Chip approached them, shaking his head. “Two of our strongest returning players…going out on day one. Kandis? What is it about this challenge that made you plant your feet?”
She pulled out of Brodie’s arms and gave Chip a tiny, helpless shrug. “I don’t know. There’s something about getting na**d on national television…I don’t like the vulnerability of it. And I wouldn’t do it on House Guests for a million dollars, so I’d kind of be a jackass if I did it now for a one-in-sixteen chance for a million.”
Brodie squeezed her shoulder. “You can only do what feels right to you, babe.”
“And would you have stripped down, Brodie?” Chip asked, turning his attention to her male partner.
Brodie gave him a winning smile. “Hell yeah. Did it once. I’d do it again.” He winked at Kandis. “Sides, everyone knows I’m a shower, not a grower.”
Kandis rolled her eyes but hugged him anyhow, her arms going around his waist.
Chip looked at each one of them. “Well, Kandis and Brodie, you two are our first eliminations in the game.”
They nodded, Kandis still looking a bit teary and disappointed, Brodie stoic.
The host turned away from them and back to us. “Everyone else, look on the lids of your box. You’ll see a map to take you to your camp. The game has started. Good luck to you all.”
People paired up and began to separate, studying their boxes and chatting in low voices. I squatted carefully, keeping my legs together (because modesty) and scooped up the yellow box lid. There was a faint map stamped on the inside, along with a laundry list of instructions of how many steps to take and which direction to head.
An arm went around my shoulders. “Looks like it’s just you and me for the next few weeks, Annabelle.” Kip looked over my body. “Can’t say I’m hating this new twist.”
Ugh. I shoved his arm off. “Let’s just get going, all right?”
Chapter Five
“So…I didn’t see that coming.” — Jendan Abercrombie, Day 1, Endurance Island: Power Players
The ‘walk’ to our camp wasn’t exactly all walking. Our instructions had us go to the far end of one beach and hop on a motorboat, which took us to a different island. I knew that when the show aired, they would make it look as if we were all just on one big jungle-covered island, but the reality was never quite the same. If it was anything like last time, we’d have a small strip of beach to call our own, and production would just shuttle us back and forth to challenge sites via boat.
Once the boat dropped us at the beach, we followed the rest of the instructions to a small cove with a tiny, waving yellow flag that read KIP and ANNABELLE. Another long, flat box sat at the base of the flag.
I marched up to our ‘camp’ and eyed the beach grumpily. My mood sucked. I was pretty sure my girly bits were sunburned and I had sand in inappropriate areas. I was sweaty, windblown, tired, and pissy because I was na**d and with Kip. It was like a double whammy…and yet I was still so competitive that instead of bailing out of the game and saving my dignity, I’d stripped down.
The beach was pretty at least. The sand was white and clean, blue waves lapping and curling on the shore. There was a nice strip of beach, and a short walk from the water, palm trees and bushes grew in thick abandon. I looked up and squinted. Not a cloud in the sky.
Not a shelter in sight, either.
I glanced around and saw a cameraman following us up the beach, his clothing neutral, and his manner silent. It was a little unnerving to see that camera so close nearby, but I knew from experience that in a day or two, I wouldn’t even notice they were around. It was funny how quickly you forgot you were being filmed, despite the ever-present lens in your face.
Kip’s box was tossed to the sand and a hand went to my waist. Jeez, again with this? “Home sweet home.”
I sidled out of his arms, my annoyance going sky high. “Are you going to keep doing that?”
He looked confused. “Doing what?”
“Grabbing me. Touching me. Acting like you own me.”
“I’m just being friendly.” He looked shocked that I was being so bitchy. “We’re going to be on this beach together, alone. Might as well try and enjoy ourselves.”
And his gaze dropped to my tits.
I could guess what his idea of ‘enjoying ourselves’ was, and it infuriated me. “Oh, is that so?” I looked down and sure enough, Kip had a boner. Seriously? On day one on the island, he was expecting to get it on with me? “You’re kidding, right?”
Now he started to look annoyed, his handsome features contorting into a petulant expression. “What’s your problem, Annabelle?”
“My problem is that I didn’t want to be here with you specifically,” I snapped at him. “I asked for it to be in my contract that I be on another team. I’d rather be here with anyone but you, and now it turns out that I have to spend the next six weeks having you leer at my tits. Gee, I can’t imagine why I’m upset.”
He looked shocked. “Why the hell are you so against me?”
“Are you freaking kidding me, Kip?” I stared at him, amazed that he was that dense. “Remember last time?”
“I thought we had a good time last time.”
I rolled my eyes. He would think that, wouldn’t he? “You played me like I was an idiot.”
He shrugged. “It was all part of the game. I thought you knew that.”
“And afterwards? When you had the gall to sleep with me after mocking me for the entire game behind my back?”
The look in his eyes grew defensive. “You seemed like you had a good time.”
“That’s because I didn’t know how much of a dick you were,” I hissed. “And now that I do, you’re the last man here I’d want to f**k.”
His expression grew sulky again, and I watched his boner visibly deflate. “You’d be lucky to get me. You’re no prize.”
I knew I wasn’t. I had nice eyes in an average face, a flat butt, and thighs that probably would look best after day thirty on the island. Really, the only thing I had going for me was my boobs, which I was rather proud of. But for him to point out that I wasn’t the hottest girl on the island? “That is not the attitude that is going to get you laid, Kip.”
“Doesn’t sound like I’m getting laid anyhow,” he said in a snide voice. “You were a shitty f**k anyway.”