by Ashley Ladd
She made several trips to the edge of the jungle and scavenged fallen branches. She hoped they could start a fire to use for cooking or for a rescue signal. If they had something to cook. If they could figure out how to start a fire.
Katie squared her shoulders and tried to shake the stiffness from her muscles. “I was a Girl Scout. I can do this.” She hoped.
She caught a couple turtles, but almost lost several fingers to a pissed crab. Starving and discouraged, she trekked back into the jungle in search of berries, nuts, and whatever else looked edible.
A strange rustling rent the brush, and her heart froze. Hoping and praying it had only been the wind or her imagination, she paused, straining her ears. Not even her toes dared curl or her eyes blink. What if one of Scott's tigers watched her, ready to spring their trap? Only her chest rose and fell rapidly.
An animal shrieked, sending chills down her spine. Louder now, she heard it as it crashed through the bush. Whatever it was, it was on a collision course with her. Her muscles corded and she went into action. Without waiting to get a close look, she grabbed the large hurling body and flipped it over her shoulder.
When she looked down, Scott lay atop a bush, flat on his back, scowling up at her. “Katie, what in the hell are you doing? Trying to kill me?"
"You okay? You shouldn't have scared me. Say something next time.” A third-degree black belt, she automatically defended herself.
She tsk-tsked and then knelt beside him. “I forgot to tell you I'm a licenced weapon.” When he stared up at her and his brow furrowed, she expounded, “I'm a black belt in karate.
"Anything hurt?” She ran her fingers over his scalp checking for lumps, cuts, and abrasions. Fortunately for him, she didn't find any.
"I thought a wild animal was about to attack me. I think something's still staring at us.” She could feel its beady eyes, smell its torrid breath, and hear its teeth gnashing. At times like this, she cursed her wild imagination.
"Promise me something?"
"If I can.” She gave him a hand up, then pulled her fingers away when a frisson of awareness shot up her arm. She rubbed at the goosebumps and looked away.
"No more Kung Fu Fighting me, okay Katydids?” Grizzled determination shimmered in his voice. He put his finger to his lips.
Her brow arched. Since when had her name mutated into Katydids? When did a self-respecting black belt go by such a silly name?
"Be very, very still."
Did he think she was going to break into song? Now?
Suddenly, a tremendous crash followed by a furious shriek, shattered the quiet and Scott dashed after the blur that streaked by. He returned seconds later, grinning ear to ear. “Meet your would-be attacker.” Scott held out his arm upon which sat a big-eyed, adorable monkey. The creature sported tan and white fur, a pug nose, an absurdly long tail that curled around the man's arm. Incredibly wide, chocolate brown eyes gazed at her as it examined her in turn. It puckered its lips at her, making a sour lemon sound. At most, it was a foot high.
Then the monkey chirped, cocked its head and made a moue of its lips. It held out a hand to her as if to shake hers.
Delighted, she laughed and clapped her hands. “He's absolutely adorable. Can we keep him?"
Clucking her tongue, she held out her arm. “Come here, darlin'. You gave me the fright of my life."
The monkey crawled onto her arm, hooked his arm around her neck and swung himself up to her shoulder where he perched. He played with her hair, tickling her ear and made her giggle.
"Watch out for maniacal chimpanzees.” Definite mockery laced Scott's tones now.
Rolling her eyes, she rocked back on her heels and turned. After this, the man could fix his own food ... if she caught any. If she found any more fruit, seeing that she'd dropped her earlier harvest. “I'll remember that.” Ignoring the man, she said to the monkey, “Help me find something to eat, guy."
"Good idea.” Scott's footsteps followed closely, deafening in the brush.
"I wasn't talking to you.” Payback, she let the palm frond that she had brushed aside to clear her path, snap back in his face. Vanderhorne was being a royal pain in her toukus.
The monkey picked a piece of exotic looking fruit off a heavily laden tree and sunk his teeth into it. Figuring it was safe to eat whatever he did, she plucked a piece off . Lush juice dripped down her chin as she devoured the succulent treat. “Yum.” She picked another and lifted it to her lips. She picked another and held it out to Scott. “Try one."
