Stranded Temptation: A Flaming Romance

by Milly Taiden

  “Sure,” she answered, reaching to take his hand. After she was on her feet, he led her along the stream winding through the dense trees. Holding hands, they walked leisurely, not really hiking.

  Birds chirped and sang in the thick forest. The underbrush was heavy in some places, but others were easy to pass through. The sun sprinkled through the green canopy high overhead. The foliage was so thick that from the air, it was impossible to see the ground except along the sandy coast.

  “So,“ he asked, “how long has your dad been doing the survival training?”

  “As long as I can remember,” she replied. “Grandpa was a scout in the Vietnam conflict. He pretty much learned all he knew while on location. Live recon via drones hadn’t quite made it to the limelight yet.”

  Max asked, “I guess he made it back okay?”

  “Define, okay,” she grumped. “Yeah, he had PTSD, but he pulled through it all and when he married Grandma and started a family, he’d adjusted back into civilian life.”

  “That’s great to hear,” he answered. “Nowadays we hear too many stories that don’t end as well.”

  “Yeah, at least nowadays, the government doesn’t use their own men as living guinea pigs.”

  He looked back at her. “What do you mean?”

  She sighed. “It’s a long story. Basically, Grandpa’s brother was in Nam with him. Tim was a couple years younger and in great health as an athlete in college. The men over there, they all talked about the enemy and the strange things they saw that couldn’t be explained.”

  “Like what?” Max asked. His family had gone overseas too for the conflict, but he never heard any stories from his grandparents.

  “How at night, low-flying aircraft would skim the top of the jungle and dump some kind of powder over everything. Not long after all the plants—all of them—were dead.”

  “Sounds like that Agent Orange stuff,” Max said.

  “Exactly,” Kara replied. “Grandpa said the military told them it was safe for humans, just not plants. What a lying stack of shit that was.”

  “What happened?” Max asked.

  “Well, Tim, Grandpa’s brother, the athlete, died at the age of thirty-five from extreme diabetes, kidney failure, a rare blood disorder, and who knows what else. And he didn’t get all of that living in a town of five thousand people.”

  “Wow. I didn’t know anything about that,” Max answered. He was glad the world had developed where the public took more interest in things going on around them. Watchdog groups and public pressure has kept government closer to the straight and narrow. He thought anyway.

  “But I digress,” Kara said. “This conversation is about my dad and his teaching.” Shit, Max had forgotten what they were talking about. “So, Grandpa taught Dad everything he knew about surviving in the wilderness as a kid. And then he joined Boy Scouts and just blew the minds of the pack leaders.”

  Max laughed. “I bet your dad just ate that up, if he was the same kind of person then.”

  “Oh, you bet he did,” she replied. “He was just as determined that his only child knew how to survive in case of a zombie apocalypse.”

  “What about his grandkids?” Max said. He glanced at her when she didn’t answer right away.

  “We’ll have to see,” she answered softly. “He doesn’t have any.”

  “Will he have any?” Max knew what he hoped she would say. He wanted a family, loving wife and children to make his hair prematurely gray. He wanted grandkids he could spoil and threaten his children with—the “wait till you have your own child” curse.

  But he only wanted that with Kara. He couldn’t see anyone else in her place.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  He chuckled at her sudden change of subject. “When we were over the jungle, I saw a strange spot that was cleared of trees. Thought we could check it out.”

  “Where on the island are we?” Kara asked.

  Max grunted. “We barely made it to land. If we’d been going at my normal cruising speed, we would’ve crashed into the water and never be seen again.”

  “Besides scaring the shit out of me, that answers my question how?”

  He said, “We’re at the northern part of an island that we shouldn’t have gotten to yet.”

  “Oh,” she understood, “you’re saying no one is going to find us because we should’ve crashed into the ocean based on a time schedule.”

  He nodded. “Basically.”

  “And you’re hoping this cleared piece of land is human made and that someone has a phone and bottle of Jim Beam?”

