‘In the meantime,’ he continued, returning his gaze to Thompson, who was beginning to get the hint and good-naturedly backing away from a potentially awkward situation, ‘Erin and I are going to be wrapped up with work 24/7…’
‘Sure, man!’ He grinned, then looked at Erin and winked. ‘You know where to find me,’ he said, ‘and I’d love to show you around our island, take you to have some real local food at one of the villages you probably would never get around to visiting…’
‘I’ll call…’
‘I’ll be waiting!’
Raffaele watched this little exchange with frowning displeasure and as soon as the other guy had been eaten up in the darkness outside, Erin turned to him, hands on her hips.
‘What wasthatabout?’
‘Come again?’
‘You know what I’m talking about, Raffaele!’
Heading back to the cabins, they soon left the thick of the departing crowd. The music had wound down and now the night noises were forming their own symphony. The sound of the crickets, the frogs and the screech owls mingled with the music of the brightly coloured birds they’d seen at breakfast, still singing mournful songs in the darkness.
There was a slight breeze but not enough to sweep away the heat and the humidity. The lanterns and fairy lights that had been strung between the trees for additional light sparkled against the inky blackness.
‘Let’s sit for a bit…’
‘Sit?’
‘We’ve barely spoken this evening. I’d like to get your thoughts on anything helpful you might have picked up…from any of the people there. You know how it is…music, alcohol loosens tongues…’
‘Raffaele, surely that can wait until tomorrow? Especially,’ she added with biting sarcasm, ‘as I’m sure you’ll have me working flat out 24/7, just in case I might be tempted to see Thompson.’
In the darkness, Raffaele flushed darkly. He felt edgy and restless and unwilling to cut short a conversation that he wanted to have without quite understanding why.
‘I may have slightly over-egged the pudding on that front.’
He’d led her to one of the many benches scattered in little clearings in the forest for tourists to sit and appreciate the scenery and watched as she hesitated before sitting down.
‘Why? Why would you over-egg the pudding? You made such a song and dance of telling me that thiswasn’tgoing to be a work, work, work busman’s holiday.’
‘Because…’
Raffaele raked his fingers through this hair and hesitated as his normally very logical, very precise, analytical mind became fuzzy and soft focused.
‘Believe it or not, while you’re over here I feel that you’re my responsibility,’ he said gruffly.
‘Your responsibility?’
‘Call me a dinosaur.’
‘I can think of other words,’ Erin muttered under her breath.
‘That guy you were flirting with…’
‘I washaving a conversation with him,’ Erin corrected impatiently. ‘I wasn’tflirting.’
‘He was all over you like a rash.’
‘Raffaele, are youjealous?’
For a few seconds, the silence stretched like elastic between them and Erin felt her heart in her mouth, felt her pulse race with treacherous desire.
‘Of course I’m notjealous,’ Raffaele gritted. ‘I’ve never been jealous in my entire life. Have I ever said anything to you that would indicate that I’m the sort of guy who gets jealous?’ He laughed shortly. ‘Just because I’m telling you that you should be careful, it doesn’t mean that I’m jealous.’
