Mister Diamond

by Chance Carter

  “I don’t think it would take long,” she giggled, kissing his neck.

  He grinned puckishly at her, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “Sadly, I don’t think it would take me long either.” He kissed her again, pulling her tongue into his mouth, punctuating his pleasure with a groan.

  “Promise me a rain check,” she begged between kisses.

  “You can count on it.”

  * * *

  The rest of the afternoon was blissful for them both. They were like teenagers, giddy and playful, swimming in the warm, South Pacific water, relaxing in the sand, making out under the azure sky. It was wonderful to relax and do nothing, Joss setting aside all her worries. She was a hard worker, always taking care of one task or another, always thinking three steps ahead, and it surprised her how easily Daniel took her mind off everything.

  He was easy to talk to, there was no pretense with him. She didn’t have to wonder what was on his mind, his thoughts an open book. It was refreshing and she found herself warming to him in unexpected ways.

  “Hey guys, we’re back,” Ryan called out, walking down the beach towards them. Joss looked up and waved, inviting him to join them.

  “How was the hike, any problems?” she asked as he landed in the sand beside them.

  “Not at all. We actually got a lot done. You’ll be pleased. How about you guys?” he asked, slipping off his shirt. Joss looked him up and down, hiding her blush, her thoughts landing on the fantasy she’d shared with Daniel earlier. She pictured herself with both of them, lustfully sandwiched between them, submitting to her naughty desires.

  “We got the raft loaded, did some clamming. We found enough for supper. It was actually a relaxing day,” Daniel offered, rolling to his side to see him better, blocking the sun with his hand. Ryan read his face, nodding his approval with grin.

  “Good, man, that’s good. Did you take care of our girl?” he asked, gently caressing Joss’ shoulder.

  “I did. She complained the whole time, but I made her take it easy,” Daniel laughed, “I had to tie her down.”

  “Very funny,” she blushed, recalling his delicious kisses, no complaints at all.

  “Hmm, that brings up a pleasant image. I’d like to see that...” Ryan teased, easily flirting with them both.

  “Maybe next time, mate,” Daniel agreed playfully, tossing Joss a wink. She could feel the heat flaming her cheeks, unnerved by their sexy banter, not because she didn’t approve, but because she really did.

  “Okay, you two,” she purred, “let’s get some dinner.” She shifted over, wincing from the pain. Ryan quickly jumped to his feet, helping her onto her own. He pulled her into his hug.

  “I missed you,” he whispered, his lips tickling her earlobe. She let out her breath, melting into his arms, with the sudden realization that she’d missed him too. Her feelings were getting rather complicated. Was it really possible to have feelings for them all, to need them all equally? She wasn’t sure, but it was damn well happening.

  “Me too,” she sighed.

  Daniel slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head between her shoulder blades. None of them moved for several seconds, surprisingly comfortable with the intimacy.

  Chapter 22

  They were ready to go the next morning, after a meagre breakfast; raft packed, and full of enthusiasm. Then the rain came. It wasn’t just one of the quick downpours they’d become accustomed to, the kind that blew in and out in a matter of hours. No, this one settled in for several days, accompanied by high winds, cooler temperatures, and wicked swells, making it impossible to launch the raft.

  They hunkered down in their shelter, trying not to go stir crazy, occupying their time by sleeping, playing cards, and just talking about anything, and everything. They told each other some really personal things, sharing their deepest truths. Maybe it was something about being away from civilization for so long, placing trust in each other for their physical well being, that made it easier to trust their hearts with one another too.

  Joss finally opened up and shared her story with the rest of the men, Grant holding her hand through the whole, painful confession. It wasn’t as difficult as she’d imagined it would be. They were all very loving and supportive and made her feel like everything was going to be okay, assuring her that it didn’t matter if she couldn’t have babies, she was still worthy of love. For the first time in her life, she was starting to believe it might be true.

  Inspired by her honesty, Grant too shared his grief about Evie, and the accident. It warmed her heart to see him accepting their love and encouragement, and she was proud of the progress he was making. Something had shifted in him and she was certain that, like her, unloading the burden of shame was a huge part of it.

