Gaia crossed her legs self-consciously. How on earth did he know?
"Are you ready to land, or do you want me to do another sweep?" Shou asked, his interruption so welcome Gaia almost wanted to kiss the pilot.
"Yes, land, please." On the ground, she could put some space between her and Jay so he couldn't see the effect he had on her. She had to think like the businesswoman she was, not some horny teenager who just wanted to rip Jay's clothes off and...
"So I can go for a walk and leave you lovebirds to it, hey?" Jay said.
Gaia wanted to smack the smile off his smug face. "No. So I can get out of this helicopter and away from you."
"So no island tour any more? You reneging on our deal?"
"No." She sucked in a breath. "I'll still take you on the tour. I just need some air, is all. And space."
Jay shrugged. "Whatever, baby. I know I make everyone hot. Even you. Nothing to be ashamed of."
The pilot snorted, then banked in a tight turn as he came in to land.
Gaia forced her breathing to stay even. She couldn't afford to lose control while she was alone with Jay. Her cool, calm business head had to prevail, while her hormones took a hike. At least, until she'd finished with Flavia.
NINETEEN
The pilot opened her door and Gaia climbed out, her boots crunching on the rocky, red dirt as she stepped off the helipad matting. She stood on the road between the beach and camp, staring at the deep ditch in the sand where someone had dragged the rolled-up matting from the water to its current position. It looked frighteningly like the crocodile tracks she'd been shown in her safety briefings when she'd first joined the company. She glanced around, worried.
Jay was taking his sweet time getting out, and he'd probably only laugh at her fears, so she turned to the pilot. Pointing at the tracks, she asked, "Are there any crocodiles out here?"
The pilot's smile was gentle, without a hint of laughter. "On the mainland, yes, and some of the nearer islands, but I've never heard stories about them swimming this far out to sea. You can see from the footprints on either side that it was Baz, not a croc." He stamped his foot, then pointed at the print he left behind. "See the ridges? Those ones are smooth. Crocs have claws and they don't wear reef sandals. The rest of us are wearing boots. Those are Baz prints from this morning."
She relaxed a little, until the pilot's words had sank in. The only footprints on the island belonged to the three of them, and the mysterious Baz. The cyclone had wiped away all traces of the miners and they were too far out to sea for crocodiles to swim. Suddenly, a field trip to this remote island didn't seem like the wisest plan. The cliffs rose up, hemming her in, as the wind whipped up a willy-willy in the dust at the top of the hill. Her mouth grew dry as the whirling dust. What if something happened to her? Or the pilot? How would they get back if he got hurt and couldn't fly? Or the helicopter was damaged in another landslide? Or...
"Baz'll be here in a couple of hours with the boat, just like you asked. You can check his shoes then, if you like," the pilot reassured her.
As if she cared about the man's shoes. But a boat...she breathed again. A boat was another way off the island if something bad happened. She could manage a couple of hours out here until the boat arrived. Her business depended on it.
Gaia pulled her phone out and passed it to the pilot. "Could you please take some pictures while we're walking around the island? Like we discussed on the phone when we agreed on the itinerary." She avoided his eyes, but she saw him nod as he took the phone from her. He knew what she needed. Now it was her job to make sure he got it.
She set off up the road toward what remained of the mining camp. "You coming?" she called over her shoulder at the two men.
Grunts and the crunch of footsteps followed her, so she trudged on.
TWENTY
By halfway up the final hill, Gaia was so breathless she could barely speak. Hadn't she spent enough time in her private gym lately? Was that why she was so unfit? Or was it the heat and the dust combined that made the steep slope such a challenge?
She glanced at Jay, who powered past her with a grin on his face. "C'mon, slowpoke. You want to see what's at the top, don't you?"
Her grandfather's villa, now the whale observatory.
"I need to catch my breath," she wheezed.
"C'mon." Jay stretched out his hand.
