Free Love In The Jungle by Ann Walker Page B

The kids were left to their own
devices—or so I’d been informed, anyway.
    My dinner companion was one of the other
volunteers. Gloria, a retired British primary school teacher, had ventured to
the village some eight months ago with her husband Herb. They’d apparently
wanted to do some traveling before they settled in to a blissful retirement in
their cozy English hamlet, and volunteering around the globe had seemed like
the most meaningful way to do it. Gloria was chatty and bold, while her husband
sat beside her, enthralled by the fire, eating every so often, his bare feet
buried in the red dirt.
    Two college kids were also volunteering. Tim
and Barry were from Canada, and while I was here to teach English, they were
here to work on mathematics and basic science with the kids.
    Which, to be honest, was a major relief. I’d
never been very strong in either subject.
    And then there was Grant. Unlike the rest of
the adults, he’d somehow found himself seated amongst the kids inside the
circle. With his ceramic plate on his lap, he leaned in as one of the little
girls beside him whispered in his ear, then tilted his head back in laughter.
    “Did you two know each other before coming
here?” Gloria inquired, and I suddenly realized I was smiling along with him. I
cleared my throat and shook my head, embarrassed to have been caught staring.
    “Just briefly on the plane. It was kind of a
nice surprise that we ended up in the same place.” I wasn’t about to reveal our
recent sexual escapades to the white-haired woman next to me. Gloria studied me
for a moment, the twinkle of flames reflecting in her eyes, and then smirked.
    “Ah, I see.”
    A clamor broke out amongst the children,
punctuated by the sudden appearance of drums. Then, much to my surprise, song
arose from the outer circle of adults, Herb clapping along with the drum beats.
    “I left corporate America and all its
politics to come here,” I told Gloria, leaning in close so she could hear me
over the swelling music. Much to my delight, a few kids had dragged Henri out
of his seat and were encouraging him to dance with them. Grant too bobbed
awkwardly in front of the fire. The music quickened. Gloria caught me staring
at him again—I could tell by the devious little grin on her lips what she was
thinking. “I’m not interested in hopping back into that world while I’m here,
if you get my drift.”
    There. That ought to keep her satisfied.
    Unfortunately, I must not have sounded very
convincing, because she certainly didn’t look like she believed me. “Of course,
dear.”
    “Really—”
    Before I could get my protest out, a strong
hand wrapped around my arm. I flinched, surprised, and soon found myself
staring up at Grant’s shadowy features. He wore a playful grin, and a nod
toward the fire told me exactly what he wanted.
    Dance with me .
    “But I…” I trailed off, my voice losing its
fight. Oh, what the heck. One more night of flirting couldn’t hurt anyone. I’d
start fresh tomorrow. I’d focus tomorrow.
    I swear I will.
    Really.
    All thoughts of concentration and focus vanished when his
fingers laced through mine, and, surrounded by steady drumbeats and giggling
children, we celebrated our first night in Togo, unable to leave each other’s
side.
    And while I was aware that I couldn’t stop smiling, I was
also aware that handholding and dancing did not bode well for my resolve
to steer clear of distractions for the next six months.
    S.M.S.—save my soul. I’m in trouble.
    To be continued...
     
    Thank you for reading!
    Please Visit http://goo.gl/k3qlaU to view the next books in this series.
     
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    “Love In The Jungle”- Free!
    “Love In The Jungle: 2” – Free
With K.U.!
    “Love In The Jungle: 3”- Free With
K.U.!