Chapter 16

“I don’t see the point in waiting any longer. We need to check out the north side,” Joss insisted. It had been three days since they’d last discussed it, with still no sign of a ship. It was important for them to cover all their bases. Daniel had finished the raft and had already tested it out in the surf. It was sturdy and could easily carry three of them.

“I agree,” Daniel chimed in. He was growing restless, ready for a change of scenery. He wasn’t sure who else would be up for the challenge, but he didn’t want to stay behind.

“What’s the game plan?” Charles asked apprehensively. Despite the fact that it needed to be done, he wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Joss participating. Part of his hesitation was that he hated the thought of parting with her for who knew how long, but mostly because he was worried about putting her in harm’s way. And not just her, but whoever decided to go. He had become quite attached to all of them, even Grant. The captain had really come out of his shell over the past few days and was starting to warm up to them. Even to Joss, somewhat. He’d been happy to see that. It meant a lot less stress for all of them, but especially her.

“I think we need to spend the next day or two gathering additional supplies, food and water so that we can bring along some provisions. Who knows what we’ll find once we get there. It would be dangerous if we didn’t find a water source once we land on the north coast,” Joss explained, offering Willie a bowl of the porridge she’d just made. The sweet, tropical scent of the coconut and banana made her stomach growl, but she always made sure the men ate before her. They needed the calories. He accepted it with a smile, discreetly brushing her fingers with his own. Recalling how those long, sexy fingers made her feel only a few nights earlier made her blush.

“For sure,” Daniel agreed, “we can take a hike to the watering hole and fill up the condoms and every other container we have, make sure there’s enough water at this camp for a few days too.”

“I’m sure we’re quite capable of going back ourselves if our water starts running low. I’m more concerned that whoever makes the trip has enough,” Charles insisted, still considering how he could convince Joss to stay behind. “Just worry about that first. No point in overexerting.”

“True,” Grant nodded, “but the raft will only take so much weight. It’s important not to overload it.”

“The captain is right,” Joss agreed, taking a seat beside Daniel. She took a mouthful of her breakfast before continuing. “I’ll also forage today and try to get enough food to last several days. We can also take the dried mullet. That won’t go bad and will give us a meal or two if we’re unsuccessful at fishing. Hopefully once we land we can find some plant food in the area too.”

“And if you can’t?” Charles asked nervously.

Joss looked at him thoughtfully. She was well aware of his apprehension. They had gone for a hike together the day before, and after they’d made love, he’d made his concerns clear to her. He wasn’t wrong about how dangerous it was, but she had to go. The men staying back at camp were relatively safe and well cared for, and she couldn’t leave the others to fend for themselves. If they had any chance whatsoever, they would need her survival skills.

“We need to have faith. As long as the weather cooperates I feel confident that the island will offer up something for us,” she reassured him. “I’ll take some traps and we will take enough food for several days. I think if we take three gallons of water, that should last us until we find another source. If we have to, we can hand dig a well until we hit the water table.”

Grant nodded his approval and asked, “So who’s going to go?”

Joss caught his eye and smiled, pleased that he finally seemed to have faith in her abilities. He didn’t tear his eyes away, his typical response, instead he held her gaze. Admittedly it caught her off guard and unravelled her a little.

“Um, well, I will,” she stuttered, looking away. Her eyes landed on Charles. He shrugged his shoulders, as though accepting defeat. She knew he was upset. He had expressed how badly he wanted to go, to make sure she was safe, but they both agreed that it was safer for him if he stayed behind.

“Brave girl,” Grant approved, giving her a wink. She couldn’t help but be pleased with the compliment, in spite of the word ‘girl’. She’d take it.

“Who else?” he asked, looking around the fire, which had become their makeshift living room.

“I’m going,” Daniel challenged emphatically, leaving no doubt about his intention. “That is, if no one has any objections?”

“I think that’s a good idea Daniel,” Charles nodded. Daniel had proven himself resourceful. He was also a good fisherman. If Charles couldn’t go, he wanted Daniel to go. “Who else?”

The captain slapped Daniel on the back, good naturally, “Thanks for stepping up. I can’t go, I need to keep working on the aircraft, see if I can get the radio working.”

Joss couldn’t help but feel relieved. He had suffered a pretty heavy concussion in the crash and couldn’t risk any more trauma, and as much as she appreciated the progress he was making letting his walls down, the thought of spending so much time with him made her nervous. They did so much better when there was an escape hatch. If they went on the excursion together, there would be no where to go.