"You'd better go slowly on those if you don't want a tummy ache. We don't have any Bismate with us."
The logic sank into her brain, and she lowered the fruit without taking another bite. Fear wrapped another tentacle around her heart and in a small voice, she said, “Would you stop reminding me we dropped off the end of the world? I'm scared enough."
* * * *
Later that night, drifting in and out of consciousness, Katie squirmed against Scott and burrowed against his warmth, igniting every nerve ending in his body. If not for the chill, he'd move away. He was sure his fiancée wouldn't approve.
"Kiss me, Sammy.” She pulled his head down to hers, puckering her lips, and then she opened her eyes and in shock, stared into his. “Sapphire, not ebony,” she muttered blinking and shaking her head. “You're not Sam."
She gasped and tried to draw back from his embrace. “I-I must've been dreaming. I thought you were someone else."
"Sam, huh?” He looked down at himself, his lips twisted. The name Sam ringing in his ears and he didn't like it. “Funny, I don't look like a Sam."
She peered at him closely, as if delving into his soul and examining his deepest secrets. “Nope. Not a darn thing like him. You're blonde and blue eyed whereas the jerk's got black hair and brown eyes. Still you remind me a lot of him."
He didn't like being likened to someone she called a jerk. “I'm flattered,” he drawled dryly. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, curious against his will about this odd woman, as he stared at her. “Tell me how I remind you of this ‘Sam’ person?"
Sighing deeply, she flicked her wrist and shook her head. “Skip it. He's not worth wasting my breath on.” Standing, she stretched, rolling her shoulders slowly, flexing muscles that drew his rapt attention and made him breathless.
Looking away, sensing that her nearness presented a danger he was unwilling to face, he murmured. “As you wish."
His stomach growled and he frowned. “Did you bring any of that fruit back for breakfast?"
She laughed lightly, her expression brightening. “A couple of pieces. I couldn't haul much."
"Good.” Scott licked his lips. “After we eat, we need to formulate a plan.” Scott ambled out of the hut and motioned for her to follow him. He stared hard at the wreckage on the rocks as he approached it, knowing what must be done but not liking it. The gaping hole in the side of the vessel didn't begin to match the gaping hole in his heart.
"Maybe she can be fixed and we can take her back to Fiji,” Katie said optimistically, following his gaze.
Scott guffawed, then skipped a rock on the placid sea, so different from the stormy, fateful night. “We might as well try to fly her to the moon. Look at that hole. It's practically the size of the Grand Canyon. We don't have the right materials here to fix her."
"Shouldn't we at least try?” Panic tinged her voice, digging her fingers into his forearm, imploring him with her beautiful eyes to say otherwise.
"Believe me, if I thought there was a prayer, I'd have been out there already. She's a goner. We'd best salvage what we can from her and sink her."
"No! We can't give up. I had other plans for my life besides rotting on this lousy rock,” Katie wailed as she shook his arm. “If we sink her, how will anyone know we're here to rescue us? There'll be no trace of us."
"Exactly.” Grimness settled in his one word and shivers shimmied down his spine at the thought of being stuck here eternally while life passed him by. But he was a practical man a
nd knew what had to be done.
"That's suicide! Don't you want to go home to your family and your fiancée? Who's going to serve you Perrier? How can you live without your country club? You can't survive here in this primitive place."
Turning to her with a growl, he bristled at her assessment of him. Did she truly think he was that shallow? “Don't you ever watch the movies? Suicide is leaving that floating advertisement out there for pirates. We might as well give them a road map and mark X for our heads."
Gaping at him, she gulped and almost choked on the single word she was able to push past her lips. “Pirates? But this is the twenty-first century. They belong to fairy tales like Peter Pan."
"The pirates are high tech now.” He lifted his hand to shade his eyes as he scanned the horizon both depressed and relieved that no ships bobbed on the waves. “They have machine guns and torpedoes.” He dragged a knife out of his pocket and held it up, turning it slowly. Sun stars glinted off the pathetically minuscule blade. “I don't think this little baby will be much of a deterrent. Hiding is our best defence."
