you know what’s good for you.”
She laughed. The woman was a
goddamn tease.
He looked up at the sky—it must be
mid-afternoon by now. “We need to find a source of water, check out the island,
and find some food.”
She considered for a moment. “Okay,
watch carefully. I’ll start you off on shelter building. First we split the
leaf.” She cut the rib, and pulled the two halves apart. “Then we weave the
fronds together, to form a rain barrier.” She handed him half the leaf and
demonstrated how it should be done. “You keep doing that, and I’ll cut some
bamboo for the support structure.”
“I can do that.” Slashing bamboo
won over weaving leaves, any day. He was strong, whereas she looked as though
chopping bamboo would do her in.
She raised an eyebrow. “As can I.
Don’t give me any of that sexist bullshit.”
“It’s not as though I’m holding a
goddamned door open for you. I just thought you’d appreciate—”
“Your superior brawn?” She
softened the words with a smile. “Look, I know exactly what I’m looking for.
How long I need the segments to be. I could waste time showing you, or we could
work smart. Which means I get the bamboo, and you weave.” She flipped back one
of her braids. The sun glistened in her hair. She ran a hand down her khaki
pants. “Okay?”
“Okay, deal.” Sholto sank onto the
ground and started to braid the leaves.
“When you’ve done those, could you
cut another couple from the tree? We’ll need to create a base.”
“Sure.”
“Great.” With the parang gripped
tight, she walked into the jungle.
The woman was a veritable
chameleon. At the premiere, she’d been classic Hollywood glamour: perfect hair,
smooth, tanned skin, long polished fingernails and perfect makeup. Wrapped in a
dress that accentuated her curves. At his hotel, she’d been business Barbie,
hair down, subtle makeup, heels high enough to showcase her legs, but low
enough to walk across the room without stumbling. And today she would give Lara
Croft a run for her money.
Today’s Max was unadorned, strong,
and capable.
He was hot for all three of them.
Which was why he’d broken the
rules. There was no way in hell he would be stuck on the island for nine days
with enforced celibacy thrown into the mix. The kiss on the boat had revealed
she wasn’t as indifferent to him as she might like to pretend. She’d set the
ground rules by insisting on separate sleeping quarters, but if she should
change her mind, he was prepared.
Weatherly hadn’t had condoms. But
he hadn’t been marooned with a gorgeous blonde either.
Sholto checked the thigh pocket of
his pants. The ribbon of condoms was still there, safe in case they were
needed. If not, she need never know.
By the time she returned dragging
branches behind her he had woven an impressive pile of leaves. He got to his
feet and walked over to help. Tendrils of hair were damp, and her face was
flushed.
“I found a few strong sticks from
a different tree so didn’t bother with the bamboo.” She dropped all the branches
except one. “I’m sharpening the end to form a spike.” She slashed at the branch
with the lethal looking knife, then spiked it into the ground at a 45° angle.
She did the same with another few branches, forming two parallel lines, which
intersected at the top.
“Now all we have to do is fasten
this long stick across the top to form the roof. We’ll lash the leaves to the
sides and the shelter is done.”
Simple, straightforward, and
effective. “How will we fasten them?”
She pointed to a pile of leaves
awaiting processing. “We need to separate the midribs and tie them together. Coconut
leaves are very strong, we can use them to make twine.” As she spoke, she
started to strip the leaves.
Chapter
Six
He was a fast learner she’d give him that. He observed her
methods, and before long the shelter was complete.
“What’s next?”
“Food, water, and a thorough
investigation of the
She laughed. The woman was a
goddamn tease.
He looked up at the sky—it must be
mid-afternoon by now. “We need to find a source of water, check out the island,
and find some food.”
She considered for a moment. “Okay,
watch carefully. I’ll start you off on shelter building. First we split the
leaf.” She cut the rib, and pulled the two halves apart. “Then we weave the
fronds together, to form a rain barrier.” She handed him half the leaf and
demonstrated how it should be done. “You keep doing that, and I’ll cut some
bamboo for the support structure.”
“I can do that.” Slashing bamboo
won over weaving leaves, any day. He was strong, whereas she looked as though
chopping bamboo would do her in.
She raised an eyebrow. “As can I.
Don’t give me any of that sexist bullshit.”
“It’s not as though I’m holding a
goddamned door open for you. I just thought you’d appreciate—”
“Your superior brawn?” She
softened the words with a smile. “Look, I know exactly what I’m looking for.
How long I need the segments to be. I could waste time showing you, or we could
work smart. Which means I get the bamboo, and you weave.” She flipped back one
of her braids. The sun glistened in her hair. She ran a hand down her khaki
pants. “Okay?”
“Okay, deal.” Sholto sank onto the
ground and started to braid the leaves.
“When you’ve done those, could you
cut another couple from the tree? We’ll need to create a base.”
“Sure.”
“Great.” With the parang gripped
tight, she walked into the jungle.
The woman was a veritable
chameleon. At the premiere, she’d been classic Hollywood glamour: perfect hair,
smooth, tanned skin, long polished fingernails and perfect makeup. Wrapped in a
dress that accentuated her curves. At his hotel, she’d been business Barbie,
hair down, subtle makeup, heels high enough to showcase her legs, but low
enough to walk across the room without stumbling. And today she would give Lara
Croft a run for her money.
Today’s Max was unadorned, strong,
and capable.
He was hot for all three of them.
Which was why he’d broken the
rules. There was no way in hell he would be stuck on the island for nine days
with enforced celibacy thrown into the mix. The kiss on the boat had revealed
she wasn’t as indifferent to him as she might like to pretend. She’d set the
ground rules by insisting on separate sleeping quarters, but if she should
change her mind, he was prepared.
Weatherly hadn’t had condoms. But
he hadn’t been marooned with a gorgeous blonde either.
Sholto checked the thigh pocket of
his pants. The ribbon of condoms was still there, safe in case they were
needed. If not, she need never know.
By the time she returned dragging
branches behind her he had woven an impressive pile of leaves. He got to his
feet and walked over to help. Tendrils of hair were damp, and her face was
flushed.
“I found a few strong sticks from
a different tree so didn’t bother with the bamboo.” She dropped all the branches
except one. “I’m sharpening the end to form a spike.” She slashed at the branch
with the lethal looking knife, then spiked it into the ground at a 45° angle.
She did the same with another few branches, forming two parallel lines, which
intersected at the top.
“Now all we have to do is fasten
this long stick across the top to form the roof. We’ll lash the leaves to the
sides and the shelter is done.”
Simple, straightforward, and
effective. “How will we fasten them?”
She pointed to a pile of leaves
awaiting processing. “We need to separate the midribs and tie them together. Coconut
leaves are very strong, we can use them to make twine.” As she spoke, she
started to strip the leaves.
Chapter
Six
He was a fast learner she’d give him that. He observed her
methods, and before long the shelter was complete.
“What’s next?”
“Food, water, and a thorough
investigation of the
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