  Max cocked his head, hearing a rumble. Kara did the same. “You hear that?” she asked. He nodded, noting the stream widening and slowing.

  “I bet it’s a small waterfall.”

  “You really think so?” she said

  “Yeah,” he replied. “Let’s see.” He grabbed her hand tighter and guided them along the water until they came to a dip in the stream.

  “How beautiful,” Kara said. She ventured forward, trying to get closer to the fall.

  “Kara,” Max warned, “be careful.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Always,” she said.

  He grunted to himself, knowing what Kara’s definition of safe was. Stepping back, Max’s hand brushed along the top of a plant. Pain stung his hand bad enough to make him holler out in surprise.

  Kara spun where she stood. “What happened? Are you okay?”

  Max chastised himself for being such a wuss. “Yeah, it’s just a damn stinging nettle plant. I will be fine.”

  Kara searched the ground, then pushed through the underbrush to a tall plant with big green leaves. She plucked a couple and put them in her mouth. Chewing, she made her way back to him.

  “Give me your hand,” she said. He was almost afraid to ask but trusted her skills. She took the chewed leaves from her mouth and place them on top of the nettles. The stinging pain immediately reduced to a low throb.

  “Huh,” he said, “didn’t know about that.”

  Kara slapped him on the back. “Next chapter. Survival training 102,” she said. “That’s why you’re only a golden tiger while I’m a platinum dragon.”

  Damn, he was impressed. Platinum dragon was like the Navy SEALs of the military.

  Kara smirked. “Don’t get all impressed or anything. All that was at least fifteen years ago.”

  “Still, not bad though.” Max shrugged. The wind through the trees perked up as if somebody turned on an industrial-sized fan. Overhead, dark clouds move in.

  “Wow. Storms roll in fast here,” Kara said.

  “Let’s get back to the plane,” Max replied and took her hand. Before they had gone a few yards, the trees whipped into a frenzy, slapping branches at their heads. “Shit,” Max hollered over the wind, “we need to find a shelter or we’ll never make it back.” He couldn’t believe the ferocity of the weather. But with no buildings to block anything, they got the full force of Mother Nature’s spite.

  “There.” Kara pointed to the side of the waterfall where the rocky slope continued up to an overhang sheltered by boulders. As they climbed, the incline was getting slippery with the rain turning the dirt into mud. A sudden gust raced over the ridge, knocking Kara off her feet.

  She started to slide sideways off the hill, grasping at anything that would stop her fall. Seeing nothing that could save her, Max dove and snagged her wrist, smashing his ribs against the hard and uneven surface. Her downward momentum dragged him a foot farther, but his other hand was securely latched into a crack in the rock.

  He called out to her, but she didn’t hear him over the thunder booming and shaking the ground. With rain streaking down her body, hair hung in her face, keeping him from reading her expression. But she clawed her way to him despite the stinging drops pelting their bodies.

  Cold and drenched, they made it to the stone cubby hole.

  Huddled against the rock and panting, Kara rubbed her arms, teeth chattering. He needed to get a fi
re started. Surveying the area, seemed they weren’t the only one to use this as a shelter. That must mean someone lived on this island. He hadn’t seen any sign of life when they were in the air, but he guessed that didn’t really mean too much.

  Jammed into a crevice was enough tinder to burn for a while. A few flint rocks lay on the ground below. He gathered those and tucked into the dry corner next to Kara.

  After bunching the fuel together, he pulled out his pocketknife and slashed it across the flint.

  Kara’s brows lifted.

  “What?” he asked.

  “You carry a pocketknife?” she said.

  Max mockingly bowed toward her. “Yes, Jedi Master. Even little grasshopper knows that rule.”

  Kara laughed at his playfulness. Within minutes, a fire warm enough to stave off the chill flickered in front of them.

  Safe and secure and warm, the two looked at each other and started to laugh. The built-up tension and fear released, relaxing their tired bodies.

  “You know,” Max said with a smile, “your shirt is dirty. You should take if off.”