She sank to her feet, massaging the back of her neck and following his gaze dolefully. “Then how are we going to get off this rock?"
"My family will have rescue teams scouring the area. We'll watch the beach and we have a flare gun if we hear any planes overhead so we can signal.” Flipping the blade closed, he sheathed the knife in his pocket. His gaze raked over her. “Believe me. I don't want to be stuck here, either. I have a few plans for my life."
She sighed deeply, craning her neck up to watch him, squinting as the harsh morning sun glared in her eyes. He meant that he didn't want to be stuck with her. Nor had it escaped her that his wealthy, influential family would be looking for him. Her father had no money and no clout, so no one would be looking for her. But they needed each other even if they didn't like one another. Gritting her teeth, she managed to get out, “I'm all ears,” she said overly cheerful. “So, what is it that we have to do first? Tell me your wonderful plan."
He turned slowly, perusing the forest. “We make a raft and salvage everything off that boat we can possibly use, and then we sink her. First, we need to gather bamboo and vines. That should be light enough to float."
She'd cooperate if it meant getting home, out of danger. “Okay. Does bamboo grow in groves? What are we looking for?” She pushed huge palm fronds out of her path and picked her way carefully over the forest floor.
"Why don't you let me lead? In case there are wild animals?” He took out his knife and flipped the blade open, holding it before him.
"How cute!” she drawled. “But I don't think that'll scare a tiger or an alligator anymore than it'll scare your pirates. But if it makes you feel better, be my guest."
He scowled at her. “Let me guess. You didn't win any prizes for being Miss Congeniality, did you?"
It was her turn to scowl back at him as he passed her to take the lead. “And you were Mr. Popularity in your ivy league college?"
By mutual unspoken consent, they refrained from talking. Soon, she heard water splashing.
He must've heard it, too, for he paused and cocked his head in its direction. Turning, he made way towards the sound. “Fresh water.” Birds sang and animals mewled, the closer they got to the water source. He pushed a palm frond out of their way and there it was, the most glorious site she'd ever seen, a rushing cascade of the bluest water in the world, falling over moss-covered rocks into a small lagoon. A rainbow shimmered over it and she wondered if a pot of gold lay close by.
"It's gorgeous!” Hot and sweaty, unable to resist, she ran into the water, laughing and splashing it over her body.
"Be careful! The not-so-friendly neighbourhood alligator probably lives in there.” He stood on the edge of the bank. Raising his arm, he pointed at a suspicious lump sticking out of the water just a few feet from her. “See?"
Her skin crawling at just the thought of such a creature eyeing her as if she was brunch, she emerged from the water. Dripping wet, water pooled at their feet. She squinted at the lagoon but only saw placid waters—except for a rock. “Where?"
"There.” He pointed at the rock. A chuckle escaped his lips. “Guess I was mistaken. It's just a rock."
Hitting him playfully in the shoulder, she pulled away from him quickly. “You knew it was a rock all along. You just wanted to goad me."
"Gotcha!” A grin dawned over his face, almost reaching from ear to ear.
"You know, we have to get something straight right here and now.” Seething at the indignity heaped upon her, she plotted revenge. “If you keep calling wolf for false alarms, I'm not going to look when it's the real thing. Next time it might be you facing a real alligator and needing help and I'm not going to Kung Fu Fight him for you."
She lifted her hand, pointing. “Look! There's a real one this time.” She didn't see anything, and she didn't think she would find an alligator in fresh water like this if she remembered right.
Circling behind him, she pushed him hard into the drink. “Payback is sweet."
She wiped her hands down her shorts, and stood on the shore, laughing at the site of a sprawling, spluttering Scott.
The man in question glowered darkly, and if she wasn't sure he was a pussycat, she'd be scared. He might be conceited and financially powerful, but he was basically a gentle man. Violence wasn't in his nature and wasn't a threat to her.
"Real cute. We're even.” Wading through the water, he smiled sweetly. Just as he said the last word, he grabbed her ankles and yanked her feet out from under her, sending her sprawling into the water.
