The Love Islands Collection. Jane Porter

Чтение книги онлайн.

       CHAPTER FIVE

      THE SHOWER WAS distinctly dodgy, spouting an uneven trickle of water. With thick hair like Rachel’s, rinsing the shampoo out was a challenge. She pulled on a plain pink button-down shirt and another pair of khaki shorts and her hiking boots again. The smell of breakfast was wafting around. Ron had been right; the catering cabin was definitely the most popular place on the island.

      Part of her felt bad for the celebrities who had spent their first night in camp, half of them lying on the equivalent of yoga mats on the jungle floor. If it had been her she would have stuck her head in the sleeping bag, pulled the tie at the top and not come out again until morning. But, then again, she wasn’t here to entertain the audience.

      Last night in the cabin had been hard enough. Knowing that across the simple sitting area and through the thin walls Nathan was lying in another bed made her skin tingle.

      She’d spent years trying not to think about Nathan. Guilt always ensued when she thought about him. For the first year she’d had to concentrate on her own treatment and recovery. The support from Darius had actually helped; he’d been a welcome distraction. He liked to be the centre of attention in his own little world—even if he was keeping it secret. Sometimes it had felt as if Rachel was his only confidante and that could be a bit overwhelming—especially when she had her own recovery to consider.

      Last night had been pretty sleepless. She tried to rationalise. She was on the Whitsundays—beautiful islands in the Coral Sea with a whole host of wildlife around her. The nightlife sounds were always going to be a little different. But that wasn’t what had kept her awake.

      If she closed her eyes really tightly she could almost imagine that she could hear Nathan breathing in the other room. It brought back a whole host of memories she just wasn’t ready for. Her hand on his skin, watching the rise and fall of his chest and feeling the murmur of his heart beneath her palm. The soft noises he made while he slept. The fact that in their five years together, he’d never ever turned his back when they’d slept together. His arms had always been around her.

      The feelings of comfort and security swept over her—things she’d missed beyond measure these last few years. And that didn’t even begin to touch on the passion. The warmth. The love.

      Getting up and heading for the shower to try and scrub off the feeling of his arm around her shoulders had been all she could do. Nothing could change what had happened between them. Nothing could change the look in his eyes when he’d first seen her.

      She’d felt the buzz yesterday. She’d heard the concern in his voice when she dived in amongst those barrels. She still wasn’t quite sure why she’d done that. It seemed like a good idea at the time—she was the only person small enough to get through the gap and to the patient.

      But once she’d been in there she was scared. Hearing Nathan’s voice was not only reassuring but it also bathed her in comfort, knowing that he was concerned about her. She shouldn’t read anything into it. She shouldn’t. She knew him. Or at least she used to know him. Nathan would have been concerned for any colleague.

      Had five years working for Doctors Without Borders changed him? Had her walking away from him changed him? She hoped not. She hoped his good heart was still there. Even if he only showed it to her in a moment of crisis.

      She followed the smell of eggs and bacon. Most of the crew were already eating at the variety of tables. Nathan was in the corner, having a heated discussion with one of the directors.

      Rachel filled her plate with toast, bacon, eggs and coffee, then walked over, putting her tray on the table. ‘Anything I should know about, guys?’

      The angry words instantly dissipated as both sets of eyes looked at her in surprise. The hidden similarities between a television crew and a hospital was amazing. Rachel had spent too many years working amongst people with big egos to be thrown by anything she came across.

      ‘Is this a medical matter or a technical matter?’ she asked as she sat down and spread butter on her toast.

      Nathan blinked. He still seemed surprised at her frankness. ‘It’s a mixture of both. Bill just presented me with a revised list of the challenges. I think some of the changes could impact on the health and safety of the contestants. He’s telling me that’s not our concern.’

      ‘Really?’ Rachel raised her eyebrows and bit into her toast. She chewed for a few seconds while she regarded Bill carefully. On this island, he obviously thought his word was law. To the rest of the production crew it probably was. But he hadn’t met Rachel or Nathan before. No matter how at odds they were with each other, he was about to find out just how formidable they СКАЧАТЬ