Chapter 16

Robin woke up the next morning with the previous day's events heavy on her mind. She hated the way she and Scarlet left things, and she hated the fact that she woke up alone, without Scarlet tucked into the crook of her arm.

She crawled out of the shelter and found Scarlet sitting by the fire, poking at the embers with a stick.

"Hey," Robin approached softly, sitting down beside her. "I was thinking... why don"t we take a break from all this today? No camp, no chores, no fishing, nothing but the two of us."

Scarlet glanced up, a flicker of warmth returning to her eyes. "What did you have in mind?"

Robin smiled, reaching out to take Scarlet"s hand in hers. "Let"s go for a hike. Pretend we"re back home in Granville, not out here in the jungle but just taking a hike the park. We can forget this place for a little while."

Scarlet"s face brightened. "That sounds perfect, Robin. I"d love that."

They gathered a few supplies—a vodka bottle full of water, some fruit, and a couple long shirts to ward off the mosquitos—and told Evie their plans before they set off to explore the interior of the island.

As they walked, the tension between them slowly melted away, and Robin pointed out the flowers and trees and insects she recognized. Scarlet told Robin stories about the Begonias' early days as a Grateful Dead cover band, and they talked about their favorite restaurants and hang-out spots back home. They marveled again at the fact that they were from the same town and had to come all the way out here to find each other.

For a little while, it was easy to forget the reality of their situation. They were just two women who'd only recently started dating but were falling fast, out for a day of adventure and enjoying each other"s company.

They climbed a hill that gave them a good vantage point over the island, looking nearly over the tops of the trees, and then when they came back down the other side, their easy conversation was interrupted by a stunning pool of crystal-clear water. This one wasn't filled with fish, and it was deep enough to swim in.

"It's like something out of a painting," Scarlet said.

"Do you want to go in?" Robin asked.

Scarlet grinned, and then without another word, she dropped her makeshift pack and dove straight into the water, head first and wearing her clothes. Robin's heart skipped a beat as she imagined Scarlet hitting her head on some sharp rock or shallow area, but then she surfaced, her long lavender hair slicked back, the water making her shirt cling to her.

"Coming?"

Robin didn't waste another second. She ditched her pack too, along with her hiking boots, and then splashed into the water to join Scarlet. She threw her arms around her in the warm, inviting water, and they kissed.

What began lightheartedly turned heated in an instant, and their hands roamed each other's bodies, hungrily grasping and pulling at their clothes. Scarlet had become thinner, the muscles of her abs more prominent, even in the short time they'd been out here.

"You know what I'm going to do when we get home?"

"Hmm?" Scarlet asked against her lips.

"I'm going to take you out to every restaurant you listed today and treat you to everything you want," she said, squeezing Scarlet's hips. "I gotta fatten you back up."

"Oh, you're entering dangerous territory," Scarlet warned, but with a smile.

"I love your curves," Robin said, pulling Scarlet closer and cupping one hand around her breast. Scarlet reached behind herself and unhooked her bra, tossing it to shore. Robin dipped down, taking her breast into her mouth, enjoying the saltwater on her skin and the way her nipple hardened against her tongue.

Scarlet moaned, arching her back and pressing her body into Robin's. She reached for the button of Robin's shorts, then yanked them down her thighs. She pulled Robin off her balance and she fell back in the water, laughing, as Scarlet tore the pants off her and then pounced.

"You're all mine," she said, closing her mouth over Robin's, tongue swirling over her lips. "Here, Granville, doesn't matter… I want you."

"I want you too," Robin groaned.

When she tried to reach for her, Scar grabbed Robin's wrists instead, pulling them up over her head and pinning them to the rocks at her back.

"Mmm, I like that," Robin murmured as Scarlet pushed her thighs wide and her free hand dove beneath the water, finding the place between her legs.

Robin gasped, her thighs trembling as Scarlet stroked her clit through her underwear, using a gentle graze of her fingernail to amplify the effect.

"Yes, there…" She'd been reduced to single-syllable words, her whole body arching and yearning to be closer to Scarlet the more she touched her. Scarlet released her mouth, lips traveling down her neck and licking her collarbone before coming back up to playfully nip at her earlobe.

Her body responded to every little touch with a jolt of electricity so powerful she nearly smacked her head against the rock as she lost control.

"Don't stop," she gasped, and she felt Scarlet wrapping her thighs around her leg, grinding against her and panting in her ear in the same rhythm as she stroked Robin's clit with.

"Fuck," Scarlet cried, her body tensing against her.

Robin clung to her as her own body tilted over the edge, bucking her hips against Scarlet's hand and holding her close. Scarlet's movements intensified, losing all rhythm in the desperate need to chase her release… and then she exhaled hotly against Robin's ear and went limp against her, body still quivering with residual pleasure.

"Oh, fuck, that was amazing," Robin panted.

"Such a good idea, getting away for the day," Scarlet said, planting little affectionate kisses up Robin's neck and cheek before reaching her lips again. "This place would royally suck without you."

"Are you kidding? A tropical jungle in our own back yard?" Robin said. "And to think we didn't even know it was here."

Scarlet chuckled, picking up the ruse. "It'll be our little secret. I don't want to see this place on the Granville Enquirer's Top 10 Places to Spend Your Day Off list."

Robin laughed and kissed her again. "No, I don't think there's much danger of that."