She looked up, surprised to see Grant watching her. She was certain he felt the same way she did, and yet the way he was looking at her; it made her wonder.

“I think I should go,” Ryan offered, picking up the tail end of the conversation. He had just returned from the beach, wearing nothing but his wet boxer shorts, his hair dripping with sea water. He never failed to make Joss’ jaw drop but she did her best to mask her arousal. She’d been doing that a lot lately. It was like she was a walking pussy.

“Well, it’s either you or Willie,” Charles agreed. He picked up one of the towels drying by the fire and tossed it at him.

“Thanks,” Ryan grinned, wrapping it around his waist, more for warmth than modesty. He made Joss chuckle.

Willie took the last bite of his porridge, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He would have liked to have gone with Joss, and Daniel too, but it was important that he stay behind, provide for the others. He looked up at Charles and shrugged, as though the decision was easy. “No, I think I should hang out here, especially since Daniel is going.”

Charles inhaled slowly, processing their situation. He didn’t disagree. It was Willie, Joss, and Daniel that had been providing most of their food, and they were losing two of them already. As much as he didn’t want to imagine the worst, if anything happened on the excursion, it could prove fatal for the rest of them. No, they needed to split their resources, just in case. It was the smart thing to do.

“I think that’s wise,” he nodded, looking to each of them. “So it will be Daniel, Ryan, and Joss then.” He could barely get the words out. He had a bad feeling about it all but tried to choke it down. He didn’t want to jinx anything by voicing his worries out loud.

“Ok, then, it’s decided. We’ll leave in a day or two, weather permitting,” Joss said positively, hoping to ease Charlie’s mind. “We have a lot to do today. I want to find enough food for Ryan, Daniel and I to take with us, and to leave the pantry stocked at home. Charlie, do you want to come with me?”

“I’d like to go, Joss,” Grant suggested quietly, surprising her.

Joss turned to face him, gauging his sincerity. He’d never offered to forage with her before. He seemed to understand her reluctance and continued, “I think it’s a good idea to know your routine, just in case. No offense, Charles. I’m sure you’re more than capable of picking up the slack, but it might be wise for us both to have some knowledge. Is that fair, mate?”

Charles looked at Joss, as discreetly as possible, hoping for some sort of indication about her feelings. It was probably a good idea for Grant to go, spend some quality time with Joss, get to know her better. If the two of them could move their friendship forward and ease some of the tension between them, it would be good for the group as a whole; plus it would be wise for Grant to share the foraging duties while Joss was away. It was a time consuming task and he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to bushwhack through the jungle everyday. Joss nodded, sighing, as though reading his mind.

“Yeah, sure Captain, come with us,” she invited, hoping her apprehension was well hidden. She was grateful he stepped up, for Charlie’s sake, but at the same time she was a wee bit anxious. The only time they’d spent together was amongst the group, both still avoiding alone time together. Yes, they were making progress, but she still had a hard time reading him, and that pissed her off. Also, his dry, sarcastic nature sometimes rubbed her the wrong way. She could never tell if he was being serious or not. When he let his guard down and hung out with the boys he was funny, charming even. Admittedly, at times she’d found herself quite drawn to him, but there was a dark side to him too. He was the quintessential damaged hot guy, and she had no interest in being his savior. Grant needed to save himself.

“Right then, I’ll just get my shoes and we can skedaddle,” he smiled. He walked away, leaving them all just a little dumbfounded.

“You’re coming too, Charlie?” Joss asked, kneeling down to gather her things. His silence made her look up, wondering why he was hesitating.

“I think I might stay behind, Joss,” he offered quietly. She stood up, slipping her bag over her shoulder, looking rather perplexed at him. He needed to explain his reasoning, but not in front of the others. “Come on, let’s have a chat.”

He led her away, just out of earshot of the men, before turning to face her.

“What’s up? Are you feeling okay?” she asked cautiously, crossing her arms protectively in front of her.

“I am a little tired today, but that’s not it. I think this would be a good opportunity for you and Grant to sort through things. I think he’s trying to make amends, Joss, I really do.”

“Charlie, you’ve seen how awkward things are between the two of us. I’d rather you were there as a buffer,” she pleaded, “at least this time?”