Gaia glanced back, satisfied to see the pilot raising her phone to photograph them. She grasped Jay's hand and trudged up to his side. He'd continued on, so she clung tighter to his fingers as with each panting breath she climbed higher up to the peak of this bloody rock. What on earth had her grandfather liked about the place? It was desolate and dry, full of bright colours that hurt her eyes, all baked in cloying heat that stole her breath. Maybe the old man had been mad to build out here. Her mother had never said so, but she'd also never wanted to visit the place. Hence why she'd given up his house to the whale watchers. That and because it was a tax break, investing in research like this. It also let her claim the cost of maintaining the compound as a tax deduction.
Sweat ran into her eyes. When Gaia tried to wipe it away, her hand came away rusty, as if the moisture had magically attracted more dust to cling to her face. Great. Good thing she wasn't trying to seduce Jay today. She must look a right mess.
"Come on!" Jay yanked on her arm as he ran up the last bit of the slope, almost pulling her over.
Gaia caught her balance just in time to stop herself from falling flat on her face, then took a few more steps to see what had Jay transfixed.
He whistled. "This view's better than the one from my place."
Gaia stepped up to his side and stared at the spectacular view. The whole of Yampi Sound spread out before them, devoid of whales but full of plenty other marine life.
"Big pod of dolphins over there," Jay said.
Gaia couldn't see anything resembling a dolphin. "Where?"
Jay's arm curled around her waist, sending her heart skipping, as he pointed with his free arm. "Right...there."
Gaia saw the splash and squinted into the distance. It looked like something jumped out of the water, then landed with an even bigger splash.
"We have a dolphin protection program, too, you know," she said. "It was one of the initiatives we offered to fund when we constructed the port. The dolphins here are found nowhere else in the world and they're on the endangered list. Without our protection, they'd die out."
"Seems to me, your port's the only thing out here they need protection from," Jay remarked.
"Of course it's not," Gaia snapped, stung. "If it weren't for us, there wouldn't be any fish for them to eat. The port protects them. Fishermen aren't allowed to fish in our shipping lanes. If they were, they'd catch everything in sight and leave nothing for the dolphins."
"Bullshit. Even I know the fishing laws in WA won't allow that to happen. It's why our fish is more expensive than any of the stuff we import, but it's worth it. Knowing you pulled your barramundi or groper out of local waters instead of some sewage farm in South Korea or Thailand."
Gaia didn't know a thing about fishing. Her mother had never allowed her to do such a thing. "What do you mean?"
"It's the foreign fish you have to watch out for," Jay replied patiently. "Cheap barra comes from overseas fish farms, and you need to check to make sure if it's Aussie or not. And if it's wild caught, it could be illegal. We've had the local Fisheries boats come out to the island, chasing illegal fishing boats, and they stop for a drink if they have time. To hear them tell it, illegal immigrants aren't the only thing Indonesian fishing boats come to Australia for. Now they come to steal fish. They sneak into Aussie waters, use nets and fish attraction devices and dynamite and all sorts of shit that's illegal here, fill up their boat with their stolen catch, and sail home. If the Fisheries boys don't catch them first. When they do catch them, they have themselves a big bonfire, burning the fishing boats so they can't come back."
She hadn't heard about illegal fishi
ng before, but it made sense. "See? If we weren't out here, those illegal fishing boats might never get caught, because there'd be no one out here to catch them."
Jay grunted in what she hoped was agreement, then strode off down the track.
Hurrying to catch up with him, Gaia repeated all the things she'd memorised the night before when she'd planned this trip. She talked about the remediation and revegetation programs Vasse Prospecting paid for throughout the islands; the expeditions they'd funded to find and destroy unexploded ordinance from all the target practice during the war and afterwards; the apprenticeship program they funded in town to train local youth to take up positions in the mining industry; the similar program they ran in the men's prison in the Pilbara; the jobs they provided for local people and unskilled labourers; the bird sanctuary on Lorikeet Island...and that was just off the top of her head. Jay fell silent, impressed by her company's social and environmental reputation, or at least she hoped so.
