Good hunting.
He heard the footsteps coming moments later, turned to greet the new arrival, smelling Audrey well before his eyes picked out her silhouette in dappled moonlight. When he stepped out, right in front of her, she jumped and gave a little squeal.
"For God's sake, Renton!" Even startled, she was whispering, as if to keep their meeting secret from the others.
"Trouble sleeping?" Remo asked.
"It's all too much, you know? I mean, I'm tired, but there's too much to see and do. It won't last long enough."
"You may feel differently this time next week."
"I won't," she said. "It's the adventure of a lifetime, right?"
"You'll have to work your butt off in the next few days," he said.
"Not all of it, I hope."
A subtle movement in the tree beside her caught his eye, and Remo's hand flashed out, almost too fast for Audrey's eyes to follow.
"What—?"
He held the wriggling viper up in front of her, gripped close behind its spade-shaped head, the body twining fluidly around his forearm. Remo checked the coloration of its scales and smiled at Audrey.
"Trimeresurus flavoviridis," he announced.
"It's poisonous?"
"Sharp local pain and hemorrhages of the internal organs," he replied. "Intensive bleeding from the bite itself is not uncommon."
As he spoke, he flung the snake away from him, out toward the middle of the stream. It splashed down, quickly surfaced, started swimming for the distant shore.
"You have quick hands," she said.
"Sometimes."
"I guess you saved my life."
"My pleasure," Remo said.
"How can I ever thank you?"
"Well… "
"I know," she said. "I'll improvise."
Remo watched as she began unbuttoning her shirt. "I warned you once about the swimming," he reminded her.
"Who says I'm going in the water?"
Sometime in between the pitching of her tent and trailing Remo to the stream, she had removed her bra. Not that she needs one, Remo thought. Her breasts were firm and round, defying gravity, with nipples that seemed tawny but would almost certainly be pink in daylight.
She dropped the blouse behind her, moving faster as she started on the buckle of her belt. It stalled her for a moment, Audrey blushing, but she got it then, unsnapped her jeans and ran the zipper down. Paused long enough to work her shoes off, treating Remo to a bit of jiggle in the process. Rolled snug denim down across hips, buttocks, thighs.
No panties, either, he observed.
"Is this what they call dressing for success?"
"Depends on what your goal is," she replied. "Now, you."
"We hardly know each other," Remo said.
"That's about to change."
"You think so?"
Audrey moved against him, toasty velvet. "I insist on seeing what else you can do besides catch snakes," she said.
And Remo showed her, starting slowly, using only some of the specific skills Chiun had taught him in the early days. His fingers came together at the small of Audrey's back, the touch enough to make her squirm against him, yet so light he barely grazed her skin. A dip to trace the cleft between her buttocks, then his hands rose higher, following the sleek curve of her spine to tease the nape of Audrey's neck. She trembled, moaning softly as she clasped her hands behind his neck and leaned against him, almost going limp.
Sex is a combination of psychology and physiology—the former more anticipation than achievement, while the latter is controlled by pressure, friction, heat and cold. Sinanju recognized three distinct techniques for bringing women to the pinnacle of sexual fulfillment. One method used twenty-seven steps, another thirty-seven and the last mode fifty-two—although Chiun was adamant that only a Korean woman could survive the total treatment with her sanity intact.
Remo started teasing her, beginning with the insides of her ears, then down the side of Audrey's neck. He found her pulse and lingered there, tap-tapping until she sighed in rapture before he moved down to the hollow of her throat. Her legs would not support her now, and all her weight was on his shoulders until Remo marched her three steps backward and leaned her against the nearest tree. He guided Audrey's hands above her head and showed her how to grip a branch to keep from falling down.
"Hang on," he said.
"God, yes!"
He picked up where he had left off, and it was getting hard to hold her back.
"Please hurry!"
Another breathless gasp came from Audrey as he gave her what she wanted, and he protected the sensation until her spasms had subsided into small, involuntary tremors.
"Act Two is next," he told her, rising to his feet.
"I can't," she moaned.
"You will."
"Too much!"
But she could handle it all right, although she was a quivering mess until her release came again, followed by a long, slow drift into the afterglow.
They lay together on the mossy ground, and after several moments Audrey started giggling. She pressed her face against his chest to mute the sound, but couldn't seem to stop.
"What's funny?" Remo asked her.
"Nothing, Jesus! It was—" Audrey hesitated, speechless for a moment. "I just realized, you're not a screamer after all."
"I'm screaming on the inside," Remo said.
"Tell me about it. I believe I shorted something out."
"I'll check your wiring for you," Remo told her, reaching down between her thighs.
She caught his wrist. "Not on your life! My life, I mean. You think they have a Flight for Life out here in case of strokes or heart attacks?"
She was coherent, but her eyes were slightly glazed, and Remo thought perhaps it was a good thing that his demonstration hadn't gone beyond the thirteen basic steps. It would be awkward, carting Audrey through the jungle on a litter, and they didn't have a straitjacket.
"We should be getting back," she said a moment later, stirring feebly, reaching for her clothes.
"I'll help you."
"No," she said. "I still know how to dress myself."
It took her three attempts to put her jeans on, though, before she got her balance back. The rest of it was simple by comparison, and with her clothes on, she looked more or less composed.
"You ought to package that," she told him. "You could make a killing."
"It requires a certain inspiration," Remo lied.
"And sweet talk, too. The total package. Do they teach that in New Orleans?"
Remo smiled. "I pick up bits and pieces as I go along," he said.
"I'll bet you do. All kinds of pieces, with a touch like that."
"We aim to please."
"Your aim was perfect," Audrey told him. "I can't wait to try some more of that once I regain my strength."
"If we have time," he said.
"I'll make time," Audrey answered, moving in to kiss him lightly on the lips. "We'd better not go back together, just in case."
"All right."
He watched her go, took time to check his pulse and blood pressure. Both normal, well below the average. Remo let five minutes pass before he followed Audrey back in the direction of the sleeping camp.
And this time, he was unaware of being followed through the trees.
Chapter Ten
The morning summoned mixed reactions from his traveling companions, Remo noted as he moved about the camp. Stockwell and Sibu Sandakan were visibly fatigued and out of shape, but each seemed anxious to continue with the march. Pike Chalmers was the same as ever—surly, misanthropic, with a hard gleam in his eye that spoke to Remo of a personal agenda he was keeping hidden. As for Audrey, while the early-morning sun highlighted shadows underneath her eyes, as if from weariness, she seemed to have a new spring in her step.