  They’d become a tight unit, the six of them, and Joss was going to miss them when they were rescued. It was going to be strange returning to the real world, back to a life of simplicity...and solitude. She’d grown accustomed to being alone after her dad died, even welcomed it, believing that was the way she truly wanted it. The truth was, she was afraid that no one would ever want her, that love wasn’t in the cards for her, and she’d convinced herself that she was fine with that. Now, she wasn’t sure. Not at all.

  They had no fire over those three rainy days and couldn’t venture out to forage, dipping into their reserves to feed themselves. The weather had set their plan, to search the north side of the island, back several days. They were going to have to, once again, replenish their supplies.

  As soon as the rain stopped, they set out, happy to be able to move freely around the island again. Joss was feeling much more herself and was able to pitch in with the heavy lifting. Before long they were ready to move forward with their excursion. Charles was still a little anxious, but he hid it well, promising that he would hold down the fort while they were gone. They only had one flare gun and three flares and insisted that Daniel, Ryan and Joss take it, in case they spotted a ship. None of them were crazy about separating, if their long goodbye was any proof, but it had to be done, they all knew that.

  It wasn’t easy launching the raft beyond the break, but both Daniel and Ryan were experienced surfers and managed to finally navigate beyond the swells without too many issues. They lost the bird trap in their efforts but it was just a minor inconvenience. Joss could make another once they settled in at their new camp.

  It took several hours to realize that their little Island was mainly mountainous. They were lucky they’d landed on the south side because from as far as they could tell, it seemed the only place on the island habitable. It was going to prove challenging to find a safe place to shore for the night. It was Ryan’s job, using Grant’s binoculars, to keep his eyes peeled as they rowed along, while Joss kept her eyes on the sky, and the distant horizon, for signs of civilization. The only thing she saw was a jet, flying way too high for their flare, but at least it was something. It gave them a modicum of hope and encouraged them to keep going.

  As the hours ticked on, Joss was becoming anxious. It was unsafe for them to be on the water once they lost their light, and still there was no where to land. Ryan and Daniel seemed nervous too, but they just kept rowing away, certain that something would reveal itself. The water was relatively calm but once they drifted inland, the swells were sure to pick up, making it very dangerous to approach a rocky shore. They decided that they would take the next bend and regardless of what they faced, they would have to try to make it.

  “Is that what I think it is?” Ryan asked, handing Joss the binoculars. She took them from him and aimed them at the island, adjusting her focus until she saw what he’d been looking at. It looked like a tiny cove, certainly smaller than their own, but it would suffice.

  “I think it is!” Joss grinned, handing the binoculars to Daniel to take a look. “It’s not much but it will work! Let’s go check it out!”

  “I agree,” Daniel chimed in, “let’s get a move on. We’ll need some time to set up camp before
dusk and it’s almost three o’clock.”

  They’d been rowing and bobbing in the ocean for nearly 6 hours and Joss was ready to plant her feet on solid ground. They all were. It took them nearly thirty minutes to navigate their little raft to shore, narrowly missing a large cluster of sharp rocks. When it got shallow enough, Daniel and Ryan both jumped into the surf, pulling the raft up onto the narrow beach.

  They unloaded quickly, tying the raft to a tree in case the tides tried to steal it away. The three survivors walked the perimeter of their temporary home, trying to find the best place to set up a shelter. Ryan suggested that rather than expend any more energy they just prop up their raft and use it as a lean to, covering the gaps with fronds to protect them from the elements. It was a great idea and they set about gathering what they needed. Joss collected extra fronds for the ground, so they would have a comfortable place to curl up. Within an hour they had a functional little camp set up, including a small fire for warmth.

  “I’m frigging exhausted,” Ryan yawned, finishing the last of the mint tea Joss had steeped them. He set the bowl down on top of the others. “How far do you think we made it today?”

  “My guess is probably four, or four and a half miles,” Joss answered sleepily, “five at most.”

