Naked and Defiant Read online

  "Stop this, Griffon, please. I'll be good and help and OWOWOW!" Jade howled as the switch began to paint her backside with red stripes. The rain grew heavier, quickly soaking her tender flesh. Griffon grimly applied three more lashes to her squirming bottom, and the hapless girl began to wail in bitter defeat. He was right ... a switching on a wet bottom was far worse than anything she had even imagined.

  "Do you think you can obey me next time I ask you to do something?" His voice remained calm as he paused to rest the switch atop the peaks of her fleshy globes.

  "Y-yes," Jade sobbed, folding her arms under her head to hide her tears.

  "Yes, what, Jade?" Griffon asked, as he released her earlobe. He wiped the rainwater from his eyes as he sat on the platform next to her, pulled off his wet shirt and spread it over a branch to dry.

  "Yes ... Sir," she forced out, her humiliation growing, as she began to consider her bent-over position. Her bottom was soothed slightly as the cold rain fell down over her stinging rump, but she found it impossible to straighten herself just yet.

  "That's better. Climb onto the platform and scoot against the tree trunk. I'm going to stoke the heater. You will appreciate it in a few hours."

  Jade sniffled as Griffon used a long pole to stir a second fire that he had set in a tapered, dug-out pit under the tall platform. A column of heat rose to the shelter, and Jade inched closer to the warmth. She leaned forward to warm her hands, her lips still quivering.

  "I'm sorry," she choked out.

  "You should be. Are you hungry?"

  "Yes, please."

  "I like when you use manners. It makes you a little more tolerable to be around." He pulled up a camping pot that dangled over the open flame. "Try this and tell me what you think."

  "Thank you. When did you have the time to do all this?" Jade whispered, as she accepted a coconut shell filled with a milky soup. She hesitated before tasting it. "This is incredible! What's in it?"

  "Coconut milk, lemongrass, limpets, clams and limu. That's a seaweed high in complex carbs. We need those to keep us alert. I will teach you how to cook over open flame."

  "You didn't bring a stove or any dishes?"

  "I was able to unload the majority of my heavier gear from the boat, but my supplies were still fairly minimal. I prefer things simple. If you are looking for comfort, you won't find any, except what I give you. The one luxury you would have enjoyed—pillows and blankets, were still in the boat."

  "I'm sorry," Jade said again, her eyes downcast. She remained quiet as she finished her meal, watching Griffon from the corner of her eye. He was back to whittling a spear, his damp body silhouetted in the light of the fire that flickered across the palm ceiling and cast a warm glow on the shelter's walls. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, her eyes roaming over the outline of his broad shoulders and muscular arms.

  "How did you learn to do all this?" she asked, uncomfortable with the silence.

  "Boy scouts," Griffon muttered.

  "No way. Tell me."

  Griffon looked up at her. "Why don't you try to be quiet? And get off your knees. I want that bottom feeling its punishment."

  "But it hurts to sit. Especially on this rough floor."

  "Do not whine around me. You will appreciate the rough floor, as it keeps you off the wet ground. Sit. A spanked bottom is not supposed to feel comfortable."

  "I'm cold," she whispered. "And I scratched up myself. The bugs …"

  "I made you fire and a shelter from the rain. Rinse those scrapes off with warm water from the heating pot, and trying to keep closer to the fire. The smoke drives the bugs away. Now, what more could you want?"

  "The shirt ..."

  "No. As long as you are defiant, you will be naked. You have a lot to prove before you are given the privilege of clothing. That includes not always trying to get in the last word. Now sleep. As soon as it stops raining, we have a lot of work to do."

  Jade huddled with her arms wrapped around her bent knees, unable to find a comfortable sitting position. Her bottom burned against the piles of spiky palm leaves and strips of bark placed to serve as a mattress. She began to sob again.

  "What the hell are you crying about now?" Griffon asked, his voice tinged with annoyance.

  "I'm scared and I'm cold and I don't want to be here."

  "And whose fault is that? If you think for one minute that I wanted to be stranded with a spoiled-rotten, disrespectful, lazy child, you need to think again."

