too deep for you to wade. You’ll get soaked. I’ll carry you and the children out.’
‘No.’ Meagan said hastily. It was just too embarrassing. ‘I don’t mind getting a little wet. I’ll soon get dry.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ Cameron said, striding towards her purposefully. Before she had a chance to protest, he had scooped her in his arms and was carrying her out towards the boat. ‘Stay there Ian, Effie,’ he called over his shoulder. ‘Don’t move an inch until I come back for you.’
‘Put me down,’ Meagan snarled at Cameron, struggling in his arms.
‘The devil take me,’ he said, grinning down at her. ‘Why can’t you just do as you’re told? Anyway, if I let you wade out, the children will want to do the same. Far better all crew get treated the same.’
By this time they were halfway out to the boat and the sea was already above Cameron’s knees. Despite her indignation, Meagan was once more acutely aware of his muscular chest and powerful arms as they held her. Her face was inches away from his and she could smell the faint scent of his aftershave. She closed her eyes. She couldn’t help it. She fancied him like mad. The thought brought her to her senses. She wriggled in his arms.
‘I said let me down.’ The next second she had her wish. Without a word he dropped her. She slid into the water and, catching her foot on some seaweed, slipped under. She gasped as she was submerged in the icy water. Well, it was one way to cool her libido which after a couple of years without sex seemed to have traitorously gone into overdrive.
The next second she felt her T-shirt being grabbed and she was pulled unceremoniously upwards. She came out of the water, choking and gasping, and looked straight into glinting brown eyes. Without a word Cameron hauled her the last two remaining feet towards the boat and, gripping her under the arms, lifted her onto the side of the boat where she hung like a landed fish, gasping and spluttering. Then she felt him grab her hips as he tossed her all the way over the side onto the deck.
She raised herself to her knees, aware that her hair was plastered to her head. And wasn’t that a bit of seaweed she could feel curling around her ear? Any feelings of lust had vanished.
‘Do you mind?’ she snarled. ‘I’m not a salmon or some other fish to be landed. I told you I was perfectly able to get myself on board. And you…’ She almost spat out the words, aware that she had worked herself into a fury, but by now unable to stop herself. ‘What century do you think we are living in?’
But it was too late. Cameron was already making his way to shore and was out of earshot. As Meagan continued cursing under her breath, he placed Ian onto his back and Effie under his arm and started making his way back.
Although Meagan had managed to regain some of her composure, she wasn’t finished with him yet. As he deposited his charges and leapt on board, she muttered at him, ‘Just you wait, Cameron Stuart. I’ll get my revenge. Just you wait and see.’
‘You told me to let you go,’ he said easily as he turned the boat in the direction of home. ‘I was only doing what I was told. Isn’t that what you women want?’
He could hardly admit the truth, he told himself ruefully. That the feel of her in his arms had almost made him lose control. The only way he’d been able to resist the temptation of bringing his lips down on hers had been to dump her unceremoniously into the sea. Hardly a gallant gesture, he acknowledged wryly.
‘I’m soaked,’ she said through gritted teeth, removing another piece of seaweed from her hair and looking at it with distaste before throwing it back in the sea.
‘Here,’ he said rummaging around in the rucksack. ‘Get below and change into this. At least you’ll be warmer.’
Effie and Ian were trying unsuccessfully to smother their giggles behind their hands. Meagan thought for a moment how she must look and then burst out laughing. Relieved, the children joined her, Ian rolling around the deck hugging his sides. Soon they were all laughing.
Meagan picked up the sweater. ‘I’ll go get changed, then, shall I? But, Dr Stuart, I meant every word I said. You’ll pay for this.’
‘There a small gas stove down below,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you make some tea once you’ve changed?’ he suggested.
Below Meagan found a small galley and a couple of berths. She also found a towel which she used to dry her hair as best she could. She slipped out of her wet clothes, leaving her panties on, and pulled Cameron’s sweater over her head, catching a faint whiff of his aftershave as she did so. It came to just above her knees. Well, sweater dresses were all the rage, she thought ruefully, although she was pretty certain the catwalk didn’t have a version like the one she was wearing. She was equally certain that the catwalk didn’t have models whose hair hung in rats’ tails either. Needless to say, she hadn’t thought to bring her comb with her. Then she remembered the woolly hat. It would cover the worst of the damage, she thought, pulling it over her head and tucking her damp hair inside. Still plotting her revenge, she set about making some tea.
When Meagan appeared from below deck, Cameron almost dropped the tiller. Even with her face devoid of make-up and her hair hidden under the ridiculous hat, she was as beautiful as any woman Cameron had ever seen. Without the distraction of her hair, her perfect cheekbones, wide mouth and striking green eyes stood out. Beneath his sweater her legs seemed to go on for ever. Barefoot, she oozed sensuality and he felt heat in his belly. But he had to keep his distance from her, no matter how difficult it was. The last thing he or Meagan needed was island gossip. And if talk got back to Rachel, or if Rachel even suspected he had feelings for Meagan, he had no doubt that she would carry out her threat and sue for custody of their son. And with the hours he worked, she stood every chance of winning. She wouldn’t do it, not as long as she thought there was a chance, however remote, of them getting back together. Despite the feelings he had for Meagan, and they had never truly gone away, he would never risk losing his son. But, he thought, glancing over once more at Meagan, it was going to be a lot harder keeping his hands off this woman than he had ever thought possible. He almost groaned aloud.
‘Nice hat,’ he said instead.
CHAPTER FIVE
BY THE time they arrived back at the bay in front of Meagan’s house the wind had picked up. Dark clouds were scudding across the sky and the first drops of rain were starting to fall. It seemed as though Cameron’s weather predictions had been right, and he hadn’t been making excuses to cut their trip short after all. As Meagan tidied the boat in preparation for leaving, she knew the worsening weather meant there was little chance she and Cameron would be heading out again later. Probably a good thing—although she longed to give him a taste of his own medicine. Already a plan for revenge was forming in her mind.
As she stood forward of the boat, ready to leap out with the ropes to fasten her, she noticed a slim, blonde figure watching them approach. Rachel! She had probably come down to collect the children and take them home, Meagan thought. Or perhaps she was checking up on Cameron. With a shock of dismay, Meagan realised she was still dressed in very little except Cameron’s jumper. It was too late to do anything about it now. And anyway, whatever Rachel thought, whatever was between Cameron and his ex-wife, it had nothing to do with her.
Ian ran towards his mother as soon as he got ashore. ‘Mummy,’ he said, ‘you’ll never guess. Dr Galbraith jumped in the water. Daddy said she fancied a swim. But then she was all wet and had to put on Daddy’s clothes. And she had seaweed in her hair and she looked cross. Then we all laughed and she did too. We had such a good time. I wish you would have come with us.’
‘You know I don’t like getting wet, darling,’ Rachel said, her cool eyes regarding Meagan disdainfully. Meagan felt self-conscious and embarrassed standing before this immaculate woman and wearing Cameron’s clothes.
‘I thought I’d come and check that you are having dinner with us at the House, Cameron. I have to go back to London tomorrow for a few days, but I’ll be back in time for the ball.’
Ian looked