Stolen Feelings

Before Roger she had had no steady boyfriends. After what had happened to her mother she had always sworn she would never get married. But it had happened, she had fallen in love, and had really thought she had found the ideal man—until Roger’s jealously got the better of him.

He hadn’t been able to bear her to even talk to another man. At first she had been flattered, thought it proved how much he loved her, but when he had accused her of having an affair, when he would not listen when she’d explained that Tod Martin was a lifelong friend of the family and had taken her out for a meal because they hadn’t seen each other for over twelve months, she had ended their relationship.

He had been very acrimonious, and their argument had hurt her deeply, causing her many sleepless nights.

‘Is that so?’ Cameron’s brows rose mockingly, as though he thought otherwise, as though he thought she would have a field day with twenty men to take her choice from. ‘You’re happy with Ian?’

It was the glint in his eye that did it. Why he should have this instant damning opinion of her, she did not know. ‘I am, very much so,’ she told him furiously. ‘What have I done, Mr Storm, to deserve such offensive comments?’

He actually looked amused. ‘You’ve done nothing—yet.’

‘You’re just being prepared?’

‘Something like that,’ he admitted, his lips quirking.

Julie lifted her chin and glared. ‘You will find that I shall do nothing except my work—to the best of my ability. Is that good enough?’

‘I guess it will have to be.’ Their eyes met and challenged, and then, with a sudden, surprising change of subject, he said, ‘Ian is just the person I need to assist me. I am currently documenting the life of the fur seals. They are becoming an endangered species, as he’s probably told you?’

‘Actually no,’ replied Julie. ‘I’ve no idea what sort of work you do.’

He looked suprised, and immediately launched into an explanation. ‘It’s El Niño which is the problem,’ he told her. ‘A warm current which comes at around Christmas-time. It doesn’t normally have too much effect, but once every six or seven years the flow is exceptionally large; rainfall and temperatures soar and all the fish move away. Consequently its catastrophic for life that depends on the sea.’

‘Such as the fur seals,’ she acknowledged.

‘That’s right, and seabirds and marine iguanas. Most of the young die because they can’t feed and it takes many years for things to get back to normal—if ever.’

He was a totally different man when he was talking about his work—gone was the mockery and the hardness. It was very evident that he genuinely cared about wildlife. She relaxed and smiled. ‘You’re very passionate about your work, Mr Storm.’

‘It is my one and only interest in life,’ he admitted, and then, with another abrupt change of subject, ‘I was actually suprised to hear Ian had got married. I thought he was an equally earnest young man, intent only on furthering his career. When I first met him a couple of years ago there wasn’t even a girl on the scene. He mentioned to me then about coming out here.’

Julie smiled faintly, uncomfortably. ‘It did happen rather suddenly.’

‘He seemed very sure that you would come with him. Did you take much persuading?’ His deep blue eyes were watchful on hers and Julie shifted uneasily. The heat was getting to her; there wasn’t even a breeze to counteract the sun’s intensity. It was high overhead and she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything since breakfast. She had flown the six hundred miles from Ecuador to the island of Baltra, and then taken the ferry here to Santa Cruz, and now she was both hungry and thirsty and didn’t really want to stand talking to Cameron Storm.

‘I didn’t actually jump at it,’ she admitted. But that had only been because of the deception. Otherwise it had come at a perfect time.

‘Because you didn’t want to give up your job?’

Julie shook her head. ‘Actually, I’m between jobs; I was made redundant a few months ago.’

‘So it was loyalty to your husband?’ There was a cynical tone to his voice now.

‘Of course,’ she snapped.

‘But you don’t share his interest in ecology?’

‘No. Does it matter?’

His mouth twisted. ‘Not so long as you don’t whinge all the time. This is hardly the place for someone who…’

Julie heard no more. His words receded and were lost as the heat pounded in her head. Everything began to spin, round and round, faster and faster, until finally she lost her balance.

CHAPTER TWO

JULIE felt herself being held against a hard, masculine body by arms that were strong and supportive, and yet surprisingly gentle. She was led to a canvas chair in the shade and a glass of water pushed into her hand.

She took a long, much needed drink and immediately her glass was refilled. ‘I shouldn’t have kept you out in the sun,’ Cameron said. ‘I’m used to it; I forget. It is easy to become dehydrated. You must drink plenty of liquids and take salt tablets if necessary. We always keep a supply.’

‘Thank you,’ said Julie.

‘Are you hungry also? When did you last eat?’

‘Not since my breakfast at seven, as a matter of fact,’ she told him, ‘but I can easily get myself something. I’m feeling much better now.’ In fact she felt normal again and stood up.

But Cameron pushed her back down, and with a wry twist of his lips said, ‘I’d advise you to make the most of it. After this you’ll get no help from anyone.’

He disappeared into the tent and came back with a bread roll, a chunk of cheese and an apple, and a glass of orange juice. Julie ate ravenously, though she wasn’t too pleased with the fact that Cameron sat watching her.

‘When did you say you expect Ian back?’ she asked, taking a bite from the rosy apple.

