Chain Lightning (10 page)

“G’day, luv,“ Ray said, smiling when he saw Mandy. “Looks like a day’s sleep was just the thing for you.“

“A day?“

“Near as the same. The afternoon flight just left.“

“Well, that explains my stomach. It’s sure my throat has been cut.“

Ray grinned. “We’ll be serving in twenty minutes. I’ll stand you a beer until then.“

“Thanks, but I’d better not. I’m empty all the way to the soles of my feet.“

Ray’s blue glance moved from Mandy’s sleek wet hair, past the well-filled black bikini top to the low-riding and very brief khaki shorts, down to the narrow feet clad in the plastic beach thongs that were practically part of the Australian national uniform.

“Empty? If all the Sheilas were empty like you, I’d die a young and very happy man.“

Mandy smiled just enough to show Ray that she appreciated the compliment but not enough to encourage him to continue with more of the same. It was a smile she had honed to perfection on her way through school, when she had worked sixty hours a week to pay for her education. No time had been left for flirtations or socializing. That was why she had been so naive and so ripe for the attentions of one of the most famous men in her chosen field of oceanography.

Before Mandy could open her mouth to ask where the dining room was, the sound of a man’s voice came clearly through the wall. It was Sutter’s voice, deep and clipped and cold. He was talking about her, and he was mad as hell.

“In all, this is some vacation you planned for me,“ Sutter continued savagely, hoping that the radio phone was up to the task of carrying every nuance of his voice. He wanted Anthea to be in no doubt as to the extent of his anger at her manipulations.  “I don’t know about you, dearest aunt, but being stuck in a tent for three weeks with a basket case for a bunk mate isn’t my idea of fun and relaxation!“

Angrily Mandy strode through the open door to the tiny combination office and gift shop. An instant later she was standing as though nailed to the floor, staring, unable to help herself. Sutter was wearing only a swimsuit, a black swath of cloth barely wider than her hand. The male strength that had startled her when she had been swept into the plane was very obvious now beneath the expanse of Sutter’s smooth, tanned skin. Wide, well-muscled shoulders tapered to narrow, equally muscular hips. Long, powerful, covered with dark bronze hair, his legs were braced in a fighting stance, every muscle defined as he stood with one hand on his hip and listened impatiently to his aunt’s explanations.

“You have no idea how reassured I am,“ Sutter said in a sarcastic tone. “If she’s so bloody damned efficient around the office, why didn’t you keep her there!“

There was another pause before Sutter burst once more into clipped, furious speech.

“Give it a rest, Anthea. I know precisely what you had in mind when you shanghaied Mandy for this trip. Just forget it. When I need your dubious expertise in finding a sex partner, you’ll be the first to know. Until then, stay the hell out of my private life.“ Sutter’s tone was icy, flat, utterly without softness. “As for Mandy, if she’s so hard up for a man, find her a nice pencil pusher whose idea of a hot time is watching wallpaper fade.“

That galvanized Mandy. Without stopping to think, she snatched the phone from Sutter’s hand.

“Anthea?“ Mandy asked, her voice tight.

“Oh, dear, I’m so sorry you had a rough flight. If I had known, I would never have – “

“I understand,“ Mandy said, talking right over Anthea’s unwanted apologies. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’m firmly on the ground without a plane in sight. Everything’s just hunky-dory.“

“Good. Er, I understand that you don’t care for water sports, either?“ Anthea asked delicately.

“I’ll survive. I’m sure there are other things I can do here besides going diving,“ Mandy added, ignoring Sutter’s sardonic smile.

“I hope you hadn’t planned on Sutter helping you, er, amuse yourself,“ Anthea said hesitantly. “That is, I’m sure he would be glad to help you learn how to dive, but – “

“No problem,“ Mandy interrupted, not wanting to hear another word. “If I want to dive, I know just how to go about doing it.“

Sutter’s smile flattened angrily. “If you think I’m going to teach – “

“Just shut up,“ Mandy interrupted, her eyes blazing, her voice vibrating with anger. “You’ve had your turn.

Now it’s mine. No, not you, Anthea. Sutter is talking in my other ear.“

“Tell him to go away.“

“Anthea says for you to go away,“ Mandy said, giving Sutter a killing look.

Sutter crossed his arms over his chest and stayed put. Mandy shrugged and went back to her conversation with Anthea.

“Don’t worry, Anthea. I’m not counting on Sutter for one damn thing.“

There was a long pause at the other end of the line before Anthea plunged ahead.

“When I said you needed a lover, I hadn’t really considered Sutter. He’s rather…too…too…“

“Much?“ Mandy offered laconically.

