More Than Gold

by Dorice Grey

  Brian Schultz and his best friend, Simon, get stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. But they don’t worry too much about it, because Brian is an important person and everyone is going to look for him.

  Since they’re on the island that is supposed to hide a great pirates’ treasure, Brian and Simon start looking for it. That’s when a secret makes its way between them, pushing them apart but also bringing them together in more ways than one.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  More Than Gold

  Copyright © 2017 Dorice Grey

  ISBN: 978-1-4874-1098-8

  Cover art by Angela Waters

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by eXtasy Books Inc or

  Devine Destinies, an imprint of eXtasy Books Inc

  Look for us online at:

  www.eXtasybooks.comorwww.devinedestinies.com

  More Than Gold

  By

  Dorice Grey

  Dedication

  For my sexy husband.

  Chapter One

  “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I look at Simon like he’s grown another head. “You took us on a fucking treasure hunt on a God forsaken island in the middle of nowhere and you didn’t remember to fill the backup can?”

  The asshole frowns and waves his hands. “The fuck you yelling at me for? I thought you filled it!”

  I groan, frustrated and already feeling the fear seeping into my body. Raking my fingers through my hair, I sigh and valiantly try to keep calm and not beat the hell out of Simon.

  “Why the fuck didn’t you check it before we left?” I mutter, without looking at him. Instead I look across the vast immensity of the ocean, which seems a lot bigger now that we’re out of fuel.

  “It’s your boat, Brian!” He stares at me incredulously.

  “Yeah, but you already knew I had no fucking clue on how to drive it. You’re the one that has to drive the shit.”

  Simon makes an irritated noise and throws a long glance at the ocean, too. We’ve been floating aimlessly for almost an hour now. Both of us can see the small island straight ahead, but we can’t be sure we’re gonna end up there. However, there might be more islands around.

  “Pointing fingers is useless now,” he says. “We have to start looking for solutions.”

  I snort. “Right. Does your cell phone have any signal, ‘cause I’m pretty sure mine hasn’t.”

  “No good sailor relies on a cell phone for safety. There should be a radio around here somewhere.”

  He turns on his heel in a circle, searching the deck, then looks at me. I shrug. The boat belongs to my parents. My dad usually drives it, and since I had no interest in learning how to deal with it, although I know it couldn’t be much different than a car, he instead taught my best friend, Simon, how to drive it. Simon always had a strange fascination with the ocean. In fact he’s studying to become a marine biologist, and Dad eagerly offered to help with anything he needed for practice or for his studies.

  “You search for it here. I’ll go look downstairs.”

  “Fine,” I mumble. “Is it any different than a normal radio?”

  Simon makes a face. “Not necessarily. What the hell, Brian, I know you don’t like driving the boat, but you do know what a damn radio looks like!”

  I raise my hands taking a step back. “I know what a radio looks like. I just wanted to make sure, all right? Jesus!”

  Though the fear is still there, the irritation feels bigger. I watch Simon go below deck, secretly admiring his ass. I’ve known him since I was three, but my obsession with his ass started later when we were both teens. At that time I got a little scared thinking that maybe I was gay, but then I discovered girls and that confusion faded away very quickly. In spite of that, the obsession remained. I’ve gotten used to it, and since I’ve never checked out any other man’s ass, I consider it a crazy fetish.

  I don’t feel any other attraction to him, I just like his ass. For a long time I thought of it as jealousy, but after I started working out and developed a nice ass of my own, I couldn’t say that anymore. Still, I let myself admire Simon and just carry on like that isn’t weird, because I’m already used to it and no one knows anyway.

  The secret makes me grin, though. I’m no teenager anymore, but that doesn’t mean I can’t act like one sometimes.

  After he’s gone, I start looking for the radio, the worry returning. My parents are always prepared. I’m sure they thought of this kind of trouble. The boat isn’t big, so I start by searching the most obvious places, like drawers and boxes lying around. I find sun glasses, three pairs of binoculars and a spy glass, whistles, watches and compasses, but no radio. I move to the cabinets in the small kitchenette. Plates, spoons and forks, and all a kitchen needs. No radio. What would anyone do with a radio in the kitchen, right? Groaning, I bypass the counter and step into the living-entertainment area. Maybe I’ll have some luck here. Judging by the size of the boat, which isn’t that big, you’d think a library is space wrongly used. Well, not according to my mom. Amazingly, the library is filled with romance, erotica and fantasy books, not sailing or survival books. That would have been useful. I take a good look around and even search the cabinets above the TV and the sheets wardrobe. Nothing.

  I close the last cabinet and hit my head on it, sighing.

  “Hey, Simon! Any luck?”

  “Yeah, I found one, but I think it’s out of batteries.”

  “Fuck!” I groan, my forehead still pasted on the cabinet’s wooden door. “Do you have any more ideas?”