She didn't pause for breath until they reached the helicopter again, after touring the entire perimeter of what remained of the mining camp.
"So, what do you think? I bet you didn't know half of what Vasse Prospecting does for the community. In fact, I'm sure you thought all we did was mining!" A nervous giggle escaped, which Gaia was quick to silence.
Jay shrugged. "I'm hungry. When's lunch?"
Lunch? Surely it wasn't anywhere near noon yet. Gaia glanced at her watch. She was surprised to discover that it was just after one in the afternoon – they'd been talking and hiking around the island for more than two hours. No wonder she was thirsty.
The pilot produced a foam cooler box.
"Thank fuck! I hope you have cold drinks in that." Jay ripped the lid off the box. His face lit up as he fished out a beer and cracked it open. He downed half the can in one gulp, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, sighing in pleasure, looking for all the world like a blue-collar worker in a beer commercial.
Gaia felt a jolt in her midsection. For the first time in her life, she wanted to drink beer, licking it off Jay's lips and fingers before kissing him, the taste of his cold tongue in her mouth, coated in the dry drink, as his hands caressed her, undressed her, and –
Jay thrust something cold into her hand. "Fuck, take it. You looked like you were about to jump me for mine. If I'd known how much you love beer, I'd have said ladies first."
Gaia gazed at the beer can he'd given her. It wasn't what she wanted, but she'd have to drink it now, or admit to her fantasy about him. He'd only laugh and reject her again.
She slid a finger under the ring pull, jerking the can open, before taking a slow sip. Ugh, it tasted awful, but at least it was cold. She sucked at the can a little longer, trying not to gag at the taste. How something so cold and wet could be as dry as sandpaper on her tongue, she didn't understand.
Jay crunched his empty can in one hand and flung it into the rubbish bin in the helicopter cabin. "What's for lunch?"
The pilot pulled out a folding table and proceeded to set it up on the beach, complete with tablecloth and cutlery. This time it was Jay who led the way, sliding into a seat before Gaia sank into hers.
"You not joining us?" Jay asked the pilot.
"Nah, my lunch is up there." He nodded at the helicopter.
Jay shrugged and served himself, too caught up in his quest for food to notice the pilot taking pictures of the two of them. Gaia's smile grew. She selected some sort of sandwich and sank her teeth into it, not really tasting the filling. Her mouth tasted of dust and beer, anyway – anything was an improvement over that.
Despite the dust and drinks, though, her day was definitely going according to plan. Now if only Jay would continue to cooperate this afternoon.
TWENTY-ONE
The talk turned from turtle sanctuaries to ancient rock art to dolphins as the jet boat skimmed over the waves and between the whirlpools skirting the uninhabited islands. Sleek bodies surfed their bow wave before leaping off in search of food. Gaia had never seen so many dolphins in her life and she had to admit, she now saw why people were so passionate about protecting them. They looked like they were smiling and happy and having fun all the time, as if they didn't have a care in the world.
Jay wore a similar expression, whooping when the boat sped up or he spotted something else he wanted to point out. A thrill seeker, through and through. He was like a hyperactive child, but one who set her heart racing and the rest of her body reacting in the most unprofessional way.
Gaia had long since lost count of the number of times she'd told herself she wanted the man's island, not his body, but right now, with the taste of salt on her lips and Jay sitting next to her in a soaking wet shirt from the last wave that had splashed the boat, she was seriously contemplating climbing into his lap. She blamed the beer. She should never have had the second one with her lunch.
Now her belly was roiling and she wasn't sure if it was desire or seasickness. Probably the latter. That might explain her strange fever.
The jet boat slowed to a stop in a rocky bay. To her surprise, Gaia recognised the pilot standing on the beach. He still held her phone. Good.
"I can't go in any closer, or I'll get bogged," Baz said. "The water's pretty shallow here. Barely knee deep. You'll be fine walking back to shore."