“I understand how you feel, Joss, I really do, but my gut tells me that he might be different if it is just the two of you, if he sees for himself how smart and resourceful you are. Maybe some one on one time will give you guys a chance to bond?” he persuaded, certain he was right. He worked with Grant’s type before. Sometimes they needed privacy to let their guard down completely. “Just be yourself, Joss. You got this!”

She looked at him skeptically, wishing she felt as confident as he did. She knew she would eventually have to hash things out with the captain, make peace for both their sakes, but the opportunity had not presented itself. Plus, she wasn’t entirely convinced that he wanted the same thing.

“Give him a chance, Joss...” he pleaded. He raised his brows and grinned at her. She smiled and nodded weakly, unable to resist his charm.

“It won’t be easy, Charlie,” she said.

“It might not be, but you’ve never struck me as the kind of woman who takes the easy way out,” he grinned. She shook her head, ineffectively holding back a smile.

“Okay, but if we’re not back by 3:00, send out a search party,” she quipped, allowing him to pull her into an embrace.

“I’m proud of you. Now, tell me what you need, I’ll help you get ready.”

“Nothing, I have everything. I’ll just grab my walking stick and we’ll be on our way.”

* * *

Joss quietly lead the way, pushing her walking stick out in front of her. She’d seen a few snakes on recent forages and had her guard up. Daniel had made some poles at her request, split at the bottom for protection, just in case they had to trap a striking viper. Usually they kept their distance, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

Grant easily kept pace with her, but he wasn’t speaking much either. They stopped occasionally so Joss could point out the edible flora, gathering what she needed. She took more than she normally dared, always cognitive about leaving plenty behind for regrowth, but she wanted to make sure both camps had what they needed. They were going to have a heavy load to carry back, with the weight of the fruit and the water they planned to collect. She hoped they would be able to manage and was starting to regret it was just the two of them. Charlie thought it would be a good bonding experience, but as far as she could tell the captain was all business. Aside from answering his questions about the food sources, he offered very little small talk. She hoped that once they took a break, he’d open up a little more.

“Wow, look at this place!” Grant gushed, as the jungle curtain opened up to the waterfall.

“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” she agreed.

The captain had not been there yet. They’d all agreed that he needed more time to recover from his concussion before making the trek. Thankfully, he’d never objected. He was happy to work on the things back at camp, always keeping an eye out for search and rescue. Besides, someone needed to stay behind, to shoot off the flare gun if anything passed close enough.

Joss set her bag down, mindful not to spill any of its contents. It was hot, one of the muggiest days yet, and the perspiration had soaked right through her t-shirt. She was ready for a quick dip to cool off. “Captain, do you mind if I go for a swim?” she asked, kicking off her hiking boots.

“When are you going to start calling me Grant?” he smirked, dropping his own load.

“I...um...I’m not sure,” she stammered, caught off guard by the question.

“We’ve been stranded together for almost a month now. I think it’s time to drop the formalities, isn’t it?” he shrugged, the corners of his mouth turning up into a small smile. Usually reserving his smiles, she couldn’t help but be charmed.

“I guess,” she agreed, “Grant.” It was the first time she had actually spoken his name. It sounded foreign on her lips. He let out a chuckle as if it sounded strange to him too. “In all fairness, you’ve never used my name either.”

“Haven’t I?” he grinned, his brows turned up in surprise.

“Nope,” she challenged playfully, “it’s been girly, sheila, gallah...no idea what that means...missy...oh and my personal favorite, sunshine.”

Grant cocked his head at her and grinned. “Ok, ok, gallah is not so nice, I admit it. Sorry about that, but sunshine’s not so bad,” he teased.

“What exactly is a gallah?”

“I don’t want to tell ya, it might make ya cranky...”

“That bad, huh?” she scoffed, stuffing her socks into her boots. The cool moss felt like heaven under her feet.

“It’s an Aussie term, it just means silly,” he shrugged, unapologetically.

“Ah,” she pouted, digesting the insult. She had never been accused of being silly before. Serious, yes. Fierce, bitchy, sure. But silly? She wasn’t owning that.

“If it helps ya any, I meant it in the nicest way possible,” he smirked.

She wasn’t buying it, but it really didn’t matter. She’d grown accustomed to his dismissive synonyms and had stopped taking them personally. They were more annoying than hurtful and she’d just chalked it up to cultural differences. That, and the fact that he might be a wee bit misogynistic.

“It’s fine,” she assured, waving off the conflict, “it was just an observation.”

“No, no, you’re right. I suppose I’ve been a bit of a prick,” he admitted, combing his fingers through his damp hair.

