A bright blue expanse of the sky left Sam wondering how he could lengthen his time on the island with Delanie. His repairs would only take a day since they were minimal. Maybe his reason to stay could come from the island itself. He'd walked the island earlier, finding only a few trees that needed to be cut down and burned. But burning anything on an island was dangerous. The fire needed to be kept small. Maybe he could make up multiple stacks, like small campfires. It would take a few days, giving him reason to stay. Maybe he and Delanie could make a romantic evening of the campfire.



After Delanie stopped being creeped out from the knife going missing, they had enjoyed the fajitas. He'd checked her finger to make sure she didn't need stitches. Not that he could have done anything other than boat her over to the big island and get her medical attention, but he hadn't seen any need. The cut was minimal. She would need to keep it clean though.



Of course the main islands that was packed with people on vacation and they were probably having major issues. He could only imagine how many people were injured, how many houses damaged and how many trees were down.



Later he'd go over to the island with Delanie. It would give them some time to get to know each other. He raised the axe above his head and swung it down hard.



"Hey, lumberjack man, want some water?"



Delanie was a vision. The sarong wrapped over her bikini molded to her body. "Sure, I'm a bit thirsty."



"Listen, I was wondering if we could comb over the island and check the damage."



"Sure, can you wait until I get this tree chopped down?"



"My pleasure. I'll just sit over here and watch you work."



For a moment he wondered if she was teasing him. When she sat down on a rock in perfect view of his work area his stomach flopped. He would be lying if he said he didn't want to show off for her. The axe was heavy, the work hard. His pride revved up.



Chopping wood was a rather manly activity, something that bolstered a primitive, beastly part of him. He picked up the axe, making sure not to let his ego get so big that he made a mistake.



Trying his best to ignore her, he let the axe fall over and over again. His focus stayed on the wood, making sure he didn't accidently hit his foot. That would suck. Making a mistake like that wouldn't impress anyone, least of all this beautiful woman.



He finished with the tree and sunk the axe into a stump, making sure it would stay secure. "I'm ready."



Delanie frowned, "We need to lock that up."



"I'll put it up before nightfall. And I promise to oil the blade before I store the tool."



She stood and shuffled from one foot to another, "I'm not worried about that."



The missing items had gotten to her. To tell the truth he felt odd about the issue. The underwear missing could easily be explained away, the rope too, but the knife missing was a bit much.



"Let's go lock it in the shed on our way around the island."



"I like you Sam." Delanie's face turned pink, almost like she hadn't meant to talk out loud.



"Delanie, I like you too. I'm not sure what the next few days are going to bring, but I really enjoy spending time with you."



"Good."



They walked back towards the lagoon where the shed stood. The silence was companionable, almost like they had known each other for longer than a few days. A flock of red and yellow birds surprised them, bursting to flight like a shotgun.



"Oh, that was scary." Delanie sounded breathless.



He chuckled then slid his free arm around her. "I would have protected you."



Her face was upturned, only inches from his. She stared up at him, her eyes trusting. The air around them stilled with desire. His lungs seemed incapable of keeping up with the demand of oxygen his body needed. His head grew fuzzy and he wanted to lean in to kiss the heck out of her.



Then he heard a twig snap. His head shot up. Hers too.



"Did you hear that?" She asked.



"Yeah, must have been an animal."



"It feels strange though. Almost like someone is watching me. I know this feeling." She looked out into the dense trees, her eyes squinting as she watched for something. "I sound paranoid, don't I? It's just...oh never mind."



"What? I know your famous or have money, I just don't know who you are. Delanie, you can talk to me, tell me why you think we're being watched."



"At home I usually have paparazzi following me. This feels like it does when people watch me. I know it sounds hokey, but I get a lot of people watching every little move I make. I can't even go outside in my own back yard without having my picture taken. That's why I'm here."



She looked miserable. If someone had figured out she was here on the island they sure wouldn't steel a knife, if the knife had been stolen. "It probably was just an animal. Let's go store the axe and then we'll check out the island. If anyone is here, we'll find footprints.

Copyright Sara Thacker 2011