The Serpent in the Stone - By Nicki Greenwood Page 0,10
grew more distinct. If knowing he was present sent her stomach into a frenzy, seeing him sent her into such a state of disorder that she could barely think.
Ian lowered himself to the ground beside Faith. “How’d you know?”
“You’re the only other human being on the island,” said Faith. “That, and I’m smart.”
“I came down to see how everything went today.” He cast a glance around the fire, visibly assessing the company at hand. His gaze landed on Sara.
She shifted where she sat, glad for the flickering light that hid the blush warming her cheeks. She didn’t want to admit it, but she’d been thinking of him all day, no matter how much his knowledge of her gifts worried her. Every time her thoughts went to the way he’d looked at her before Faith showed up, she caught her breath. “How’s your arm?” she managed.
“It feels like a truck ran it over, but I’ll live.”
The way he held her gaze, as if there was no one else on the island, unnerved her. Needing to get his attention off her, she cleared her throat. “I don’t think you’ve met our crew. This is Thomas Callander, and that’s Dustin Sennett. Guys, this is Ian Waverly.”
Dustin waved and went back to sketching. That was Dustin: all work and no conversation.
Thomas shook Ian’s hand. “Pleasure. What brings you to Hvitmar?”
“Just lucky, I guess,” Ian answered. His glance drifted toward her before going back to Thomas. “I study wildlife.”
Thomas began dishing out the hamburgers. “You hungry?”
“Thought you’d never ask.” Ian accepted a plate with a grin that transformed his features and set off an entire Fourth of July of sparks throughout Sara’s body. She ripped her gaze away to the fire.
The group ate in silence for a while. The quiet began to get almost as uncomfortable as words. Ian’s stare had weight. “Were you able to get anything done today, with your arm like that?” she asked at last.
“I can’t get down the cliffs, but I did get a pretty accurate population count using binoculars and my camera. Tomorrow I want to take a quick look around the north end, if that won’t interfere with your dig.”
“There are seals,” she said. “I saw one this morning.”
He looked up from his plate with a speed that she didn’t think had much to do with seals. “Want to show me where?”
A distant boom of thunder interrupted the conversation. The wind began picking up, and the fire guttered in its wake. “I think the fun is over for the night,” Faith announced, getting to her feet.
The group collected the remains of their meal. Dustin headed to his tent to continue working on his sketches, and Thomas made off with the grill and dishes.
Faith started toward her tent, then hesitated. “Sara?”
“I’m fine,” she assured her sister. No, I’m not. “Go on.” Stay, stay, for God’s sake, stay.
Her sister nodded and walked away.
Sara watched her go. If Faith sensed her agitation, she ignored it skillfully...and willfully. With a grimace of resignation, Sara picked up a last few maps scattered about the ground, then put the fire out. The wind whistled around the tents, and she smelled rain on the air. She had mountains of research waiting, including whatever she could find on the amulet, but frowned at the thought of Ian walking back up to his camp in the rain. She hesitated, hardly believing what she was about to say. “The storm may not last long, if you want to stick around.”
He looked up. The gathering clouds had obliterated all traces of the stars. Thunder rumbled again, louder this time. “Yeah, I guess I’ll wait it out.”
They headed toward Sara’s tent as the first drops splattered down. From there, the rain increased tenfold, drenching them both and rushing them along. They made it to shelter just as the first flash of lighting arced across the sky. The wind surged. She wondered if her tent wouldn’t be blown flat by morning.
Inside, she lit the lantern on her bedside table. She grabbed a towel to dry her sopping ponytail. “I’m sure I could have used a bath, but not like this.” Her sweater stuck like a wet sponge to her skin. She peeled it away with a disgusted sneer.
Ian turned his back to her. “Go ahead and get changed.”
She caught her breath at the view of him thus presented. His rain-soaked jeans and jacket were plastered to his body. She followed the lines of his broad shoulders down to a narrow waist