“I wouldn’t say that,” she shrugged, unable to meet his eyes.

“No, you wouldn’t, but I am. It wasn’t easy at first, being here,” he continued, “I was bloody pissed at myself. I blamed myself for the crash. I still do.”

Joss looked up, surprised by the vulnerability. She knew he was struggling with his guilt, but he was a proud man, that much was obvious.

“It was the storm, Grant. If anything, you saved us. You brought the plane down as skillfully as you could. We could have crashed into that ocean but we didn’t. We all survived. That was on you.”

He shook his head, dismissing her reassuring words. “No, I should’ve known better. I thought I could beat the storm. I was being cocky and I could have killed you all.”

“But you didn’t. We’re here, alive and well. We’re taking care of each other,” she soothed, wondering if she should take his hand. She hesitated for a moment before stepping closer to him, placing a hand on his elbow. She half expected him to brush her off, but he didn’t.

He was quiet for a moment, just looking down at her hand, as though processing the intimacy.

“I’ve been unkind to you, Joss,” he whispered, so quietly she barely heard him. “I’m not good at expressing myself, I’m afraid. I hate being weak.”

On some level, she completely understood. She’d often felt the same way, especially since the day she lost her baby. It changed everything for her.

“I know, Grant. I think you’d be surprised by how intuitive I am,” she offered quietly, matching his tone. “I can see how much this has pulled at you.”

“Believe me, my behavior has nothing to do with you...there are things about me that you don’t know. From my past” he admitted, slowly raising his eyes. She could see how sincere he was, and for the first time since meeting him, felt a genuine connection. “I’ve had some shitty things happen. It’s like a curse that keeps following me, and so many people have been hurt. They were collateral damage, just because they happened to be with me...”

He stopped for a moment, as though immersed in his pain. Joss wanted to hold him, tell him it would be okay, but she was afraid the intimacy would spook him even more. She wondered what could have happened to hurt him so.

“I’ve been the hardest on you. You didn’t deserve it,” he choked, shaking away his grief. He straightened up, as though signaling he was done talking about it.

“I guess I just assumed you didn’t like me. It happens,” she grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

“Nah, you’re a good girl...lady...person,” he stammered, struggling to find the least offensive noun. Joss laughed and squeezed his elbow, letting him off the hook.

“Woman?” she corrected.

“No question about that,” he grinned. “You’re definitely a woman...”

“On that note,” she chuckled, “I’m going for a swim.” She peeled her t-shirt off, quickly followed by her shorts, exposing her bikini underneath. She was grateful they had smoothed things over, yet she couldn’t wrap her brain around his flirting.

The water was cool, instantly refreshing. She swam to the middle of the pool before turning back to him. Grant was still standing where she had left him, hands in his pockets, smiling at her.

“Are you coming in?”

“I’m not much of a swimmer,” he admitted, shouting so he could be heard over the waterfall.

“Come on, mate! Ball up and git in here,” she teased, offering up the best Aussie accent she could muster.

Grant’s laughter echoed across the water, marrying with her own. It felt good to share a laugh with him and for a moment she’d forgotten how strained things had been between them. Maybe they could be friends, she thought.

“Fine, but if I start drowning, you’ll need to rescue me!”

“I’ll do my best,” she promised, waving him in. He quickly undressed to his boxers and waded into the water, grimacing from the chill. She swam towards him, dunking her head as she neared him. When she surfaced, his eyes were on her, regarding her thoughtfully.

“It’s nice, right?” she encouraged, holding her hand out to him. He reached out for her, allowing her to ease him further.

They swam together for a few more minutes, washing their exertion away, before heading back to shore. Grant pulled his pants on, then turned to help her out of the water. She accepted his hand, carefully picking her way up the rocky embankment.

“We should head back,” he suggested, handing her t-shirt to her.

She took it from him, noting him averting his eyes. Avoiding the awkwardness, she did her best to quickly cover up. His modesty surprised her, making her wonder what motivated it. Was it gallantry, or was he rebuffing her? She shook off her insecurities as fast as they landed, silently chiding herself.

“Let’s just gather the water and get out of here,” she agreed, tying the laces of her boots. “It’s going to be a long walk back with all the weight we’re carrying, and I’d like to stop at one more spot before it gets too late.”

“Joss?”

“Yeah?” She stood up, surprised to find him right in front of her. He was looking at her intimately, like he had something important to share, his eyes thoughtfully searching her own. Then, without warning he pulled them away, as though suddenly dismissing whatever he’d planned to say.