  “Ha,” she spit out, “so is yours. Take yours off.”

  He shrugged. “Fine with me.” He pulled the wet material over his head.

  Kara crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. “Easy for you to do. You don’t have anything to hide.”

  He leaned against her. “Neither do you, darling.” His lips found her chilled ones and he took it upon himself to warm up all of her.

  17

  Max’s lips were heated on hers. How the man stayed so warm was beyond her, but she’d take it. With his shirt off, her hands roamed the peaks and valleys of his shoulders and abs. His moan encouraged her on until he pressed her back against the rough rock. Yeah, not happening.

  She pushed him back a bit. “It’s a little cramped up here if you haven’t noticed.”

  His eyes never left hers. “Nope, didn’t notice.” He took her lips again, his hunger growing hers.

  Giggling, she said, “Max,” and he sighed. “When we get back to the plane and have a dry place to sit, we’ll see about continuing this.”

  His eyes lit up. “Really?”

  God, he could be so funny when he wanted to. She glanced past the overhand and saw the rain had stopped. “Hey. Look. We can go now.”

  His head swung around. “Really?” He was up and on his feet before she could say another word. Kara shook her head, wearing a smile. While Max put his shirt on, smothered the fire, and cleaned the small space, she looked down the muddy slope.

  “Holy shit,” she said, “the stream is now a river.” With the swift moving water flowing over the sides of the banks, there was no way they could return to camp the same way they’d come. She stepped out to look around the entrance to see if they could go down the other side.

  “Kara,” Max called, “wait for me.”

  “I’m not going any—” Her slick-bottomed shoe slipped out from her weight. She grasp onto the rock but found no hand hold. “Max!” she yelled. He lunged toward her, arm extended. She latched onto his wrist, but he had nothing to anchor himself. Together they slid down the hill and off the cliff, plunging into the raging water.

  Oh god, Kara thought, not water again. At least she didn’t have to worry about sharks. Just rocks bashing her head, sticks poking through her body, waterfalls crushing her to the bottom, and breathing. Sharks seemed preferable, almost.

  “Kara!” She heard Max somewhere behind her. Trying to look over her shoulder, a dip in the flow dunked her under. She swallowed a mouthful of muddy water and came up spitting.

  “Max!” Even if he couldn’t see her, he’d know she was alive and fighting. Slowly, she worked her way closer to the side. Ahead, they were coming to the forest where the water slammed into the trunk then flowed around. Her body would not like to be introduced to the native birches.

  The only way to make it through without becoming a pinball was to be one with the water. She lay back, feet first, becoming the rushing current. In theory, she would go with the flow sending her around obstacles. In theory. The hard part was keeping her head above the swirling, splashing, water.

  Holding her breath, she glided around tree trunks as wide as her body. Debris slammed into her from all sides. Whirlpools threatened to snatch her in and send her to the bottom with little hope of coming up.

  How far had she traveled down the island? She felt she had to be at least to the center.

  The rush of the water grew louder. Almost like thunder from the storm that just passed. But the sky was clear. What would make such a sound? Then she figured it out. Water flowed from highest point to the lowest. And with the top of the rocky hill so close, the height would have to go to sea level very, very, quickly. Like falling over the side of a cliff quickly.

  “Max!” she yelled. “Waterfall. Big one.”

  “Fuck!” Hearing his voice nearby, she twisted to see he’d almost caught up with her.

  “Max!” She reached for him, but of course, her path’s direction was made and there was no changing it.

  “Get to the side, Kara. You gotta get out now.”

  “Not without you,” she called. She heard him cussing. Another thing her father taught her was to never give up on those you loved.

  Several yards ahead, a white pipe extended from the flooded ground to disappear under the water. She’d wager her paycheck that the tube reached out a good distance.

  “Max,” she yelled.

  “I see it. Grab it, Kara. Grab it.” Easier said than done fit this situation perfectly. Focusing her agility and determination, she fought to cut across the current. The pipe was getting closer quicker than she anticipated.