She barely had time to take a gulp of air before she was submerged. Grasping at his legs nearby, she pulled him down. Before she knew it, they were a tangle of arms and legs, play wrestling, and laughing till they cried.
"Pax! I give. I ... can ... hardly ... br-breathe,” she finally said on a gasp. Holding one hand perpendicular to the other, she put it two inches in front of his face. Water spewed into her mouth and she estimated she'd swallowed about two gallons. She bet she'd sway when she tried to walk on dry land.
She realised she sat on his lap and that his arms clamped around her waist. His gaze smouldered into hers, and she sobered immediately although his arms felt more intoxicating than a pint of the best Scotch.
"I don't know that I can trust you. Peace treaties aren't any good unless signed."
He looked around and then shook his head. “I don't think we'll find any paper or pens around here. You'll just have to trust me."
She grinned. “There's always blood."
Breathless for a different reason now, she was captivated by the feel of him pressing against her, of her traitorous nipples straining against the wet fabric of her shirt. It was just the cold water having that effect on her, she told herself. Just like it was the cold water causing his cock to swell and throb against her?
Yeah, right.
"Then we'll just have to take each other on faith, won't we?” Extricating herself from his arms, she stood hurriedly and swayed when she lost her footing on a slippery rock.
He caught her just as she was about to tumble backwards. Strong fingers clamped about her wrist, hauling her toward his strength. She stopped short, less than an inch from his lips, her gaze glued to them. She'd not noticed how strongly firm and passionate they were until now. The five o'clock shadow that blurred the hard line of his jaw added a sexiness she found hard to resist. But it was his eyes, when she chanced to look up at him, gazing down at her with unrestrained passion, which almost did her in.
Answering passion licked like wildfire up her spine and boiled the blood in her veins. When her knees refused to support her any longer, she slumped towards him, moulding her frame against his. They fit perfectly together, and she delighted in the feel of his arms snaking around her, steadying her. Warm and moist, his lips captured hers in a hungry kiss that stole her breath. Lightning shot through her, and she couldn't think straight for several moments as his hands roamed
her curves. The kiss consumed her. The man sent her to dizzying new heights of awareness with just his tongue and his lips.
Just when she was ready to drag him down on the grass beside her, he pulled back. Confusion and guilt flickered in his eyes as he stared at her. His chest heaved and he ran shaky fingers through his sodden hair, pushing it out of his eyes. “I don't know what came over me. You must forgive me for forgetting myself. I'm engaged."
Horror filled her. How had she forgotten that he wasn't free? What had overcome her in the first place? She didn't even like him much ... He was a spoiled rich moron like Sam.
Fury and an intense personal dislike simmered deep inside her. Angrier with herself than with him for forgetting herself, she pivoted on her heel and left him in her dust. After all, he was a man. He couldn't control his lust. But she should know better.
Chapter Two
"I've got to give you credit.” Katie chewed on a piece of sugar cane, sucking out its sweetness and then spitting out the chewy fibres. Some stuck in her teeth so she had to pick it out with her finger. “You know how to work with your hands."
Her shadow eclipsed him as he tried to work, so that he had to squint. Scott grunted in response to her dig, looking up from where he coaxed a make-shift water powered generator to cool the small refrigerator they'd brought back from the boat. It had almost sunk their raft, but it had been worth the effort. Although it didn't cool food as efficiently as it had in its prior life, it kept a good amount of food safe from insects and other predators in reasonable coolness. If they really wanted something chilled, they stuck it under the waterfall for a couple of hours. Chilled coconut milk and lemonade tasted delicious.
"Scott can walk upright. Scott has learned the secret of fire,” he said, imitating primitive man. It irked him that she held such a low opinion of him. Hadn't he proved his worth by now? Hadn't he built a nice hut with his bare hands? Hadn't he seen to her safety since the shipwreck? What did she expect? That he would be a simpering idiot that couldn't catch a fish or climb a tree to get a piece of fruit? He wondered what the men were like in her neighbourhood. Maybe they built mansions with their bare hands?