  “Seriously? It seemed like twenty,” Ryan laughed, laying himself back on their leafy bed. It was not as comfortable as he would have liked, but it did the trick. He pulled his cap down over his eyes, ready to call it a night.

  “Well, one thing is for certain, the island is not as big as we imagined. That might be helpful for us. From the way the sun was setting tonight I’m thinking we’re not far from the north side. We’ll possibly make it there tomorrow or at least early the next day,” Daniel offered, rubbing his shoulders. Joss slipped in behind him and took over, doing her best to massage the knots out of his aching muscles.

  “Oh, that’s nice, thank you,” he moaned, shifting into a more comfortable position. He slipped his shirt off for better access.

  “My pleasure,” she cooed, enjoying the feel of his warm flesh under her hands. It had a been a long day but that didn’t stop her mind from inviting in naughty thoughts, despite the fact that she was too exhausted to do anything about it.

  “How long do you think we should stay once we get there?” Ryan asked, his words muffled under his baseball hat.

  “Probably a few days anyway. We need time to map out the area and learn it’s rhythms. Two or three days should give us a good idea whether or not we’re near a trade route. If we don’t see anything, we’ll start making our way back. I don’t want to be separated for more than a week, ten days max,” Joss answered, finishing up Daniel’s massage. She kissed him gently on the neck, signaling the end. He nodded at her appreciatively, offering her one his sweet smile as payment. She would never tire of that.

  “Sounds like a good plan,” Ryan concluded quietly, as though he was drifting off to sleep. “Maybe we should get some sleep. We’ll want to get an early start.”

  “I agree,” Joss echoed, “I’m burning out fast.”

  “Why don’t you both get some sleep. I’ll keep the fire going. Better safe than sorry, right? It will keep the mosquitos away, plus we have no idea if there are any predators in this area,” Daniel insisted, offering Joss a kiss on the forehead.

  “Okay,” she agreed, “but wake me up in a few hours. We’ll take shifts.”

  “Me too,” Ryan mumbled, barely audible. Joss smiled at him then turned back to Daniel.

  “Promise to wake me?”

  “Of course. Get some sleep, love,” he nodded, stealing a kiss.

  “I heard that,” Ryan chuckled, raising his hat to grin at them. Joss shook her head and giggled, not sure how to respond. “Come to bed and give me one of those.”

  “Who, me or Joss,” Daniel quipped, a playful gleam in his eye.

  “Either, I’m not picky,” Ryan laughed, drawing chuckles from them both.

  “Slut,” Daniel teased, tossing a twig at him. It bounced off the ground, inches from Ryan’s head.

  “You know it, big guy,” Ryan grinned, patting the ground beside him. Joss laughed again, warmed by the playful banter.

  “Goodnight,” she purred, leaning in for another kiss. Daniel kissed her softly, unapologetically, before releasing her. She crawled into bed beside Ryan, curling up beside him. He wrapped his body around hers, kissing her on the neck. Minutes later she was sound asleep.

  * * *

  The next morning Joss woke up, disoriented and thirsty. The men were sitting by the fire, sharing a quiet conversation, looking quite content. Surprised she had slept through the night, she sat up and quickly pulled on her boots, her bladder screaming at her.

  “Morning,” Ryan said as soon as he saw her moving.

  “Morning,” she replied, crawling towards them. “Why didn’t you guys wake me?”

  “You were sleeping so peacefully we didn’t want to disturb you,” Daniel answered, handing her some dried mango. She took it from him and sat down between them, carefully regarding them both.

  “We were going to take turns watching the fire,” she grumbled, pulling off a piece of the dried fruit with her teeth. It was deliciously sweet but only served to make her more thirsty.

  “Don’t be cross, love. We handled it,” Daniel soothed, handing her some water. Ryan nodded, charming her with his own smile.

  “Sorry,” she nodded, recognizing her impatience. She appreciated their thoughtfulness, but she refused to be treated like a fragile flower. They’d been doing enough of that since her fall. It was embarrassing. “I appreciate you letting me sleep, but please don’t do it again. It’s just the three of us for the next little while. We’ll all need to pull our weight,” she insisted, a little more gently.

