She was kneeling, measuringtrack, when a shadow fell across her body. She didn't even have to look up toknow it was Ruel. Her senses were so acutely attuned to him, she felt even hisshadow as a disturbing presence.
"Why are you stillhere?" he asked. "Everyone else has stopped for the day."
She didn't look at him as shefinished checking the spacing of the rails. "I just wanted to finish this.I'm sure you'll have no objection if I slave a few extra minutes on yourbehalf."
"No objection at all. Iwas just wondering if there was something wrong."
"I got a little behindtoday." She added quickly, "But I'll make it up tomorrow. This is thelast quarter-mile on the mountain trail. We start across the canyon floor atdawn."
"I know. Li Sung toldme."
"Then he must have alsotold you there was nothing wrong."
"But then, you don't tellLi Sung everything, do you?"
"Of course I do."
"Did you tell him what wedid in the maharajah's railroad car?"
She felt the blood burn hercheeks, but she ignored the question.
"I didn't think so,"Ruel said softly. "He might guess there's something between us, but heisn't sure."
"He didn't need toknow." She rose jerkily to her feet and moved a few yards farther along onthe track, knelt, and began to measure again. "If that's all you wanted,why don't you go away? You can see I'm busy."
"That's not all Iwanted." His shadow fell across her again as he moved to stand over her."I wanted to see you on your knees. It's a sight that gives me extremepleasure."
Her gaze shifted to starewarily up at him. He stood with legs slightly astride; not only his shadow wasdark today. Black leather boots molded his calves, black serge trousersdelineated his powerful thighs, a black shirt hugged his torso. Only Ruel'ssunstreaked hair and golden, tanned skin lightened the somber elegance of thepicture he presented. He looked as beautiful and wicked as the prince ofdarkness himself.
"Ah, that's evenbetter." He smiled. "I used to dream about you kneeling and staringup at me with just that expression. But it's not quite right. Your hair shouldbe loose and my fingers should be buried in it." He paused. "And weshould both be naked."
The picture he had drawn wasboth sensual and barbaric. Captor and captive. Slave and master. She couldalmost feel his fingers tugging her hair back to look into her eyes. She feltsuddenly helpless, caught, a prisoner. Yet, incredibly, she became aware thatbeneath the smothering sense of bondage ran a dark ripple of erotic excitementalmost as if she wanted to experience that dominance.
No! Fear washed over her atthe thought, sweeping away that hot tide of feeling he had ignited.
She rose to her feet and drewherself to her full height. She gazed defiantly in his eyes and said betweenset teeth, "You bastard, get the hell away from here and let me do myjob."
For an instant she didn'tthink he'd obey, and then he smiled faintly. "If you insist. The mood'sbroken anyway." He added softly, "But for a moment you could feel it,couldn't you, Jane?"
She didn't answer.
"Aye, you felt it."He stood looking at her, smiling. "Good. I'm not going to be able to visityou quite so frequently now that you've finished this portion of the line. Iwanted to leave you with a memory strong enough to linger when I'm notaround."
Relief cascaded through her athis words. He would not be here every day from now on. She would be rid of thetorment of his presence. "It's about time you began to attend to your ownconcerns and left me to mine."
"Oh, but I'll be with youin spirit. You won't forget me."
"You're wrong. The momentyou're out of my sight I won't remember you're on the same island."
He shook his head beforeturning away and strolling toward Nugget.
He was so blastedself-assured, it sent a flare of sheer rage through her.
"Wait!" Her voice shookwith emotion. "Just who thehelldo you think you are?"
He turned to face her again."I beg your pardon?"
"What makes you so sureyou have the right to do this to me? Have you lived such a perfect life you canafford to cast the first stone?"
