Page 42 of Blue Arrow Island (Blue Arrow Island #1)

Construction has begun on a wall around our camp.

The aromium shield is effective, but an enhanced jaguar became so crazed that it was undeterred by the shield.

It died from the shield’s effects about twenty yards outside our camp.

A physical barrier between our team and the aromium-enhanced creatures has become a necessity.

- Excerpt from the journal of Dr. Randall McClain

We’re the last team of two to make it back to camp. Nova’s waiting for us at the cutoff area for the aromium shield, holding a torch that lights up the inky darkness of night. Her expression goes stony when she lays eyes on McClain.

Amira’s with her, and she throws her arms around me in greeting as Nova deactivates Marcus’s aromium.

“You guys did it,” she murmurs in my ear.

“I can’t believe it.”

She pulls back, her hands on my shoulders. “We ran into a group of megamantises. Total horror show.”

A smile pulls on Nova’s lips as she runs the aromium device over my hip. “Our Artemis took five down with arrows.”

Amira beams proudly. “Got two of ’em right in their freakishly large eyes.”

The device beeps and energy seeps from my body. I stumble, unable to stay upright with the aromium off. Marcus is there. My back lands against his chest and he wraps an arm around my waist.

“Give it ten seconds,” he says. “It’ll get better.”

“What should I do with Runaway Randall?” Nova asks, untying the rope around Marcus’s waist.

“Put him in a cell. Bring him some food and water.”

“I don’t need food,” McClain says.

Marcus gives him a murderous glare. “Nova’s going to monitor your food and water intake. Try some hunger strike bullshit and I’ll force-feed you.”

“I won’t hunger strike. I just don’t eat very much.”

Marcus’s face is drawn with anger as Nova leads McClain, the rope still secured around his waist, toward camp. Amira walks on one side of me, Marcus on the other.

“I didn’t notice when my aromium was turned back on, but I definitely noticed when it was turned off earlier,” Amira says. “It was like getting hit with a tranq dart.”

“Yeah, I could sleep for the next few weeks,” I say.

“Want me to bring you guys some food?” Amira asks.

Marcus puts an arm around my shoulders, looking over my head at Amira. “Will you ask someone in the kitchen to leave some food outside the door of our room?”

“Sure.” Her eyes shoot to mine, her knowing smile making my cheeks warm.

Our room?

The past five days in the jungle have brought Marcus and me closer. We had to rely on each other, and we got to know each other better. The thought of going to our separate quarters to sleep has been making me uneasy the whole walk back to camp.

I can’t keep taking his bed while he sleeps on the floor, though. He didn’t sleep the entire time we were out searching, and he has to be exhausted now that his aromium is off.

Amira says a quick goodbye and ducks off toward the kitchen, glancing back at me with a conspiratorial smile.

“She’s subtle,” Marcus says lightly.

“Is it done already?” I look up at the tower in the center of camp as we pass it.

“Looks like it. I think Stella might be after my job.”

He keeps his arm around me, and we’re almost to the housing block when we see Niran approaching.

“The team that lassoed the eagle!” he cries, grinning.

He embraces Marcus, clapping him on the back. When they part, I’m surprised when Niran hugs me, too, lifting my feet a few inches off the ground.

“You guys coming to the Hub?” he asks, setting me down. “A bunch of us are hanging out there.”

Marcus shakes his head. “We’re wiped, man. Just showers and sleep for us.”

My stomach twists with excitement. We kept our hands off each other for five very long days, even though aromium made me feel like a bitch in heat. And now that I’ve seen Marcus’s erection tenting his shorts, I know what I’m missing, making it extra tragic.

“See you kids tomorrow,” Niran says, waving as he turns toward the Hub.

Marcus uses his thumbprint to open up the door to the housing block, letting me step inside first.

Fatigue tugs at my limbs as I climb up to the second floor. I can’t wait to take a shower and finally dry my feet fully.

Marcus speaks into his radio. “Ares to Operator, do you read?”

“Loud and clear. Welcome back, Ares.”

“Can you open up the keypad on my quarters for the next two minutes?”

There’s a pause before an answer crackles over the radio. “Ares, I can’t do that without more information.”

A corner of Marcus’s lips tilts up in a half smile. “Right. Peanut butter and cherry preserves on wheat.”

“Copy, Ares.”

Marcus puts his radio away and I ask, “What was that?”

“Code. We’re cycling through everyone’s favorite sandwich. That one’s ... Breck’s, I think. We’ll set a new code tomorrow. But more importantly, put your thumb on the pad.”

