The Island

by Alice Ward

  Teary eyes held mine as I moved close to her face. Close to the lips she kept coating with lip balm, even though I kept telling her to conserve it. There was no telling how long we’d be stuck here, after all.

  Her nipples hardened under her shirt, a clue to how much I affected her. “That did help. Thank you.”

  Holding her hand, being that close, I couldn’t stop myself. “My lips are dry.” I pulled her to me and took her soft lips, coating mine with the strawberry-flavored balm. When she didn’t pull away, I forged ahead. I forced her lips to part before threading my tongue through them, needing to taste her more thoroughly. She didn’t fight me. Her body fell against mine as I held her in my arms.

  There was no way to hide how hard her heart was beating as our chests pressed together. I released her lips and looked at her, finding her eyes still closed. She was gorgeous. Even with windblown hair she’d pulled back with a clip discovered in the remnants of her travel bag. Blonde wisps had gotten away from the clip and flowed around her face, taking my breath away.

  Her eyes opened slowly. “Eli?”

  “Yeah, baby?”

  She blinked, and her eyes lost the hazy look. “Don’t do that again.”

  Letting her go, I stepped back. “I didn’t want to kiss you. My lips were dry, and you’ve hogged the lip balm. Don’t flatter yourself.” It was the truth mixed with a shard of dishonesty.

  With no form of contraception, we were stuck. Even if she wanted to have sex, we couldn’t risk her getting pregnant.

  I wanted to kiss and make up. She wanted to kiss, make me horny as a mother-fucker, then tell me she didn’t want to get pregnant so there would definitely be no sex. Our combined frustrations skyrocketed after that little informative session.

  Kendra and I had chemistry. She knew it, I knew it, even the seabirds knew it. But she thought I was a rogue, a charlatan, a womanizer. Having a baby with me would be an act she couldn’t do to herself or the kid. She wasn’t exactly wrong. I had to give her that.

  Something inside of me had broken open, though. When I saw her take on those men with nothing but shoes and an ashtray, something felt different. I respected her like I’ve never respected a woman before.

  I’d changed my ideas about her. Instead of merely wanting to tap that ass, I wanted to do more. Kendra was capable of defending herself and even saving others, as she did for me. But there was still a weakness inside of her. Hell, she wouldn’t be human if she didn’t have some fear and doubt.

  “Clouds are rolling in,” she pointed out as dark, ominous storm clouds began to fill the southern sky. “This shelter won’t do much to keep us dry.” Her eyes moved over the waves.

  Somewhere, deep under those waves, our plane sat on the bottom of the ocean. If the kidnappers hadn’t disabled the tracking device, we’d have been found. Since they had made sure the plane would never be found, we were stuck unless I could find a way to fix it.

  “You’re right. That water is cold, even though it’s summer. I’ll swim out to where I think that plane went down and see what I can salvage, and you put some more wood on the fire. I’ll be cold when I get back. I’ll need it to warm up.”

  “I’ll do that, but I’m coming with you,” she said as she hurried to add wood to the fire.

  As far as I could tell, we were somewhere in the Outer Hebrides, off the Scottish coast. The plane had crashed a good hour and a half before we were scheduled to reach Inverness.

  People went to the uninhabited islands from time to time. Mostly to rock climb or take pictures, things like that. And with it being the summer months, our chances of someone happening upon us were better than if we’d been stranded in the winter. Then we probably wouldn’t have had much of a chance at anything, being found or surviving the harsh conditions.

  Kendra tossed a couple of logs onto the fire we kept going at all times. Then she and I put on the life preservers. I picked up one of the bags we’d emptied so we could use it to carry what we could find. I tied on several of the flotation devices so it would float, helping us to get out to the plane and back faster than if we didn’t have it. We walked out into the cold surf then swam to where the plane went down. Taking my preserver off, I gave it to Kendra. “Wait here.”

  “Please be careful.”