  A short pause from Simon. “Uh... Smoke signals?”

  I laugh despite the situation. “Right. Something that’s actually useful?”

  “Nope. Sorry.”

  “We’re screwed.”

  “Yep.”

  While we’re having this very insightful conversation, the boat finally reaches the shore, the sand scratching the shiny metal and making a loud noise. Simon lets the anchor down, though on the inside we both doubt we could push the small yacht out back on the water.

  “It doesn’t look so bad,” Simon says when we get off the boat, looking at the thick rainforest that starts right after the beach. There’s maybe twenty feet of sand, then lots and lots of trees.

  In the silence, the birds chirp. You know, like the crickets in the movies, only they’re birds. I make a face and don’t reply since the image and sounds of the island already did it for me. They expressed my opinion to the fucking T.

  But Simon insists.

  “Right?” he asks, turning his head to watch me.

  I look back at him and paste a tight fake smile. “Riiiight.”

  “Oh, come on! There’s the ocean, there’s the rainforest, silence everywhere. It’s a fucking paradise. What more do you want?”

  “How about girls?” I humorlessly ask.
“Or any sign of civilization. A paradise usually has tons of hotels and stuff. Not to mention food and all the fun places, like the night clubs.”

  “Oh, shut up. We won’t starve. We’ve brought food for at least three weeks.”

  Groaning, I swivel on my feet and start for the boat.

  “Hey, where are you going?”

  “Inside. It’s fucking hot.”

  “Yeah, but the air conditioning it’s not working, remember?”

  I stop and give a long sigh. “Dammit!”

  “Why don’t we start mapping this island and get an idea of how big it is? Then we can maybe start searching for that treasure.” Simon waves the silly map he found in an ancient book and grins. He’s been carrying the thing in his pocket the whole trip.

  “Are you serious?”

  It’s the summer vacation and I want to have fun, of course. When I agreed to this stupid treasure hunt it sounded like fun. Now? Not so much.

  “Do you have anything better to do?”

  Well, at least he has a point there. Plus, how many other twenty-something-year-olds can brag about discovering an entire island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Still, the idea of walking around a deserted island for God knows how long doesn’t appeal to me. But his face is full of excitement and joy. He’s my best friend, after all. How can I ruin his day?

  Shaking my head, I return to his side and put my hands on my hips ready for action.

  “Where do we start?” I ask.

  “First of all, we have to find some sticks or something to write an SOS message on the beach as close to the boat as we can. It has to be big. Like real big.” He emphasize with his hands. “To be seen from a plane big.”

  “Good idea.”

  “Thanks. Your parents will look for you no matter how big of a pain in the ass you are for them.”

  “Hey!” I protest, but Simon just goes on like I’m not even there.

  “... unfortunately, they know our trip should last at least one month, and we might run out of food by then, especially since it’s gonna take them some time to realize we’re actually missing and not treasure hunting.”

  Remembering how we’d told my parents about this trip, I’m surprised they let us leave in the first place. I palm my face. I’ve only sent them two or three messages since we left almost a week ago. They’re used to Simon and me going out with the boat for long periods of time and not being able to call so yeah... it will take them some time to start worrying enough to send a search party for us.

  “Oh. And we have to find a water source.”

  I frown. “There’s the ocean.” And I point at the vast blueness.

  “Don’t make fun, Brian. We can’t drink salty water.”

  Oh, that kind of water! So I haven’t been in any survival camps, all right?

  “Sorry,” I play along. “Don’t you think we have better chances to find water in the forest?”

  “Hmm. You’re right. And crossing the forest instead of going around it might be faster. We can shoot two birds with one stone.”

  “Great,” I mumble, looking over my shoulder at the trees. “Birds, here we come!” I warn.

  Simon chuckles. “And snakes and spiders and...”

  “Shut up or I’m gonna kick your ass.”

  Chapter Two

  Before we leave we take all our camping gear. If we don’t know how big this island is and we can’t go back to the boat, we have to sleep somewhere. That brings me back to the lizards and the spiders, but I ignore the thought and continue walking along with Simon.

  “Remind me again how I let you convince me to go on this wild goose chase?”

  Simon stops and turns to look at me. “Damn, Brian. It’s like I have my five-year-old brother with me. Tell me you don’t wanna find water to drink.”

  “We have water to drink on the boat.” I point behind me, but the yacht is not visible through the thick forest.

  “Yeah, but it’s really hot and we’re gonna finish it before we get rescued.”

  The fact that we’re not panicking is a miracle. But I know the reason why. Each of us doesn’t wanna show the other that we’re scared. If we ignore the no fuel thing, the island really is a paradise, even without the girls. And since we already planned a long trip, the food is not a problem either. Yet. I wonder if we’re gonna panic when we’re really hungry and our supplies are gone. “Hey, Simon!”

