Lost Paradise (The Savages of the Blue Lagoon)

13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

“Here,” I hand Eve one of the sharper bamboo spears and throw the old one back onto the sand.

While looking for crabs yesterday, we came across this shallow intertidal pool formation of rocks and ocean where tons of fish and crabs seem to gather in abundance and are easier to catch. But when I say easier, these are fast buggers, and one needs a lot of patience and good sharp aim.

“We’ve been at this for an hour and have only caught two fish. This isn’t enough for dinner,” Eve sighs.

“Patience, little one,” I say and jump a rock to join her. “You have to keep your eyes on the target, but not too long, and then swiftly aim and stab the fish.”

“You make it sound so easy!”

“Try it again,” I encourage her and remain next to her. “There!” I point at the fat fish.

Her eyes zone in on the target, her arm raises slightly, and as she bends her left foot, it slides off the rock and is about to fall in. I grab her waist and pull her back up.

“Steady there, sweety,” I say, and she giggles as I bring her against my chest.

I don’t know where I sit with Eve anymore. Up until yesterday, we shared a couple of moments together where I thought I may have had a chance with her, but there isn’t an animal on this island who didn’t hear her and Mr. Coldwell at it by the shore. We were all tempted to go see what was going on as soon as we heard them, but each one of us dared the other to act like perverts.

He was the last person I imagined was my competition. I knew Byron was paying extra attention to her, but he has this moody on- and-off switch, so I wasn’t sure if he would ever make a move on Eve.

Then there’s Jack, and he just sits and stares at her like some weird creep, and I think she’s more weirded out by him.

Then, Astro, with whom she shared some drunken momentum at his party, but they both seem more like they can’t stand each other. I think she’s still angry at him for re-aliving himself. The woman was so vexed that she bashed him with a human skull. It was funny and terrifying at the same time.

Eve has a wicked temper, one that I would never want to be the receiver of. She is bold and very much a warrior like any one of the guys. For that reason, I admire her, but I also believe she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever laid my eyes on.

And it didn’t just start because she’s the only female on the island. I’ve been trailing her beautiful ass like a love-sick puppy from the day I approached her to introduce myself at the docks, waiting for the Hawthorne ferry.

“I slipped on a mossy rock,” she says as I remain gripping her waist tight. She looks up at me with those irresistible blue eyes that match the bright, azure, cloudless sky.

“Slippery moss, huh. Try it again, then,” I say and let go of her.

Eve hops onto a more flat, leveled rock surface, and I watch her as she stands at the edge, her silhouette outlined against the backdrop of the shining sun.

She wields her spear with precision, her movements fluid and deliberate. With each graceful thrust, she pierces the surface of the water, her focus unwavering as she hunts for her elusive prey. Her pale skin and slightly tattered white outfit looks surreal beneath the open, clear sky.

I watch in awe as she navigates the rocky terrain, almost at ease now, moving with quiet confidence, her focus on catching dinner.

As she pauses to assess her surroundings, I find myself holding my breath, caught up in the raw beauty of the moment. The cool ocean breeze ruffles her hair, strands of light blonde dancing in the wind as she scans the shimmering surface of the pool.

And then, with a sudden burst of movement, she strikes, her spear slicing through the water with a swift and sure motion. I hold my breath as she emerges victorious, a triumphant smile gracing her lips as she holds up her catch for inspection.

“It’s a big fucker!” she holds up her spear at me, grinning, and I chuckle at her achievement.

“Good one!” I say, taking the spear with the fish from her and handing her another. “We’re three down and need another three to go.”

She wipes away the sweat on her forehead using the sleeve of her shirt and looks down into the pool, searching for her next victim with fixed determination.

Now, I need some time to show off my skills and grab a spear. Heading toward the rocks, I artfully jump over each one, scanning for the right fish. When I spot it, I don’t hesitate and aim my spear at it.

Yes! I have to stop myself from doing a pathetic victory dance in front of Eve.

In all honesty, I have no idea what I’m doing, but I don’t want to look like a gimp who can’t catch a freaking fish.

Pretending I haven’t noticed her staring at me, I jump back to shore with my newly caught dinner, pick up a new spear, and hop back in.

