

Watching my friends, I pray the rest of our holiday isn’t about hooking up with hot guys. Visiting an exotic country is about much more. Or is it because my heart is scarred from the last guy who destroyed my faith in men?

7

Eden

“Unreal,”Isquealatthe top of my voice to the instructor as we glide off the mountain into the air and fly toward the city. With a bird’s-eye view, I pinpoint Christ the Redeemer where we visited yesterday, Sugarloaf Mountain the day before, and the white stretch of beaches where we lazed other days. The night is all about the beach bars. We have already been in Rio for one week, and I have loved every minute.

“What’s next for the Aussies?” the pilot asks. His voice is lost in the wind.

“Iguassu Falls and the Carnival,” I yell back.

He veers the pole of the hang glider like a steering wheel. The surrounding mountains and vast rainforest are as beautiful as the city. My insides spark with excitement thinking about Iguassu Falls and being in the rainforest, enjoying the natural beauty of this country. “You’re lucky to do this every day. The view is breathtaking.”

“Yeah. I appreciate the tranquility,” he says in a thick accent.

Below, there’s a vibrant city. From up here, it’s a whole other world. “I love all the green of the forest. It’s appealing to the eye.”

He chuckles. “Nature’s trap to lure you in. Many don’t find their way out.”

“From down there?”

“No, we have walking trails down there. If you visit the Amazonia rainforest. She’s beautiful, but if you’re thinking about a trip to the jungle like many tourists, you need to understand what it takes to survive. Foreigners come looking for adventure, thinking they’ll find it in the jungle and aren’t prepared for mishaps or deviations to their plans. The weather can change rapidly. Everything looks the same, so you need an experienced guide to find your way out. Numerous animals and insects are a threat, so getting fast medical aid becomes a bigger problem.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

He nods. “Banana spider. I lost my daughter at three. I prefer to admire the beauty from up here.”

My gut turns thinking about his loss.

Thank God we have Bree and her extensive medical supplies.

Nothing excites Amy more than a music festival. The blocos, or street parties, are popular during Carnival, and this is one reason why Amy wanted to visit Rio during Carnival. I’m sure party-’til-you-drop is her middle name. With more than four hundred to choose from over the carnival days, there are blocos on practically every corner.

Choosing which bloco to attend even has Amy overwhelmed. Bree suggested we head out to the shops to buy costumes as part of the fun in Rio is dressing up. The receptionist at our hotel recommended a street market for cheap costumes and accessories, so after a quick dip in the pool—because it’s the only way to combat the heat—we head to the Saara market.

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