  "Why are you so mean?"

  Griffon looked at her incredulously. "Are you seriously asking that question? Go to sleep."

  "But I'm freezing," Jade whispered, her teeth chattering.

  "Damn it, it's not that cold." Griffon rolled his eyes. "Move over."

  "What are you doing?" Jade asked, fearfully, as he crawled in her direction, his lightly furred chest glistening in the firelight.

  "I am going against my better judgment. Sit between my legs and put your back against my chest."

  Jade hesitated before obeying. Despite the fact that he was physically very appealing, she was appalled by his nasty attitude. How dare he act as though she were the bad guy!

  "I don't bite," Griffon remarked, as she stiffened to the feel of skin on skin.

  "No, you spank. That is far worse," Jade said bitterly, pressing her back into him.

  Griffon did not respond as wrapped his arms around her, easily engulfing her in his embrace. She could have been a potato sack by the way he held her, but he was quite warm and pleasant to lean against. She protested as he wrapped his long legs over her thighs and pulled them up towards him.

  "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Jade demanded, as his heels forced her knees apart, exposing her pussy to the amber firelight.

  "I am trying to keep you from whining. Trust me, darling. You have absolutely nothing I am interested in," he rebutted, pressing back against the tree trunk. "Now sleep."

  Jade looked up as the sound of thunder and roaring winds penetrated the shelter's roof. "What if the storm blows the roof off?" she shivered.

  Griffon pulled her closer. "Then we get wet and build another one. Sleep."

  Jade stared at the shadows dancing on the shelter's walls, uncomfortably aware of the broad, muscular chest and large arms that held her body snugly. Every time she trembled, his arms tightened around her. She glanced up at his face as he began to snore lightly, amazed as sleep softened his rugged features. He was definitely handsome, Jade admitted. Too bad we met under these conditions. Plus, he spanked! That was a deal-breaker, even if there had been a chance to date him.

  The crackling of the fire set below the shelter platform, rumbling thunder, wind, the pattering of rain, and Griffon's soft snores provided the perfect lullaby. Jade let loose with a sigh before her head drooped against his left shoulder, as sleep overcame her.

  ***

  Jade's eyes flew open the next morning, momentarily confused and disoriented. During the night, she had curled into a tight ball between Griffon's legs and used his thigh as a pillow.

  "About time you got up," Griffon said, gruffly.

  "I ...uh … why didn't you wake me? I mean," she blushed as she sat up, "this must have been very uncomfortable for you."

  "I was actually taking the time to enjoy the quiet. How's your rump?" he asked casually, as Jade grabbed at her backside.

  "I don't wanna talk about it. Has it stopped raining?"

  "For now. We have enough rainwater to last us quite a while. We will take a walk around the island later on and see if we can find plastic bottles or containers that might have washed ashore. They are great to store water in, as well as make different floating devices and fishing bobbers."

  "I am not picking up trash. Use your stupid beer bottles."

  "You will do as you are told. Trash could very well save our lives out here. Are you hungry?"

  "Yeah. What's for breakfast?" Jade asked eagerly.

  Griffon grinned, holding up his dive knife. "I don't kno
w. Whatever you bring back. Don't lose the knife, hear me?"

  Jade gaped at him. "I don't know anything about gathering food. We will starve if you make me do this."

  "Then we'll starve. While you are out, I'll start laying in more wood to dry. I made a platform to keep the firewood off the ground, and I want it filled by the end of the day. That means," he looked into her frowning face, "that once you are done getting food, you will help me gather a woodpile. I will then show you how to make a rain-resistant tarp out of palm leaves. The raised floor under our shelter is for storage and will be the most important thing to keep ourselves alive while we are out here. I will also make a smoking shed and show you how to smoke fish and some vegetation."

  Jade's head reeled with the prospect of performing so much work. "We have hours before sunset. Can't we just relax and …"

  "This is not a tropical vacation, little girl. This is survival. Must I carry a switch around to motivate you?"

