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)
“Here we are,” he said as he led the way into the shaded camp.
At least there was shade. As long as I had water and shade, I’d be okay. But I really hoped we’d have food tonight, because I was weaker today than I’d been since getting to the island. My limbs felt heavier and my thought process was clouded.
My gaze landed on the soap and shampoo Maksim and Irina had won in a challenge. I hadn’t been clean in so long. While I didn’t want to steal their reward, I could see that the shampoo was still three-quarters of the way full.
“Hey, would you mind if I use the shampoo?” I asked Maksim.
He didn’t respond, and when I searched the camp for him, I found him bent at the waist, picking his red Speedo up from the ground.
Oh God. He was naked. I spun around to avoid eye contact.
“Use the soap and shampoo if you want,” he said. “I don’t need it. It’s good to let nature run its course on your body sometimes. Builds the immune system.”
Except he smelled like something had died in his shorts. I’d smelled him the entire walk here. But I wasn’t going to mention that.
“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll only use a little.”
“I’m going fishing,” he said, grabbing his gear and heading down the beach, still naked as the day he was born.
One of Maksim and Irina’s camera operators followed him, and I seized my opportunity to clean up in private, picking up the soap and shampoo and going down to the beach in the opposite direction.
As soon as I found a few rocks on the shore that were big enough to conceal me, I moved to the other side of them and quickly stripped my shirt and shorts off. When I was down to my bikini, I went into the water to get wet and then came back to the shore.
Working the shampoo into my hair and lathering it over my scalp was heaven. I tried to only use a little, but my hair was so dirty that it took two washes to get it clean. Once that was done, I used the soap to wash myself from head to toe.
How I’d missed washing my face. It was something I took for granted at home, but I never would again. When I was done, I ran my hands over my smooth, clean skin, letting the sun dry the water droplets on my skin.
I didn’t want to waste any soap on my clothes, but I rinsed them thoroughly in the water and carried them back to camp, hanging them out in the sun to dry.
Maks and Irina’s camp was a mess. They didn’t have a fire ring, just a few burned logs sitting in the dirt. And their shelter didn’t have a base made of bamboo like ours did. There was a small tarp on the ground and a rudimentary roof over it, with branches and large leaves piled on top.
One night. This time tomorrow, I’d be back at my own camp with Archer.
“Hello,” Maks said, strolling back into camp with a thin wood branch over his shoulder.
He’d tied several fish to the branch, and my stomach rumbled in response.
“What can I help with?” I asked. “Should I get firewood?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “If you want to.”
“Sure, I’ll get some firewood. Do you have an ax or anything?”
“No, we just pick up wood from the ground.”
“Okay.”
I kept the skepticism out of my voice, but I couldn’t help wondering how that was working for them. Archer spent a couple of hours every morning scouting for good firewood, cutting it, and hauling it back to camp where he kept it stacked next to a tree. He kept up a supply that would last us several days if we needed it, just in case he was unable to gather wood for some reason.
“Where’s your well?” I asked Maks. “I’ll fill up all the canteens since I’m going to go look for firewood.”
“I will fill my own,” he said. “The well is that way.”
He pointed to the right and then went back to what he was doing, which seemed to be flossing his teeth with a piece of dried grass. Dude was just different. He didn’t pay much attention to me, not even looking at me while I was talking. It was weird. Maybe he missed Irina.
“Are you okay?”
He looked at me. “Do I look not okay?”
“It’s just… you’re very quiet. Are you just thrown because we switched partners for the night?”
“No. I don’t care. I just can’t hook up with you.”
I reeled back. “Hook up with me? Why would you think that’s even an option?”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m a very good catch. But Irina is very possessive. It’s why we broke up the first time. She promised to cut off my balls if we hook up tonight and she’s crazy enough to do it. No amount of nookie is worth my balls. Except for…” He stared off into space like he was considering his answer before he shook his head. “Nope. Not even her.”