Jay nodded, leaping over the side of the boat without a qualm. Sure enough, the water barely reached to his knees. His tied-together boots dangled from one hand. "You coming, baby?"
Gaia peered over the side. She spotted a shell-lined hole like the one she'd lost her shoe to on Romance Island. Only this one was much bigger. She wondered how much bigger the crab was, and shuddered. "No, I...I don't want to get my shoes wet again."
Jay snorted. "So take 'em off. I did."
And let the crabs have her bare toes? "Oh, no." She drew herself up. "You'll have to take me up to the shore. All the way in the boat."
Baz's half lidded eyes regarded her. "Sure. In six hours when the tide's high enough."
Six hours? She couldn't stay out here that long. She had to get back to the resort.
"You big baby. C'mon, princess." Jay scooped her up and lifted her out of the boat, boots and all.
Gaia squealed in surprise, wrapping her arms around his neck. After a moment, she realised that he didn't intend to drop her, so she loosened her hold and settled against his hard chest. This wasn't so bad. At least he hadn't turned caveman and thrown her over his shoulder again. Now, he carried her like his new bride.
He splashed through the shallow water to the beach before he set her on her feet. "I'm not waiting six hours for you to whine about getting your feet wet. I'll miss the Simpsons."
A grown man who still watched cartoons? It figured. Gaia glanced at the pilot, who lowered her phone and gave her a barely perceptible nod. He'd captured the whole thing on camera. Good. The day had worked out better than she'd expected.
TWENTY-TWO
Gaia waited until she was certain Jay's attention was fixed on something outside the helicopter windows before she pulled out her phone on the flight home. Even on the small screen, she could see the photos the pilot had taken were exactly what she'd hoped for. If her mother had been alive, Gaia would have received a lecture on being too friendly with her business competitors, but as far as she was concerned, she hadn't been quite friendly enough. That would change. She'd make sure of that.
She directed her phone to upload the pictures to her file sharing service. There might not be any mobile phone reception between Lorikeet and Romance Island, but they'd send as soon as the phone connected to a network. Stephanie would know exactly what to do with them.
As she tucked her phone away again, she glanced at Jay, who still stared out the window. Perfect. He hadn't noticed a thing.
Idly, she wondered if she should ask Jay to dinner tonight, or whether that would mess with her plans too much. What was wrong with her? She couldn't seem to stay away from the man. Everything about him drew her toward him, even as her
mind screamed at her that he was rude and annoying and irritating and maddening and...Jay Felix, the perfect male specimen she'd lusted after all through university. Her mother wouldn't have let her near him, but Morrigan wasn't here to stop her any more.
Gaia's life and the company were in her own hands now.
She grimaced. For the good of the company, she should avoid him until tomorrow. Let him have time to think over his decision while other pieces moved into play. Too soon and she'd spoil everything.
Maybe she should invest in a marital aid. Something to keep her mind off the complete lack of available men on the badly named Romance Island. Ugh. But not yet. Only if she failed would she need one of those battery operated...things. She suppressed a shudder and sat up straighter.
Things could still turn out in her favour. Fortune favoured her, like it favoured her whole family. She couldn't possibly fail.
TWENTY-THREE
The landing was rough enough to jolt Gaia out of her doze. She couldn't have fallen asleep, surely. She smoothed her clothes as the pilot walked around to her door and opened it for her.
Gaia hopped out, or at least she tried to. Instead, her stiff legs and heavy boots almost made her fall over as she crashed to the ground. The pilot caught her and she allowed him to keep holding her until she was certain she was steady on her feet. A quick glance back told her Jay hadn't seen her clumsiness – he was busy clambering out the other side.
She shook off the pilot and hadn't made it two steps before she heard him say, "Do you need me tomorrow, ma'am?"
Gaia pursed her lips. She had to do something to distract herself during the day. "Maybe. I'll let you know in the morning."
The pilot nodded and climbed back into his aircraft.
The Rock Star and the Billionaire Page 6
