I wake up to the sound of Jason humming softly beside me, his voice low and rich, blending with the early morning sounds of the island. The makeshift tent offers little protection from the bright light that filters through the thin material, and I blink against the harsh rays as I stretch out, my body stiff from another night on the ground.

I don't remember falling asleep last night, but I do remember the way his body felt against mine.

I shiver, but not from the cool morning breeze.

I sit up, careful not to disturb Jason as I move out around the hut. The ground is cool beneath my feet, and the scent of salt and the ocean fills my lungs as I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

But it's not so easy when I know he's still right there, just a few feet away.

I'm stubborn, and I've always been good at keeping people at arm's length, but something about this situation—being stranded on this deserted island with Jason, the man I've tried so hard to forget—makes it feel like the walls I've built around myself are slowly crumbling.

And I hate it.

I hear him moving behind me, and I brace myself for the inevitable banter, the jokes that he uses to keep things light even when everything feels so damn heavy.

But when he speaks, it's not what I expect.

"Morning," he says, his voice still a little rough from sleep.

"Morning," I reply, turning to face him. He's leaning against the entrance of the tent, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Sleep well?" he asks, and there's a playful glint in his eyes that tells me he knows exactly how I slept—curled up against his chest, using him as a pillow.

I scowl, trying to muster up the stubbornness that has always been my shield. "I've had worse."

His grin widens, and he steps closer, his movements slow and deliberate, like he's testing the waters. "Oh yeah? I'm guessing I didn't make the worst list, then?"

I roll my eyes, but I can't stop the small smile that tugs at my lips. "You're still in the top ten."

"Ouch." He places a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. "You wound me, Arden."

"Somehow, I think you'll survive," I shoot back, but there's no real bite to my words. It's hard to keep up the pretence when he's standing so close, his presence warm and solid, a comfort I didn't know I needed.

His gaze softens, the teasing banter fading as he looks at me like he's seeing something more, something deeper. "We'll get through this, you know."

I nod, my throat tightening with emotions I'm not ready to face. "I know."

But as much as I want to believe it, the truth is, I'm scared. Scared of what's waiting for us out there in the wild, scared of the predators we might encounter, and most of all, scared of the feelings that are slowly creeping back to the surface—the ones I thought I'd buried long ago.

Staring at him, I feel myself start to pull back a bit but then Jason is talking, the banter I'd expected when I first awoke starting.

• • •

I exit the shelter, my bare feet crushing the leaves and sticks under my weight, the tranquillity of the island almost suffocating. Jason had gone to get more food, exploring the day away but I wanted to relax and maybe id even used it as an excuse to put some space between us.

Here there is no noise, no rush. No demand for us to get up early, to chase after a dream or money.

Here we just exist, waiting.

Walking towards the beach, I bask in the sun, lifting my face to its rays and close my eyes, wishing that when I open them, I'll see a boat or a ship, a plane, anything that would signal that people are looking for us.

For me.

My clothes stick to me from sweat and water, my skin itchy and sensitive. I reach down for the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head and step out of my pants, leaving them behind me as I walk for the water, the cool touch whispering over my skin, welcoming me.

I crouch down, cupping my hands with water and lifting it to my face, wishing I could wash the worries away as fast as I wash the sleep from my eyes.

Sitting back on the sand, I let the water wash up to meet me before dragging back out, my thoughts following it.

A noise reaches me, and I lift my head, squinting my eyes at the vision in the distance, standing slowly as I try to make out what it is.

Urgency whips through me when I see it, and I turn, grabbing my clothes and running up the beach towards the trees, crashing through the brush towards the shelter, hoping Jason's back.

"Jason!" I yell, my ankle aching with the weight I'm putting on it, but I ignore it, running faster, "Jason!" My voice is breathless, my hands shaking where they hold my shirt to my chest, covering me somewhat.

He comes around a thick tree, holding sticks and other bits of foliage in his arms but they drop when he sees me, his eyes jumping around frantically like there's an animal chasing me.

His eyes blink up at me, muscles rippling as he stretches awake. "What?"

"There's a boat!" I don't wait for him, twisting and running back the way, I came, the sand and dirt spraying up behind me.

"Arden!" I hear him following, his steps as frantic as mine, and I slide to a stop at the shoreline, searching the horizon for the boat and finding it still floating along.

Jason slams to a stop beside me, his hand coming to rest on my back before it drops, his eyes on the vast horizon and he begins waving his arms and running to the shoreline, hoping against hope that he can grab their attention.

It's futile, the ship is too far away to notice two people stranded on an island.

My eyes track its movements as it floats further away, until its but a speck in the distance and I only pull my attention from it when Jason comes to a stop in front of me.

"Why did you come grab me?" His voice is harsh, and I whip to him, throwing my hands up. "They could've seen you if you hadn't left the shore."

"With what, a flag? Sure, let me just grab one out of thin air." I scoff, "They were too far out to hear me or see me." But I was hoping they were a rescue boat, coming this way.

His shoulders drop, "Arden-"

"How was I meant to get their attention, Jason?"

"I didn't mean-"

I shake my head, already backing away. "I'm going for a walk." When he starts to follow, I shake my head again. "Alone."

"Wait, Arden, I-"

I whip around, irrational anger whipping through me. "Is it too much to ask that you leave me alone for three seconds."

I don't hear his reply as I storm off, anger beating through me but buried beneath it is fear.

Fear that we'll never get off this island.

