Free Antarctic Affair by Louise Rose-Innes Page B

smog-filled city and attend
publicity events in my spare time.” He looked horrified at the thought.
    “No, that’s true, although you’d probably get more
financing if you did.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t even own a suit,” he
told her with something akin to pride.
    “Just like I didn’t own a pair of hiking boots
before this trip,” she said with satisfaction. “Each to their own, I guess.”
    They walked in silence for a few minutes, Georgina
careful not to lose her balance on the loose gravel. Taj looked deep in thought,
and Georgina could just imagine what he was thinking. How different could two
people be, yet here she was, traipsing through the icy sludge in a frozen
wilderness in order to interview him. He was right, she had no business being
here, but she was surprised to discover she was enjoying herself immensely.
After the initial fear of the icy water and restless volcano had past, she had
relaxed enough to enjoy her surroundings and she found it invigorating. She
nearly laughed at the incongruity of it all. Who would have thought? Perhaps
she had more of her mother in her than she knew.
    Don was doing a head count at the beach. “Okay,
let’s go guys. You may notice the water’s a little choppy, it’s going to be a
rough ride. Make sure you put the life jackets on before you get in the boat
and hang on tight to the rope.”
    Georgina saw Claude zipping his wife’s jacket up and
kissing her tenderly on the cheek. The sight moved her for a reason she
couldn’t fathom, and she averted her eyes. She took a life jacket from Don
wondering how the hell you put the damn thing on. It had so many criss-crossing
straps and zips.
    “Need a hand?” offered Taj appearing beside her. He
unzipped the bright orange device and held it open. “Put your one arm through
here,” he ordered in a gentle tone. “And now the other one,” she obediently
inserted her other arm like a child would do and stared at him as he pulled it
closed over her chest and zipped it up.
    “It’s a bit tight,” she said breathlessly, not sure
if it was because he was so close to her or because the vest was squeezing all
the air out of her lungs. Probably both.
    “It’s supposed to be tight,” he answered curtly,
giving it a tug and then turning to help someone else.
    “Fine,” she mumbled annoyed at her school-girl
reaction.
    Finally they were all sitting in a semi-circle on
the bucking zodiac, brightly attired in their orange life jackets like a flock
of colourful birds. Don took the helm and launched the boat over a small wave
and out into the open water. Waves bashed over the front of the boat sending
spray in all directions. By the time they got back to the Explorer Georgina was thoroughly drenched. Her hair hung in sodden
tendrils around her face and she was freezing. She blew on her fingers in an
attempt to warm them up.
    “I think I’m suffering from hypothermia,” she
complained to Amy who was also rubbing her hands together.
    “I vote we go have a hot shower,” the marine
biologist suggested.
    “Brilliant idea,” agreed Georgina.
    Then the strangest thing happened. Taj, who had been
helping Don unload the boat took her frigid hands in his big warm ones and
began rubbing them gently.
    “That better?” he asked softly.
    She looked up in surprise. A long moment passed
where they just stared at each other.
    “Thank you, but I think I’m fine now,” she
whispered, hastily withdrawing her hands and putting them in her pockets. She
was shaking. What had just happened?
    “How did you enjoy the hike, George?” asked Don,
joining them. She groaned. Not him too. Soon everyone on board would be calling
her George.
    “It was great. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, apart
from the blisters and aching feet, or course, but that was entirely my own
fault.”
    She saw him glance at Taj and her realised this was
the part where she was supposed to scuttle back to her cabin, tail between her
legs.
    “Am I missing