“Oh! It’s beautiful!” I said, scanning the terrain.
“And look right there.” Liam pointed to the water at our feet.
I followed his finger, looking beneath the surface. Fish. Dozens of fish. Darting through the water, about a foot in length, their bright blue scales shimmered with the movement. My stomach grumbled with the promise of protein.
Liam set down his pack. “Collect some wood so we can build a fire and cook them. I’ll try to catch one.”
I put my hands on my hips, amused. “And how do you intend to dothat?”
Liam ran a hand through his hair. “I have no clue. I suppose I’ll get in the water and just grab one.”
“Well, good luck with that endeavor.”
I turned around, searching the forest floor for dry wood. After gathering a few pieces and setting them down to look for more, I caught Liam out of the corner of my eye, taking off his clothing.
“What are you doing?” I asked, facing him as he tossed his shirt onto the shore.
“I don’t want to get my clothes wet.” He removed his boots, then trousers, and set them down next to his shirt.
He gave me a roguish grin, standing there in his briefs. Briefs that were tighter than I’d noticed before and didn’t hide the outline of what was tucked away. I couldn’t pull my eyes from him as I imagined how he might?—
“Are you done looking?” he teased. “I do know how to use it, you know.”
I jumped, blushing and turning away to find more wood. “Don’t flatter yourself, professor. We’re in the jungle. We’re dirty and gross.”
“Are you saying if we weren’t dirty and gross…”
“No! That’s not what I’m saying.”
I heard him laugh quietly behind me.
But I was lying to myself. I was curious to know what this man was capable of behind closed doors.
After a while, I had gathered enough wood to start a small fire. I arranged the pieces exactly like I’d learned to allow enough airflow for the oxygen to feed the flames. It was perfect. I had to admit, I was excellent at arranging firewood. Now all I needed was a flame.
“Are you almost finished?” I asked. “I could use your magic to start this.”
Liam stood thigh deep in the water, crouched in a ready position. Every so often his hand darted below the surface, but it came up empty after each attempt.
“I’m not almost finished. These fish are too fast.”
“Told you.”
“You want to have a go?”
I pulled my knees into my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs, and laid my chin on top, watching. “No, thank you. This is quite the entertainment.”
He was facing me, but focused on the fish below the surface. I couldn’t help but let my eyes roam over his carefully crafted arms, his delicious-looking pecs and six pack. Again, how in the world did a professor have a six pack? He wasn’t bulky, he was lean. And absolutely gorgeous with how his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to catch a fish.
“Hurry up. I’m starving.” I let out an exaggerated groan.
“Shhh…you’ll scare them off.” Liam’s arm shot out with a splash and he yelped, pulling his hand out with a wriggling fish. “I got one!”
I couldn’t help but clap my hands. “You did it! Well, bring it here and we shall cook it.”
He climbed out of the river and walked over. “I have to kill it now, don’t I?”
I grimaced. “I suppose that would be the humane thing to do. Kill it quickly, otherwise it’s going to suffer as it suffocates.”
