Stranded Read online

  He nodded at her, grateful for the assurance.

  Her words made Willie feel better too. His own fears over the last week had been manageable, at least once they’d landed on the island. They’d been so busy working as a team, building the shelter, making camp, finding food. Through the day he had no time to sit and worry, and when dusk came he just crawled into the shelter and fell asleep as soon as he was horizontal, exhausted from all the hard work. They were falling into the rhythms of the island, and things were starting to become more routine, easier. The hard work of making a home was done, and their time was freeing up, but with that came more time to think. He tried to avoid thoughts of rescue because they did nothing but cause stress, so instead he occupied himself with fishing and crabbing. He enjoyed being out in the lagoon and was getting quite handy with the spear.

  Daniel came with him most times. They worked well together and were becoming very good friends. He liked the shy Englishman and found they actually had a similar sense of humor and shared a lot of the same ideals. The dude trusted him too, and had opened up to Willie about a lot of personal things. It was nice to have a bond like that with someone, like brothers. While he was close to his teammates, Willie could never really say that any of them had gotten that close to him. It was cool.

  “Don’t worry captain, we’ll be ok,” Joss offered gently, hoping to ease some of the guilt she was sure he carried. Her words pulled Willie from his thoughts and made him smile. For him, she was a breath of fresh air, a bright light in an otherwise dark situation. He had grown very fond of her too.

  “I’m just being a realist, girly,” Grant scolded, “and I don’t need a cheerleader.” He finished the sentence with a tight grin, a gesture designed to mask his sharp words and dull the insult.

  It didn’t help. Joss was offended. She tossed the stick she’d been using to stoke the fire and stood up, brushing sand off her bottom.

  “I’m going to head out for my walk,” she snapped through clenched teeth, to no one in particular. She picked up her bag, already packed for the long hike she’d planned for that day. She threw her journal inside, then turned to walk away.

  Charles, glaring at Grant, looked ready to tear a strip off of him. He hated the way Grant spoke to Joss and his instincts were to protect her. She was a kind woman, and a bloody hard worker, and had done more than any of them to ensure their survival, including the captain’s. Hell, she’d practically saved the man’s life! He turned away, wisely biting his tongue. He was frustrated as hell with him, but losing his temper wouldn’t help. He’d learned that the hard way over the years. In business it was the cooler heads that prevailed.

  “Joss, hold up,” he insisted, “I’m coming with you.”

  * * *

  It was about ten minutes into their hike when Joss finally spoke, stopping abruptly and turning toward him.

  “I appreciate you keeping me company, Charlie, but I plan to explore further inland today and it is pretty rough terrain.”

  He nodded at her, refusing to admit he was a little out of breath. Normally he would correct someone calling him anything but his given name, but he kind of liked her calling him Charlie. It was charming coming from her, and truth be told, it made him feel youthful.

  “It’s ok. I can manage,” he insisted, sidling up beside her. She was a knock out, he thought, casually searching her face. He’d been doing that a lot lately, discreetly looking at her when he was sure she wouldn’t notice. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable. It was obvious to him that she didn’t consider herself beautiful, at least not in the traditional sense. Joss just didn’t carry herself the way most beautiful women did, at least in his experience. He’d been around his share of stunning ladies and they all had one thing in common; a certain posture that commanded the attention of any man around them, confident they were desired and would have every need met. Joss never carried herself that way. It was as though she’d never even considered that anyone but herself would meet her needs, and there was something incredibly alluring about that.

  She looked him up and down, considering whether or not he could keep up, then nodded in agreement.

  “Ok. Do you mind carrying the bag so I can free my hands to forage?”

  “Not at all, give it to me,” he said, holding his hand out.

  She gave him a quick smirk, as though considering the double entendre, handing him the bag playfully. He liked thinking she was flirting with him, smiling broadly once her back was turned.

