“Easy now, your stomach has been empty for days. I don’t want you to vomit. Nice and slow,” she urged sincerely, simply concerned for his well being.
“I’m fine. What the hell happened?” he barked, finishing off the remainder of the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and tossed the empty bottle to the ground.
“One minute we were flying through a storm, and the next we were making an emergency landing. You couldn’t get anyone on the radio, we lost all power and communications,” she explained, carefully choosing her words. He looked confused and Joss wondered if the whack to his head was worse that she first considered.
“Jesus, it’s coming back to me. Last thing I remember was the aircraft touching down, then nothing.”
“Yeah, you took a hard hit to the head, and maybe even a chest impact. I’ve been monitoring you closely since the accident,” she explained patiently, hoping not to alarm him.
“What are you, some kind of doctor?”
Joss shook her head, “no, not a doctor. I have medical training though...”
“So how long exactly since we went down?” he interrupted tersely, cutting her off.
He tried to sit up and quickly reached out for her arm, as though fighting dizziness.
“Any casualties?”
“Easy,” she cautioned, assisting him as best she could. He glared at her as though it were her fault he felt so lousy.
She tried not to take it personally, and continued, “No casualties, Captain. You were the only one seriously injured. It’s been over 80 hours. My best guess is that we went down around 10:30 on Thursday evening. We made landfall yesterday morning...Sunday.”
She casually looked behind her, locating the man she wanted. He was the only one wearing a watch, hers still sitting in the bottom of her carry on bag.
“Charles, what time is it?”
He checked his Rolex. “It’s 9:15,” he said back, offering her a smile.
She nodded her thanks and turned back to her patient.
“83 hours, to be precise Captain.”
“Fuck, that’s a worry. Any chance the men were able to get communications working?” he asked flatly, one brow raised, as though the thought that the “little lady” could fix the radio had not even crossed his mind.
Joss shrugged, annoyed by the sexist assumption. She probably couldn’t have, she thought crossly, but that wasn’t the point. None of the men could either, and they were big, strong boys.
“I think it’s shot. Everything was dead. Maybe when you’re up for it, you could take a look.”
He regarded her with mild amusement, as though wondering who the hell put her in charge.
“Yeah, that would be the plan,” he replied arrogantly.
“Great,” she hissed through a tight grin, trying to stay cool.
Joss wondered if he was always such a jack-ass and suddenly wished he would fall back to sleep. She liked him so much better unconscious.
“Do we have any biscuits or something?” he asked, unconcerned that he might have offended her.
“We don’t have much, but I’ll bring you over some almonds and a little bit of the apple juice I saved for you. I’m going to do a little exploring and foraging later, and Willie and Daniel are going to try their hands at fishing. Hopefully we can offer you something more for dinner.”
“If yer goin’ on a walk-about, take a bloke with ya. Not safe for a sheila to be in the jungle alone. The last thing we need is for you to wander off and git yourself lost,” he cautioned, his tone just an inch to the right of condescending.
“I think Joss will be fine. She’s a smart lady and has been keeping all our sorry asses alive for the past four days. We’ve been in good hands.”
Joss looked up to find Charles standing over her, the can of almonds in his hand. She could easily handle herself, but she appreciated the support, nevertheless.
“Is that right,” Grant grinned, eyeing Charles up and down, as though quickly assessing his character, and possibly his strength too.
Joss sighed quietly to herself, all too familiar with men like the captain underestimating her. It happened frequently. Guys would sign up for survival courses, coming in all hot and tough, acting like wannabe marines, until they realized a woman was instructing them. Often she had to deal with derisive eye rolls and scoffing until she “proved” her worth, where her male colleagues were just offered the benefit of the doubt. It was frustrating to say the least, but it never took long for her to earn their respect. She was good at unsaddling macho men from high horses.
“My apologies, girly,” Grant offered flatly, taking the almonds Charles offered him, not sounding sorry at all. He opened the tin and cockily popped one into his mouth, laying his head back down, his body language dismissing her.
