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And I was pretty sure I didn’t want to know.
“You’ll be fine,” he said, his grin not such a comfort now.
He followed the river along, heading north, which meant given I was on the left side of the Jeep, I was closest to the river the whole way. I saw a few more crocodiles, mostly just ripples in the river and suspicious looking logs that sank slowly below the surface as we drove past. But there was also an array of bird life that swarmed the trees and flew overhead. So as terrifying as the crocodiles were, the wet season also brought with it renewed life.
It was all very beautiful.
Soon enough the river began to deviate northwest, heading to the ocean no doubt, and the track we were on swung northeast. The further we went, the further we were away from the crocodiles, but also the better the road condition.
“How’s this road for ya?” Tully asked over the sound of the engine.
“Much better,” I replied. “It doesn’t make me want to vomit.”
He laughed, because of course he did.
Then he slowed right down and took a turn that led through thick brush growth with swampy brackish water either side of the track which, thankfully, came to its natural end in a large clearing. He cut the engine and jumped out. “Okay, this is us.”
“Here?”
He looked around. “Sure. I’d reckon from your super-duper map, this’ll put us right in the path of your storm.”
The area itself was almost as big as a football field, and it certainly couldn’t have been cleared naturally. “What is this place?”
“Pretty sure it was a mining test site,” he said, pulling gear out of the Jeep.
It rankled with me that they’d allow such things in national parks, but perhaps that was a conversation for a different time.
“Yeah, I know,” Tully added, putting my equipment crate on the ground. “Don’t get me started on it. Mining corp money speaks a different language, apparently.”
I mustn’t have been able to hide my annoyance as much as I thought, but I was glad we held similar opinions. “Hm, yes, well.” I huffed, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Jeesh, it’s sweltering today.”
“The humidity’s a killer.” Tully threw a bottle of water to me. “Keep hydrated.”
He had a shirt on now, probably to save his skin from the direct sun, and it clung to him in the best of ways... until I realised mine was clinging to me as well. I fanned the hem, trying to get some air moving.
“You can take it off,” Tully said, nodding to my chest. “Your shirt. I won’t mind.”
I sniffed and wiped my face with the bottom half of my shirt instead. “No thanks. I’m not a prude. I’m just prone to sunburn and I’d rather not make myself ill.”
His smirk was sly and filthy. “I can apply sunscreen all over. It’s my duty as your guide, you know. To make sure you don’t burn.”
“I’m fine, thank you,” I said, ignoring the thrill his offer gave me.
Was he flirting?
God, I think he’s flirting.
He walked over to me, studying my face. “Are you burned already? Looking a bit red in the cheeks, there.”
That wasn’t flirting. That was patronising.
I glowered at him. “I’m hot and bothered, that’s all.”
He grinned. “I can help with that too.”
Jesus.
I picked up the portable weather station tripod and shoved it in his hands. “Please take that.”
