'I—I know you're not too pleased to have to give me a lift back...'
'A lift back?' His eyes narrowed to dark slits. 'Do you realise what would have happened if I hadn't just chanced to call into the hotel? You could have been here all night or at least until someone there decided to raise the alarm. Or did you plan to hike back nonchalantly?' he added with great suspicion.
'I hadn't decided. I never expected to find the car stuck.'
Natalie's lips began to tremble even though she tried hard to stop them. She was shaking for quite a lot of reasons. It had given her a nasty shock to see her only means of transport so firmly stuck and Kip's arrival had not lessened the tension because he was both furious and insulting. Any more and she would burst into tears.
'Get in the Land Rover,' he snapped, burning away from this sign of weak femininity, but she wavered even then.
'I'm thirsty. I've got a drink in the car and anyway, my bag and my camera...'
'I'll get them!' He strode off but she followed dejectedly, trailing along behind him like a whipped dog. It pleased him not at all. He glowered at her and handed her the drink, watching as she drank it greedily.
'I'll have to rinse my face. I'm too hot.'
The river looked cool and inviting, the shallows no threat, and she stepped towards the edge of the bank, giving a little shriek of alarm as Kip grabbed her and forcibly jerked her back.
'Have you been in that water?'
She was so surprised that she just stared at him, her body beginning to tremble more than ever.
'Have you?'
'N-no. I was going to paddle after I'd had a drink but before I could you came and
He gave a great sigh of relief, the sudden tension easing from his face, but there was nothing kindly about the scowl he directed at her.
'Never go near fresh water in this part of the world!' he rasped, his hand biting into her arm. 'There's a disease in the water that's all too easy to catch. It's not even safe to be too near the falls because of the spray.' He suddenly seemed to see how scared he had made her and he turned her back to the track. 'I've got something to rinse your face,' he muttered.
He took a large jerry can from the back of the Land Rover and began to unscrew the cap.
'What is it?'
'Well, it's not petrol,' he snapped, taking a large white handkerchief from his pocket and pouring water over it.'Here. Rinse your face.'
It was delightfully cool and she held the handkerchief out for more, feeling a little like Oliver Twist as he regarded her with raised eyebrows.
'Can—can you pour a bit on my face?' she almost begged. He did. She closed her eyes and felt the blissful cool liquid wash over her face and the front of her hair, opening her eyes when he suddenly stopped.
He was looking at her intently, his gaze intensifying as she licked the drops from her lips in an unknowingly erotic gesture.
'Thank you. That was wonderful.' She smiled up at him, not at all realising why he was so suddenly silent, the rage gone. It was only as she felt the blouse sticking to her that she appreciated just how she looked. The water had poured on more than her face. Her blouse was soaked, her breasts clearly visible through the thin material, their dark nipples pressed sharply forward.
'Get inside,' he said abruptly. 'We don't exactly want to drown you—not yet at any rate.'
^Natalie was all too keen to get inside. Her relief at being rescued now churning up inside with other feelings
and as he got in beside her and started the vehicle she kept her eyes firmly turned away, praying she would dry out with great speed.
'Did you get your shots?' He spoke after a few minutes in a voice so controlled that she felt even more wary.
'Yes.' She hesitated and then added, 'I'm sorry I went off like that. It was stupid. You're quite right.'
'You scared the living daylights out of me. I think I've gone grey.' His voice was curiously husky, showing more emotion than she had ever heard, and she turned to look at him.
'I'm not your responsibility, Kip.' She suddenly had a great desire to treat him gently, which was not at all how she usually felt. It was safe now that Kip was here. If they met a wild animal he would probably get out and order it off the path. She gave a little giggle at the very idea and he glanced across.