“Well, not for the type of woman he’s been with since his divorce. They must do fine with him, because they stand in line hoping for another chance. But you’re a little too…too…“

“Ugly? Poor?“

“Heavens no! Sutter doesn’t care about money and you’re a striking woman, as every man who has ever been through the office has pointed out. It’s just that Sutter doesn’t really like women very well. His mother was a fragile little thing and his former wife was little better. You’re too…well, inexperienced. You would walk starry-eyed into an affair with Sutter and walk out crying. You’re much too nice, my dear. Sometimes my nephew can be very…er, that is…“

“Cold? Arrogant? Overbearing? Altogether insufferable?“ Mandy offered, looking Sutter right in the eye.

Anthea signed. “Oh dear, he
has
been difficult for you, hasn’t he?“

“Yes,“ Mandy said, remembering how Sutter had casually forced her into the plane and strapped her in. Then she remembered how gentle he had been getting her off the plane. “No.“ But had that really happened, or had she just dreamed it? “Oh, hell, I don’t know.“ Mandy sighed and shifted her weight. “Anthea, there’s one thing I do know. If I ever decide to have an affair with a man, he’ll have to feel something a lot warmer than contempt for me. My former husband gave me all of that any woman should have to take.“

Sutter’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the pale, determined set of Mandy’s mouth. He wondered how her husband had burned her, and why, and how deeply, and if it had anything to do with her fear of water, of flying, of everything except staying locked within the safe walls of Anthea’s office. Or perhaps it was those very same fears that had driven her husband away.

“Anthea,“ Mandy said soothingly, “everything is all right. Don’t fret about a thing. I’m here, I’ve slept nearly a day and I’m so hungry I could eat a coral reef. In short, I’m fully recovered from my travels.“

“But what about getting back home? Sutter said you were afraid of…er, that is, he mentioned that you didn’t like boats, either.“

“I’ll charter a submarine,“ Mandy said wryly, forcing herself not to think about how in God’s name she was going to get off the island. Three weeks was a long time. She’d spend every minute of her days and nights nerving herself up for the inevitable ride home. “Don’t worry, Anthea. Really. It’s my problem, not yours.“

“Is there anything I can do to help?“

“No, but thanks for the thought.“

“All right, dear. And do keep your eyes open for the right kind of man. Australia is reputed to be full of handsome knights in khaki armor. I want you to come back with a smile full of wonderful memories.“

Mandy opened her mouth to say that she had no intention of cornering the first handsome Australian male she saw and asking him to try on the latest colors in American condoms. Then she remembered that sounds carried very clearly through the thin-walled building. She took a deep breath and controlled her too-agile tongue.

“Thank you, Anthea. Was there anything more that you wanted to say to Sutter?“

“Nothing he’ll believe, I’m afraid. The poor boy is convinced that I’m meddling in his private affairs. But I ask you, is it my fault Sutter chose such a remote place to vacation that separate accommodations simply weren’t to be had on such short notice? I couldn’t very well demand that someone else’s vacation be cut short or canceled just to accommodate Sutter, could I?”

The plaintive tone of Anthea’s voice came through quite clearly. Mandy looked at the “poor boy“ in question and decided that it was a clear case of mistaken identity. Sutter was neither poor nor a boy.

“No, you couldn’t,“ Mandy sympathized. “I’m sure that point will occur to the ‘poor boy’ about the time hell freezes solid. He’s nothing if not bullheaded.“

Anthea laughed. “I can’t argue with that. Say goodbye to my nephew for me. And don’t worry. If you stay out of his way, I’m sure he’ll take care of the rest. Good hunting, dear.“

As Mandy replaced the receiver in its niche she turned to face Sutter. “Just in case you didn’t catch the drift of what I told your aunt, I’ll repeat it. I don’t have designs on your vacation time, your masculine body or your vaunted expertise in the sack.“

One of Sutter’s bronze eyebrows climbed upward in arch query. “‘Vaunted expertise’? Don’t tell me my sainted aunt has descended to pandering.“

“It wouldn’t have done any good. I require more from a man than a fast wrestling match.“

“How about a slow wrestling match?“

Sutter’s knowing smile made Mandy wish she had kept her mouth shut on the subject of sex. “How about going to – “

“Dinner,“ Sutter interrupted smoothly. “If food doesn’t take the edge off that sharp tongue of yours, you’ll never find yourself an Australian lover. Honey catches more flies than vinegar.“

“Really? And what makes you think I’m after flies?“

For a moment Sutter looked startled, then he smiled unwillingly. “Feeling feisty, are we?“

“Feeling condescending, are we?“ she retorted. “Look, Sutter – “

“Damon,“ he interrupted coolly. “Since we’re sleeping together, I figure you should at least know my first name. Don’t you agree?“ He looked past her stunned expression toward Ray, who had just walked into the office. “Hello, Ray. Chow time already?“

When Mandy realized that Ray had heard Sutter’s outrageous remark, she blushed furiously. Sutter had deliberately made it sound as though she were the type of woman whose thighs were so loose they rattled when she walked.