  “Of course. Truthfully, I had a hard time sleeping anyway,” Daniel smiled reassuringly. He knew she would scold them for not waking her but he was ready for it. She was a proud woman. It was one of the things he loved about her.

  “Is everything okay,” she asked curiously, her sharp tone quickly shifting.

  “Yes, I’m just anxious to move on, I guess,” he assured, catching Ryan’s eye. They grinned at each other, sharing the same page.

  “I’m going for a quick walk, to freshen up a little,” she smiled, ignoring the exchange between them, as endearing as it was. “Want to pack up as soon as I get back?”

  “Sounds good,” Ryan grinned, too wise to disagree.

  Smiling, she stood up, shaking her head at both of them, submitting to their charm. It was pointless to be angry with them. After more than a month on the island, they had come to know each other’s quirks quite well, and the truth was, they liked doing little things to make her happy. It was in their nature. Her knee jerk reaction was to resist it, but truthfully it did make her feel special. She was just afraid to get used to it.

  As soon as she returned, they tore down their camp and reloaded the raft. Ryan insisted that she eat a little more before they set sail, certain she would need the protein for the day’s exertions. She didn’t disagree, sharing a piece of dried mullet with them.

  The ocean was much calmer than the day before, making their launch much less stressful, and within minutes they were back on the water paddling towards their destination. It was a perfect morning, a light cloud cover shading them from the scorching sun. The wind was behind them, making light work of their rowing, pushing them along at a much faster pace. She didn’t want to jinx them, but everything seemed to be working in their favor.

  They’d been peacefully rowing for hours, well into the afternoon, when Ryan nervously called out, “don’t want to panic anyone, but is that a shark?”

  He was pointing fifty yards in front of them, his free hand shielding his eyes from the sun. Joss grabbed the binoculars, zeroing in on the spot. For a second or two, she saw only unassuming waves, rolling easily in and out of the frame, until the large grey dorsal fin cut sharply into view.

  “I see it,�
� Joss stammered, trying not to alarm them. She knew it was just a matter of time before they came across a shark or another ocean predator, but it was no less intimidating. “I’m sure it’s just being nosy. Let’s just ease our paddles out of the water and wait it out. It will probably just swim on by.”

  “I’ve never actually seen a shark up close,” Ryan admitted, pulling his paddle in, shifting his legs beneath him. He wasn’t crazy about offering his appendages as bait.

  “I once had an encounter in Thailand. My mates and I were diving off the coast of Phuket and came across a Blacktip Reef Shark. It wasn’t too interested in us, not aggressive at all, but came close enough,” Daniel offered, gesturing for the binoculars.

  Joss handed them over, then pulled her paddle onto her lap before double checking the ties on her life jacket. As brave as she tried to be, she didn’t like the idea of a raft being the only thing between her and a shark; it looked too much like a dinner platter.

  “Wow, that’s a fair-sized fish, isn’t it,” Daniel laughed, apparently more excited than scared. “I think it’s coming to take a look!” He raised himself up on his knees to get a better view.

  “Fucking hell, Daniel, you don’t need to wave it over. Sit down, man. You’re making Joss nervous,” Ryan chuckled anxiously. Joss shook her head at him, forcing herself to smile.

  “Sorry, it’s not every day you get to see these magnificent creatures,” Daniel said, following the shark with the binoculars. He’s right there, on the bow, about 20 yards out. Do you guys see him?”

  They did, and neither of them were as thrilled about it as Daniel, although his enthusiasm did set Joss a little more at ease. Ryan looked at her nervously, offering her his hand which she readily accepted, both of them silently wishing the same thing; that Jaws had his fill of sea turtles or stingrays that day.

  “I think it might be a bull shark,” Daniel explained, this time with less enthusiasm. His tone shift did nothing to settle Joss’ nerves, or Ryan’s either for that matter.