“I honestly don’t know why Mr. Coldwell put me on fishing duty; my aim is as bad as my choice of boyfriends.”

I huff a laugh, “Speaking about boyfriends. Is that what’s going on with you and the teacher?”

She looks up at me and cocks her head.

“What do you want to know?”

“Well, it’s obvious from last night that you now have something going on. Are you two an item now?”

She stands there on the rock at the edge of the pool with her white clothes, holding her spear, and there’s something very compelling with how she looks and stares at me thoughtfully.

“If you need to know, yeah, I’m fucking him. But I think he made it pretty clear as well that the dynamics won’t change in this group. I still get to sleep with you…plus, I’m not too fond of labels. It puts me in a box, and I don’t like that.”

When she means sleep, does she mean sleeping or fucking? Both? Our circumstances are so different from anything I’ve had to deal with before.

I go to open my mouth, but a sudden commotion erupts from a distance along the shore. My eyes dart to the source of the disturbance, where a figure appears, flailing and hollering in what seems like unbridled excitement .

We both watch the amusing spectacle unfold as Astro, driven by some wild impulse, sheds all his clothes with reckless abandon, his shouts echoing along the shore. With each step, he removes his items until he’s completely nude and dives into the ocean.

“He’s lost his mind!” I say, chuckling.

“Probably a combination of the sun and heat,” Eve replies, her laughter a melodic accompaniment to the scene playing out before us.

“You’re crazy!” she calls, her voice carrying on the salty breeze.

Astro, undeterred by her mocking, throws back his head with a wild laugh of his own.

“We’re on an island far from civilization; embrace the freedom!” he shouts in response. His words seem to challenge our own conceptions of civilization and the constraints we face.

She shakes her head and goes back to searching for fish. As much as I’d love to know what’s going on between her and the teacher, that discussion has closed for the time being. I throw my spear in frustration, and by pure luck, it hits two fish in one go.

“Holy shit!” I exclaim, pulling the spear out and holding it up. “Look at this!”

I wave it around, wishing Eve paid as much attention to me as she does with the others. I simply cannot get a reading on her. We flirt like crazy, and then she zones off.

“That’s pretty cool! Well done!” she says but only glances at me as her attention is focused on the small pool below. She lays down her spear on another rock and unties the hem of her shirt, removing it and leaving herself in a thin white vest and cotton sports bra.

Curious about what’s caught her attention, I move towards her, but she waves me away.

“You’ll cast a shade, and they’ll know someone’s here!” she whispers softly.

Now I’m going crazy to know what Eve is so concentrated on. And she holds out her shirt as if it’s a nest and quickly scoops it in with precision, jumping in the pool to close the shirt.

She quickly gets out, holding the shirt in a knot and the contents trapped inside the cloth.

“What did you catch?” I ask inquisitively.

“No idea,” she says, hoping toward me. She motions for me to follow her to a more dry and flat area. “I think they’re shrimp, I saw them swimming next to some seaweed, and it was just too easy.”

She opens her shirt, and there has to be at least a dozen shrimp of all sizes.

“You did really well. I’m pretty sure that’s shrimp. Together with the six fish we caught, a bunch of crabs, and this shrimp, we’ll have a feast tonight.”

“We make a good team, Jones,” she says and smiles brightly. Her nose is breaking out in freckles that I’ve never seen before. Probably from the sun, but she looks cute.

“Let’s take them back to camp, then get some aloe vera on your nose.”

“Is it red?” she asks, horrified.

“A little, but it’s not bad.” I put all the fish we caught onto one stick and grab the makeshift basket Eve made for us to use with some of the dried sea grass gathered so we could collect the live crabs and store them until dinnertime. “Did you know your skin breaks out in freckles in the sun?”

She rolls her eyes, “I do know. But I usually cover it with makeup. Does it look that bad?”

I stop mid-track. And stare at her.

“Eve, can I tell you a secret?”

She nods, all serious.

“You don’t need makeup. You are beautiful naturally, and those freckles are gorgeous.”

She makes a funny face and huffs a sarcastic laugh as if disbelieving me.

