Please, You Take Her

I had decided Dick's general knowledge of plants and ecology seemed more complete than the others too. I was impressed he didn't seem to mind admitting he didn't know what something was. There were times when Andy had answered a question or made an ID and been wrong. He chose to fake it rather than admit he wasn't sure, or didn't know. And those were only the times I knew enough myself to know he wasn't up to snuff. I guess I knew who I would try to stay with.

Nasty ass Dick.

Brian walked towards me with a smile and I knew he would ask if I wanted to do something that evening. Now, with half my behind on fire I had no interest in allowing a man to hold me close as we got to know one another. I was already embarrassed enough and only Dick knew what happened. I would just have to put Brian off for a day, maybe two. To be truthful, I would have been fine if he gave me oral, now even that seemed inadvisable as I wouldn't be able to lay down without pain to enjoy it. Of course, I could give him oral and not have to sit or lay down. That would probably lead to more questions than I wanted and decided against it.

"Bridget are you up to a glass of wine tonight?"

"Sorry, not tonight. After the trip review I think I'm just going to go to sleep for a while as it's been a long morning, I replied evenly.

"The wine would relax you and we could...well...just relax together."

I chuckled, "And what exactly does that mean?"

He looked around to see if anyone were standing close, "Just a little kissing, maybe you could lose your shirt and bra. You know, so you would feel...aaahh...more relaxed."

"That sounds good, but really, not tonight since I'm tired," smiling as I touched his arm gently, my butt burning.

We talked for a few minutes before he walked off. The guides announced where their groups were going to meet for the post trip reviews a few seconds later. I slowly ambled over to the far side of the room where Dick was standing as the others started taking their seats. I wasn't happy as I remembered I hadn't brought my notebook with me so I could double-check my species list. I would have to remember as much as I could. I found a spot and stood behind the group not sitting down as Dick read off the species list and answered questions.

By the time he finished I realized I had missed over a dozen difficult to find species because of the itching and burning sensation that had distracted me. When he offered me a ride back to my room I felt pretty bummed, but didn't tell him. He bade me goodbye and I was alone in my room feeling as if I had really screwed up this time.

I took off my clothes and lay down on my bed face down, my forehead resting on my arms, eyes closed. The breeze from the ceiling fan felt good on my exposed tush. Somewhere along the line I fell asleep, a vision of a man standing at the head of a boat, his physique plain to see as my gaze went up his exposed legs where they disappeared into...

I awoke and reminded myself dreams shouldn't be taken literally. Just because saw a specific man in my dreams doing something to md didn't mean wanted him to. Still, it was disconcerting as...well...he was mean, why would I want him to touch me that way?

I got up from bed and walked into the bathroom to look in the mirror. I turned to look at my backside and saw most of my cheek was rosy red. At least it didn't appear blistered, or that the redness had spread farther. I wasn't tired any longer and knew it was going to be a boring afternoon unless I found a way to entertain myself. I decided I could sketch standing up or while bending over the porch railing.

I decided on a blouse and short skirt to wear so I could go out onto the balcony at the back of the bungalow facing the jungle. I decided not to put panties on as the skirt would allow more air to reach my bare skin. That way I wouldn't soil another pair of panties by absorbing the ointment like my other pair had. I retrieved my sketch pad and pencils and went onto the balcony to stand next to the tree branch nearest the railing.

I sketched a branch with several leaves and then noticed a large scarab beetle on a twig. It was huge, just sitting there begging to be immortalized in a drawing. Before I knew it the hours had passed and I heard the phone ring. I made it to the phone as quickly as I could, which wasn't all that fast. I picked up and heard a male voice.

"Bridget, this is Dick. Will you be ready to go to dinner or would you prefer I bring something to you so you can eat in your room? Your choice."

The mention of food immediately sent my mind back to what I was feeling--wonderful, I was hungry and my butt was still hurting. I decided staying put was best as I wouldn't have to worry about someone noticing and ask why I was walking funny.

"I suppose I should eat in my room. How long before you expect to be here?"