Standing up, Joss shook her head, unwilling to be rattled by him. She knew she needed to reserve judgement. The rest of them had several days to settle in, process their predicament, whereas the captain was still in shock. There was a small possibility he really wasn’t a jerk. At least she hoped so.
“You had the good sense to ration our water, I hope?” he grumbled, just as she walked away.
Then again, maybe he was.
Charles caught her eye and smirked, gently placing his hand on her shoulder, his touch especially nurturing. She reluctantly leaned into him, surprised by how badly she wanted to be held. Instead she patted his hand and shied away, unwilling to show her vulnerability.
Chapter 11
Joss was grateful to have her botany book with her, the one she’d brought on the trip. She’d read it cover to cover during the flight to Fiji and was confident she could easily forage for edibles, but she brought it along as a resource anyway. Better safe than sorry. Ryan hiked behind her, Joss’ now empty carry-on slung over his shoulder, picking his way cautiously through the heavy undergrowth.
It was close to noon before they finally ventured out, having spent the morning sorting through their luggage and taking inventory. Ryan had a very expensive bottle of wine stowed in his luggage, which they all agreed they would save for the day they got rescued. Joss was pleased to see several items they could use for everyday survival, along with her hunting/survival knife. They had two pocketknives, a corkscrew, lighter and matches, nail scissors and tweezers (hers), razors, her survival watch, and eight condoms. Charles even had several hotel sewing kits tucked away in his carry on. She wished she’d known about them the night of the crash, when she needed to stitch Captain Grant’s head wound. Either way, a needle and thread was exactly what she needed to patch together a sturdy fishing net from the crinoline of her dress. It turned out just as she envisioned.
That morning she’d even taken some time to weave together a basket out of palm fronds so that Willie and Daniel could use it to haul back whatever fish they caught. She suspected that early dawn was the best time to fish, but if they wanted to try, what could it hurt? Charles agreed to stay behind and fortify the shelter, but mostly to keep an eye on the captain until he had his land legs back.
Joss decided their first route should be the west side. It was a good place to start, and it seemed to be the flattest. She marked their path carefully using one of the pocketknives, notching trees every few yards with a very visible X. There weren’t any noticeable game paths, so it was unlikely there were larger animals sharing the island with them. That meant no predators, thankfully. Joss was certain there were plenty of birds, rodents and lizards though, and if they were lucky enough to catch them, they could eat them. With any luck, they would find a water source and set up traps in the vicinity.
Bushwhacking through the jungle was hard work, and she was working up quite a sweat. She was starting to regret not waiting until after the hike to bathe. Witnessing her returning from the lagoon fresh as a daisy had prompted the men (with the exception of Captain Jack-Ass) to bathe and change their clothes too. She was happy to share her toiletries with them, but begged them to use the soap and shampoo sparingly.
The captain had still been fairly faint. Joss watched him trying to sit up, and even stand on his own, but he quickly succumbed to his dizziness, laying his sorry ass back down. She offered to help him once or twice but he just shooed her away, too proud to accept her offer. Recognizing he was a proud, stubborn man, she casually left the things within his reach, helping him as stealthily as she could. He knew what she was up to but didn’t say two words to her, not even thank you.
Joss kept her eyes peeled for food as they walked, stopping and crouching every few minutes to pick berries or snap off edible greens. She was careful to leave roots intact, ensuring their food source would continue to grow and flourish for another meal. She was excited to find a mango tree and was able to reach six ripe ones, with the help of Ryan hoisting her on his shoulders. He accepted all her offerings, placing them carefully in the bag, mindful not to crush the berries. Along the way, Joss took careful notes and drew primitive maps in her journal so they would have a good record of their travels (and where to return for food).
She and Ryan were a good team and she enjoyed the natural banter between them. He was a funny guy, his easy, dry humor raising her spirits. She was grateful for the chatter, and the endless laughter. After the ordeal they’d survived, they needed it. It made their crazy situation seem almost normal, their stress melt away. After a few hours they’d traveled as far as Joss dared.
