I caught on to the fact he was flirting, but my annoyance at this little outing was starting to take over, and I snapped my teeth at him. “Careful, Shep. I bite.”
“You say that like it’s a threat.”
“I didn’t saywhereI’d bite.”
He let out a low whistle and chuckled, continuing on into…wherever the hell we were. It all looked the same to me, tree after tree, all very lush and green, of course, but… Fuck me, was that a snake wrapped around one of the branches not far above us?
“Try to relax,” Shep said, looking up at what had caught my eye. “It won’t hurt you if you don’t provoke it. I know that’s a damn near impossible ask, but try.”
I swallowed hard and wiped at the sweat on my brow. This was ridiculous. I wasn’t scared of anything, and I wasn’t about to let some boneless reptile make me tuck tail and run. I’d filet its ass first.
Letting out an exhale, I nodded and went to follow after Shep, only to see he’d moved in close, blocking my path.
“You good?” he asked, a slight frown marring his brow, like he was actually concerned for my wellbeing instead of giving me hell. His hand came to rest on my forearm, and that touch made my heart beat a little faster.
Maybe I was dehydrated.
“I’m great.” I took a step back, letting his arm fall away. “Well, great for schlepping it in the woods, which is like the bottom rung of great.”
“I ‘schlepped it’ in Osaka.”
“And that was a good time. You even admitted it.”
He arched a brow. “You trying to say you’re not having a good time?”
At that moment, the world’s largest spider dropped onto Shep’s shoulder, and I didn’t miss a beat, knocking the damn thing off before it could get its fangs in him. The manwasfucking delicious, after all. I couldn’t blame it for wanting a bite.
The critter scampered off under some brush, and when Shep got a good look at his new friend, he shuddered.
“Exactly,” I said, smirking and body-checking him as I passed. “All I’m saying is, if this is your idea of a date, your seduction skills need work.”
30
SHEP
OKAY, THE SPIDER thing was pushing it, even for me, but it was what Theo said that had my attention.
A date? Did he think this was adate? Did he want it to be?
“You coming?” Theo looked over his shoulder, and my cock jerked at the picture he made: skin glistening, sweaty t-shirt clinging to his muscles—even the damn muddy boots had him looking really fucking good. I’d wanted to get him out for some fresh air and great views, but I had to admit I wasn’t looking at anything but him now.
Something he caught on to when I didn’t stop staring.
“Oh, I see.” He walked back to where I stood, curled his finger into the front of my shorts, and pulled me toward him. “You’re so impressed by my heroic actions, saving you from certain death, that you want to thank me with your dick. Right here, right now.”
His smirk would’ve been insufferable on anyone else, but Theo wasn’t just anyone. He was uncontained and confident and too fucking much, but somehow that was all part of his charm.
And it was winning me over.
“You think I planned this hike to get you all hot and bothered?”
Theo dipped his fingers into my pants, grazing them along my skin and making me forget we were standing in the middle of a fucking jungle.
“I was already hot and bothered this morning. You just wanted to see me sweat.”
Those full lips were tempting, and as I leaned in to take just a little taste, my eyes caught on something up ahead that altered my plans. “Actually, I want to get you wet.”
“Fuck, consider it done,” he said, angling his head toward me, but I pulled back before he could kiss me.