  It wasn’t easy stepping over logs and ducking under vines, but he didn’t care. He was just happy to be away from camp, and with her. They didn’t talk much at all, instead enjoying the quiet bliss around them, listening to the jungle symphony, chorused by the local fauna. Joss stopped frequently to pick edibles or explore tracks. Every now and then she opened her journal to take notes. She asked him to mark the trail as they pressed on, warning him every now and then to mind his step or avoid spiders and other creepy crawlies. There were many dangers in the jungle, but he felt safe enough with her guidance. He enjoyed walking behind her so he could discreetly admire her. He had never met a woman as strong and self-assured as Joss. She charmed him.

  They were walking for an hour or so when she stopped, holding her hand up as if to silence him.

  “Do you hear that?” she whispered, slapping a mosquito off her neck. It was faint, but he was able to pick out something that resembled a flowing tap, a constant trickling of sorts.

  “Is that...”

  “Water? I think it is,” she trilled, tucking her journal into the back of her pants. “Follow me, it sounds like it’s coming from over that rocky outcrop!”

  She led him for another five minutes, their excitement hurrying their pace, until the jungle opened up, unveiling a short waterfall. It spilled into a clear little watering hole, surrounded by lush green plants, colorful exotic flowers, and soft green moss, approximately sixty feet wide. It was magical, exactly like one imagined a South Pacific rainforest, a picturesque postcard of Eden.

  “Jesus, is this for real?” Charles asked, stunned by its beauty. Joss giggled, wide eyed and excited, nodding her head enthusiastically.

  “Come on!”

  She grabbed his hand and lead him to the water’s edge, kneeling down on the soft moss. The pond was so clear he could see her smiling reflection in the pool beneath her.

  “It’s fresh, Charlie! It’s good water. I’m sure of it!”

  He crouched down beside her and dipped his hands in the cold pool.

  “Can we drink it?” he asked, cupping the water in his palm.

  He splashed it on the nape of his neck, to cool his flesh.

  “We probably could, but I would like to boil it, just to be safe. Either way, we have a fresh water source. This could be the difference between surviving and thriving, Charlie!”

  For the first time since the crash, he could imagine Joss as who she really was, without the worry lines cruelly etching a story across her brow, spirited, fresh, and youthful. As if on cue, the sunlight lit her golden locks, making her appear like an angel, and he suddenly wanted to kiss her.

  “Amazing,” he whispered, gently brushing a lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes. She looked surprised by the tender gesture, her eyes silently questioning him.

  “Charlie...” she sighed, taking his hand, still cool from the water.

  “Joss?” he smiled, gently squeezing her fingers, wondering if it was possible that she wanted the same thing.

  “I like you, Charlie.”

  “I like you too,” he admitted, carefully placing each word. He didn’t want to make an assumption he might later regret.

  “No, I mean, I really like you. Out of everyone here, you always seem to be looking out for me. I need you to know how much I appreciate that,” she confessed, entwining her fingers in his. “I can’t explain it, but you make me feel braver, somehow. Thank you.”

  “I am looking out for you, Joss, just like you’re looking
out for me,” he whispered, all at once pleased and embarrassed by the acknowledgment. “You make me feel brave too.”

  He wasn’t accustomed to people thanking him, in spite of the fact that he took care of so many. He was personally accountable for employing thousands of people, and all of those people had families. It was a huge responsibility that he never took lightly. He never made any decision, business or otherwise, without thinking of the best interest of those families. Very few people realized that, and rarely thanked him for it.

  She leaned toward him, beckoning for a kiss, and he was happy to oblige. Placing one hand gently behind her head, he tentatively kissed her, mindful not to overwhelm her. He was in no hurry anyway, pleased to just savor the moment.

  Joss loved how tender he was. She knew he would be. She’d fantasized about kissing Charlie all week. He was certainly older than her, maybe more than a decade, but there was something about him she found irresistibly compelling. He was thoughtful and kind, for sure, but it was more than that. He was vulnerable, yet undeniably strong. Not just physically, but emotionally too. He was also incredibly handsome, in a Hugh Jackman sort of way, greying dark hair and light blue eyes, the perfect combination. But the thing about Charlie she was most attracted to was his intelligence. For Joss, smart was damn sexy, it always had been.

