A Whirlwind Engagement

and, in spite of his decision not to worry, he was conscious of a sharp sense of relief.

Throwing her flippers ahead of her into the boat, she climbed up the ladder and pulled off her mask. It left a red mark on her face and her hair was all wet and tangled, but she looked gorgeous, thought Josh. She was lit up with excitement, and bubbling with enthusiasm.

'Wasn't it fabulous? I can't believe the colours! What are those blue and yellow stripy fish called? And did you see the turtle?'

They were all happy and laughing, comparing notes on what they had seen and talking about lunch which the hotel had provided.

'I'm starving,' said Bella. 'Let's eat now and then we can have another snorkel later.'

She clambered over the muddle of snorkels and flippers towards Josh to retrieve her shorts and top but, just as she got there, someone else climbed onto the boat, making it rock suddenly. Losing her balance, she fell against him.

Josh caught her instinctively, and for a breathless moment he held her against him. She was still dripping, and she was warm and wet against his bare chest where their skin touched. Unable to stop his arm from tightening around her, Josh found himself looking straight into the blue eyes, and his heart missed a beat.

'OK?' he asked, dry-mouthed and shaken by how much he wanted her.

Bella nodded dumbly and jerked herself out of his arm before she did anything silly like running her hands up over his shoulders or down the broad, muscled back. She was shocked by the impact of their bare flesh, by the jolt of electric excitement that came from the briefest and most impersonal of touches.

The feel of his skin against hers was all that it took for her to forget all the careful resolutions she had made, all that deciding to make the most of what she had got, all those noble, self-sacrificing thoughts telling herself that she only wanted Josh to be happy.

Who was she trying to kid? She wanted a lot more than that. She wanted to cover him with kisses and taste the salt on his skin. She wanted to feel his hands hard against her body. She wanted him to pull her down into the mess of rubber and shoes in the bottom of the boat and make love to her there and then, and to hell with everyone else.

That would rock the boat, in more ways than one.

Swallowing hard, Bella concentrated fiercely on pulling on her clothes.

Meanwhile, Josh was trying not to think about how quickly she had pulled away from him. Had she noticed the instinctive tightening of his arm, or read the naked desire in his eyes? Was that why she had recoiled like that?

To take his mind off her, Josh turned to look at the horizon again, and stiffened. The smudge had resolved itself into an ugly black line advancing across the blue sky.

He got to his feet. 'I think we should go,' he announced.

Immediately there was a chorus of protests about lunch and wanting to stay where they were and other chances to see the turtle.

Josh cut across them. 'Look!' he said, and pointed to the blackness on the horizon.

'Oh, but it's miles away!

'It's lovely here.'

'We need to go,' said Josh. 'Now.' The authority in his voice shut them up at last. 'Who's not here?' he asked.

'Bryn,' said Aisling. 'He said he wanted to look around the other side.'

'We'd better go and find him. Did you see which way he went?'

Elvis started the motor while Josh pulled up the anchor, and they made their way slowly around the atoll looking out for Bryn's snorkel. Everyone had picked up on Josh's sense of urgency by this stage and uneasy glances were cast at the advancing black line.

'There he is!' They had wasted precious minutes before Bella spotted the snorkel poking out of the water ahead.

Elvis brought the boat up alongside Bryn, who registered their presence enough to wave but blithely carried on snorkelling.

Josh sighed. 'I'll go and get him.'

Flipping neatly over the side, he swam to intercept Bryn. They were too far away for Bella to hear what they were saying, but it was obvious that Josh was having difficulty convincing him to get back in the boat, in spite of being able to point at the menacing black sky in the distance.

Aisling was watching them anxiously. 'Can't you do anything?' said Bella. 'He'll listen to you, won't he?'

'Not if he thinks I am trying to get him to do what Josh wants him to do.' Aisling glanced at Bella. 'Bryn's jealous of Josh because… well, you know…'

Yes, Bella knew, but this didn't seem the time for petty jealousies.

Fortunately, someone shouted just then that the two men were on their way back to the boat. It was never clear exactly what Josh had said to Bryn, but judging by the expression on Bryn's face as he climbed grudgingly into the boat it was nothing very pleasant.

'I don't know what all the fuss is about,' he grumbled to Aisling. 'Those clouds are nowhere near, and anyway, I'm not afraid of a bit of tropical rain!' He jerked his head to where Josh was consulting with Elvis. 'The Kommandant over there seems to be insisting that we head back, but I don't see what's wrong with staying here.'

'There's no shelter here,' said Bella clearly.

Bryn tapped his hand against the tarpaulin. 'This'll keep off the worst of the rain. We might get a bit wet, but it'll soon pass over. These tropical downpours always do.'

'This is going to be more than a passing shower,' said Josh, overhearing him. 'It's too exposed out here. We need to get back to one of those islands we passed on the way out and try and find some shelter if we can. At least we could get off the boat. It's not designed for rough weather.'

'Well, I say we should sit out here,' said Bryn loudly, looking around the boat. 'Who agrees with me?'

Josh stepped up until he was nose to nose with him. 'We're not putting this to the vote,' he said very quietly, but in a voice that sent a little frisson down Bella's spine. She had never heard Josh talk like that before and she was very glad that his anger wasn't directed at her.

'There's a storm coming,' he went on in the same cold, clear tone. 'This boat is unsafe and as Bella pointed out, there's no shelter out here. I am not prepared to risk Bella's life, or anyone else's come to that, on the chance that this will just be a 'downpour'. We're not voting on anything. We are going back to that last island as fast as we can so I suggest that you just sit down and shut up.'

Bryn sat.

Josh went to sit beside Elvis, who was looking very young and very nervous by now. 'OK, Elvis,' he said, clapping him on the shoulder. 'Full steam ahead!'

'Where does he get off ordering everyone around?' Bryn muttered. 'He'll have us all goose-stepping next! If I'd known I was signing up for the army, I'd never have come on this holiday.'

'Pity you didn't,' muttered Cassandra, who was sitting next to Bella.

Bella glanced at the nervous faces around her. 'Josh knows what he's doing,' she said, more for their benefit than for Bryn's.

'Yes, shut up, Bryn,' said Aisling, looking strained.

It was very hot still. The sun beat down, bouncing and glittering on the water, and they were all glad of the awning over the boat which at least gave some shade. The sea was flat calm and so clear that you could see shoals of fish beneath the boat, flashing silver as they turned suddenly and caught the light.

There was something eerie about the idyllic scene, thought Bella. Ahead, all was calm and perfect, but if you glanced behind, as they were all doing with increasing nervousness, the blackness was creeping menacingly closer, gobbling up the blue sky, as it advanced inexorably towards them.

The boat was pegging bravely onwards. Josh looked over his shoulder. 'Is this the fastest she can do?' he asked Elvis casually.

'Yes, sir. This is top speed already.'

'Well, don't worry, we'll just keep going as we are. It's not much further now.'

Everyone began to look more hopeful, although Bella suspected that it was more because Josh sounded positive than from any evidence that the situation was improving. She had been scanning the horizon desperately