Free The Pleasures of Winter by Evie Hunter Page B

living arrangements over the last couple of days, she had no intention of stripping off in front of the men.She struck out on her own, following the edge of the lagoon.
    ‘Abbie, don’t go too far,’ Jack called after her. ‘And be careful where you bathe.’
    Abbie ignored him. She heard Kevin’s whoop of joy followed by a loud splash. Seconds later Zeke roared his disapproval when he was splashed. Jack was silent.
    The shallow pool was several feet away from the main lagoon. The water was crystal clear. Abbie looked behind her. She could still hear the guys horsing around in the water. There was plenty of time to have a quick dip.
    She pulled off her trousers and boots quickly and dipped her foot in the water. It was warm, almost as warm as a bath. The temptation was too much. Abbie pulled her shirt over her head and pulled off her panties. If she was quick, she could rinse her clothing and leave it to dry on the rocks while she took a bath.
    Within minutes she had washed everything and laid it out to dry. She stepped into the pool. The water was like silk against her skin. Abbie lay back and closed her eyes. God, it felt better than a flotation tank. She submerged and rinsed her hair. In the distance she could hear the shouts of the others.
    ‘Just a few more minutes,’ she murmured to herself.
    The sun was warm against her skin and, supported by the buoyant water, Abbie drifted peacefully.
    A shout from Jack roused her. ‘Abbie, where are you?’
    She floundered, desperately scrambling out of the pool. ‘I’m fine. I’m fine. Don’t come up here. I’m just getting dressed.’
    Jack’s low laugh was audible.
    Abbie grabbed her panties. They were soaking wet; she couldn’t put them back on yet. She brushed her skin and her fingers came into contact with a slimy protrusion. She slapped it away in panic, but it clung on.
    ‘Ouch, ouch!’ Abbie tried again but it felt like it was biting her. Her back and legs felt like they were on fire. Something moved in her hair and she screamed.
    ‘Abbie?’ She could hear the concern in Jack’s roar.
    ‘Don’t come. Don’t come up here.’ But it was hard to keep the panic out of her voice. The things were biting her.
    Jack slammed through the curtain of greenery. She yelped and tried to cover herself.
    He approached slowly, palms upward. ‘It’s OK, Abbie. It’s OK. I’m here now.’
    Abbie couldn’t stifle a whimper of pain.
    ‘Turn round, baby, and let me see what the problem is.’
    She felt a bewildering mix of fear and relief that he wasn’t angry with her.
    ‘Leeches,’ he said and she cringed.
    ‘Get them off me. Please, Jack, get them off me.’
    Abbie heard a match striking and the acrid smell of cigarette smoke.
    ‘Do you trust me, Abbie?’
    She did trust him. Overbearing as he was, she did trust him. ‘Yes.’ The word came out in a pathetic wheeze.
    ‘Good. Hold on to that thought. This is going to hurt them a lot more than it will hurt you.’
    Abbie felt the heat of the cigarette tip as it neared her skin and heard the sizzle as it touched the leeches. The smell was sickening. One by one they fell to the ground.
    How could she have been so stupid as to ignore Rules of the Jungle 101 – thou shalt not bathe in a pool with leeches. Now she was standing here, naked, while Jack burned them off her. She heard another hiss as Jack removed one from her thigh. God, he must be staring at her butt. ‘Can’t you go any faster?’
    ‘I could, but it wouldn’t be as much fun. Hold still.’
    The heat of the cigarette made her flinch, even as another one dropped.
    ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’
    ‘Yep.’ She could hear the laughter in his voice. ‘It’s the most fun I’ve had on a date in years. You, me, leeches and cigarettes. You can write this one up for the
New York Independent
.’
    Abbie closed her eyes. She would be laughed out of the newsroom if the guys found out that she had to be rescued like this. ‘I’m a news