What an incorrigible man!

Trying not to think of the bossy Mr. Knightly, Katrina stood by the railing of the small, one-level steamboat as it crept along the twisting river. Since leaving the store, he'd commanded every step she took until they'd reached the boat. Even now as they sailed, his domineering voice boomed through the air, disrupting her thoughts. If she didn't know better, she'd think he hated this type of adventure. He snapped at everything she did and barked at the others as if they'd done something wrong as well.

Mr. Knightly was very similar to the tavern owner that had taken over when she was in her sixteenth year. Up to this point in her life, she'd been helping in the kitchen, but when Mr. McDougal started managing, he instructed her that she needed to wait tables. He made her wear skimpy dresses and expected her to flirt with the drunken customers. McDougal said the tavern would bring in more money if she did what he requested. Although it turned her stomach, she followed his rules. Never in all that time, did he think she had a mind of her own—or an opinion. She was to shut her mouth and not talk back, which of course, was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do.

Even coming to Brazil didn't compare to the torture McDougal had put her through. So perhaps she shouldn't complain about being here, because if she had the option, she'd choose Knightly over McDougal.

The farther into the jungle they sailed, the thicker the knotted trees became until she couldn't see anything in between each one. The sun glinted off the murky water, making shadowy figures of the trees and bushes. It was so peaceful and still, except for the men on the boat wandering around as they kept the vessel moving and the occasional shouts from Mr. Knightly.

It still upset her that he hadn't allowed her mother to come along. But in truth, having her mother take this journey would not have been wise. Thankfully, Mr. Knightly kept to his word and there was another woman on board. She was a good ten years Katrina's senior, and hadn't yet said one word to her. Katrina hoped they would at least carry on one decent conversation during the trip...as long as the woman spoke English.

A movement in the water caught her eyes, and she studied the shape as the barge crawled closer. She leaned over the railing a bit more, trying to see what skimmed just under the surface. Some kind of animal, to be sure.

The creature was long and pointy at both ends. Beady eyes watched her, barely above the water. At first she thought it to be an alligator, but the river wasn't transparent enough for her to see clearly, and she didn't think an alligator could be that large.

She leaned a little closer to get a better look. As the boat passed, the animal's eyes narrowed. Then, within a split second, it lifted it's head and snapped its long jaws, jagged with sharp teeth, toward her. Crying out in alarm, she withdrew. Suddenly, from behind, two hands grabbed tightly to her waist, and she jumped.

"You fool!" Mr. Knightly scolded, practically yelling in her ear. "Do you want to fall in the river and become that crocodile's lunch?"

With shaky hands, she placed them over his to remove his hold. Instead, she found comfort in those long fingers spanning her waist. Her heart hammered more from his nearness than from the hungry crocodile. She fought the urge to lean back and rest against his chest.

In a flash, one of her sights came. It was dark, but she could see Mr. Knightly's handsome face clearly. He wore a serious expression as he moved closer to her, lowering his head as if to kiss her...

She quickly shook the forewarning away. Now that she knew the man would try to steal a kiss, she would do her best to fight it.

"Forgive me for causing you distress just now," she said. More than anything, she didn't want him to think she had no common sense. For once in her life, she wanted a man to take notice of her intellect and not her appearance. "I...um, I assure you I was in control and wasn't going to fall."

She met his gaze over her shoulder. He stood so close his rugged jaw nearly touched her forehead. She could lean in and rub her forehead across his day's stubble if she let herself.

Slowly, she moved her focus to his lips. At first they were straight and hard, but the longer she stared, they softened and soon parted. When she met his eyes again, their color wasn't dark with anger as it had been before. Instead, he wore a simple expression of kindness and concern.

Kindness? No, she must be mistaken.

Yet she knew he was kind because he'd shown her by allowing her to purchase clothes at Consuelo's earlier this morning.

He wouldn't try to kiss her now, would he? She pushed the silly thought away. Of course not. It wasn't dark.

Mr. Knightly pulled away, taking two steps back. Once again, anger lines appeared on his handsome face. "Just make certain you don't get too close and fall overboard. I can promise the crocodiles will get to you quicker than I will."

She nodded. "I'll remember your warning." Swallowing hard, she leaned against the railing and looked in the direction they sailed. "How much farther do we go before traveling on foot?"

"We'll sail through the afternoon, and by early evening we'll be to the point where we can walk."

"All right."

This time, it was a movement across the river that caught her attention. Three more crocodiles slid on their bellies from the riverbank into the water.

"Look." Mr. Knightly pointed, moving nearer to her, his arm outstretched toward the reptiles. "They will follow us for a little while before becoming distracted and giving up."

"Why do they want to follow?"

He looked at her with an eyebrow arched. "Because sometimes things fall off the barge, and they want to make certain they are there to see if it's edible."

"Oh." A shiver coursed through her and she tightened her hands on the railing.

After a few minutes passed without any more words between them, Katrina became more and more aware of how close he stood. Why hadn't he moved yet? He'd had plenty of opportunities.

The moisture on her neck grew, whether from the horrid heat or the man's nearness, she couldn't decide. She swiped her hand along her neck, tilting her head back and closing her eyes as she opened the shirt at her throat just enough to allow a little air to venture inside and refresh her, if only slightly. When she blinked her eyes open, Felix's attention was on her throat. His gaze darkened, but not from anger. A different emotion flashed in his eyes this time. Her heart beat faster from his intense stare.

She licked her dry lips. "This heat is wicked."

He blinked a few times before meeting her gaze. "Get used to it. The humidity is only going to get worse the farther into the jungle we go. Not only that, there won't be much of a breeze because the large trees will block the air's circulation."

She nodded. "I understand." She moved her hand across her neck again, not being able to look at anything else but Felix. There was something between them, and she wished it would disappear. The only thing she wanted to concentrate on was the upcoming meeting with her father...and getting the money he'd promised...and hoping he didn't get hit with any darts or that his house didn't catch on fire.

Felix Knightly was too distracting, and she couldn't have it. He was just like most of the men she met at the tavern. Although, he really wasn't. He was much better than those drunkards. He was in a class all by himself.

Nevertheless, the daydreams she had of marriage and family would never be probable with a man like Mr. Knightly—the rogue! She had decided years ago she would not become like the immoral women she had grown up around. Instead, she would save herself for her husband. Mr. Knightly acted like most of the men she'd met at the tavern. They were definitely not looking for marriage.

Katrina cleared her throat and turned away from him. A rush of air blew from his mouth in a relieved sigh. Why had he acted this way? The man was certainly a curious person.

"My father's attorney, Mr. Jamison, mentioned you were an associate of my father's. Is that correct?" She rotated her head to glance his way again.

"I met him once a few years back in Rio de Janeiro."

"Would you tell me what he looks like?"

Confusion glinted in his eyes. "You have never met your own father?"

"Never." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hmm, I see." He released a heavy sigh and nodded. "Well, your father has wavy brown hair like yours, and he's probably just as tall. I remember him being a confident man—much like his daughter, I'm certain. I'll recognize him when I see him again, but I don't exactly know where his rubber tree plantation is located."

"So how will you know which way to go?"

"My man, Manuel, knows the way."

She placed her hand on his arm. "Then we won't become lost?"

He glanced at her hand as if her palm burned him, so she quickly removed it. He looked back upon the river, his jaw tight and his gaze narrowed.

Katrina folded her hands together, reminding herself he didn't like her touch. It would be hard to keep from making any physical contact with him since she'd always been an affectionate person. Obviously, Mr. Knightly was exactly the opposite, and she didn't want to upset him anymore than she already had.