The Accidental Mistress (19 page)

They travelled a two-lane highway that
circled around and through a green mountainous landscape.
Christophe couldn’t help but notice how flowers in the most
startling brilliant colors of pink and blue grew wild everywhere he
looked. Even the air smelled of fresh blooms. The further south
they went the narrower the roads became. He would often turn his
head to the right in awe of the rocky cliffs that dropped off into
the sea. Zuri pointed out the harbor of the Forte de France in the
distance.

“
Tell me about yourself,
Christophe?” Zuri said.

“
What do you want to
know?”

“
Who was she?”

The question caught him off guard. Zuri gave
him a look over her sunglasses and returned her eyes to the road.
“The woman in those pictures that you ripped to shreds the night I
met you.”

“
You remember
that?”

“
I remember everything
about that night,” Zuri said, working the gearshift and the clutch,
which caused her to move her legs. It was sexy as hell. He again
found himself staring at her thighs.

“
She was my fiancé. Those
pictures were of her with another man,” he confessed.

“
Wow. Sorry.”

“
Don’t be. I hear she’s
happy now. It was evident she wasn’t with me.”

“
So when you and I were
together you were engaged?” Zuri asked. She frowned at him.
Christophe had to think on it. He hadn’t officially called off the
engagement until his mother gave him the pictures. But Gabriella
had left him months before, unwilling to put up with his
interfering mother and his insecurities. “No. We were over. I guess
I didn’t believe it until I saw those pictures.”

“
Interesting,” she
mumbled.

He couldn’t tell if she was putting him back
in the creep zone, but he figured honesty was the best policy with
her. Surprisingly, he liked talking to her. She was easy that
way.

His phone rang in his pocket. Zuri turned up
the radio as if to warn him not to answer it. Christophe chuckled.
He checked the caller and saw it was Elliot. After his little
tantrum he had no use for him.

The jeep veered right. Christophe looked up
just as they drove into a dense forest. The unpaved road sloped
upward, and he was thrown back against his seat, then pitched about
as she revved the engine and forced the vehicle to maintain it’s
speed over the rocky road. Zuri yanked down then pushed up on the
gear stick, her actions drew his eyes to her thighs once more. Her
footwork between the brake and the clutch, along with the way she
navigated the vehicle with one hand, kept his eyes trained there.
But the climb up the mountainside through the Savannahs was soon a
greater distraction. The vehicle lifted on its wheels as if it
would topple over.

“
Maybe you should slow
down,” he chuckled.

Her head turned and she gave him a sly look
under the sunbeams through the cypress trees. Its rays gleamed off
the dark orbs of her sunglasses. Her lips, brushed in a coppery
gloss, curled into a smile. “You’re safe with me.”

“
Where are we
going?”

“
You’ll see.”

The deeper they drove through the mangrove
the more humid and damp the air became. He could feel the sweat
running rivulets down his temples and pooling under his armpits. He
glanced over at Zuri. Her thighs and arms glistened with moisture.
Her heavy bosom bounced in her cotton shirt as they drove over the
rough terrain.

“
Why is it so hot?” he
asked.

Zuri laughed but didn’t answer.

No matter which stretch of road she chose,
he was certain that they were ascending. At first, the forest is
shaded by large leafed manjack trees. The sunlight seeps in where
it can. Then they travel out in the open across fields of tropical
flowers in every color of the rainbow.

“
Over to your right is
where thyme and onions grow wild,” she said. “Ahead of us is the
breadfruit tree forest. We’ll need to pass through some steep
roads, so hang on.”

“
Wait, and those
weren’t?”

“
Funny!” she
giggled.

“
You know these trees? They
all look the same to me.”

Zuri nodded. She pointed to the left. “Those
are white gum trees, and see the pineapple shaped roots over there.
That’s from riveria wood trees, and of course all around you is
mahogany and some bamboo. When we head back, I will take you around
the sugar cane fields.”

“
I’m impressed.”

