The Unexpected Father. Kathryn Ross
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up in surprise. ‘Where did you get that?’
‘Corner shop,’ he answered drolly.
She frowned. ‘You know what I mean. Cans of that particular drink are like gold-dust these days in Chuanga.’
‘Strange how the most ordinary, mundane things assume enormous desirability when you can’t get them, isn’t it?’ He smiled. ‘This was a parting gift from Joanne. She really is quite a girl.’ He held the can out to her.
Was there an innuendo in those words somewhere? she wondered grimly. Did he mean that his laid-back, devilmay-care indifference was what made Joanne so keen...or was the heat making her read things into an innocent remark? Despite the fact that her throat felt parched and on fire, she had a moment of hesitation before accepting the drink. Something about Joanne Kelly’s blantant desire for this man irritated her immensely.
‘Are you referring, in your own modest way, to the fact that Joanne found you attractive?’ she murmured caustically as she tipped the can to her lips. The liquid wasn’t as cold as she would have liked it, but it was nectar to her parched throat.
A gleam of amusement lit his eyes. ‘Well, actually, I would never describe myself as ordinary or mundane, but...’ He shrugged. ‘As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’
‘Yes, there’s no accounting for taste.’ She handed the can back to him. ‘Do women usually throw themselves at you like that?’
‘Only on days with a Y in them,’ he said with a mischievous glint in his green eyes.
‘Very funny.’ She turned her attention firmly back to the road in front of them. ‘What does your wife think about it?’ she asked nonchalantly.
‘She’s my ex-wife. I thought I’d already mentioned that fact.’
‘I’m surprised you haven’t married again, what with all these women chasing you.’ Samantha’s mouth slanted in a wry smile.
‘The idea doesn’t appeal,’ he said, lifting his binoculars and scanning the horizon again. ‘Some men just aren’t cut out for marriage.’
Was he like Ben? she wondered suddenly.
‘Want me to take over while you get something to eat?’ Josh’s voice brought her attention winging back with a jolt.
‘Are you up to driving?’ she asked hesitantly.
‘I’ll manage. The road is pretty good here.’
If Josh described this road as good, she wasn’t looking forward to the bad bits. Driving here had been like driving across a motorbike assault course.
She pulled the Jeep to a halt and got out to change places with him. It felt good to stretch her legs; she hadn’t realised just how stiff she had got behind that wheel.
The air was hot and still, and a few grazing impala nearby turned to watch them warily, ready for flight at the first sign of danger.
‘It’s so beautiful out here,’ Samantha sighed as she settled herself in the passenger seat. ‘Hard to believe that there is so much fighting.’
‘Hard to believe man’s stupidity, you mean?’ Josh eased the Jeep forward again, his voice grim.
His tone of voice startled Samantha. ‘You sound angrey. ’
‘You bet I’m bloody angry, but what good does it do?’ He was silent for a moment. ‘All I can do is report on the atrocities I see and hope that a small seed of sanity will grow.’
The words surprised Samantha. She hadn’t pegged Josh Hamilton as the type who gave a damn. Suddenly she found herself wondering if that assessment had been unjustly harsh. ‘My experience of your colleagues has led me to believe that most reporters here are only interested in getting a sensational story,’ she murmured lightly.
‘Not wishing to sound rude, but you don’t strike me as the type of person to be experienced in very much except for what goes on at Chuanga Hospital,’ he quipped tersely. For a second he took his eyes off the road to let his gaze rake over the pallor of her skin, the soft, vulnerable slant of her mouth.
‘Like life and death, you mean?’ Her eyes shimmered frostily. ‘Mr Hamilton, I’ve lived in the middle of a civil war for over two years. Take my word for it when I say that I’ve learnt a few things along the way.’
‘I’m sure you have, but it hasn’t toughened you up, has it?’
She frowned. ‘I’m not sure I understand the significance of that question. Have you got to be tough to be worldlywise?’
He shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Put it this way—you don’t look very streetwise. There’s something about you that suggests softness, vulnerability. You look as if you need looking after.’
Samantha was totally outraged at those words. ‘I can look after myself.’ Her voice shook slightly with the force of her emotion. ‘I can assure you that I’m a past master at it.’
He cast a speculative glance at her. ‘So Ben wasn’t the protective type?’
She looked away from him out towards the vast empty plains. ‘I didn’t get married to have a protector.’
‘No, of course not.’ His voice was cool and steady. ‘Why did you get married?’
Her head turned swiftly, her eyes cutting into his with furious intent. How had they managed to skate onto the thin ice of the subject of her marriage? She was damned if she was going to discuss such personal matters with a complete stranger. ‘The usual reasons.’ She bit the words out sharply. ‘Not that it’s any of your business.’
‘Of course not.’ He sounded totally unperturbed by her anger.
For a moment there was silence, and she thought that the conversation was at an end. Her heart was beating uncomfortably hard against her ribs.
‘By “usual reasons” I presume you are talking about love?’ he said after a minute or two, flicking those cool green eyes over her once more.
‘For heaven’s sake!’ she flared heatedly. ‘Of course I mean love!’ She swallowed hard, trying desperately to quell the rush of emotion flooding through her. She would rather die than admit to Josh Hamilton that Ben had never loved her, that their marriage had been a hollow sham. She had her pride. ‘You knew Ben. Do you think he would have married someone he didn’t love?’ She glared at him with the full force of her feelings.
Josh shrugged. ‘I suppose not.’ Then his voice changed and became surprisingly gentle as he met the shimmer in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Sam...I didn’t mean to upset you. That was crass of me.’
‘Doesn’t matter.’ Her voice was brittle as for a moment she had to fight against the tears that wanted to fall.
Conversation stopped for a while. Then Josh said kindly, ‘I put the food in the cooler unit behind you; why don’t you help yourself to something?’
The last thing she felt like doing was eating. ‘Maybe a little later.’ She leaned her head back against the car seat, trying to appear nonchalant, trying to hide the fact that her emotions were racing around in circles. ‘I’ll just rest for a while,’ she said lightly, and closed her eyes against the glare of the sun.
Inside, her mind was whirling around and around over Josh’s words. ‘Why did you get married?’ ‘Usual reasons... usual reasons...’ The words played over and over like a parody in her head. What would Josh have said if she had turned around and told him the truth—that she had married out of a desperate need for warmth and affection? He would probably have found that terribly amusing.
She opened her eyes, and to her embarrassment found her gaze colliding with his.
‘Aren’t you hungry?’ he asked gently. ‘You should really eat something.’
‘I suppose so.’ Her voice