Julie looked at herself in the tiny mirror provided and burst out laughing. ‘I don’t think so.’ But she tried on another, and even Cameron agreed it suited her much better.
She would have liked to linger longer, but sensed his impatience once her purchases were made, and it was really no fun in the circumstances. Why he was trailing around after her, she did not know. Why couldn’t he have stayed in the Jeep? Except that Cameron Storm did not strike her as the type of man who would sit around waiting for a woman.
Back in the vehicle, she again felt the pull of his powerful magnetism, but did not realise she was in grave danger of giving herself away until he told her to relax.
‘You’re sitting there with your hands clenched, looking as though you’re ready to do battle.’
‘I’m just not used to bumping around in a Jeep,’ she improvised quickly. He was again driving as though there were no tomorrow.
His lips twisted, as if he found her explanation less than credible, and she expected some further caustic comment. Surprisingly, though, he remained silent for the rest of the journey.
To her relief, Ian had returned in their absence. He came to meet her, pulling her into his arms, giving, she thought, a very creditable show of having greatly missed his supposed wife.
Julie squinted at Cameron over Ian’s shoulder and saw him watching them closely, 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, h
is 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.
Julie had never really thought of herself as being beautiful. She had good bone-structure, yes, but she had always considered her face pretty ordinary, her eyes a little too small, her mouth a little too wide. Her hair was her best feature. Thick and black and glossy, she wore it without a fringe, normally falling in a cascade of luxuriant waves down her back. Now, of course, it was scraped tightly and unbecomingly back and confined in a band.
As they sat down to eat she was aware of Cameron’s eyes on her. He was diagonally opposite, with Ian on her right and a blond giant of a man, who had been introduced as Jake, on her left. ‘Jake hails from Australia and he’s an expert on lichens.’ Ian informed her.
‘I’m afraid I don’t know anything about them,’ Julie apologised.
Jake laughed. ‘I guesss you’ll learn all sorts of things by the time you’ve finished typing our notes.’
‘I expect so,’ Julie acknowledged.
‘Ian’s lucky you were able to come with him.’
‘Are you married yourself?’ asked Julie. Jake was nearer forty than thirty, probably much the same age as Cameron, with a good body and blue eyes too, although they were nowhere near as deep and powerful.
She felt Cameron’s eyes on her again now, and it was almost as though he was warning her not to get too friendly, which was ridiculous. What was she supposed to do—talk to no one? Or was it her imagination? Was she imagining criticism when none was there?
‘I was,’ the man admitted with a wry smile. ‘It didn’t work out. Maggie objected to the fact that I spent so much time away. It’s wrong to marry someone who’s in a completely different job; they simply don’t understand.’
‘So no one here is married?’ she asked.
‘No, that’s not right,’ he replied. ‘Ray over there is.’ He nodded towards the oldest of the team. ‘But his wife doesn’t mind him being away. She runs her own business and has plenty to do. And Sim, he’s married. He could have brought his wife, she’s a biologist as well, but she’s working on another project, and then there’s young Andy, he’s only been married six months.’
Julie frowned. So why hadn’t Cameron suggested this boy bring his wife as well? Unless, of course, she had no skills that were necessary to their research; Cameron wouldn’t want to carry dead weight. ‘What does Andy’s wife do?’ she asked.
‘She’s a nurse, I believe,’ Jake answered, ‘working on a cruise liner. It’s where they met. They’re used to spending time apart. He reckons it’s more than worthwhile when they do get together.’
‘Do you miss not having a woman in your life?’
‘Hell, yes, sometimes.’ His eyes twinkled at her. ‘It’s going to be refreshing having you here.’
‘Don’t get any ideas,’ she warned him, though she smiled as she spoke. ‘Ian packs quite a punch.’
‘Just joshing,
’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t jeopardise my job. This is an ongoing project—biologists come and go, some don’t stay long, some for years. Cameron loves the place.’
They both looked across the table as they spoke and Cameron’s eyes were upon them, narrowed and assessing, though he smiled and acknowledged Jake.
‘I was just telling Julie how much I enjoy my work here,’ said the Australian, seeing nothing wrong in Cameron’s expression.
‘It would be unprofitable if you didn’t,’ agreed Cameron drily. ‘We can only hope that Mrs Drummond enjoys her work too.’
The emphasis on her marital status this time, she decided, was a warning to Jake that she was a married woman. She turned to Ian at her other side, and he smiled warmly and touched her hand. ‘All right?’ he asked quietly.
She nodded, and tried to concentrate on her meal, but it was difficult with Cameron sitting so near. She was relieved when it was all over, when she was able to help Raul clear away and wash up.
By this time it was dark, no long twilight like in England, but a rapid descent of the sun and then total darkness. It was still only a little after seven.
Solar lamps, that had been sitting in the sun all day gathering energy, were switched on and the whole camp looked festive. The men sat around in groups talking and Julie found herself alone with Ian and Cameron. It had been a long day, though, and she felt tired, and after an hour listening to the two men talk shop, trying to ignore the fact that her body was responding to Cameron’s in a way that made her feel uncomfortable, she yawned and stretched, and declared that she was going to bed.
Ian dutifully gave her a kiss on the cheek. ‘You poor darling, you’ve had a tiring day. I’ll try not to wake you when I turn in.’
She smiled. ‘Goodnight, Ian.’ And then she turned to Cameron and bade him goodnight too.
Their eyes met and held briefly. ‘Goodnight, Julie.’
But she did not sleep, she was far too aware of this man who had made such an impact on her life in such a short space of time. She could only be thankful that there were no reciprocal feelings; that would have been hell. There was no way then that she could have gone on with this charade.
Stolen Feelings (Island Romances) Page 3