"About ten minutes I guess. I'm at the lodge now. Anything in particular you want?"

"No. Not really, I'm pretty flexible. Fresh fruit, black beans and rice, and whatever they have in the way of a meat dish would be fine. Oh, and mango or pineapple juice would be good too."

"Okay. Be there in a while."

I walked back to close the balcony door and came back into the living area to put my sketch pad down. Five minutes later I heard a four-wheeler pull up outside, then a soft knock on the door.

"Come in, it's open."

The door opened and Dick stood there with a large Styrofoam carton and a large plastic cup balanced on top, one hand on the door knob. The expression on his face showed surprise as if he had seen a ghost or something. The smile he had been wearing when he stepped in disappeared.

"Here, I'll leave this on the table for you. Let me know if you need anything else. Call the lodge if you need to get in touch with me."

He disappeared in mere seconds. What the hell! I had been alone all afternoon, he could have stayed to talk for a few minutes. I heard the four-wheeler start and he was gone.

Damn him! He really doesn't like me.

I finished eating while standing at the kitchen counter. At least the food was good and warm. What was it about him anyway? I shouldn't even care what he thought of me.

After all, he was being paid to work for me. Why should I care?

Chapter 4 Birding Desire

Bridget

I awoke at about three in the morning, my butt with an intense burning sensation. I was amazed I couldn't see it glowing red in the dark as it certainly felt like it was on fire. I walked into the bathroom and applied another layer of ointment. After a few minutes the burning sensation subsided as I lay on my stomach feeling as if I hadn't slept at all. I heard an owl call, then a tinamou, then I must have fallen asleep again. When I opened my eyes the clock read 6:02. I felt I hadn't slept a wink and closed my eyes feeling a milder burning sensation than before. It seemed to be getting better until I went to get up and found I had raw nerves yelling loudly I shouldn't.

Dick

I lay in bed and wiped the sleep from my eyes and sat up remembering events from the day before. To say I was surprised when I opened the door to deliver Bridget's dinner was an understatement. The fact it didn't seem to faze her in the least was perhaps what surprised me most as she stood looking at me.

An image of Bridget wearing a blouse buttoned only at the very bottom, her breasts mostly exposed came into his mind. She was barefoot and her skirt barely covered anything. I sighed, damn those legs looked so fine going up under her blouse. I knew instantly I was in deep shit. My autonomic nervous system had begun responding immediately. There was no way I was going to stand there and embarrass myself.

"What was with this woman?" I muttered to myself as I dressed.

How in the hell did I wind up being this responsible for her? Now I had to get her to breakfast as she had called the lodge requesting pick her up. Maybe the medication was working well enough she wouldn't need to be babied beyond lunch today. I had a trip in the morning and again in the afternoon, a full schedule. No wonder they had me keep the four-wheeler overnight. No one else was going to go near her, she was all mine.

Shit, shit, shit! Why me?

I arrived outside her room not wanting to knock on her door. The image of her standing in front of me, with those beautiful breasts and legs flashed through my mind.

Damn, they shouldn't make women who look that good.

I was just about to get out and walk to her door when she stepped outside. This time fully dressed, her hair in a ponytail, walking stiffly. It obviously still bothered her to walk. I didn't know if I should even greet her with a good morning or not. It obviously wasn't as she looked like she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep. That would surely put her in a grand mood so I decided to keep it simple.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

It was the longest three minute drive of my life, at least it seemed that way. She sat leaning to one side and slowly got out and started inside the lodge after I stopped. I pulled the four-wheeler around to the side of the building and walked in a minute later. Several women soon joined her after a minute at the buffet. I saw something approaching a smile appear on her face as she greeted them--I certainly hadn't gotten one.

After she sat down with the ladies I could tell she was trying to tough it out by sitting on the bench seat with as much of her rear sticking out from the seat as possible. I got my food and sat down at another table on the far side of the room. What a great start to my day. I saw her look at me and then glance away.

Why in the hell was I looking her way in the first place?