He lifted his broad shoulders in an easy shrug. ‘Some time today, as soon as he’s fixed the engine, unless it’s not as simple as he first thought and I have to send out an engineer.’

‘And this man, Raul, will he do the cooking?’

‘Tonight, yes.’ His blue eyes were level on hers. ‘Also tomorrow, and then he’s taking a break.’

She felt better now she had eaten, not half so prickly, and she grinned. ‘I hope you’ve all got cast-iron stomachs, because I’m not promising anything.’

‘Have I been landed with a woman who cannot cook?’ he growled suspiciously.

‘Oh, yes, I can cook,’ she said, still smiling, ‘but I’ve never done it for the multitudes before. It’s the quantities that are worrying me. You’ll probably have either too little or too much until I get into the swing of it.’

He did not look amused, and as soon as she had finished eating he took her to the tent where all the records were kept. There were a couple of desks, a portable typewriter sitting on one of them, filing cabinets and an odd assortment of cupboards. ‘This is where you’ll be working for the time being.’

Julie looked at everything critically.

‘We’re way behind with the notes already,’ he told her. ‘They’re all here, handwritten, but I’d like them typed out. You can start whenever you like.’

She half suspected that he meant now. ‘Has your typist taken a break as well?’ she asked impishly.

He allowed himself a faint, dry smile. ‘We all try to do our own, but it can be a bit chaotic. We need someone to restore order. I trust you’re capable?’

‘I guess I can manage,’ she said. For six years she had been secretary to the managing director of a large manufacturing Company—until they had been taken over and her services were no longer required. She had always been praised for her efficiency.

‘I want things brought up to date before we leave for Vulcan,’ he announced, his tone crisp and businesslike.

It sounded as thought he had a lot of hard work lined up for her, thought Julie. ‘I’ll begin tomorrow,’ she said. ‘I’d like to rest now, if you don’t mind.’

The truth was she needed to get away from him. He was the most physical man she had ever met. Despite his less than welcoming attitude, he still somehow managed to excite her. Even with Roger she had not felt this instant attraction. It was unreal—and fatal!

He inclined his head. ‘Very well.’

After half an hour, though, Julie became restless. She was virtually hiding from Cameron Storm and that was stupid. Surely she could handle these emotions without betraying herself?

She emerged from the tent, and to her dismay he was out there, standing just a few yards away, not looking in her direction, seeming to be deep in thought, but as if he sensed her presence he turned, and their eyes met for a brief, tension-packed second.

‘I thought I’d take a walk into Puerto Ayora,’ she said, pasting a brilliant smile to her lips. ‘I shan’t have much time for shopping once I start work, and there are a couple of things I might need. Is it far?’

‘Too far to walk,’ he growled.

‘Then perhaps I could borrow the Jeep?’ she asked brightly.

But her smile didn’t charm him. Instead, he scowled ferociously and rasped, ‘The last thing I want is you getting lost. I’d better take you.’

It was clear he was offering out of a sense of duty, but Julie wanted to get away from him, not spend more time together. One of the reasons she had come out here was to get over a broken heart, not find herself attracted to someone else. It was a disaster waiting to happen and she had to stop it right here and now. ‘That’s not necessary,’ she protested firmly, ‘I’ll be perfectly all right by myself.’

But Cameron was insistent. ‘I happen to think it is. Come, let us go.’

His tone was sharp, and unhappily she dodged back into the tent for her bag before climbing into the Jeep beside him. To her consternation she felt his presence even more strongly than before, something invisible and intangible pulling her towards him. It caused an alien tightening in the pit of her stomach, a fractional quickening of her pulses. Even the masculine smell of him was like an aphrodisiac.

‘I don’t know what you are expecting to buy in Puerto Ayora.’ His deep voice broke the spell. ‘There are shops there, yes, but it’s not a busy cosmopolitan town.’ It was almost an accusation, as though he thought her only interest would be in expensive perfumes and designer clothes. Her fault, she supposed, for turning up in something that was far more suited to Paris then the beach.

‘I realise that,’ she said lightly, ‘but I thought I’d get some more sun-block, just in case.’ Although her hair was dark her skin was suprisingly fair. ‘I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if I got sunburnt and was unable to work.’

Her attempt at humour failed. ‘You’re absolutely right,’ he snarled.

‘And I presume there are no shops where we’re going?’

He gave a snarl of humourless laughter. ‘Vulcan is not even inhabited.’

Meaning it would be just the three of them; completely, totally alone! The thought sent a further shiver of apprehension down Julie’s spine.

The houses in Puerto Ayora were all flat-roofed and single-storeyed, well-built and painted either deep pink or white, although most of them looked as though they could do with another coat of paint. Conversely, there were the odd one or two quite pretty houses, well looked after, with lawns, and various shrubs and trees that were definitely not endemic to the islands.

There were actually all sorts of shops, far more than she had anticipated, selling everything from essential foodstuffs to cheap souvenirs. Cameron stopped outside one and picked up a straw hat which he perched on top of her head. ‘You’d better take that,’ he said drily.

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, 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.