• • •

I'd forced myself to stay away from the camp for as long as possible, the rest of the afternoon slipping away as I explore the island before making my way to the familiar comfort of the lagoon.

My feet hit the clearing surrounding the lagoon and I breathe a sigh of relief before stepping forward, reaching for the hem of my shirt to pull it over my head when a noise reaches my ears.

I whip my head around, narrowing my gaze on Jason as he leans lazily against the tree, arms crossed in front of him.

"How did you know I'd be here?" I ask softly, turning to face him fully.

He doesn't say anything as he pushes off the tree and stalks closer.

"You followed me." I conclude.

"I gave you space." He mutters, stepping closer. "But I wasn't going to leave you vulnerable on an island when we don't know what's around."

He says nothing more before reaching for the hem of his pants.

I lift my eyes to the afternoon sky, avoiding looking at the naked man as I hear him step into the water.

"Are you coming in?"

I sigh and get out of my clothes, following him in to wash the days worries away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take my frustrations out on you. I wasn't thinking clearly." Jason's voice is soft, earnest and I turn my head to him, finding him closer than he was before, and I swallow.

"I'm sorry I snapped." I hum, closing my eyes for a long moment before opening them again. "It's just a lot." I whisper.

He chuckles, the sound mirthless, "I guess being stuck on an island is getting to the both of us." He murmurs with a shrug, and I nod absently.

"It's been a rough week. You're frustrated. So am I."

"You're right," he finally says, his voice laden with the weight of the days we've spent here. "It's still no excuse though." He shakes his head, the sunlight bouncing off his hair, it has grown since we'd been here, wild and unkept, a beard starting to frame his jaw and cheeks. It was a rough roguish look, one that suited him completely, "It's been eight days, Arden. Eight days without any sign of rescue."

I nod, the words 'they won't give up on you' on the tip of my tongue, but I hesitate, catching my own phrasing. I correct myself. "They won't give up on us," I say.

He takes a moment to answer, "of course they won't." His words are sincere, and I turn to look at him when he shifts, sitting up. "Your family won't give up on you, Matt won't. Rose and Aster will be looking for you."

I look away, almost scoffing under my breath before catching myself.

"They won't give up." He says softly. "They'll find us. The media will know about it, the coverage will be insane."

"For you, the media and rescuers are looking for you." I mutter, voicing the fear I've felt since the moment we knew we were stuck. "The world won't give up on you, you're their favourite player."

I look up, making eye contact with Jason, telling him what had been plaguing me since the moment we woke up on that beach.

"Arden-" he says softly, and I lift my chin, trying not to show how his voice affects me. I watch him draw closer, until he's standing in front of me. Only a few inches separating us. "They're looking for both of us." He whispers, his hand reaching to grab mine. "I know it."

He squeezes my fingers in his, making sure I look at him before he draws me in to his body. I drop my other hand from around my chest to curl it around his shoulder as he hugs me to him, his warm body sending chills through me that I want to ignore.

I don't know if I can.

"Sometimes I can't help but think that they're only looking at all because of you, that I'll only be found because your fans won't give up." The moment I say the words, I sigh, "they probably would have just said I was lost at sea and given up."

"Arden. That's not true."

"Yes, it is," I say, "I'm not angry about it, it's just-" I sigh, "how many people have they found lost at sea, or stranded on an island?"

"Matt will raze the earth to the ground to find you, you know it. Your friends won't give up." He says his face darkening. "Our friends won't give up," he squeezes my hand, "you have to stop thinking like that. My life does not mean more than yours." He whispers, lifting his hand to push a piece of hair behind my ear. "If anything, it's less."

I open my mouth to fight the comment, and he shakes his head, "You're a nurse" he murmurs, his eye earnest and still on mine. "I'm just a celebrity."

"Who fights fires when he's not winning the hearts of women everywhere and being hero-worshipped by boys and girls alike." I say, looking at him with a brow raised.

"You save lives. Fix them." He drops his hand. "And my life doesn't really belong to me, the world only cares for me as long as I can entertain them, if I no longer serve a purpose, people forget."

I blink, reaching for his hand. "That's not the truth, Jason."

He smiles ruefully, "Yes, it is, that's the life of a celebrity. Your life belongs to the world." His smile widens then, "but there's freedom at the end, when they forget."

I breathe harshly, my chest skimming his, seeing the buried pain in his eyes and I reach up, curling my fingers into his hair before drawing his face down to mine and capturing his lips in a soft kiss.

I don't know why I do it, but I do. Pressing my lips to his in a soft quick kiss.

Or at least I was planning for it to be a quick kiss, something to soothe the pain I can see swimming in his eyes, but he doesn't let me pull back, his own hand delving deep into my dark locks and pulling me further into him, leaving no gap between us.

I gasp into his mouth, my heart pounding in my chest as he slips his tongue in, twining it with mine in a slow sensual dance.

I know I should stop it, especially with our past but I can't bring myself to, not yet.

Jason pulls back slightly, and I take the opportunity to step out of his embrace, my heart pounding unsteadily in my chest. He lets me step back, his hands dropping to rest at his side, fist clenching.

"We should go find some food," I mutter looking away, "Fish or something."

"Or something?" Jason murmurs softly and I hum, turning away from him and moving back for the bank to grab my clothes.

"Kitten." He murmurs but I don't turn back, continuing to walk away and my head fills with regrets.

I hear him sigh before he follows.