“
You haven’t seen anything,
yet. Hold on!”

The jeep took a nosedive. For Christophe it
felt as if his heart leapt out of his throat into his mouth. Zuri
squealed with excitement. She spun the wheel hard left and they
lifted on two wheels, then came crashing down. She steered wildly,
and soon he knew why. Black rocks the size of boulders were in
their path. Zuri seemed to anticipate each one in a split second,
making sure to swerve around the immovable obstructions without
killing them both.

“
I think you should slow
down!” he yelled over the roar of the engine.

“
Hold on,” she yelled back.
She turned the wheel again around an unexpected bend and the tail
end of the jeep swung out in a half circle, sending up a cloud of
dirt, grass and twigs. She pointed the vehicle straight for the
denser part of the approaching mangrove. The palm and cypress
branches slapped at him through the open sides of the window and
the open roof of the jeep. Christophe threw up his arm to block off
the stinging attack. “Zuri, are you crazy!”

“
Sometimes!” she yelled
back. He glanced over to see her bouncing in her seat like a girl
on her favorite rollercoaster. All the while his life flashed
before his eyes. There was no stopping her, and he couldn’t think
and breathe at the same time to negotiate. It was so muggy hot in
the forest. Every breath he took burned his lungs.

Zuri slammed on the brakes and they came to
an abrupt stop.

“
That was fun,” she
wheezed.

“
Are you nuts? You could
have killed us!” he shouted at her.

Zuri’s smile faded. She took off her
sunglasses and looked at him, concerned.

Now she wants to be concerned?

“
Are you okay? I’m sorry.
It’s best driven that way. I thought you’d like it.”

“
Well you were wrong!”
Christophe threw open the door and got out. He slammed it behind
him. He looked around and became overwhelmed by bark and green. He
had no idea how to find the main road if he wanted out of this
psycho trip.

Zuri hurried around the
jeep. "Christophe, I'm sorry. I was only trying
to
—
"

"Where the hell are we?" he asked. He spun
on her. "Tell me that. Where the hell are we?"

"Don't yell at me."

Christophe sucked down a deep breath. "I
want you to take me back. I've seen enough."

Zuri smiled.

"What's so funny?"

"Are you pouting? You're a big baby."

"Shit, Zuri. I don't need this."

"Oh stop your whining. Look down."

His gaze dropped. He stood on a large black
rock, cracked; it was rubbed as smooth as onyx.

"You're standing on craters
from a volcano over a million years old." She pointed east. "Across
that bridge is the way to
Montague du
Vauclin
."

Christophe followed her point but he didn't
see any bridge.

"I wanted to show you a place off the hike
trail."

"Is it safe? Going off the trail?"

"Relatively. We have to be careful of
snakes, and a few poisonous spiders and frogs but we'll be okay.
You are the great Christophe Montague, corporate raider
extraordinaire. Surely you're brave enough for an afternoon
hike?"

Christophe put his hand to
his forehead.
Was she kidding?
He could feel the sweat evaporating from his skin
thanks to the heat. Zuri returned to the jeep and got their
backpacks. She removed a bottle of water and handed it to him.
"It's not that far."

She tossed him his pack then marched off.
With no other choice, he followed. Through the bamboo trees, he
noticed she walked a worn path. It was short, and led them both to
the cliffs. Christophe stopped in his tracks when he finally saw
the bridge crossing to the other side. "That doesn't look
safe."

"It was made by the Carib Indian's hundred's
of years ago, and I've run across it as a girl many times. Trust
me. It’s safe."

The thing was handmade with thick roping and
planks of wood. It could hold one person at a time, maybe. He
couldn't even gauge what the drop beneath would be. "Is this your
plan? Get me out here and throw me over into a volcano?"

"Something like that," she grinned. She
stepped to him. She was so close her nipple points brushed his
chest. He tried not to react, but he ached to do so. "I'll protect
you Christophe, and before the day is over you will give me what I
want."