“We’ll just take a short break before heading back,” she panted, more exhausted than she realized. She glanced down at her survival watch, which served not only as a compass, but had a dozen other uses as well. It was close to three. They would need at least two hours to make their way back to camp, dusk falling soon after that. She didn’t want to spend the night in the jungle, and once it started getting dark, the jungle floor would come alive and bushwhacking would become even more treacherous.
They quickly found a little clearing. Joss untied the wrap from around her waist and laid it over the mossy ground so they could both sit. As Ryan sipped from the water bottle they shared, Joss used her pocket knife to cut open one of the mangos. She offered half to her partner and they hungrily devoured it. They’d exerted a lot of energy and would need the calories for the trip back.
“That’s an awesome watch, Joss. It’s almost like you knew we’d be stranded on a deserted island,” Ryan teased, gently reaching for her wrist. She giggled, allowing him to raise her arm for a closer look.
“Ha ha, very funny. I brought this watch with me because I was scheduled to take a survival training course in Vanua Levu after my friend’s wedding. I thought it would come in handy. Trust me, if I’d had any premonitions, I wouldn’t have boarded that damn plane.”
“Well, I’m happy you’re stranded with us, we’d be screwed without you,” he insisted, dropping her hand back into her lap, his fingers lingering over hers. The flirtation was not lost on Joss. Normally she would have shut it down, but she didn’t mind so much. She liked Ryan, a lot, and had found herself fantasizing about him most of the day.
He hesitated for a moment, trying to read her body language, before slipping her hand into his, allowing their fingers to entwine. She smiled up at him and was instantly met with a boyish grin, designed to set her at ease.
It was working.
“This is nice,” she sighed, squeezing his hand gently, “it feels almost normal...I mean, if you overlook the fact that we survived a plane crash, that you’re a famous movie star, and that we’re stranded on an island.”
“Yeah, besides that,” he teased playfully, his thumb softly caressing her knuckles. He paused for a moment, as though he had something on his mind.
“I’m going to kiss you,” he blurted, his words confident and sure.
He leaned toward her, placing his free hand in the nape of her neck, softly knitting his fingers through her hair. She wanted to let him, she really did, but her knee jerk reaction was to pull away. It had been a long time since she’d let a man kiss her.
“Sorry,” Ryan whispered, regarding her thoughtfully, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“No, you didn’t. I just wasn’t expecting that,” she insisted, her confused tone interwoven with both need, and regret. She wanted a kiss, but like a skittish kitten, was easily spooked. It had always been that way for her and she hated it.
“Why do you want to kiss me?”
Ryan cocked his head, his curious eyes searching hers. She squeezed his fingers, wordlessly begging him to try again, too shy to speak the words.
“Because I like you. Now, close your eyes,” he whispered, his smiling lips inches from her own. She did as she was told, curiously raising her mouth to his.
He eased into the kiss, tentatively at first, testing her resolve. She liked the way he controlled his pace, teasing out her arousal. She slowly parted her lips, inviting his tongue to explore her own. His mouth tasted sweet, like the mango they’d shared. For the first time in days, she allowed herself to relax, her mind submitting to her body, practicality yielding to need. She could sense her arousal intensifying, radiating from her core, slowly spreading down her spine and legs like warm bath water, his touch flushing her sensitive skin.
Her ‘mainland’ brain would have wrestled with propriety, ending his seduction before she lost control. She would have been cautious and discerning, worried he wouldn’t respect her if she fucked him, that she wouldn’t respect herself, her pragmatic mother’s voice looping in her head, warning her that he was only using her.
But they weren’t on the mainland, and the truth was, she didn’t fucking care whether he respected her or not. She felt wild and uninhibited, as untamed as the beautiful island on which they were stranded. She was using him for the same simple reason he was using her, because they were young, and alive. They had survived.
