Island of Secrets

Fall From Heaven

Within five minutes, all seven of the guys had straggled down to the beach, the latter ones going purely to police the more eager ones, of course. Hobi and Jimin decided to help Cam gather more dried palm husks to feed the fire.

Jungkook was studying Eden as she poked at the fire with a stick, coaxing the fledgling flames to take hold. She squatted at the edge of the cook fire, heels flat on the ground, in what people called "the Asian squat" because supposedly white people couldn't sit like that. Jungkook had always thought that was stupid. How can an entire race of people have tight Achilles' tendons?

Eden tended the fire in a calm and practiced manner. It looked like she cooked like this every day. That peaked his curiosity about her story. Cam and the boys returned, proud of their armfuls of dead leaves and limbs. Jimin wanted the other guys to see a big lizard he'd spotted. Everybody but Jin and Hobi scampered off on a wildlife hunt. Cam mouthed "iguana" to Eden and they both playfully rolled their eyes.

The girls began slicing vegetables for the conch salad. Hobi offered to help and they gave him a knife and the tomatoes, asking him for 1/4 inch cubes. Hobi set to work, slow, methodical and exacting, slicing the soft, red globes despite all the juice and messy bits. Jin was cringing over how Eden was cutting the bell peppers. She was getting the job done, but his inner chef was screaming in horror at her technique. He decided not to participate so he could keep an eye on these suspicious women.

"Can you help us?" Cam tilted her head toward him.

"I'm busy looking good." Jin couldn't hide his sense of humor.

"Pretty is as pretty does," Eden said.

Knowing what was coming, Hobi tried not to laugh. "I am World Wide Handsome."

Cam clapped back. "Good for you, but right now, we need World Wide HelpUsWithDinner."

As everyone laughed, Jin grabbed another knife. "Give me the onions. I can't tolerate your bad cutting technique."

The rest of the guys filtered back, bummed out after a fruitless search for the iguana. Animated arguing and pointing ensued as they blamed each other for scaring the big lizard. Joon tried to help Jin with the onions, but the guy chased his friend off with the knife. The girls looked at each other and shook their heads. It was obvious the guys were very close, like family or lifelong friends.

"Who has strong hands?" Cam asked.

Taehyung and Joon put their hands up, but Jungkook added a hopping motion. "Me! Me!" He really looked like a bunny to the girls. The big smile totally killed the bad boy vibe he was working with his tattoos and piercings.

The girls put their volunteers to work squeezing limes and oranges. "Should we squeeze some extra for margaritas?" Cam wondered out loud to Eden.

"Definitely." Taehyung graced them with a dazzling smile. His smoky voice made their thongs catch fire. Damn, that man was sexy gorgeous.

"Did you guys bring tequila?" Eden asked brightly. They were cute, but not cute enough to drink all their liquor.

"Of course," Jimin murmured in his soft voice. "What's vacation without alcohol?" His smile looked like sin itself, blowing the ashes of their burnt thongs to high heaven.

Cam laughed. "You ... look like trouble."

"Me?" Jimin gave her his sweetest Mochi face.

"Yes. Absolutely," she shook her head. "What's your name again?" The guys had to reintroduce themselves, testing the girls as they went, after Jungkook got called KJ. The only one Cam remembered was Sugar.