  “Do you want to go for a dip?” she whispered, as she pulled away from his delicious kiss.

  He smiled curiously at her, his blue eyes heavy with desire. “Now?”

  “Don’t you want to get me naked?” she teased, standing up. She didn’t wait for an answer, yanking the journal out of the back of her slacks and tossing it to the ground. She kicked off her hiking boots and stuffed her socks inside them, all the while grinning at him. Charles shook his head, a look of disbelief on his rugged face, as though wondering how the hell he’d gotten so lucky.

  “Well?” she baited playfully, are you going to just sit there and watch or are you going to join me?”

  She offered him a hand, helping him to stand up.

  As soon as he was on his feet he pulled her into his kiss, this time with more passion, his mouth crushing hers. She moaned her approval into his open mouth, inviting his tongue to tease her. His hands slipped down her back, over the juicy curve of her ass, easily picking her up. She wrapped her legs around him, entwining her long, feminine arms around his neck to help steady herself, kissing him again.

  “God, I’ve wanted to do that all week,” Charles confessed, holding her close, his erection swelling beneath her.

  “You have?” she whispered, caressing his neck with sweet, tender kisses.

  He placed her back on her feet. “M-hmm,” he nodded. “Sleeping beside you has been torture.”

  Joss chuckled playfully, her eyes glued to his, as she unzipped her cargo pants and let them fall to the ground, panties and all. She slipped her t-shirt over her head and added it to the pile. “Get undressed, Charlie. Let’s take a bath.”

  The water was cool but easy to slip into, and gratefully only chest deep. They swam together to the waterfall, allowing the day’s dirt and sweat to wash away. It felt good to be in fresh water, and Charles dunked himself under to wash his hair. When he emerged, Joss was sitting on a ledge, the shower pouring over her naked body. She looked blissful, as though being baptized by the holy stream. He swam over to her and hopped up on the little shelf beside her. The stream from the falls poured down on them both as he kissed her again, his hands cradling her face, his tongue gently teasing her.

  Joss slowly leaned away, her eyes searching his. He was quick to sense her hesitation.

  “What is it, Joss?”

  She inhaled slowly, and sat back against the rock, out of the stream of water, completely comfortable with her nudity. Charles was quick to follow suit, placing his arm around her shoulders so he could cradle her. She looked up at him and smiled, touched by his affection. She wanted to be with him, more than anything, but she was also cognizant of the fact that she had just been intimate with Ryan only days earlier. In the real world, she couldn’t imagine any situation in which she would sleep with multiple partners. She was modest to a fault, and typically a little shy. In fact, she’d been so discerning that she had gone years without sleeping with anyone.

  But this was a whole new world and the rules were clearly different. She just wasn’t sure how to navigate it yet. The truth was, they weren’t certain they would ever leave their island, let alone survive. Life had suddenly become fragile and uncertain. That will change a person.

  “Tell me,” he whispered, rubbing her shoulder.

  She stared up at him for a moment, trying to formulate her thoughts, then finally spoke, “Let me ask you a question first, ok?”

  “Ok.”

  “If you were the only man on an island with five beautiful women, would you worry about whether or not it was appropriate to be with more than one of them, or even all of them? Would the thought even cross your mind?” she asked, sincerely.

  She really needed to know what he would do, what any man would do. Charles shrugged, regarding her curiously before answering.

  “Truth? Probably not. I would consider myself damn lucky to have a harem, probably strut around like a horny Sheik,” he chuckled. “Why do you ask?”

  “I think you know why I am asking, Charlie. Let’s be real with each other, ok?” Joss pleaded. She sensed it was safe talking to him, and hoped he would just shoot from the hip with her.

  “Ok,” he nodded.

  “It probably comes as no surprise to you, but I’ve been thinking a lot about this. I was raised by a woman with a strict moral compass,” she continued. “Now, I’m not saying that I’m the prude she raised me to be, but honestly, I’ve lived my life with certain principles based on those lessons. It’s not the same for women as it is for men, not by a long shot. Where men are revered, we are slut shamed. Where we are told to save ourselves for someone special, men are encouraged to sow their oats. The genders are raised by a double set of standards, and if you don’t mind me saying, men have always held the shinier side of that coin.”