  Kara reached out toward the pipe, feeling for something to grab onto. Turned out she didn’t have to worry about that as her torso wrapped around a non-moving object, kicking her feet up and upper body forward. The impact knocked the wind from her lungs. With her head above water, she wouldn’t drown.

  She tried to signal Max, waving her arm. But she needn’t do that either as he crashed into her, bending her around the pipe again and scooting both forward. For a minute, Kara worried the tube would snap and tear away.

  “Max,” she breathed, “you’re squishing my guts into my back.”

  He grunted and pushed them both toward dry land. He helped her climb from the water then both lay on their backs staring at the wet leaves overhead.

  After doing nothing but breathing for several minutes, Kara asked, “Where to now? I’m sure there are plenty of other things on this island that can try to kill us. How about cliff jumping with no parachute next?”

  Max rolled his head sideways and scowled. She wasn’t sure why, but it was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. She laughed until her stomach hurt. Maybe it was just the fact his face was beside her and still alive.

  He rolled over on top of her and nestled himself between her thighs with a snug fit. The head of his cock pressed against her opening. Too bad wet clothes prevented him from entering. His mouth covered hers, hot and moist. She wanted more from him, of him. The had fought death once again and came out on the living side.

  She’d had about enough of this. It was time for someone to rescue them already. Then she thought about the pipe being there.

  “Max,” she said as his teeth pulled on her lip.

  “Hmm.”

  She tried to lift his shoulders, but he wasn’t having any of that. “Max,” she said again.

  “Hmm,” he repeated, pressing down more on her, rubbing his hardening cock against her mound.

  “Dammit, Max. Someone must live on this island. We need to get help.”

  Sighing, Max quit his make-out session. “I wondered about that also when we were under the overhanging rock. The items there looked placed by human hands and not Mother Nature.”

  “Well,” Kara continued, “I don’t think she lays PVC pipe on abandoned islands neither.”

  “All right,” he pushed up from over her body
and helped her up, “let’s see where the pipe leads, shall we?”

  It was easy to follow since it lay on top of the ground with no effort made to hide it. To her, it appeared to be a conduit for transporting water from the stream. But where did it end?

  Up ahead, through the trees, they saw a fifty-foot diameter patch of light where the sun beat down intensely. That meant the trees had been stripped away from that area. The question became was it natural or manmade?

  They stepped into the light and the warmth felt great on her chilled skin. She wanted to lie in the grass and soak it in.

  Max circled around looking at it all, then knelt and brushed at the foliage. “Looks like something had been planted here, but it’s been harvested and weeds have taken over.”

  Kara walked around the perimeter. “Planted? You sure it’s not the landing spot for an alien spaceship? Fits the movie descriptions—big crop circle like.” She had no idea why she was feeling so snarky, or maybe she was on the edge of a complete mental breakdown and this was how the last bonds of sanity slipped away.

  “I’m not even going to ask where that came from,” Max replied. “You’ve been out of the office too long. I need to give you busy work.” He spun around with a devious twinkle in his eyes. Hot need rushed through her with that look. When he marched toward, she debated whether to be easy prey or make him work for it.

  Make him work.

  She took off running through the trees. The leaves were slippery, but most had been blown into piles against tree trunks and dense areas of brush. She grabbed onto twig size branches from new growth to help her make sharp curves, making Max slow.

  When she lost sight of him behind thick foliage, she wasn’t worried. A golden tiger knew how to track, but a platinum dragon knew how to leave a false trail.

  Looking for a tree to climb to give her a high vantage point to watch Max, something strange caught her eye. Some kind of contraption was lodged in a tree, hidden behind leafy branches. She had no idea what it was, but it didn’t look natural to the land.

  Stopping at the base of the tree, she looked up the trunk and saw a wire attached to a wooden box with several holes cut into the front. The wire she followed down the tree and across the ground. In places, small sticks held it off the foliage. It reminded her a lot of—