  I nodded then took a deep breath. Diving down, I caught sight of the jet and came back up to give her the great news. “The plane is right side up. Thanks to the sunlight and clear water, I’ll be able to see a bit with the light coming through the windows, I bet.”

  She looked nervous, and I pecked her on the cheek then went under after I took another deep breath. The water was clear and not too deep. There was a lot of pressure on my ears, but I could handle it.

  The door to the plane was open, and I swam right in. It wasn’t as bright in there as I thought it would be, but I could see a little. Looming like a patch of seaweed at the doorway to the bedroom, I saw a blanket moving. I grabbed it and headed back up.

  There seemed to be just enough air in my lungs to make the trip. “I got us some more bedding.” I held up the blanket and smiled at her.

  She smiled back and pumped her fist into the air. “Hell, yeah! Let’s get all we can.” She shoved the blanket into the bag as I headed back down for more.

  I was able to get sheets, then I found three pillows. I wanted to go back to get one more thing. The radio. Even though I knew it was messed up, I might be able to fix it. It was worth getting it to find out.

  But as I emerged with the pillows, the sound of thunder in the distance had Kendra frowning. “No more, Eli. Please, don’t go down again. I’ve been watching the clouds, and they’re moving fast. We don’t want to get caught in the water when it hits us.”

  “I want to get the radio. I’m worried about the plane being moved with the tides.”

  Before she could say a word, a flash of lighting split the sky, and a large wave crashed onto our heads. It seemed the decision had been made for us. I grabbed the bag and held onto it, kicking my feet as Kendra pulled the life preserver back over my head. Then she took hold of the bag next to me and kicked too.

  When we made it to shore, our bodies were shaking with the cold. We walked out of the water, pulling our haul up on the sandy beach. Carrying the heavy bag to the fire, I dropped it on the ground then hugged Kendra until her teeth stopped chattering.

  “We should make another trip,” she said, “maybe tomorrow.”

  “I don’t know. We really need to focus on finding fresh water tomorrow.”

  “The radio, Eli. We need it. Ever since you mentioned it, I’ve had an eerie feeling we’ll never get off this island if we don’t have that radio.”

  “Well, we can’t worry about that right now.” I knew I was being an asshole again. We’d both been asses with each other, but neither of us could seem to rein it in.

  Before I could say a word to apologize, lighting struck and the heavens opened, letting the rain fall in sheets. We stepped into the shelter that did little to keep us dry. As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t make things as stable as I wanted them to be for her.

  Exhausted, I sat down on the cold, hard ground and leaned against the tree trunk, rain running down my back as I closed my eyes. I heard Kendra moving around, and when I opened my eyes, she was climbing low branches a couple feet off the ground, into a small tent she’d made out of the sheets. It hung in a V-shape over one of the tree limbs, and she’d anchored the corners with two pairs of her high heels. They really did come in handy. The fire was under there, and Kendra was too. It looked cozy, a reminder of just how much more capable she was than me.

  I thought about what I could do to turn the tides. I wasn’t used to having anyone do things ten times better than I could. And I didn’t like it.

  Nothing came to mind about how I could magically fix things, and I closed my eyes once more. I’d fall asleep soon, and the rain wouldn’t be a bother to me anymore.

  I felt a cold foot touch mine, making my eyes fly open. Kend
ra was standing in front of me. “What the hell are you doing, Eli? Come on. It’s not much, but it is dry.”

  “I’m good.”

  “No, you’re not. I have the warmth of the fire. Didn’t you see how I covered it too? Come on.” She reached out for me. “Please. I don’t like to be alone. I’m kind of afraid of storms.”

  “You’re afraid of something besides flying?” I asked with surprise. “The Navy SEAL’s daughter actually has some fear in her?” I was being a jackass and knew it, but couldn’t seem to stop myself.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” she asked as she put her hand on her hip. “Are you pissed because I’m a girl? Does it make you mad that I came up with a dry place to wait out this storm? My thrown together thing won’t be our permanent home, Eli. It’s just a temporary fix to wait out this weather off the ground. You and I will need to make something much sturdier. Now, stop being stubborn and come with me.”