The rest of my morning went well after I dropped her off. Again, we didn't say much to each other and I reminded her I would be back to take her to lunch. She nodded her understanding and went inside as I went to drop the four-wheeler off. My afternoon tour went well with just a brief shower that hardly hit the rainforest floor. The humidity was higher afterward but no one complained and only one older gentleman needed additional insect repellent. After getting everyone back in time for dinner I went to pick Bridget up. This time she seemed in a better mood, at least she looked rested. Perhaps she was able to take a few long naps to make up for her lost sleep. She still moved slowly, but the fact she felt comfortable enough to go to dinner indicated the irritation was decreasing.

I wasn't going out of my way to be mean to her, but I needed to keep a professional distance. I had gotten far too close to Lisa and that had turned out to be a mistake. I didn't want to travel down that road again, though to be honest Bridget was a much different woman. Both in terms of personality and physical appearance--that was all but her eyes.

I couldn't explain it to myself, but Bridget was...I...don't know...an intriguing pain in the ass. I was certain she didn't mean to be rude or mean, or even inept. It was more as if she lacked confidence in herself and made up for it by being contrary. Maybe I had her pegged wrong, but she was trouble for me nevertheless.

"So, shall I pick you up in the morning for breakfast, or do you want to try and get there on your own?"

"Look, I know you don't especially like me. And I know this puts you out having to babysit me. I think I'll be able to start moving on my own tomorrow as the swelling should go down overnight. So, unless I call and leave a message for you to pick me up don't come."

Her facial expression was firm and I could see a hint of pain in it.

"I don't dislike you. I don't like the things you get yourself into, but that doesn't make you a bad person in my book. I have a responsibility to keep you safe and to show you what you came here to see. I hope you enjoy it at the same time, but I can't guarantee that."

She sat silent, looking down at her boots.

"I'm sorry I forgot how I was dressed when you dropped my dinner off yesterday. I didn't understand why you left so quickly until this morning. I thought you hated me," her voice soft, sullen.

I smiled, "If it weren't for the fact I'm working and you're a customer you might have gotten a different response."

She looked up with a grin, "You didn't mind seeing boobies in the jungle did you?"

I laughed, "No. I have to admit I didn't."

"Pick me up in the morning for breakfast. I have to go in and put more ointment on as it's starting to itch."

"I thought you said..."

"I changed my mind. Women have the right to do that you know."

I watched as she walked into her room and closed the door behind her.

Shit!

Bridget

I locked the door and walked into the bathroom with a smile on my face. I was so embarrassed last night after I ate dinner and went to wash up. When I looked in the mirror my blouse stood wide open, my breasts in full view. Oh my god! I remembered thinking. Now, as I thought about it I wasn't so sure my distraction with the burning sensation hadn't been something of a good thing. The thought seemed completely wrong and I pushed it away thinking I was losing it.

I undressed and pulled the tube of cortisone out and started to apply it. The burning sensation seemed to have faded over the course of the morning. Now, I had the urge scratch the itch that had replaced it. Not something I wanted to do in public and I resigned myself to another day of self-isolation. At least I could sit down now and I would probably be able to sleep better too. The cortisone started taking effect about ten minutes later and I elected to put on a pair of panties and go over the plates in my field guide again.

The women at lunch had shared a tidbit with me. Brian was making advances on all of the younger single women on the tour. I wasn't special in that respect, so it was disappointing in a way. At least I knew what I was dealing with. Not that it was a big a deal really, what would you expect to get while on a tour with a guy you would spent a week, or two with? I realized if I wanted to get laid it wouldn't take much encouragement--actually none. It was at times like this I liked being a woman--the pursued rather than the pursuer.

Dick had left a printed copy of the trip summary with me for the jungle walk where I had gotten into the stinging nettles. I compared it with my field notes and found I had missed 13 species on the list. I was really bummed as they really were hard to find species. I decided then I would retrace the trail to find them myself later in the day. I looked at the schedule for the week and saw all of the guides had two trips the next day to other locations. The trail would be all mine so I could scratch myself if I needed to.

