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Perhaps it was a good thing he was in a disgruntled mood. It kept her mind from wandering into dangerous territory. Allowed her to steer her attention back to Peter.
‘How long have you been in the tourism industry?’ she asked him.
‘I’ve never really done anything else. I started off as a tour guide and volunteer, then joined the tourism board to find ways to help the rural areas like these find ways to sustain themselves. It’s in my blood,’ he said with a grin. ‘My Norwegian mother met my Tanzanian father on her gap year volunteering at an animal sanctuary in Dodoma. I was born a year after she finished her veterinary studies. When the opportunity came up to join forces with Zak’s and tourist board’s vision, I couldn’t jump on board fast enough.’
The sound of large engines ended the conversation. The arrival of the volunteers was followed an hour later by excited shouts announcing the arrival of the eco lodges.
Excitement and a keen desire to please the Royal Prince kept everyone on their toes all though the first day. Violet allocated tents and assisted where she could, all the while ensuring she kept a safe distance from Zak.
That plan shattered when he approached where she was filling water bottles to distribute to volunteers. ‘You were supposed to join me at lodge two after lunch,’ he said, his shoulder brushing hers as he joined her to watch the last of the lodges being laid out in front of their designated sites.
She shifted away from him, her insides a little too jumpy and tingly at even that tiny contact. ‘I’d planned to, right after I did this.’ She started to lift the tray of bottles but he beat her to it, brushing her aside to balance the tray on one hand as he stared down at her with a fierce smoulder.
‘Avoiding me isn’t going to work with this thing you’re fighting. You know that, don’t you?’ he rasped.
Despite her stomach hollowing out,
she lifted her chin, daringly met his gaze and attempted to bluff her way through it. ‘Since I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m not equipped to give you an accurate answer.’
He stepped closer to make his point because surely a man like him didn’t give a little damn about being overheard? ‘I’m talking about the fact that you’re attracted to me, Violet. Have been for quite a while. The fact that you’ve been attempting to deny it. And the fact that your every action simply emphasises your naughty little dilemma.’
Should she bother denying it? Or should she confront it head on? Would the former merely attract further mockery because the evidence of it had lain like an unexploded firework between them since she’d made the mistake of throwing herself at him six years ago?
With a deep breath that failed to steady her, she chose the second option. ‘So what if I am? You’re decent enough to look at, and since you seem intent on alluding to my lapse in judgement six years ago, yes, we kissed, and, yes, that was halfway decent enough too. But let’s not make a mountain out a molehill, shall we?’ She wanted to fist pump for sounding convincingly nonchalant.
‘Decent enough?’ he echoed, something close to astonishment blazing in his eyes.
‘Did you expect a higher rating? My memory isn’t that great about the whole thing so you’ll have to accept my generous verdict,’ she said.
A circumspect gaze raked over her face. ‘You have more fire than I remember. Fire I can’t help but be tempted to stoke, to test the veracity of your claim. Perhaps even refresh your flawed memory.’
That sizzling need to throw herself into his particular fire blazed higher. She fought it with every shred of composure she could find. ‘You’re not going to get the chance. I don’t particularly care to repeat the performance. Now, are we going to deliver this water or waste time recounting insignificant incidents?’
A long pause followed by an enigmatic smile was all she received in answer before he pivoted and walked away with her tray. With no choice but to follow, Violet gritted her teeth and did just that. Of course, with his help, the job took half the time, meaning that within minutes he was striding purposefully towards their designated lodge, where the team was waiting for Zak’s signal to start.
His switch from sensually mocking into efficient commander was stunning and a little intimidating to witness. God, he would’ve been even more formidable in his military days.
Even more?
She shivered, drawing back from imagining Zak Montegova’s jaw-dropping body in uniform, those lips issuing commands and talented hands manning the controls of the fighter jets he used to fly—
‘Are you planning on joining in?’ he drawled.
She focused to find the small group looking her way, one gaze in particular transmitting his knowledge of exactly what she’d been thinking about.
Aware of the faint blush staining her cheeks, Violet pursed her lips and strode over, avoiding Zak’s gaze as she tore into the first pack. Luckily, he didn’t comment further on her lapse of concentration and fell back into instructor mode.
Once she and the volunteers understood the basic instructions on how to construct an eco-lodge, the time flew by. Violet grimaced at the ruthless efficiency with which Zak worked, the fact that he worked harder than most on even the most mundane task in a fraction of the time it took for the rest of the volunteers to achieve the same result.
She wanted to resent him for yet another skill, but the sensation that burned within her every time she allowed her gaze to stray towards him was...admiration.
He wasn’t afraid to put his mouth where his money was and relished leading by example. Of course, when sweat and the heat of the day resulted in Zak pulling off his T-shirt and tossing it aside to reveal a hard-packed, flawless and gleaming torso that rippled and enticed with every moment, she especially despised the fact that she couldn’t keep her gaze on her work, that her mouth watered and flames blazed deeper in that aching place between her thighs.
While his complete focus was on his task, unaware of or ignoring her stolen glances, which disgruntled her even more.
By sundown, the outer shell of their lodge had been erected and the primary emotion as she and the team felt as they took in the fruits of their labour beneath another spectacular sky awash with streaks of purple, red and orange was immense pride.
She joined the exodus towards the food tent, conscious that a shirtless Zak walked a few paces behind. Knowing the battle to keep her gaze off him would be harder, she lingered after she dished out her food until he was seated. Then she took the seat farthest away from him.
