Chapter 3
1110 Words
"100 grand then. Just consider it your way of making up for taking advantage of me," I quipped, arching an eyebrow at Stella.
She was slow to react, her mouth slightly agape as she stared at me in disbelief.
"Ms. Smith, if you're enjoying the view, continue by all means. I'll even give you a discount," I said with a smirk.
Regaining her composure, Stella's face turned crimson. She clenched her eyes shut and spat, "Zack, you have no shame!"
Her tone was bold, but her body curled up into a ball, telling a story of vulnerability. Her slight frame shook, looking exceedingly delicate. Stella's physique was striking. Her white shirt was soaked from the sea, barely concealing her long, pale legs that nearly dazzled me.
As this thought crossed my mind, Stella warned again, "I'm telling you, if you dare try anything, I will..."
I shook my head in resignation, wishing she could be a bit tender.
I pulled on some trousers from the suitcase and then tore my beach pants to create a fishing net. Using branches, I fashioned a frame and attached the fabric. The makeshift net was ready in no time.
Stella, peeking through barely open eyes, saw me focusing on the net, her lips twitching, "You... you took your pants off just to make a fishing net?"
I looked at her. "What did you expect I was going to do?"
My sarcasm made Stella's cheeks flush, whether from shyness or anger, I couldn't say. I figured she had likely heard plenty of negative things about me from Leo at the company.
Ignoring her further, I swiftly laid out the dried clothes on the sand, creating a makeshift bed where I settled down comfortably.
Seeing this, Stella tried to imitate me, arranging her clothes on the sand clumsily.
Fatigue swept over me, and I quickly fell asleep, though not peacefully. I felt as if someone was talking near me, and I abruptly woke up, instinctively reaching out to grab the person by the neck.
Stella, however, flung herself into my arms, her cold but soft body pressing tightly against me.
My outstretched hand instinctively wrapped around Stella's waist. Our bodies were pressed closely together, our skin touching extensively, leaving no gaps. Though I knew it wasn't the ideal time, as a normal man, I struggled to keep my breathing steady.
"Zack, listen! Do you hear something from the woods?" Stella's trembling voice snapped me back to reality.
At that moment, Stella seemed to cast aside her previous disdain, almost seeking refuge in my embrace.
I focused intently and listened for a long while, only to realize it was the sound of leaves rustling in the sea breeze. 'She's scared over nothing.'
After a quick survey to confirm there was no danger, I came back and tried to soothe Stella. To my surprise, she clung to me and wouldn't let go, casting aside the standoffish attitude she had just moments before.
It was difficult to reject a beautiful woman throwing herself at me, especially when she failed to consider that I was just a normal man. Her curvaceous body pressed tightly against mine.
Stella's scent kept drifting into my nose, dizzying me slightly. Her cool body temperature didn't snap me out of it; rather, it made me shiver. The heat started rising from my lower belly, and I involuntarily inhaled sharply.
I bit my tongue hard, trying to calm my racing heart and suppress any inappropriate urges. If anything were to happen, wouldn't that just prove Leo's slanders right?
Battling these thoughts and exhaustion from the day, I soon fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up again, it was already the morning of the next day.
The shoreline of this deserted island was not just sandy; it also had patches of very soft silt. I used a rectangular stone as a makeshift shovel to dig through the mud.
I quickly dug up some small sandworms.
Stella, driven by curiosity, came over but recoiled in disgust when she saw what I was holding. "Are you planning to eat worms? I'd rather starve than eat those!" she declared, stepping back a few paces.
These creatures were excellent for catching fish. On the island, without proper fishing lines or hooks, traditional fishing wasn't feasible, but I had another idea!
I took a stone and mashed the worms into a mush, releasing a strong, musty scent. I wrapped the crushed worms in leaves and placed them in a puddle I had prepared earlier, securing them with a stone.
Stella looked puzzled, not understanding my actions.
I didn't bother to explain further and said, "Just wait for it." Then I turned back to the campfire.
There wasn't much wood left, and I got busy gathering more.
This time, Stella joined in enthusiastically, her mood much improved from yesterday.
By noon, I eagerly checked the baited area.
As expected, a large fish was actively swimming in the puddle!
"We've got fish to eat!" I exclaimed, unable to hide my excitement.
Stella was shocked. She didn’t expect my makeshift method to yield food.
As I dove into the puddle to catch the fish, Stella asked curiously, "You really know how to catch fish!"
"The tide changes on this island are very strange," I explained to Stella. "There's a period of high tide for about one or two hours at noon. During this time, this puddle will be submerged in seawater. The smell of these crushed sandworms is very strong and attracts many fish. As the tide goes out, the fish that were tempted by the flavor get trapped in this sandpit."
After explaining, I fished out our catch from the sandpit—it was a sizeable grouper along with some smaller fish and shrimp, more than enough for two meals for Stella and me. We returned fully loaded.
I constructed a temporary grill on the beach, threading the fish and shrimp onto sticks I had shaped from branches to barbecue them.
Soon, the large fish was cooked well, its fat dripping into the fire, sizzling enticingly.
We indulged in our meal with great enjoyment. It was unspeakably delightful.
After wolfing down the food, there was still half of it left.
Stella looked at me with appreciation. "I... I misunderstood you before. I'm sorry." I was taken aback that Stella was willing to apologize.
Just as I was about to reply, the bushes along the beach started shaking violently.
A surge of fear ran through me. 'Could the smell of the grilled fish have drawn a wild animal?'
Seeing that Stella was unaware, I acted swiftly, throwing myself over her to protect her.
- Writer