I awoke the next morning having only gotten up once to apply ointment feeling refreshed. There was itching for sure, but it was far better than the burning sensation of the previous few days. Dick picked me up on time. Somehow he seemed...well...nicer than before, though maybe I was just giving him the benefit of the doubt for the first time.

"Hi, did you sleep well last night?" he asked in a friendly voice.

Well, this is a nice change.

"Yes, I actually did. The rash is healing and I was able to sleep almost all night."

"Good, it looks like you're walking better. So, tomorrow you'll be back to full strength."

"Yes, I think so. I'll do a test run this afternoon to see how things go."

"Okay. Just don't overdo it."

Probably just being his protective guide self. Okay I guess.

We walked into the lodge together and I went straight to the buffet and started to fill a plate. It wasn't but a minute later when Brian walked up with a broad smile.

"I've hardly seen hide nor hair of you the past two days. Are you feeling alright?"

"Just a little touch of something. I should be fine by tomorrow."

He smiled and whispered, "I understand, female problems."

I decided to ignore the comments implications, though it did serve to push me to make a decision. He wasn't getting any from me unless I got really needy.

"Something like that," I smiled.

He could have scored a few points if he had joined me for breakfast but he went over to sit with another woman. I sighed, yeah, I had better get really horny by tomorrow if he were to have a chance. I ate and visited with a few others as I felt a strong itch come on making me squirm. I was sure someone was going to ask if I had ants in my pants--no one did. I waited until I saw Dick take his dishes to the drop-off and followed suit so he could take me back. He had been sitting with Andy and a few older birders, including another woman I had talked to the day before. Dick dropped me off and he bade me farewell saying he hoped I could find something to myself occupied for the rest of the day. It seemed to me I felt better about him now than I had before.

I spent the day at the edge of the lodge complex sketching boats at the dock, the river and exposed rocks and woody debris near the shoreline and some plants with intricate leaves. I loved the pattern of the venation on the leaves and the different shaped leaves as they overlapped one another. By the time lunch rolled around my need to scratch had diminished considerably. My ordeal was almost over and I was determined not to get into anything that would draw attention to myself.

After lunch I did a little more sketching and then gathered my backpack for walking the trail to find the birds I had missed three days before. I packed plenty of water, a light snack, and a folded plastic poncho in case it rained. Since I would be under the canopy I put on my short-sleeved shirt and shorts along with my lightweight socks and waterproof hikers. I checked the trail map again. It still looked a little confusing, but I was sure I would remember the route once I was on it.

I left a note on the door handle of my room telling where I was going and the time I left. I itched a little, but I felt good and was tired so sedentary. I set a slow pace and fifteen minutes later arrived at the trailhead. I checked my map, I was at 'a', and set out.

I was pleased as my bird list grew. I had time to use my field guide to insure my IDs were good. It was nice not having to jostle for position with other people. I guess I kind of lost track of time and when I got to the first major intersection checked my map again. I looked around and thought the route to the left was the one we took on the field trip. My bird list continued to grow and I saw a few mammals and a couple of lizards. I was pleased not to have encountered any snakes, I wasn't afraid of them, but I didn't know them well enough to feel comfortable.

I heard thunder in the distance, not uncommon, so I continued on. I came to another junction in the trail and veered to the left again. I encountered a few birds that remained hidden in the leaves at mid-story and it took a while to get a good enough look to get a firm ID. I heard the dull sound of something coming from behind me and it took a few minutes before I realized the storm had moved in my direction--what I was hearing was the heavy downpour hitting the leaves in the high canopy. It took a few minutes before scattered large drops penetrated the layers of leaves to reach the ground. I glanced at my watch. What! That can't be right. I looked again, yep, the hands were in the right place.

I grew uneasy as I realized not only had I missed dinner, but the darkness I had attributed to the thunderstorm was actually an indication of how late it was. It would be dark in about half an hour and I was at least two hours at a fast walk from the lodge. I started jogging as fast as I could retracing my path, it was when I reached the first junction on the trail about ten minutes later when I felt bewildered. I took out the map and looked at it, okay go to the right.