“You’re a nice guy, but freckles aren’t gorgeous.”

“Says who?” I nudge her arm playfully. “Tell me, and I’ll rearrange their face.”

She cracks a bright smile this time.

“I believe you’re fully capable of that. You’re on a sports scholarship. You must be awfully good at Taekwondo for Hawthornes to grant you such.”

It’s not something I want to talk about.

“And fencing. There’s a lot on my plate,” I say, brushing my problems away because she doesn’t need to know everything. “But I’m hoping Mr. Coldwell will help me get to the Olympics.”

“And what happens if you don’t?”

I stop, and my eyes travel up the tall coconut tree. Teacher didn’t want me climbing up there because if I fall and break something, most likely it’ll ruin my chances of qualifying, and I’d lose my grant and be shipped home.

“A lot is riding on me getting there,” I sigh and carry on walking.

We stroll back to camp in silence, and I feel whatever good vibes I had earlier with Eve dissipate the moment reality sets in. This island isn’t a retreat. Once we get rescued, we’re going back to our old lives, and that stress hanging over my hide to keep the focus on a sport I never wanted to go pro in will become the be-all and the end-all of my life.

“The shelter looks good,” Eve chirps, sensing my solemn slumber.

The guys have been working on it’s completion. It still needs some work, but it’s off the ground and covered. So, no more bites from ground insects at night, and if it rains, we’ll be covered.

I settle our catch in the small rock pool we made yesterday. It keeps birds and insects from eating our food, and it stays fresh for a few hours until dinner.

“I’m going to need to try to wash my shirt in the lagoon. I’ll go for a dip, too, and get this salt water off my skin.”

I gather the aloe vera leaves we’ve collected for all the insect bites we get. No one is safe in this jungle.

“Hold on,” I say and catch up to her. “Your nose is getting pink. The last thing you want is to suffer a bad sunburn here.”

“What about you?” she asks as I delicately apply the aloe vera gel to her nose. My heart seems to beat in rhythm with each gentle stroke of my fingertips.

She stands before me, her eyes closed, allowing me to spread the cool gel smoothly across her upper cheekbones, soothing her sun-kissed skin.

“Me?” I ask as I focus on her face. I can’t help but marvel at the delicate curve of her jawline. I feel a surge of warmth spread through me, a sensation both exhilarating and terrifying in its intensity.

She flutters her eyes open to meet mine, and the blue seems almost to darken as they stare up at me. Our gazes lock momentarily as she tries to find the words of the thoughts she wants to express.

“Well, you’re light brown-skinned. I imagine you still get burned, too.”

I huff a laugh and wonder if she’s ever dated a black man before.

“Yeah, black skins do get burned if not careful. My skin type tends to just get darker than redder. It’s just not as noticeable.”

“Hmm….thanks for that, it feels lovely.” She says and steps back.

“I need to wash my shirt first, but would you like to join me at the lagoon?” her eyes sparkle with anticipation.

Her invitation catches me off guard, a sudden burst of sunlight breaking through the clouds of my uncertainty. A smile tugs at the corners of my lips as I meet her gaze, my heart soaring at the prospect of sharing this moment with her.

“Sure,” I say, trying to keep my excitement down. “I have to clean and sort out the spears first. How about I catch you in a few minutes?”

“Okay,” she nods and turns around. I watch her walk away.

Shit, my gaze goes to the six spears on the floor. I need to clean these up fast and stand them up next to the other ones and get my ass to the lagoon.

Why does the anxiety feel like a freaking date?

I’m a moron. She’s fucking the teacher. There’s no way she’s going to move down the ladder.

Then again, he didn’t object to me sleeping with her. Sure, it’s in a non-sexual manner, but if she were my girl, I wouldn’t want to share her with anyone.

Then again, she is the only female. Maybe he recognizes the need to be more open with her sleeping with us.

Fuck, I just need to calm down and let Eve lead. If she wants me, then great. If she doesn’t, then I’ll need to find some quiet corner of this island and jerk off because, honestly, it's been three days now, and the monster needs to be freed. I’m not sure I can last one more night with Eve all snuggled up in my chest and not release that massive urge that’s built up inside me.