  “That’s true,” Charles agreed.

  She looked at him hopefully, “So you see my dilemma?”

  He did see. It wasn’t fair, but it was true, everything she’d said. She was a beautiful woman on an island, alone with five men. She was in a unique situation for sure, and the way he saw it, she’d get to make the rules. If this was stud island, then she was queen. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch, they already looked up to her, except for the captain, but Charles was sure that would sort itself out soon. If not, Grant would have the other four men to answer to.

  “I can see how you might see it that way, Joss, but maybe you could look at it as more of an opportunity than a dilemma. If the tables were turned, not one of the guys here would feel guilt or shame, so why should you?”

  Joss smiled, “I guess I’m just trying to figure that out.”

  “Ok, but there’s no rush, at least not with me, and there are no rules. You can choose to sleep with any, or all, or none for that matter. We’re all adults here,” he soothed, taking her hand.

  Joss nodded, still not convinced. “I guess, I’m worried about jealousy or hurt feelings. We all have to live together harmoniously. I’m not sure I want to be the caretaker of five alpha males, or their egos. Or if I’m even capable of it.”

  “Fair enough,” Charles agreed, “but it doesn’t have to be your responsibility, does it?”

  “Doesn’t it?”

  She looked at him, her eyes challenging him to prove otherwise.

  “In the real world, maybe you’re right, but this is new for all of us. Traditions, roles, and customs are out the window. Precedents can be set. At least that’s the way I see it.”

  “And it wouldn’t bother you? If I...um...slept with...”

  “The others,” he chimed in, “why should it? I don’t have a claim on you. None of us do. Just like you don’t have any claims on us.”

>   He had seen a shift between her and Ryan, and truthfully, already suspected that they’d been intimate.

  “And any of you could say no, too!” she insisted.

  Charles shook his head, his laughter echoing off the rock wall behind them.

  “What?” Joss giggled.

  “That’s unlikely,” he concluded, squeezing her fingers. She gave him a skeptical sideways glance and smirked, certain he might be wrong.

  “It’s possible, Charlie,” she pressed, thinking about the captain, not that she would fuck him either. No way.

  “Slim chance, tiny,” he implied, holding up his finger and thumb for emphasis.

  “Okay, we can agree to disagree,” she laughed. She leaned in and gave him a quick, playful kiss. Charles looked at her affectionately, and she kissed him again, this time slower, more deliberately.

  “Come on,” he croaked, as she pulled away, “let’s get off this cold rock. It’s doing nothing for my libido.”

  Joss laughed, and slid into the water, beckoning him to follow.

  As soon as they were back on the bank, Joss sat in the soft moss, patting the ground beside her. Charles, grinning like the cheshire cat, crawled up beside her, and with a strong palm, urged her to lay back. He playfully spread her legs open and centered himself between them, burying his face in her pussy.

  He was highly skilled, and it didn’t take long for Joss to reach her first orgasm. The man took his time, licking, sucking, and nibbling in all the right places, switching her mind off of everything but the pleasure he insisted she have. She squirmed beneath his fingers and tongue, panting and moaning until her body begged for release.

  “Jesus, woman, you taste like heaven,” he groaned, wiping her cream off his chin, hoisting his body over hers. He pressed his mouth on to hers, offering her a taste of her spice. Joss wrapped her fingers through his hair savoring his kiss, and opened her legs for him. Charles accepted the invitation, slowly slipping his cock into her. He fucked her with the technique of a man who has learned both the art, and reward, of patience.

  Joss appreciated the focus he gave her, so different from anything she’d ever experienced. He made sure to tease all her senses, heightening her arousal with sharp, little bites on her neck, and naughty, provocative whispers in her ear, all the while, pinning her arms over her head in a sexy game of bondage. It drove her mad, how assertive he was fucking her, such a contrast to the sweet side she had come to know. Charles was in charge, and she liked it!