“Nothing. Here,” he said, handing her the empty condoms, “let’s just fill these up these four and get moving, before we lose our light. ”

Joss hesitated for a moment, wondering what was on his mind. He motioned again for her to take them, his eyes begging her to move on.

“Okay,” she nodded, letting him off the hook. They’d made enough progress that day. She didn’t want to do anything to risk him pulling away again.

* * *

“I really think we should go home,” Grant insisted, his eyes watching the sky. The atmosphere had changed quickly, darkening the jungle well before it should have.

“We’re almost there, come on, just a little further. There’s a patch of banana trees and I saw that some were almost ripe the other day. If we grab a bunch it will feed us for several days,” she pressed, already exhausted. The fruit would add to their already heavy load, but it would be worth it to make sure they had enough food for the trip.

“I’m not even sure we can carry much more, Joss, and it’s getting sketchy out here.”

She could see he was losing his patience, but they’d almost reached the location. It didn’t make sense to turn back. They were only an hour from camp, surely they could suck it up just a little longer. She sighed heavily under her breath, and pressed on, in spite of his protesting.

“Jesus, you’re a stubborn woman,” he groaned, shuffling behind her.

She ignored his remark, too tired to react. She was on a mission and complaining wasn’t going to make it any easier. The sky was definitely going to open up, making the rest of the trek home miserable, but she was hoping they could at least beat the worst of it. She heard an ominous grumble, right on cue, as though the weather was definitively taking Grant’s side. She picked up her pace, in spite of the strain on her shoulders, hoping he was keeping up.

“This is it, just around the bend,” she panted, allowing let him catch up.

Grant did not look happy. They were soaking wet, both from the humidity and their exertion, but she was sure the breeze would cool them down before long. They could just grab the bananas and take a quick break before continuing on the last leg of the journey, she surmised. She knew they were taking an unnecessary risk, but the reward was worth it.

“You okay?” she asked, noticing him grimace, as though his anger shifted to pain.

He carefully set his bags down, grunting his displeasure. His answer was short, and he refused to meet her eyes. “I’m fine.”

He was pissed, and beyond tired, but he wasn’t keen on the idea of looking like a chump in front of her. If she could do it, so could he. He welcomed the breeze on his back, but also worried about the quickly dropping temperature. There was a storm coming. She smiled at him but he was no longer in the mood for pleasantries.

Joss just shrugged her shoulders and quickly looked away, unwilling to argue with him. She dropped her own load, stretching out her back, before retrieving her knife out of one of her bags. She tucked it into the back of her shorts, and with a quick nod, gestured him to follow her. He rooted through his own bags and picked up last bottle of their clean water, following her the last thirty feet.

“They’re pretty high up. Do you think you can hoist me up?” she asked, stopping in front of the tree. “I think if you lift me past the first branch, I can shimmy up the rest of the way.” She wasn’t sure how much gas she had left in the tank, but she was damn well going to do her best. Failure was not an option, especially since Grant was already annoyed with her.

He looked up, assessing the climb, shaking his head in disbelief.

“This is a stupid idea, Joss,” he blurted, a little more sharply than he intended. He quickly adjusted his tone, noting the look of irritation on her face. He was annoyed with her, true, but didn’t want them to take a step backwards either. “I mean, it would be challenging to make a climb like that on a good day, but Christ, we’re exhausted.”

“If you can just lift me up, I know I can do it,” she insisted. She took the water from him and swallowed a mouthful before handing it back to him. He took a long swig of his own, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, smirking, as though he still thought she was crazy.

“Hmmm,” he mumbled, offering her the last of the water.

“Look we can stand here and argue about it or just work together and get it done. The faster we get moving the sooner we can get back. There’s definitely rain coming.” She offered, mindful of her tone. She swallowed the last of the water, tossing the bottle to the side.

“Yeah, I know. That’s what I’m worried about. We should’ve just kept moving,” he scolded, more out of concern than anger. She rolled her eyes anyway, clearly taking his words the wrong way. He didn’t blame her, his patience was running thin too.

“Well, we’re here now. Let’s not squabble about it,” she shrugged, carefully censoring herself.

