Stolen Feelings

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. She found him in the ‘office’, busy scribbling notes. He looked up and smiled. ‘Did you enjoy your swim?’

‘Until Cameron Storm told me off.’

‘For what?’ he asked with a frown.

‘Wearing a bikini. I might tempt the other men, he said. What the hell does he think I am? A sex siren?’

A deep voice came from behind. ‘I think you don’t know the power of your beautiful body.’

She whirled and met the mocking force of blue eyes.

‘I don’t think you realise the danger you could be putting yourself in,’ he said quietly, and then to Ian, ‘Your wife is too beautiful for her own good. I congratulate you, but I hadn’t foreseen it could be a problem.’

‘If I’m a problem to you I’ll go back home,’ Julie retorted at once, wondering if Ian had noticed his emphasis on the word wife, or whether she was imagining it because of her unease over the situation.

A muscle jerked in the big man’s jaw. ‘That won’t be necessary.’

And Ian added a frantic plea. ‘Of course not, Julie, it’s just a matter of being sensible. I’m proud of you, but I wouldn’t like it either if I thought the rest of the team were ogling you.’ His eyes pleaded with her to calm down.

But she hated him siding with Cameron, even though she knew he was right. ‘I’m to make myself as unattractive as possible, is that what you’re saying?’

Ian looked appalled, and it was clear he felt that she was putting his job in jeopardy. Cameron, on the other hand, laughed. ‘What a spitfire you’ve chosen for yourself, Ian. I’ll leave you to deal with her.’

When he had gone Ian looked at Julie wornedly. ‘How could you speak to Cameron Storm like that? Don’t you realise you could be jeopardising my whole future?’

She shook her head in angry frustration. ‘He just rubs me up the wrong way.’

‘Please,’ he pleaded, ‘try to get on with him, even if you don’t like him. For my sake.’

But Julie was still in high dudgeon. ‘I’ll try, but it will be mighty impossible. If he thinks he can dictate to me then he’s mistaken.’ And so saying, she flounced out of the tent.

To her dismay Cameron was standing right outside; she almost cannoned into him, would have done so if he hadn’t put out an arm to stop her. ‘What’s the rush?’ There was still a quirk to his lips, a faint light of amusement in his eyes.

She shook herself free, but not before she felt a dangerous tingle of electricity. ‘No rush,’ she told him, trying her hardest to maintain some degreee of dignity. After her disastrous affair with Roger she could not understand how or why this was happening. It revealed a vulnerability she hadn’t expected, and it was this very defencelessness that was making her snappy.

‘Are you saying that you always charge around like a bull in a china shop?’

Julie’s eyes flashed. ‘Only when I’m angry.’

Cameron Storm had generous bushy brows and they rose now, his deep blue thickly fringed eyes intent on her face. ‘You don’t take kindly to being told what to do, do you?’

‘Not when I think it’s unnecessary.’ She held his gaze, stood that little bit straighter, her chin defiantly high.

‘It’s for your own good—for your own protection, in fact.’

Aware that Ian could hear every word, Julie knew she had to be careful. ‘But I’m not a fool,’ she insisted. ‘I am aware that there are certain bounds of decency when there’s one woman among several men. You can be assured I will conduct myself with absolute decorum.’

His eyes held hers for several more long, spine-tingling seconds. ‘That is good to hear.’

Julie was the first to look away. She felt like scooting back to her tent, wanting time to free herself of these anguished feelings; instead she strolled unhurriedly towards the kitchen to see how Raul was getting on.

By the time the first of the men began to filter back the meal was almost ready. Ian introduced her to each one in turn, and judging by their admiring looks Julie could well understand both his and Cameron’s concern.

They were a mixed bunch, ranging in age from early twenties to mid-fifties. Cameron was the definite leader, although, to give him his due, he did not act as the big chief. He was at one with the men and they got on well together. It was easy to understand his misgivings when she had suddenly appeared in their midst.