"Why does that turn me on?" He reached for
her. Zuri dodged him. Keep your backpack. You carry your own load.
And follow my lead. Okay?"

Christophe exhaled; finally able to breathe
when she drew further away. He watched the sway of her backside in
her shorts and groaned. He was going to be punished dearly by this
woman. He just knew it.

Zuri put her sunglasses on her forehead and
slipped on her backpack. She tested the first wooden rung of the
bridge. It rocked slightly. Christophe felt the pit of his stomach
churn. Zuri grabbed both roped sides and stepped out. "Come
on."

"Zuri, I don't
think
—
"

She started across. Slow
and careful she kept her eyes trained on the abyss below or was she
watching her feet?
Damn it!
Should he share his fear of heights? Hell, he
could barely make it to some of his favorite ski slopes in Aspen.
His sparrow was fearless though. It was kind of thrilling watching
her cross. Christophe hitched his backpack higher on his
shoulders.
Don't be a chicken shit. If she
can do it of course you can.

He walked stiffly, almost forcing his legs
to move to the bridge. By the time he reached it, his heartbeat
pulsed in his throat, hammered in his chest, and throbbed in his
ears. Suddenly he wasn't hot anymore, but chilled. He shivered.
Christophe stepped a bit further and guessed the drop to be at
least 300ft below. All courage drained from him as the image of his
body tumbling down hit him full force.

"Zuri? I don't think I can," he mumbled. He
glanced up. To his surprise Zuri had crossed. "Shit. Are you
fucking kidding me?"

She dropped her hands to her hips and gave
him a sexy smirk. "Think about all that awaits you on this end.
Nothing but air and opportunity between us now Christophe. So how
long are you going to make me wait?" she called out at to him.

Christophe tucked his sunglasses in his
front shirt pocket. His heartbeat skyrocketed when he looked down
once more. He groaned and started to cross. The wood plank creaked
under his weight and the bridge swayed. Christophe swallowed, bile
rising in his throat.

"Don't linger, just move. You'll settle too
much weight on one plank."

What did she mean settle
my weight? Could they break? Am I in danger?
His head lifted. Zuri grinned at him. She teased
him.

"Oh come on. You can't possibly be
scared."

Christophe had to admit that her taunting
made the fear lessen. His ego rose to the challenge. No woman had
pushed him this far. How did she manage it? Taking another step
then another on the ten-inch wide wooden planks, he couldn't help
but take the next as the bridge creaked and swayed a bit. Was this
an active volcano? It couldn't be. Another thought occurred to him.
How strong could the bridge really be in a rain forest after
hundreds of years? Was she lying when she said the Caribs made it?
The wood would have corroded. Right?

"Come on Christophe. You’re almost
there."

Instead of letting his fears make him a
bigger chicken shit, he crossed the rest of the bridge with hurried
quick steps. His grip rubbed rope burns into his palms because he
clutched the rails so tightly. At the end, he nearly ran off the
thing. Gasping and wheezing, he doubled over with his hands to his
knees. His eyes watered and his nostrils and throat burned for some
reason.

"Drink some water."

Christophe accepted the water bottle with a
shaky hand. She rubbed his back and the circular strokes felt so
good. When he stood upright, she rose on her toes to touch his
face. "You okay?"

"Tell me the truth about that bridge," he
panted. "It's not over a hundred years old. Is it?"

Zuri dropped her hand. She forced both into
her front pockets and rocked on her heel. Her cute sheepish smile
revealed a dimple he some how missed before. "No. The bridge is
tested monthly and repaired if needed. I made it up."

"You little minx," he chuckled.

"C'mon, we got a four mile hike, then we'll
have lunch."

"Whoa... hold on there pretty lady." He
grabbed her by the waist and brought her in close. She turned to
face him. "Don't you owe me something for my show of bravery?"
Christophe tightens his arm around her waist and leaned in so he
could cover her. She was firmly up against his chest, with her arm
pinned behind her back. She was so close he could feel the movement
of her breathing through her breasts.