  Jade yipped, her hand instinctively reaching to the area on the back of her upper thigh that stung the worst. Griffon looked incredibly pleased with her reaction and pointed to the shelter's exit. Silently, Jade scrambled outside and moaned as her bare feet touched soggy, wet ground. While the dense grove was excellent for protecting them from the weather, it also provided very little sun to dry things out.

  Mumbling to herself, she ventured down the dirt path, pausing only to relieve herself behind a tree. She walked onto the sparkling sand and raised her face to the sky to enjoy the warmth. It was only a matter of time before the heat became all-consuming, and she would be wishing for another temperature flux. And to think, she used to love the sweltering climate of the tropics! Of course, lounging back in an air-conditioned bungalow with someone to bring her food and wine and cater to her every need had never prepared her for the reality of this environment.

  It was low tide and Jade carefully maneuvered her way around the tidal pools, looking for a fish that might have been trapped. With no success, she placed her hands on her hips and looked out over the water, absently digging her toes into the sand. She hit something hard. Could it be? A clam!!! A loud cheer escaped her as she sought more. A piece of torn fish net was snagged on some rocks and Jade carefully dislodged it. She also found an intact Styrofoam cooler. Pleased with her cleverness, she started back to camp.

  Griffon looked up as she approached. "What did you get?"

  "Five big old clams, a cooler, and this fishing net. I thought we might be able to use it."

  "Very good. There is hope for you after all," the man praised lightly, accepting the knife from her hand. He pressed the blade to the clam's edge and wiggled it past the muscle, causing the mollusk to open wide. He handed it to her. "Bon appétit."

  "Raw? Eeeeuw …"

  "Try it," he demanded, opening another shell and quickly downing the contents. "There's some grit in it, but it won't hurt you. Next time, we will let them sit in clean water for a bit to siphon out the sand, and maybe squirt some wild lime in."

  Jade felt her stomach turn as she looked down at the gray, oozing meat. "I can't …"

  "I can't believe you have never had clams on the half-shell. How about oysters? No? Your loss, kid. The fire is ready. Go cook it yourself."

  "How?"

  "Figure it out."

  Jade bit her lip, trying to remember the clambakes that her family used to have when she was little. Before the divorce … before Daddy became a business tycoon … before everything in her life went south because money was the only priority. Pushing aside a twinge of sadness, she placed the shell on the embers and watched as the meat solidified before her eyes.

  "I wouldn't do that," Griffon said, as she reached for the food. "You will burn yourself. Here." He handed her a short stick that he had sharpened into a point.

  "Thanks. Oh, now, this is good. Do you want me to toss the others on the embers? Won't they open when they cook?"

  "They sure will. Go for it. Add this too." He produced a tiny pineapple.

  "To the fire?"

  "Yeah. Put it on a spit and let it roast. This island has almost everything we need, food-wise, but water might be a problem. We have to watch our use carefully. I can always make a desalinator with the scuba tank, but that takes a ton of wood and time. It will be our last resort."

  As Griffon explained how to make sea water potable, Jade bit into the roasted pineapple and moaned as the sweet, warm juices dribbled down her chin. She could not remember the last time a meal had tasted so good! She handed a wedge of the fruit to Griffon. "Thanks, Griff. I mean, not just for this meal. You saved my life."

  "Yes, I did."

  "I appreciate it."

  "We'll see. I seriously doubt your ability to appreciate anything, especially if there is not a price tag attached to it. Are you finished? We have a lot of work to do today."

  Jade narrowed her eyes. What made him to be such a hard-hearted, uncaring individual? Here she was, trying to be cooperative and nice, and he dismissed her words with a swipe of his hand. She remained silent as he instructed her to save the clamshells for later use as drinking cups, cooking, small shovels and scraping tools. He ordered her to follow him as they headed towards the small cliff area where they could find large snails and possibly nests with eggs. Jade wrinkled her nose as she plucked a snail off a leaf. Somehow, escargot did not look as appetizing while it was still moving!