Grant chuckled softly, smart enough to know that she was far too head strong to take no for an answer. He bent down and cupped his hands for her to step into. She nodded at him curtly, allowing him to lift her. As soon as she was high enough, she held the trunk firmly so he could shift his body closer to the tree. She used his shoulders to hoist herself higher, then leveraged herself before shimmying up, leaving him to watch her ascend from below. In spite of his irritation, he was impressed with her skills. Climbing without gear wasn’t an easy thing to do, and those wild banana trees grew pretty tall. She was at least 15 feet off the ground.

“I’m going to cut this bunch down, make sure they don’t hit you,” she called out, taking the knife out of the back of her shorts. She held the sheath in her mouth to ease the blade out, then started whacking at the thick stem.

Grant moved to the side, holding his breath as she rocked dangerously on a limb, right above him. She made quick work of it and seconds later the bananas landed on the ground beside him.

“I’ll be damned, she did it,” he whispered under his breath.

Seconds later Joss dropped to the jungle floor with a deafening thud. He quickly dropped to his knees, terrified he would find her breathless. He anxiously pushed the knife out of his way. The damn thing had landed right beside her head. An inch to the left and it might have killed her.

“Fuck Joss, what did you do?” he stammered, his heart pounding inside his chest. He crawled around to her side, listening for breath sounds, too afraid to move her. She was unconscious but breathing, barely, as though the wind had been knocked out of her. He ran his hands over her head and neck carefully, checking for blood or fractures, continuing the process down her body. She didn’t appear to have broken anything, but he couldn’t be sure and he knew enough not to move her. He sat on his knees, too shocked to even blink, trying to process the situation. He was dangerously close to losing it, but knew he needed to keep his shit together. He took a long, deep breath, before slipping off his shirt to cover her. This was always the worst case scenario, one of them getting injured, and it happened to Joss. On his watch.

“Joss, I’m here,” he choked, wiping the mud away from her face and hair. “You’re okay, silly girl. It will be okay...” His tender words, meant to soothe her, offered nothing to convince himself. He was scared to death.

He sat with her for a few more minutes, unsure what to do, listening to her shallow breaths. He was certain they were getting stronger, and hoped to god it wasn’t just wishful thinking. The wind was picking up, chilling him, but the adrenalin coursing through his veins made it barely noticeable. He knew it would be dark within an hour or two, sooner if the rain started. Even if she did come to, she would be in no condition to walk, and he couldn’t leave her alone to get help. He needed to make a shelter for them, and quick!

He rose to his feet, picking up her knife, then searched for its sheath. It was several feet away, hidden under some ground fall. He was lucky he found it. He slid the blade inside before tucking it into his waistband, returning to where they had left their supplies. He carried everything back to the banana tree, as quickly as he could, before checking on Joss again. She was moaning softly under her breath, but still had not regained consciousness.

Then he felt it, the first drops of rain. He couldn’t waste any time. If he didn’t build them a shelter, she would be exposed to the elements all night. If nothing else, he needed to keep her safe, until he could figure out what to do.

Grant looked through their things for anything that might be useful to help him build a shelter but there was nothing, aside from the knife and his wits. The easiest thing to construct would be a lean-to, especially since he couldn’t safely move her. He could build it up against the banana tree using bamboo poles, then use the leaves for a roof. He just had to figure out how to secure it all together! A lean-to was a primitive haven, but at least it would protect them from the wind and rain, and with a little elbow grease, he could build it in less an hour. He lifted Joss’ arm to check the time. It was almost four o’clock.

He looked at her watch again, a look of relief spreading across his handsome, mud stained face.

“Atta girl,” he said, slipping it off her wrist. “You just saved me a ton of time.”

He quickly pulled the watch apart, placing everything but the paracord into her bag. The rest of the survival items could possibly come in handy, especially the flint.

“I’ll be right back,” he reassured, taking a moment to stroke her hair. He was still worried about her, preferring to stay near by, but he had to get supplies for the shelter.

Over the next hour he came and went, bringing back bamboo poles and fronds. The thunder echoing in the distance, was creeping closer and closer to the island. He looked up through the canopy towards the darkening sky. The drizzle coming down a little steadier, warned him of the downpour to come.

He quickly assembled the shelter, using the paracord to secure the largest pole between the trees closest to Joss. He tied each end securely before leaning the thinner poles side by side against the lean-to. He didn’t plan on being there long, so making it perfect was not his priority. He just needed to keep them warm and dry for the night. Hopefully Joss would be okay by the morning. He forced himself not to think beyond that or consider the worst. His needless worrying would serve no one.

