Tempestuous Eden Read Online Free Page A

presence, or that her breathing quickened by more than a pace. It had been a long time since she had been so touched by a man, if she had ever experienced such an instant reaction. If she were as smart as she felt herself to be, she would steer clear of him immediately. If this little encounter was stirring long-dormant senses …
    But it would be impossible to really steer clear of anyone in the unit, or so she argued. And despite her fairy-tale marriage and the shattering tragedy, she didn’t consider herself an emotional cripple. He was a fascinating man. She would like to get to know him.
    “Sure,” she murmured, the nonchalance of her comment marred slightly by the warm tint that rose to her cheeks again. “I’ll save you a place.”
    “Thanks,” he grinned, pausing in a lithe movement to add, “and if you tell me what Blair Morgan is doing in this godforsaken place, I’ll tell you why Craig Taylor is here.”
    “Well,” Blair hedged, “we’ll see.”
    “Yes, we will, won’t we?”
    Searing yellow eyes held hers an instant longer, then he waved nonchalantly and his tawny-headed height and breadth strolled away with leisurely assurance.
    Blair stared after him for a moment, pondering her unease. She was terribly attracted to him, alarmingly so. But despite his easy banter, she sensed a tension in him, a powerful energy that simply didn’t jell.
    He was clearly an intelligent man; his eyes absorbed everything they pierced. But he was also starkly physical, a man of action.
    What was he doing in the jungle? Would the stories she received tonight be any more honest than the ones she would tell?
    It was obvious he knew she was Ray Teile’s widow. Why else shield her from a reporter? But he didn’t look like a reporter looking for a scoop himself. Was he showing her a special interest?
    Perhaps he knew of her father?
    The night should, at least, she decided, prove interesting.

CHAPTER TWO
    T HAT NIGHT, THOUGH BLAIR did make good on her promise, Craig did not join the group for dinner until most everyone had finished. Odd, Blair thought, for his first night with the crew. But perhaps his work during the day had tired him out. Then there was the change in climate to contend with; the steamy rain forest heat was capable of sapping the strength from even the fittest specimen. Even from Craig Taylor, she thought, smiling to herself. How many nights had she returned to her tent after a long hot day, too exhausted to eat or even talk? Too bone weary to do anything but sleep.
    Though he did sit down beside her, favoring her with a special smile in greeting, Craig talked and joked easily with everyone. He seemed totally relaxed in their company, as if he had been with the crew for months instead of merely hours. He was charming them, Blair noted, just as he had charmed her earlier in the day.
    Instead of joining the others at the fireside after the meal was cleared, Craig was the first to say good night and return to his tent. Blair had expected … Well, what had she really expected? She stretched out wearily on her cot and stared up at the low canvas ceiling of her tent, her eyes just becoming adjusted to the dark. Had she expected to be singled out by this man? To be joined at the fireside and maneuvered into a private conversation? Yes, she had to admit that she’d expected the evening to go that way. Now that it hadn’t happened at all like that, she didn’t know whether she felt relieved or disappointed.
    Blair found that his behavior toward her that first night was to set the pattern for the following days. Though she did catch sight of him as they both moved around the complex on their assigned duties, they didn’t have a chance to speak at all, except during dinner. From the little she observed of him at work, she did have to admit that whatever his reason for joining their crew, he did it wholeheartedly. The unloading of the vehicles usually took two workers the majority of the week to complete. Craig