Page 44 of Lost Paradise

“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.Teacherdidn’t want me climbing up there because if I fall and break something, mostlikely 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 notas 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.

Chapter 14

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