Jack walked onto the beach. He was soaked all over again, but he didn’t hesitate to undress. Completely.

“Jesus, Jack,” I said turning around.

“I’m going to get a fire going,” Jack said walking toward the inland. I bit my lip and tried not to notice his perfect muscular ass walking away.

The waves crashed into the sand not far from where we were. Each wave seemed to grow bigger and bigger. The ocean almost seemed to be angry.

It was a few minutes later when Jack threw down some logs and started rubbing the sticks together just as he had.

“I guess we shouldn’t have put it out the first time,” Jack said.

“If only we knew we were trapped on an island we probably wouldn’t have,” I said my words sounding just as bitter as they tasted.

I hated that I couldn’t shake my anger toward Jack. Why couldn’t I just get over what he’d done? We’d broken up forever ago, none of it really even mattered anymore, and especially now, all that mattered was getting off this stupid island.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I said hugging myself.

We were going to have to do what we could to survive until help arrived. It wasn’t like I could sit back and have Jack do everything. If anything, I should show him that I’m doing okay without him and can take care of myself, even in shitty situations.

“You could gather up more wood,” Jack said without looking up from the sticks in front of him. “Don’t wander off too far.”

I rolled my eyes. “No problem. What are we going to do about water?”

“I’m not sure yet. Any ideas?”

“Hmm,” I said tapping my chin with my fingertip. I’d seen TV shows about people trying to survive in the wilderness, but I couldn’t think of a damn thing from the show. Hopefully, it would come to me eventually. “Not really.”

“Maybe I’ll have to go explore. Could be something inland,” Jack said leaning closing to his sticks and blowing gently. “Let me get the fire going first.”

I walked off and gathered several logs, but it hadn’t taken me long. When I got back, the fire was going, and the waves were noisily crashing into the sand.

“Maybe we should set up further back,” I said looking over my shoulder.

“I wanted to stay close in case I spotted a boat or something,” Jack shouted over the nosy waves. When he turned around and noticed how close the water was, he started nodding. “You’re probably right.”

I grabbed the pile of wood, and he carefully carried over the ember so we could start the fire further back. The spot I picked was near a large palm tree for shade during the day, and a nice cleaned area of sand halfway between the inland and the ocean.

“What should we do first the shelter or find water?” Jack asked.

“Shelter. No, water.” I frowned. “I don’t know.”

“Let’s explore,” Jack said with a smile that warmed my insides. He pulled on his underwear. “We’ll figure it out.”

We walked between the trees further away from the ocean. The leaves above us blocked out some of the sunlight making it a bit darker, and a bit scarier.

Something rustled in a nearby bush, and I grabbed Jack’s arm. He placed his other hand over mine and tapped soothingly.

“There could be all kind of living things in here, but they’re probably afraid of us,” Jack said.

I knew he was right, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t startled me. We walked deeper and deeper, but not much seemed to change. All the trees looked the same, and the only reason I knew which way we’d come from was because our feet left footprints in the sandy dirt.

It wasn’t long before I heard what sounded like running water. “Jack!”

“I hear it too,” he said with a big smile on his face.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me along as he tried to make our way closer. Jack pushed away several large leaves and a gorgeous but small waterfall emptying itself into a pond.

The water was running down a small hill, bubbling over some rocks.

“Wow,” I said licking my lips as if I could already feel the cool liquid inside my mouth.

“The rain must have gathered up there,” Jack said pointing to the top of the hill.

“I don’t care where or how. I just want a drink. Do you think it’s safe?”

Jack blinked several times before he nodded. “I do.”

He laced his fingers with mine as he pulled me closer. When we got to the edge of the pond, he let my hand go and carefully stepped into the pond.

Jack looked at me over his shoulder wearing a sassy smirk. “Clothes or no clothes.”

“Clothes,” I answered quickly looking around the area. Even though we were alone on the island, I couldn’t help but worry if I stripped down, that would be the time we’d be rescued.

Our naked bodies would be flashed all over the news with our naughty bits censored. I would never hear the end of it from Heidi, and my family would probably disown me. Hell, they might just disown me for being stranded with Jack on the island.

Fuck.

Once we were rescued, it would definitely be on the news, clothes or no clothes. How was I going to explain that I was here with Jack?

They’d never forgiven him for hiding the drugs in my car, and they never would. Once we were rescued, I’d be back on the mainland, but I was going to lose my family.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Jack said narrowing his eyes at me.

I sighed. The water looked so inviting, and Jack looked unbelievably gorgeous. Well, it probably didn’t matter, might as well enjoy the water.

“Of course,” I said wiggling out of my clothing and stepping into the slightly chilly water. “Oooh!”

Jack laughed and put his arm around my shoulder. He rubbed his hand up and down as if he was trying to keep me warm.

I forced myself to ignore the look in his eye. He scratched the side of his head and waded deeper. When the water was just below his shoulders, he dipped himself all the way under, and I waited for him to pop up.

It felt like it was taking forever. Where was he? “Jack?”

I moved closer, moving my hands through the water. If this was a joke, it wasn’t funny.

I lowered myself down and started swimming closer. “Jack!”