  “Hm?” He doesn’t stop this time.

  “If you’re starving, do you think you’re gonna attack and eat me?”

  He snorts. “Jesus, Brian! Where in the world did you come up with that?”

  We’ve been walking for a few hours through the rainforest and the terrain has become a little rockier and started climbing.

  “I’m just saying. It might come to that.”

  “Shut up! You’re Brian fucking Schultz. Everyone is gonna look for your ass! We won’t have to eat each other. And even if we do, I would never eat you. You’re fucking toxic. You’d kill me even faster than hunger.”

  It’s my turn to snort. “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I would certainly eat you,” I add in a small voice, but not necessarily meaning that, since I’ve been checking out his ass a lot lately. The words that came out of my mouth scare me a little, but I don’t think too much of it. This island is playing with my head.

  “I heard that.”

  Sighing, Simon stops again and turns toward me, stepping close enough to paste me against a tree. The backpack nudges against my right side hard enough to make me wince. Moving a little from left to right, I manage to push the hard object, which I suspect is a pan, to the front of the backpack.

  “Listen. I know everything with you is about having fun, and I’m sure we’re gonna laugh about this a lot in the future, but right now we have to keep our minds clear and help each other. Okay?”

  “I’m not stupid, you asshole!” I frown, his warning seeming useless to me.

  “Well, sometimes you act like you are.”

  “Fuck you!” I spit out.

  To my shock he just grins. “Watch your mouth.”

  “Why? You gonna wash it with soap, mommy?”

  “Oh, no. Far worse than that!”

  “Huh?”

  Simon wiggles his brows, getting even closer and pinning me to the tree. “I’ll take it literally.”

  Before I can voice my confusion, he cups my face with both hands and kisses me.

  For the first few seconds I’m so shocked I can’t even react. I don’t feel anything either, my mind completely blank. I’m stiff and flabbergasted and I’m waving my hands around like an idiot. Stupidly, I let Simon press his lips to mine for almost ten seconds, and I would have probably remained still if he hadn’t tried to push his tongue in my mouth. That’s when I wake up.

  Trembling with anger, I put my hands on his shoulders and shove him back. Hard. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

  Simon falls on his ass, but looks up at me, his grin still in place, not affected in the least, while I’m heaving and my heart pounds like crazy.

  “I told you to watch your mouth, ‘cause I have nothing against fucking you.”

  “What?”

  He bursts out laughing, slumping back on his own camping gear. “You have no idea how good it felt to finally say that!”

  “F-finally?” I manage to croak out, using the back of my hand to wipe my mouth. Instinct mostly, ‘cause there’s nothing to wipe, really.

  “You should see your face!” The fucker laughs, rising on his hands again.

  “What a fuck, Simon? You... you actually fuck men?”

  The idea is so shocking and new that it has never, ever, crossed my mind. I mean, my best friend since forever is gay and I didn’t even suspect? Not one fucking clue?

  “So what if I do?” he shrugs, nonchalantly.

  “Jesus! Do you?” I put a hand on the tree needing to
steady myself.

  Simon looks into my eyes and nods. “Yes.” No trace of remorse. No joke or lie.

  His reply startles me. “Holy fuck!”

  I frown, looking down at him, but I’m not disgusted or appalled, just shocked out of my mind and really upset because he hasn’t told me this before.

  Suddenly I’m tired and feel completely out of picture here.

  “Stay the fuck away from me!” I say, turning and heading for the boat.

  “Brian, c’mon, man!”

  He gets up and hurries after me, catching my shoulder. I jerk back, shaking his hand off.

  “Don’t ever touch me again!” I don’t wait for a reply, just storm off, leaving him behind. I feel his sadness following me for a while, and in spite of my anger, it tugs at my heart strings. There’s no one in this fucking world that knows me better than him. That’s why the betrayal hurts so bad. I thought I knew him, too. Apparently I was wrong.

  While stomping off my irritation, I lose track of time and find myself back to the boat faster than I expect. However, the sun has started to descend on the sky and the light is now orange, feeling nice on my skin. But my bad mood trumps that too.

  I stop right before the yacht and begrudgingly kick a stick that forms our SOS message. It’s stupid anyway! I mean, I don’t think this island is really undiscovered, especially when I think there’s a treasure map that points directly at it.

  Or is it?

  I’ve never actually looked at that damn map! Maybe Simon has been tricking me the whole time.

  I stare at the SOS again. Simon even shoved some torches in the sand surrounding it so we could light them at night. It was a nightmare to wrap them in T-shirts and oil them with some vodka to have them ready for burning.

  No! He wouldn’t do that! He wouldn’t take me on this God forsaken island on a wild goose chase. At least not without a reason. Maybe he wants to study some rare species of reef or something and the map was only an excuse.