Free River of Desire: A Romantic Action Adventure/Thriller by J. K. Winn Page B

her. The jungle’s thickness posed a daunting foe. He searched about uselessly. With nothing but ceibas and cecropias in view, dread slowly replaced anxiety.
    Back at the tent, he looked for signs of struggle and spotted drag marks in the loam, a track through dead leaves. He followed the track into the trees, barely noticing the slap of fronds against his face or clutch of vines at his arms and legs, and came upon Leah slumped under a palm. Ants crawled over her body. A kind of hopeful horror caught in his throat. Don’t be dead! Please don’t be dead ! he chanted like a mantra. Pushing lianas out of the way, he reached down to her.
    She lay on her belly, arms thrust above head. He turned her over, raised her head and gently shook her. “Leah! Speak to me, Leah.”
    She stirred, mumbling incoherently and his hope soared. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open. Without any warning, she thrust both fists at him like a punch-drunk boxer. “Creep! You left me,” she muttered.
    Relieved, he smiled at her unexpected pluck, grabbed her hands and enclosed them in his. “I didn’t leave you. I went looking for some Jergon Sacha. I need to give it to you right away.” He tucked his arms under her and pulled her against his chest. Her face, white as river water’s wake, tightened. She let out a groan. He couldn’t allow her pain to delay his treatment.
    He jogged with her toward the campsite, aware of her light-as-an-armload-of-leaves in his arms. Her head lolled from side to side. Disjointed sentences ushered from her in mumbles. Precious time slipped by.
    He placed her down on his pad. Using his jungle knife, he quickly chopped up the tuber and stirred it into a cup of cold water he had boiled the evening before. He bent before her and raised her head. She moaned.
    “I want you to drink this now.”  He parted her heart-shaped lips with the cup’s rim and poured the fluid into her mouth. She turned her head to the side and choked. Afraid she would spit out the solution, he held her mouth closed until she swallowed.
    Her eyes opened wide. “Ugh! What’s that?”
    What a feisty woman—half-conscious and still complaining. “Medicine. I have to treat the bite. You won’t enjoy this.”
    He unwrapped the gauze and placed a banana leaf filled with the finely chopped plant against the bite, tying it to her leg with the gauze. Leah’s face distorted in pain and her body convulsed until she almost flipped off the mat. Still, she hardly uttered a sound. He admired her fortitude more and more. To comfort her, he collected her close and she slowly relaxed in his arms. He reluctantly laid her back on the mat, covered her with a blanket. She needed sleep to recuperate.
    On his way out of the tent, he gave her one last glance. She lay on her back with her head to the side. Her innocent posture tugged at his heart in a way he wouldn’t have thought possible. His concern for her provoked long forgotten tenderness, an urge to protect her. Not typically a religious man, he said a silent prayer for her deliverance from the poison.
     
    * * *
     
    A gentle lift of Leah’s head disturbed her sleep. She focused with difficulty on Hart bending over her.
    He wiped stray wisps of hair gently from her forehead. “Time for more medication.” He held a cup to her lips.
    The liquid running down her esophagus tasted of resin. In spite of a strong desire to spit it out, she swallowed. The pungent taste made her cringe. Bad medicine administered by a man she had considered bad medicine. She couldn’t help but reconsider now. “D...Delicious.”
    His smile lit up the shelter. “Well, well, my patient is regaining her sense of humor. Must be a good sign. Now, just eat a bit more of this tasty tuber.” 
    She indicated a desire to sit so he placed his arms behind her to help. Her weak arms aided his effort. “Th...thirsty.”
    He reached for the canteen and brought it to her lips. She greedily downed the liquid.
    He abruptly pulled the