I pinch my brows together, pressing my thumb to the small black pad beside his door.

“Leave it until the light turns green,” he says.

It takes around twenty seconds for the light to switch from red to green, and then I remove my thumb.

“You can get into our block and room with your thumbprint now.”

I arch my brows, smiling. “Ours, huh?”

He opens the door, holding it for me. “Casa de us, baby.”

My pulse races with happiness as I go inside, him following and closing the door behind us.

“I might need to do some redecorating,” I say lightly, looking around the spartan space. “Just a few dozen doilies and some decorative plates on the walls, maybe some potpourri...”

He sweeps me into his arms before I realize it’s happening, his lips meeting mine in a short, soft kiss. “You’ve got ten minutes to shower and get back here.”

I bracket his head with my hands. “And if I go over?”

“I’ll carry you back from the shower, naked and dripping. And I’ll enjoy the hell out of it.”

I think he means it. I brush the tips of my fingers through his hair, my gaze locked with his. My exhaustion is forgotten. Though we’ve been alone for most of the past five days, we haven’t been this alone. Now it’s just the two of us, no aromium influencing our thoughts.

It’s no surprise I want him just as much as I did before. Now it’s a yearning I feel deep inside, though, instead of just a magnetic pull to get closer to him.

We both grab clean clothes and our shower supplies and silently head in separate directions for the showers. There’s only one other woman in a stall on the women’s side.

I close my eyes and soak in the feel of cool water washing away the sweat and dirt from my skin. Only for a few seconds, though. Then I get to work lathering myself with soap from head to toe. I have a lot of bug bites and little scrapes, my skin more bronzed than it’s ever been.

My shower is finished in record time, my body and hair scrubbed clean and my legs and pits shaved. Sliding into soft, clean clothes feels heavenly. I don’t know how this buttery blue sleep set of lightweight pants and a tank top made its way to this island, but I’m glad it did.

I brush my teeth last, then put all my supplies back in my tote and head for ... I smile huge just thinking about it. Our room.

Marcus is waiting when I get there, my breath hitching when I see him. He’s only wearing black shorts, his wet hair pushed back from his forehead.

“Thinking about this is the only way I got through the past five days,” he says, his gaze dark and hungry. “But I do understand if you need sleep instead.”

I set my shower caddy down on the table and approach him, my heart thudding like a drumbeat.

“I need you more,” I say simply, gently touching his stubbled jaw.

He closes his eyes for a few seconds, then takes my other hand and puts my palm on his warm, solid chest. “I swore I’d never be with a woman on this island. But I can’t ...” He shakes his head. “I need you as much as I need to keep breathing, Briar.”

I run my fingertips down his chest, all my hesitation forgotten, too. “Ellison has something that will keep me from getting pregnant. I saw it in her office.”

He takes the hand that’s on his cheek, kissing my fingertips. “I don’t deserve you, but I’m a selfish, greedy bastard.”

Need throbs between my thighs as I whisper, “Show me.”

I inhale sharply as he wraps his hands around my waist, picking me up. I wrap my legs around him, resting my forehead against his as he carries me into the bedroom.

Still cupping my ass with one hand, he uses the other to secure every lock on the door. I run my fingertips through the waves of his hair, kissing his forehead, his nose, and his cheek.

He’s gentle as he lowers me to the bed, bracing himself on a knee. Questions swim in his eyes and a crease appears between his brows. “If you change your mind, I’ll stop.”

I nod, tracing a fingertip down the curved, solid muscle of his arm. “Okay, but I won’t.”

He kisses my jawline, sending a shiver of awareness over my skin. Then his lips find mine, and I put a hand on his lower back, urging him closer as I open my mouth to him.

When our bodies meet, he groans, his kiss turning deeper and more passionate. I can’t get enough of his warm, smooth skin. My hands rove over his back and shoulders, and finally I slide them down the waistband of his shorts and sink my fingertips into his ass.

“Fuck,” he murmurs against my lips. “I think you’re greedy, too.”

“Also impatient.”

He hums a smile, gently smoothing a lock of hair away from my face. Still holding some of his weight on his knees, he slides my shirt up and over my head, groaning long and loud when he sees I’m not wearing a bra.

Lowering his lips to my nipple, he flicks the tip of his tongue over it and then sucks it between his lips, making me gasp.

“I spent a solid four hours of every day on aromium fantasizing about these.” His warm breath caresses my peaked nipple. “Had to force myself to walk away from you so many times when all I wanted was this .”

He moves his attention to the other one, switching between them until I’m panting with desire.