He left and returned several more times, his arms loaded with fronds. He was grateful he didn’t have to go far for those and was able to find enough to make the roof relatively waterproof. He was just glad she was finally out of the rain. Ideally he would have liked her off the ground, but it would have to do. He made a rudimentary curtain with the rest of the fronds, to protect the open side of the shelter. Without a fire, they would need it to keep out mosquitos, along with the rain and wind. Finally, he pushed away as much ground cover and debris as he could, clearing the area to make it less desirable for snakes, spiders and insects to cuddle up beside them throughout the night. It had already cooled off more than he liked. His best guess was it was that it was probably 68 degrees, and dropping. Once the storm hit, it would get much colder.

He pulled their supplies into the lean-to, tucking them out of the way before settling in beside Joss. He wished he’d had a blanket to cover her, or at least the wrap she was always wearing around camp. He had worked up quite a sweat and it wouldn’t be long before he felt the chill himself, but he wouldn’t dare take back his shirt. She needed it more than he did. Grant slapped a mosquito off his forearm, before refilling an empty bottle with water they’d collected at the waterfall. He knew he was taking a risk drinking unboiled water, but he had no choice, he was dangerously dehydrated. He was fairly certain it was clean and fire was definitely not going to be an option that night.

Joss groaned softly, unconsciously shifting her left leg. It was the first time he’d seen her move since the fall, and he let out a loud sigh of relief, as though he’d been holding his breath the whole time. Seeing her finally move almost made him cry; she could have easily been paralyzed. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, but at least she’d be able walk out on her own accord.

He wished he’d brought his cell phone, for light, so he could continue examining her throughout the night. He hated admitting it, but he was nervous. He wasn’t thrilled being out in the middle of the jungle without a fire. As if on cue, the lightning cracked over head, lighting up their rickety little shelter. Oddly enough, it didn’t make him feel any safer.

* * *

The storm blew in quickly, soaking the ground beneath them. Grant surrounded Joss with leaves, and for several hours, tried to keep her as warm and dry as possible. It didn’t help much, but at least it was something. He thought he could hear her teeth chattering, laughing when he realized it was him. He cuddled up beside her to share her body heat. It surprised him how comforting it was, feeling her body so close to his own. It had been a long time since he’d held a woman, and being beside her reminded him just how lonely that had been.

He’d done it to himself, the self-imposed exile. Plenty of women wanted to date him, he was a pilot after all. He liked to pretend it was his rugged features and charming personality (said tongue-in-cheek) but in truth, it was the uniform. The ladies loved it. When he’d drop into the local watering-hole after work, they would buy him drinks, slip him their numbers, even outright ask him to take them home, but he rarely did.

If luck was his middle name, bad was his first. He’d told Joss earlier that he was cursed and he meant it. He’d always thought he was better off alone, at least then he didn’t have to worry about bringing harm to anyone else. Forget about falling in love. He could never let himself do that again.

Joss groaned beside him, her breath shallower, more controlled, as though she was coming to. He sat up and leaned over her. Although his eyes had adjusted to the dark, he could only see the form of her body and face. She whimpered quietly, making him reach for her hand.

“It’s okay, I’m here. Try not to move,” he urged, gently squeezing her fingers.

“Wh...what happened? Where are we...” she asked, trying to shift herself. The pain was obviously too much. “Ow, fuck.” She raised a hand to her head, pressing it to the back of her skull.

“We’re in the jungle. You fell out of the tree, hit the ground hard. Scared the piss out of me, you did,” he offered calmly, trying not to worry her. She tried to brush the fronds off of herself, but Grant stopped her, gently touching her shoulder. “Leave yourself covered, girly, the mozzies are biting pretty bad.”

“Ah, we’re back to girly I see. How long have I been out?” she chuffed, still trying to get her bearings straight.

“About four hours, I reckon.”

She eased her hand away from his, and raised her wrist, as through trying to read her watch. Grant gently laid her hand back down on her chest, patting it warmly.

“I took it apart,” he whispered, “to build the shelter. The rest of your watch is in a safe place.”

“My lighter, it’s inside my right pocket. Did you find it?” she asked, her voice cracking from thirst.

“No, Joss, I didn’t think you’d appreciate me feeling you up,” he teased. He’d actually never thought to check her pockets. Her lighter wouldn’t have helped much anyway, aside from offering a little bit of light. It was too wet to make a fire.

