Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
I shrugged. “Lauren’s a hard worker. We already know each other well. I think we can go all the way to the end.”
I went back to focusing on the fish, glad I’d come out right at sunrise to drop the nets. It wasn’t the bacon, eggs, and biscuits I was craving, but at least we’d have a filling breakfast.
“We need a treasure chest full of deodorant,” Lauren muttered as I held a branch aside for her to pass.
“Are you saying I stink?” I asked, arching a brow.
“We both do. But on the upside, my skinny jeans will be my fat jeans when I get home.”
We were trekking through a part of the forest with vegetation so dense, it was more like a jungle. I gripped the machete tightly, knowing it was all I’d have to rely on if we ran into trouble. Though the producers had assured us there were no bears or lions on this island, I still felt uneasy.
“What do you miss the most?” Lauren asked.
“My bed,” I answered, not hesitating. “What do you miss?”
“It’s a tie between coffee and my shower.”
I moved in front of her to hack away vegetation and clear a path. When I finished, I used my shirt to mop the sweat from my face, and out of nowhere, Lauren asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?”
My heart rate sped up as I looked at her in surprise. She closed her eyes, looking embarrassed.
“I just don’t want to get blindsided when the show runs,” she said. “I don’t know how they plan to do it, and if they cut to interviews with your girlfriend and she’s all pissed that you’re sleeping next to your ex every—”
I broke in. “No. No girlfriend.”
Was that relief I saw in her expression? I hoped so.
“What about you?” I asked.
“I don’t have a girlfriend, either,” she said, not missing a beat.
I turned to look at her, and when I saw a large snake coiled up about a foot from her left foot, I acted on instinct. Machete still in one hand, I wrapped my other arm around her waist and swept her from the ground.
“Archer!” She was indignant until she followed my line of sight to the snake. Then she clung to me like the ground was made of lava. Every inch of her was wrapped around me, and I liked it. I liked it a hell of a lot.
This wasn’t like when I met a woman and wondered what it would be like to have her. I already knew how Lauren and I were together; we were all heat and passion. No pretenses. We’d given each other every inch of our bodies many times, and I still remembered the depth of pleasure in our connection. No matter how many years it had been, there was no way I’d ever forget.
The snake didn’t move. I kept the machete poised, setting Lauren on the ground behind me. She stayed close, her heat making me want to drop the machete and claim her mouth in a deep kiss that would leave us both breathless.
Unfortunately, though, I had to deal with the snake.
“I don’t think it’s venomous.”
“You don’t think?” she shrieked. “Unless you’re one-hundred-percent sure, I’m going to need you to chop that thing into at least ten pieces.”
“No need to piss it off for no reason. Let’s keep going,” I said. “You go first.”
“No! What if it follows us?”
I glared. “It’s not going to follow us. And if it does, I promise I’ll chop it in half.”
She gave me an uncertain look, but then turned and resumed walking.
“This was a bad idea,” she said. “Unless we find a treasure chest full of gold, I’d rather be back at camp.”
She was freaking out, and obviously not so turned on she couldn’t think straight, like I was. If I hadn’t grabbed her, she wouldn’t have even known the snake was there.
“You’re okay,” I assured her. “There’s nothing out here I can’t kill with this machete.”
“This is insane,” she said softly. “It’s summer break. I should be reading late every night and sleeping in every morning. What am I even doing here?”
“You want a ride?” I asked. “Till you calm down a bit?”
She looked at me, her eyes round with shock.
“Do I what?”
I replayed my words and then a single note of laugher burst out of me.
“A piggyback ride, Lo. I wasn’t offering to fuck the fear out of you. But if you want me to—”
“No.” Her cheeks were bright red.
We walked in silence for few minutes, Lauren looking around on high alert. Finally, I said, “You never answered my question.”
“What question?”
I couldn’t make myself say the word “boyfriend” for some reason; it hit too close to what I’d been to her.
“Are you with someone?” I asked instead.
“Does it matter?”
I sighed, aggravated. “Lo, stop avoiding the question. Just tell me.”