So when he started to peel off her clothes, she let him. He kissed her with a passion she never knew existed, like she was fresh air filling his lungs, good food filling his belly, hot whiskey deliciously burning his throat, indulging in the profound pleasure of her. His tongue trailed deliberately down her collar bone, over the fleshy mounds of her breasts, pulling in one salty pink nipple, then the other. The tenderness of his tongue sent shivers down her spine as he gently nibbled and sucked each breast, taking his time so she could fully appreciate his seduction.
Normally she would have encouraged foreplay, insisted on it really, relishing in the tasty appetizer, but instead she squirmed beneath him, shocked by her desperate need to fuck him. Aching, frenzied, and wet, highjacked by her unladylike need. His hard cock seemed to agree, anxiously pressing against her thigh, leaving a cool moist trail on her flesh. She slowly ran her hands down his back until they came to rest on the curve of his ass. His skin was blazing, like hot embers, as though a slow burning fire was smoldering deep inside.
“I need to fuck you, Joss. I can’t wait another second...” Ryan choked, rising up to meet her. He pressed his lips hard against hers, forcing her mouth open with his tongue. She matched his passion, spreading her legs so he could easily shift between them.
“Jesus, yes. Fuck me,” she panted, adjusting her hips to invite him in. He didn’t hesitate and lifted her ass, slipping his shaft into her, completely filling her. She groaned her approval, encouraging him to grind his furious cock even deeper.
He eagerly fucked her, the way young men do, but not without skill. She tightened her thighs around him, riding his cock with matched intensity. Groaning wildly, he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck, desperately penetrating her, encouraged by her fiery eagerness.
“God, yes!” she cried, spurred on by the pleasure, the crush of his body, his uninhibited passion. She grabbed his ass, grinding his pubic bone into her clit, her pleasure mounting with with every thrust until it bubbled over. She pulled his weight on top of her, holding him close, seized by her orgasm, her moans coaxing him to cum.
“Fucking hell, woman,” he growled, staring into her eyes, his hips rocking with hers. Withi
n seconds Joss felt his body tense inside her, his muscles rippling beneath her hands, his hot cum filling her pussy. He pressed his mouth against hers, hard, as his orgasm rocked violently inside him, refusing to release him. It seemed to last forever.
Ryan quietly held Joss for several minutes afterwards, his heart beating against her chest, his cock softening inside her, neither of them ready to face reality. Their love-making had been a welcome reprieve, a few intense minutes of ecstasy in contrast to the despair and fear that had plagued their thoughts for days.
“We should head back soon,” Joss breathed, the voice of reason warm against his neck.
“M-hmm,” he muttered, deliberately pulling her closer.
“I’m serious,” she giggled, squirming beneath him, his cue to roll off her. “We’ll want to be back before dusk.”
She casually kissed him before sitting up and quickly found her clothes, shaking out her shorts before pulling them back on. She was well aware of the dangerous critters that dwelled on the jungle floor and she preferred not to transport stowaways in her panties.
“Check your underwear for spiders,” she advised, nonchalantly. She looked up to see a look of horror on Ryan’s face, and laughed. He grinned at her nervously.
“That has to be the least sexy thing anyone has ever said to me,” he retorted, vigorously shaking his clothes. He carefully inspected them before dressing. “Fucking in the jungle is not as easy as it looks.”
“It is for the insects!” she quipped, tying her wrap back around her waist. She walked past him, slapping him on the ass. “Ready?”
Ryan picked up the bag and carefully slung it over his shoulder
“Let’s go,” he agreed, motioning her to lead the way.
* * *
Returning on the marked trail, they headed back the way they came. It would take less than half the time to get back, Joss surmised, because they weren’t stopping every few minutes to collect food. They were both quiet, concentrating as they picked their way carefully through the undergrowth, as if both were processing what had just happened. Joss looked behind her to make sure Ryan was near. He had a worried expression on his face, like something was on his mind.
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