  I just looked at her with defiance in my eyes. “I said that I’m good.” I crossed my arms to emphasize just how stubborn I was.

  She shook her head and turned around. Then I saw blood on the back of her shirt as she walked away. She’d been hurt and didn’t even tell me. Grabbing one of my t-shirts out of a bag, I jumped up after her.

  Kendra was already sitting inside her hammock tent when I came in. “Change your mind?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “You’re hurt,” I said as I moved to sit behind her. I pulled her shirt up.

  “Hey!”

  “Just shut up and let me see what happened,” I scolded her. “Kendra, why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” Three relatively deep cuts went right down the middle of her back, one almost on top of the puncture she got while trying to escape the crash. It looked inflamed and raw.

  “It happened when I was waiting for you. A wave tossed me against the rock and there was a piece of metal from the plane wedged in it. It got me. What would be the use of whining to you about it?”

  Reaching around her, I began to unbutton her blouse. “I want to know if you’re hurt. Please make sure you let me know from now on. We only have each other out here. We have to be honest with one another. These could become infected if we don’t keep the wounds clean.” I pulled her shirt off, leaving her pink bra on, and put my dark blue t-shirt over her head, easing it over her wounds.

  She sighed and leaned back against me. “I’m tired.” Her body was limp, her words depressed. Kendra was physically tired, mentally too. So was I.

  Things had to change. We couldn’t keep fighting. If we could only make love, I felt sure all this tension between us would lessen.

  Wrapping my arms around her, I held her close and whispered, “Sleep. You’re safe in my arms.”

  Her voice was weak and sounded sleepy. “Thank you, Eli. You and I could be a great team if we would stop thinking of each other as competition.”

  She was right, and I knew that. But what she didn’t know was how much I was changing. How much I was feeling. Kendra had gone from a woman I had to conquer to a woman I had to protect, all in a matter of a few days.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  Kendra

  Waking up to the sound of seabirds and the constant breeze, I found Eli’s strong arms holding me in a loose grip. I felt better than I had since we left New York. Eli’s warm breath moved over the back of my neck, as he’d fallen asleep too.

  The storm was over, and we’d slept through the night. The new morning was calling me to join it and get things accomplished. I wiggled a little, and Eli kissed the side of my neck. “Mornin’, baby.”

  We’d been at each other’s throats so much, his greeting made me laugh. “You do remember it’s me you’re with, right?”

  He let me go and stretched. His face was still handsome, even with the stubble of a beard that was growing in, and his hair was a bit of a mess. “I do, Kendra Baxter. How do you feel? Do the wounds on your back hurt?”

  “A little,” I lied. They did hurt. They hurt a lot.

  “We have to get up and get going,” he said as he moved on his hands and knees out of my little tent.

  I followed him and was pleased to see that we’d been able to collect rainwater in the containers we’d put out for that reason. Picking up the empty bottles, I began to fill them with any fresh water I found. Eli grabbed our second to the last candy bar and brought half to me. “Eat up. We have a very busy day ahead of us. And I’m shooting us something for dinner tonight. I don’t care what it is, I need some meat.”

  His attitude was fresh, and I had to admit I loved it. I handed him a bottle of rain water. “You can have this entire bottle. There’s plenty this morning. Although it’s nothing as fancy as you’re used to, Richie Rich.”

  He put the cap on the bottle then tossed it on the ground before he picked me up in his arms as if I were a baby. “You’re very funny.” He kissed my cheek and put me down.

  My body tingled from his touch. He had an effect on me no other man ever had.

  Stop it!

  No birth control meant no sex. I had to watch things with the man. He wasn’t into only making out, we’d already found that out when he’d asked me on our first day on the island if I wanted to kiss and make up. I did want to do that, but he wanted more. Much more.

  If I wasn’t going to be a grown-up about it, he had scolded me, then we’d refrain from all physical activity that turned him on. It didn’t seem to matter to him at all that I could get pregnant. It mattered to me, though. It mattered a hell of a lot!

