Lorelei woke to a strong arm wrapped around her waist. She smiled softly, remembering Taron's loving ways. How he put her first, and the stunning peak she reached before he took his own pleasure. His arm tightened, and then his hand wandered up, cupping her breast as his thumb took her nipple distracting her from the questions she wanted to ask.

And when she rode him to completion as her own needs tensed her thighs, his clever fingers stroked with tender patience until she collapsed on his chest in a puddle of satisfaction.

"Good morning, Lore." His voice was deep, and his eyes half closed.

"Oh, yeah, it's a great morning. Thank you."

"Want to take a swim?"

"Hmmm...."

"What's the problem?"

"Not that I'm a prude, but no swim wear."

"Are you shy because we have company on the cliff?"

"No, but what about you?" She wondered if he would keep certain parts covered.

"I'm thinking underwear. Sensitive parts and strong sun don't mix well."

"True, and swimwear isn't much other than a way to perform the same function." She reached for her bra, where it dropped beside their bed.

"Sun protection before we go out. Then back here for more trail mix for breakfast."

"Good plan. Do you want to make your call to Sparks first?"

"Thanks for reminding me. You're beautiful, Lore and I could spend the rest of the day in here making love, but I want to get you back to the world. I keep thinking we need to stop something disastrous from going down."

"All right then. Make the call. Then we'll get ready for a day in the sun. I want to see if I can try my hand at making a fish trap from palm fronds. Maybe catch a few crabs that way too."

She eased off his chest and snapped the closure on her bra between her breasts. Looking around, she spotted the matching panties and tugged them on too. "I'll be right back. Need to pee." She grabbed the roll of TP and went past the firepit.

"Shit, it's almost out. Down to a few coals." She stopped to grab a few handfuls of wood chips and dropped them on the embers. Rewarded with instant flame, she grabbed two small logs and dropped them into the pit.

"Thanks Lore. I'm pretty stiff. I'll let you know what Sparks says when you get back." Taron groaned as he dug through their salvage pile.

Lorelei walked to where Taron dug a hole in the sandy soil behind the monster palm they hit on landing. It looked like the American Oil Palm she had anchoring the center of her backyard deck, but its trunk was almost twice the diameter. Finishing her business, she scanned a few of the other palms stretching their fronds to the sky. Date palms. Here on this island? Did some stranded sailor decades in the past leave the seeds behind? There was one coconut palm toward the cliff where Taron said he figured there was fresh water.

Heading back to the shelter, she decided there was adequate food around for harvesting. She hoped it wouldn't come down to that though. Going around the tail section, she skirted the raft and stopped to wait as she listened to Taron listing numbers she didn't understand.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Did you get that, Sparks?" Taron listened to his buddy's read back, nodding as the numbers proved accurate. He put his index finger to his lips when Lorelei came back into the shelter.

"No, I had no idea there was an island out here, and yes I can confirm a previous crash. The blade we found was from a turbo-prop, probably a twin. I think a Beechcraft King Air, but I could be wrong. It's been here at least a couple of years, maybe longer considering the rust." He patted the bed, indicating Lore should sit for a minute. Listening intently to what Sparks was telling him.

"I'll tell her. It isn't good news, but don't let anyone know you have an in on where we might be. She's got proof here of some nasty shenanigans at city hall, and that robot? I'll let you know what I find when I get it apart." Taron nodded several times and covered her hand when she placed it on his thigh. Her touch was a welcome balm for the quick staccato conversation.

"Okay, time's up. If I want to make another call, I have to conserve the battery. You and Mooch are getting the team together?" Another nod, "Good. Two days? We should have contact with our fellow survivors by then. I'll try for sunset tomorrow with an update."

Lorelei mouthed bad news as he listened to Sparks barking orders at Mooch. Handy that they were roommates.

"I caught all of that. Thanks guys." Another pause and Taron said, "Goodbye." Hanging up, he tucked the phone back in its pouch.

"What's the bad news?"

"Melissa Grange and Nicholas Horton have announced a joint application to take temporary control of your finances. It's premature, and it's suspicious."

"Shit. I didn't even know they knew each other. Lissa knows I can't stand Nicky. What's she up to?"

"It could be a move to keep him under control. By offering to do this with him, she should retain control and keep him from helping himself to everything you own. Mooch is sending his brother to the courthouse for the hearing, with an intervention asking for them to freeze the estate. I don't know if the judge will entertain it, but we have to try."

"Well, that's something. They have reason, considering you are the other missing party. What a mess. Are we heading out to find our mystery lady?" Lorelei sounded like she wanted to forget what he just told her.

"Yeah, but I want that swim first, and I want to climb that cliff where the boulders are piled up. I'm sure there's a pool up there. Probably good fresh water, at least I hope it isn't briny."

"Okay." She pushed to her feet. "I'll get the sun protection."

"Do me first. I'm more inclined to burn from what you said." Taron turned his back to her.

"Your burn has settled down. It's already started to turn brown." Lorelei squirted a line of lotion across his shoulders.

"I do that, but usually not until I peel. I'm hoping that doesn't happen this time around. I've never used aloe on a burn before. Heard it does wonders."

"It does and it has again." She worked quickly covering every inch of his back right down to his boxers, stroking under the waist band. "There. You won't get another burn if we're active. This stuff is waterproof as well."

They did their arms and legs, and Lorelei turned her back to him and he made sure to return the favor she did for him.

"Swim now?" He couldn't wait to see her in the water.

Lorelei jerked her head toward the beach. "Yes. Then the freshwater pool, and breakfast. I want the Smarties I didn't eat last night."

Taron laughed. "Who am I to deny you? Let's go."