“Demon,“ she said. “I’ll remember that.“

“Don’t push it, honey. Sleeping together doesn’t mean a thing these days.“

“It doesn’t mean a thing these
nights,
either.“

“Disappointed?“ Sutter retorted.

Seething, Mandy turned toward Ray. “What’s the failure rate of your dive equipment along the reef?”

“No worries, luv. We haven’t had an accident in years.“

“What a pity. I was so looking forward to Sutter’s last dive.“

Mandy brushed past a startled Ray and followed the food smells to the other side of the building. She was early, but one of the girls loaded up a plate and handed it through the serving window to her. Meat, bread, pasta, canned vegetables and fruits, coffee and canned milk. It all tasted heavenly. Mandy cleaned her plate within minutes, unable to remember when she had had such a vital appetite.

Before any of the other diners arrived, Mandy was gone.

She hurried back to the office, pausing at the doorway long enough to listen for Sutter’s voice. She heard only silence and decided that he must have gone somewhere with Ray. The bar, probably. It was part of the same building, just a thin partition away, as were the cafeteria and kitchen.

“G’day,“ said the girl behind the small counter.

“Hi,“ Mandy said. “Is this the gift shop, too?“

“Gift shop* radiophone, clinic, office. Everything but eating and diving. Did you want something?“

What Mandy really wanted was to know precisely where she was on the globe, but she could hardly ask the girl. The sound and smell of the sea, plus the pure, crushed coral pathways had told Mandy that she was somewhere within the coral belt of the South Pacific. But where?

“Er, do you have any pamphlets that can tell me more about this place?“ Mandy asked innocently.

“This is the lot,“ the girl said, pulling out a faded ditto sheet and giving it to Mandy. “The postcards will tell you a bit, but the best thing is one of those books.“

Mandy looked up from the sheet, which was entitled “Lady Elliot Island, Paradise Preserved.“ Her glance fell on a short shelf full of books at eye level behind the counter. “Yes, please.“

“Which one?“

“All of them.“

“Right.“

Three of the books were of the oversize, four-color, glossy variety. Two others were definitely scholarly. The books covered the Pacific Ocean in general and the Great Barrier Reef in particular. One of them dealt exclusively with Lady Elliot Island. Another had detailed photos and information about the myriad species of coral and varieties of reef ecology. A single quick perusal of the stack told Mandy that she wasn’t going to lack for reading material.

“I’ll take them all.“ She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of crumpled bills. “Blast. Not enough,“ Mandy muttered as she counted. “I’ll have to go back to the tent.“

“No worries,“ the girl said, writing out a receipt for the cash. “Bring the rest by anytime we’re open.“

Mandy looked startled. The girl laughed.

“It’s not like you’re going anywhere, right?“

“Er, right.“ Mandy hesitated. “You don’t happen to have a lantern of some kind, do you?“

“Did your lamp go out?“

“There wasn’t one in the tent. Just a flashlight.“

“Oh, right. You must be the Yank that Ray was in such a stew about. Finally awake, are you?“

“So far so good.“

The girl laughed. “Hang on, luv. I’ve got a battery lantern in the back I can lend you.“ She vanished out a side door and returned within a few minutes. “Just bring it in every morning to recharge.“

Mandy gathered up her books and the lantern and headed back for the tent, intent upon finding out the dimensions of her self-imposed coral prison. She read as late as she dared that night, then casually draped one of the extra – and wholly unnecessary – blankets over the books, concealing them from Sutter. The thought of what he would say if he found her cowering in the tent and reading about the reef when she could be out diving on it was enough to make her flush with shame.

Hastily she pulled out the sheer, lacy black nightgown and matching bikini briefs that had been part of Anthea’s generosity. The wind had dropped steadily since sunset. Now the air was almost completely still. Warm, humid, smelling of salt and sun-bleached coral, the night closed around her like another layer of black silk. She didn’t need the sheet for warmth, but she didn’t kick it aside. The thought of Sutter seeing her in the provocative, hip-length black nightgown made her stomach do another of those odd little flips that were so disconcerting to her when she was around Sutter.