  Eli’s playful mood vanished as he ran his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on top of my head; it had been replaced with melancholy all too quickly. Then he turned me to look out at the calm ocean water that was void of any interruptions. I had one thought on my mind. “Do you think the plane is gone?”

  Letting me go, he nodded; thrusting his hands into his pockets, his gaze never left the waves. “I guess it’s time for us to understand our current reality. We’re trapped on this island. We’ll have to make the best of it.” He turned and walked away, leaving me looking out at the vast nothingness.

  We were trapped, had been his words. I didn’t like feeling trapped. So I flipped it around in my head. Things had to change. We couldn’t keep going the way we were.

  “Let’s not think about this as being trapped, Eli. This island is gorgeous, let’s say we’re alone in paradise, instead of such an ugly word as trapped.” I followed along behind him. “We can go and find us some place nice and make us a place to love.”

  He stopped and faced me, one eyebrow cocked high on his forehead. “Did you say a place to love?”

  “No.” I shook my head. Shit, shit, shit. I licked my lips. “I said, live.”

  “Huh,” he huffed, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me closely. He took a step closer, then paused, pushing all ten fingers through his thick hair. “It sounded like you said love.” His gaze fell to my lips, and I felt that pull between us grow thicker. He blew out his breath and turned back around.

  I rubbed my forehead in aggravation at myself. I had said love, but I hadn’t meant to.

  A Freudian slip?

  Eli packed up the bottles of water that were unopened and nodded at the ones I’d filled up. “That water should be boiled before we drink any more of it.”

  My agitation with myself came out of my mouth and flowed right over Eli, without me meaning it to. “I know that,” I snapped. “I had to put it into bottles before the sun evaporated it. I’m not an idiot!” I headed off in a northerly direction.

  “This way,” he called out to me. “Can’t you see that higher ground is in this direction?” He tossed his head toward the two mountains at one side of the island.

  I jogged up to his side. “Yes. But why go uphill to look for water?”

  “Why,” he huffed, “do you think you’ll find pools of fresh water on flat ground? Ground that is at sea level?” He winked, clearly proud of himself for outsmarting me.

  My mouth
clamped shut tightly as I realized my mistake. “So, up into the mountains we go.”

  “We shouldn’t have to go that far. Don’t worry.” He laughed and strode ahead of me, leaving me to watch how nicely his muscular body moved with each step he took.

  Looking at the green moss-covered ground instead of at him, I thought about us. How it all began. Eli had wanted me from the moment he laid eyes on me. He made no secret about that. I wanted him too, but I had more self-discipline than most.

  It had always been my plan to keep the man at arm’s length. If I let him any closer than that, he always seemed to get in a grab, a touch, a kiss. And with each one, it was a little harder to keep the promise I’d made myself. I was never going to let Eli Reed have me. Not ever!

  I was never going to be a notch on his bedpost. I was never going to be used for his amusement. I was never going to fall for his charms.

  But now, he and I were all each other had. And neither of us had an inkling of how long we’d be trapped on this island together. I didn’t know how long I could hold out.

  I didn’t know if I wanted to anymore.

  He’d pulled on a pair of athletic shorts, and his muscular calves rippled as he walked in front of me, forging a path, making it easier for me. My lips quirked to one side as I thought about how sweet he was, holding me all night through the storm. He made me feel safe.

  The sound of running water snapped me out of my head and had me running as Eli shouted, “Water!”

  He waited for me to catch up to him then took my hand and we ran together to find a beautiful little clear pool. A small waterfall came off the side of the mountain, filling the pool with fresh water. It was surreal, beautiful, and it had me full of energy.

  I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp air. “It smells so fresh and clean.”

  Eli stooped down and came back up with a plant I recognized. “Aloe Vera. This will work on your back. And we can even wash our bodies and hair with it.” He squished the green succulent, and a clear gooey substance came out of it.