“Grab it for me?” she pleaded, his flirty words missing their mark. He shifted himself so he could reach into her pocket, mindful not to caress her more than he had to. It wasn’t easy. Resting beside her had stirred something up in him, an arousal he’d been unacquainted with for a long time.

“I found it,” he said, raising his hand.

“Will you light it? I need to get my bearings straight.”

He did as she asked and lit the space for several seconds, until the lighter got too hot to handle. He had to admit, as hastily as he had slapped the shelter together, it didn’t look too shabby.

“Not bad,” she whispered. “Is there any water?”

“Yes, but it’s not boiled. It’s the water we collected today.”

“Have you been drinking it?” she asked. He could sense she was trying to rise up and slipped his arm behind her.

“Yeah. Go easy, real slow, mate. I’m worried you might have really busted yourself up,” he pleaded, helping her upright.

“I think I’m okay. Must have landed on my tailbone though. It feels pretty bruised.”

“You scared me pretty bad.”

“I don’t even remember falling,” she admitted. “I feel like an idiot.”

Grant stroked her back, biting his tongue. He’d warned her not to do it, but reminding her of that wasn’t going to make her feel any better. Joss let out a deep breath and cradled her head in her hands. Her quiet sobs filling their tiny space, drowning out the nighttime cricket chorus. He held her awkwardly, wishing he knew the right thing to say. Comforting women was not something that came easy to him.

“You’re alright, mate,” he soothed, hating how graceless he felt. “It’s gonna be fine.”

“I can’t believe that happened. What was I thinking?” she sobbed, stiffening under his hug. He could tell she hated feeling so vulnerable. He was all too familiar with that feeling himself. He discreetly released his embrace, unsure what she wanted from him, what she needed. Was his touch unwelcome?

She sighed, roughly wiping the tears off her face, staring at him through the dark. Neither of them moved, as though both were struggling with unfamiliar emotions. He wished he could read her mind. The silence was torture.

“I need to pee,” she blurted, rolling away from him, pawing the ground for her boots.

“Easy, slow down,” he insisted, reluctantly handing them to her. He didn’t like the idea of her moving around so much, especially since they didn’t really know the extent of her injuries. “I’ll go with you.”

“I think I’m quite capable of peeing on my own,” she scoffed, pulling her boots on.

“Girly, you fell fifteen feet out of a tree and have been unconscious for the last four hours. You have no idea what you’re capable of at the moment,” he pressed, doing his best to control his patience. He hated that she could be so bullheaded. “I’m going with you.”

“I’m fine, Captain. I’ll be right back,” she offered sternly, pushing her palm into his chest, leaving no doubt she meant to go alone. He rolled his eyes, confident the darkness would mask his irritation. God, she was stubborn! Joss pulled his shirt away and handed it to him before slipping out of the shelter.

The rain chilled her instantly, her violent shivers making her head ache worse than it already did. Her stomach dangerously rolled in her gut. She wrapped her arms tightly around her middle, willing herself not to vomit. She didn’t want to admit it, especially to him, but she was not in good shape. She was grateful that she didn’t break her neck, but she definitely didn’t come away unscathed, and on top of everything else, her ego was badly bruised.

She’d made a mistake, climbing that tree. He was right, they were too exhausted to push themselves and she had insisted, refusing to look weak in front of him. Maybe she had been trying to prove something to him; that she deserved the respect the other men had given her, that same respect she needed from him. She wanted him to see how strong and capable she was, to be impressed with her, and it went horribly wrong.

She walked as far as she dared, her feet landing heavily with every step, as though walking through cement, gravity reminding her that her feet belonged on the ground. She found a good spot to pee and dropped her shorts, crouching awkwardly, her spinning head offering nothing to ease the nausea. Don’t puke, don’t puke, don’t puke, she silently pleaded, using a nearby tree to hold herself steady.

But she did vomit, the violent contractions splitting her head in two. She was dangerously close to passing out, and she knew it. The last thing she needed was Grant to find her, lying unconscious in her own body fluids. Wouldn’t that be the icing on top of a shit day? But it was happening, black spots floating in front of her eyes, the cold rain the only thing keeping her acutely aware of her surroundings. She was slipping, out of her own body, self-control sifting through her fingers like beach sand, unable to hold on to a single grain.

“No,” she cried out, “God, please, no...”

Suddenly she felt herself being lifted, raised to her feet and supported by strong hands, her body shielded from the cold and rain.

“I got you,” he whispered in her ear. “I got you, Joss.”