Stolen Feelings. Margaret Mayo
a deeply disturbing frown on his face. Wasn’t Ian’s performance convincing enough? She felt a quiver of unease, and once in the tent that they were to share Julie voiced her misgivings. ‘I have a feeling he knows.’
‘How can he?’ Ian asked fiercely. ‘It’s all in your mind.’
‘He was watching us like a hawk.’
‘You’ve not said anything to make him suspicious?’
‘No. Have you? He said some mighty funny things when we first met.’
‘Of course not,’ Ian assured her. ‘What do you take me for, a fool? I want this job more than anything in the world. You’re just jumpy, that’s all. Once you’ve settled in everything will be fine.’
They were sitting facing each other on the edge of their camp-beds and she looked at him urgently. ‘Neither did he insist you bring me for the reason you thought.’
Ian frowned.
‘It’s not because he’s wary of single girls, it’s because he didn’t want to split us up for so long.’
‘Is that what he said?’ queried Ian sharply.
‘Yes.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course I’m sure.’
He shook his head, mystified. ‘I don’t see how I could have made such a mistake. He quite clearly stated that he preferred a married woman in the camp.’
‘So what are we going to do?’ she asked, twisting the ring on her finger. ‘Are we going to tell him?’
Ian shook his head. ‘Most definitely not. He’s a very straight man who hates deceit. He could easily send us both home for obtaining work under false pretences. I think we should sit tight and say nothing.’
Julie was not so sure; she really did think honesty would be best policy. ‘He might not send us back,’ she said pleadingly.
‘I can’t take the risk,’ answered Ian. ‘Besides, even if he didn’t send us home I’d be worried to death about you.’
Julie frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘The guys here are a nice enough bunch, but I’ve heard a few moans about there being no available women. Wearing a wedding-ring will be your best protection. After Roger I don’t think you’d be happy having to fight off further advances.’
‘Perish the thought,’ she said strongly. ‘I’m off men forever.’ Which was why her reaction to Cameron was all the more amazing. It was definitely something she had to fight and she had no intention of telling her twin about it.
‘So we’ll carry on as we are?’
She nodded, and Ian leapt across and pulled her into his arms. ‘Thank you, Sis. Thank you.’ There was a bond between them that was much stronger than that between ordinary brothers and sisters, and when she thought back to all his heartache, to his months of unhappiness, and the change in him when this trip was planned, this was the least she could do.
It was such a little deceit, it couldn’t possibly hurt anyone, and if he was right about the men complaining about their enforced celibacy, then being Mrs Drummond was exactly what she needed.
‘I’m sorry to break up such a tender little reunion, but there’s work to be done out here.’ Cameron Storm’s caustic voice cut into her thoughts. Through the opening of the tent he could see them quite clearly.
Julie pulled out of her brother’s arms. ‘He’s all yours.’
And Ian stood up and looked guilty. ‘I’m sorry, Cameron, it’s just that——’
‘I know, I know, you haven’t seen each other for over a week,’ he responded curtly, ‘but there’ll be plenty of time for that later. I want to see your records. I want to discuss your findings on Pinzón yesterday.’
His tone seemed unnecessarily sharp, thought Julie, but she was glad he had seen her and Ian together.
She looked longingly again at the sea, at the white sandy beach shelving gently down to it. Cameron and her brother were deep in conversation some yards away, she needn’t feel fearful now of him watching her.
Her mind made up, Julie slipped out of her clothes and into her bikini—cream and deep red stripes, bought especially to come out here, when she had thought she would be doing plenty of sunbathing! It enhanced her curves, revealed the flatness of her stomach and the slenderness of her hips. But she had been mistaken in thinking that she could take a swim unnoticed. As she ran lightly across the sand two pairs of eyes swivelled in her direction.
The water, inviting though it looked, was so icy-cold it took her breath away, but because she was being watched Julie pretended not to be affected. She was a strong swimmer and swam a hundred yards or more away from the beach before stopping and floating on her back.
By now she had got used to the temperature, although it was still too cold to stay in for very long. The sun waimed her upturned face and the sky was a very deep azure. She looked back at the beach, dotted with its brown tents. It was backed by volcanic rock and the occasional shrub.
A little further out Julie thought she saw the shape of a fin cutting through the water, and had a sudden mental image of being eaten by a shark. It was enough to panic her into returning to shore as quickly as her arms and legs would take her, and when she got there Cameron Storm was waiting.
‘I saw a shark,’ she panted. ‘Why didn’t you warn me?’
To her amazement he smiled, even though a trifle grimly.
“There are sharks in these waters, yes,’ he announced matter-of-factly, ‘but no one has ever been attacked. There are too many fish for them to be interested in humans, though I would recommend leaving the water if you cut or graze yourself.’
Julie was not convinced. There was always a first time.
‘Have you no other swimwear?’
His brusque question took her by surprise. ‘Well, yes, but why?’
‘Because wearing something as skimpy as that in front of a group of men who haven’t seen a woman in months is asking for trouble.’
Although he was confirming Ian’s fears, Julie deeply resented his attitude. ‘Is it really me you’re concerned for?’ she asked fiercely. ‘Or the fact that your team might have their mind taken off their work?’ He had no right dictating like this. First of all her hair, now her bikini—what next would he complain about?
‘Both,’ he snarled.
Her hazel eyes were steady on his. ‘Since there’s no one about at this moment I cannot see what your problem is, Mr Storm. Are you sure it’s not your blood pressure that’s rising?’ It was unwise to speak to him like this, she knew, but he was being impossible.
Cameron completely ignored her question. ‘So long as you restrict your swimming activities to when there is no one else about I shall say no more.’
Their eyes met, his hard and unreadable, with no indication what real thoughts were going through his mind. She maintained the contact for several seconds, then with a toss of her head she turned and walked away.
Thankfully Ian was not in the tent, so she was able to towel herself dry and pull her T-shirt and shorts back on. She rubbed most of the moisture out of her hair and then scraped it severely back in a ponytail.
By now Raul had arrived to begin preparations for the evening meal. The tawny-skinned local boy did not speak any English but he had a permanent smile and whistled softly to himself as he worked. Rather than stand and watch, Julie helped scrub endless potatoes, which were put in the ovens to be baked in their jackets, she filleted fish and laid the long trestle-tables where everyone ate.
And when all that was done she went looking for Ian.