  By mid-morning, Jade's limbs ached painfully, and her back was sore from bending, lifting, hiking and trying to keep up with Griffon's long strides. They had just reached the beach and were searching for more debris.

  "I need to take a break," she panted, collapsing on the warm sand, tossing several plastic bottles next to her.

  "Drink some water. We have things to do, including cleaning out those bottles."

  Jade took in a deep draught from the coconut he had filled with rainwater, fashioned to hang over their shoulders like a canteen. "I'm not used to this kind of exercise. Please let me rest a bit. My feet hurt so bad …"

  "Let me see them," Griffon ordered, snapping his fingers. Reluctantly, Jade placed her foot in his large hand, worrying her lower lip as he pressed and prodded. "You have some ugly cuts and bruises, and the bugs seem to have made a meal of you."

  "That's because I am so sweet," Jade responded, scratching her shoulder.

  "Yeah ... Not. Have you ever walked around barefoot? The bottom of your foot is as soft as your backside."

  Jade blushed profusely at the reference, staring down at the sand. "No, never. I have hundreds of pairs of shoes, so I wouldn't be barefoot."

  "Hundreds?"

  "Last count was about 250. I like shoes."

  "You like to waste good money. Try working for a buck, and you will see there are better things to spend your money on." His tone was highly disapproving.

  "Like what? How do you justify buying a fucking island in the middle of the damn ocean? How many houses do you own? How many boats and cars? I know you have more money than God. What do you do with it?" she snapped at him.

  Griffon squatted in front of her, looking at her squarely in the eye. "Next time you swear, I am putting that already-tender bottom across my knee for a taste of my hand. Understand?" Jade glared without answering, fighting back the same frustrated tears that had taken over her senses the night before. "Just for an FYI, every penny I have is because I worked my ass off for it. Nothing was ever given to me, got it? To answer your questions, I own a two-bedroom condo in San Francisco, a refurbished '57 Chevy and the one 19' cabin cruiser which is now decorating the reef, thanks to you," Griffon said sourly. "Oh yes, I also own four pairs of shoes, if you count flip-flops."

  "Yeah, and how many millions did you spend on this piece of dirt?" Jade demanded, suddenly feeling very defensive, as she acknowledged his preference for a simple lifestyle.

  "This island was a divorce present to myself. I served my time in hell and deserved a little slice of heaven to regroup and recover."

  "Oh." Jade backed dow
n, hearing a hint of sadness on his voice. "Sorry. My parents are divorced, and I know it can be hard on you."

  Griffon abruptly changed the subject. "The only thing hard on me is when there are things to do and I am surrounded by laziness. You've rested enough. Go walk in the salt water and let it clean your feet. While you're there, look for mussels and hermit crabs. Hurry before the tide changes, and make certain to always mark your trail so you don't get lost coming back, if you go into the jungle for any reason. When you return, I'll steam some noni leaves and put them over these bites. It will take away the swelling and the itch." He stomped away to gather more driftwood. Jade blinked in confusion. Maybe Griffon Badger really did give a shit.

  CHAPTER 3

  Griffon refused to look behind him as he hauled the long bamboo poles up the path towards the camp. He had left Jade to gather seaweed and the tiny hermit crabs from the tide pools. While she seemed to have changed some of her attitude and made an attempt to offer words of appreciation, she still seemed to think life would be chocolate and roses. Her disposition about money angered him. He forced himself to reconsider her position, accepting that her arrogance was a result of her father's overindulgence and that she had never known anything else. He silently admitted that it was unfair to judge her for how she was raised, but he could not shake the uppity, rich-girl insolence. It was too much like his ex-wife's.

  His eye caught the red fruit of the sea grapes and he plucked them from the bunch. He popped one in his mouth, careful of the large pit as he bit down. The sweet-sour juice filled his mouth and he thought of how Jade might enjoy the flavor. Jade. That woman knew exactly how to get under his skin without even trying. She was like nails down a blackboard, raising every hair on end when she began to whine and complain. On the other hand, the smile on her face when she produced their morning meal, and the way her eyes twinkled when he praised her, touched something deep inside of him.