While everyone gets busy pulling at flaps and checking buckles are tight and secure, Cam turns to me. ‘Let’s get you checked over.’
In the darkness, my senses are awfully heightened because Cam is very much like a heroic action figure. His eyes meet mine and in slow motion he reaches for me, gently pulling each fastening. With each tug I find myself inching closer to him until we are only a few inches apart. The last buckle is by my pelvis. He gives it a strong tug. I feel that sexual chemistry swirling up from inside me. It’s all I can do to keep a straight face. It is essential we do not draw any unwanted attention.
‘It’s not as fun as ziplining into the cenote,’ he murmurs. It causes me to think back to the image of Cam getting out of the water like a Greek god, water dripping over his every muscle. I wonder if he is picturing me in my tiny two-shoelaces bikini.
When it’s my turn, I linger on Cam’s shoulders as I reach up to check the buckles. He reaches out to steady me, placing his hands gently on my waist. It causes electric sparks to shoot through me. Without taking my eyes from his, I slide my fingers lightly down his arms to check his body harness and clips. I hear him take a sharp intake of breath as I deliberately run my fingers slowly over his stomach and round to his lower back.
I want him. I want him real bad. My breathing is all over the place. It doesn’t help that the air is so thin down here and making me feel woozy and lightheaded.
‘Are you okay?’ he asks. ‘The air is so thin down here.’
The moment we lock eyes I realise it isn’t the air. It’s him. It’s all him. He has such a dizzying effect on me.
Giovanni flicks me a quick confused look. I am instantly reminded that discretion is key. I step quickly back from Cam. ‘So, erm, right. That’s you checked and ready to go.’
When we eventually get to the surface, the team are in various states of well-being, gasping for fresh air, running into the jungle for the toilet – a designated clearing of mud - and piling into any truck they can, keen to get the hell out of here. Amid the chaos, Cam instructs the crew to stick with the islanders and travel back together.
‘Tell Amber that you are feeling sick and are going to the toilet.’
I do as he says and run over to Amber as she’s getting in the truck with Giovanni. ‘Listen,’ I say. ‘I’m not feeling great. You go ahead and I’ll hitch a lift back with one of the instructors. I think I’m going to be sick.’
Giovanni gives me a sceptical look.
‘It’ll be the eggs,’ Amber said. ‘And the ghosts. I’ve thrown up twice already.’
I pretend to retch, and Giovanni quickly slams the door shut. ‘Okay. See ya!’
The truck roars to life and sets off. This causes a chain reaction with people bellowing names out, and instructions to ‘GET A MOVE ON!’. Kit bags are flung haphazardly into the back oftrucks and engines are violently revved as though we are fleeing a terrible earthquake.
When the convoy has left in a cloud of dust, I look at Cam, confused. Where is our transport? Why are we not fleeing with the others?
‘It seems as though we are stranded in the middle of the jungle. Are we stranded in the middle of the jungle? What sort of rescue plan do you call this?’ I squeak.
I don’t care how good-looking he is, this is not a good plan. I look around at the dense jungle, the trees looming above us. The entrance to the mineshaft is making serious whooing noises and I can hear myself getting hysterical. ‘What were you thinking? Are they coming back for us? How will we get out of here?’
Cam stands looking at me in amusement. It causes me to stop jabbering. His eyes move from mine to peer over my shoulder. He has a massive grin on his face.
‘Oh man. I don’t think I will ever get used to this.’
‘To what?’ I say, twisting round to see what he is looking at. My eyes nearly pop out of my head as I see a ghostly figure walking towards me. It has my face, my hair, my body. I steady myself on Cam and he is quick to throw his arm around me. I feel so light-headed and, for a second, think I am imagining it.
‘Hi sis. Fancy meeting you here,’ says Lois.
Chapter 26
We throw our arms around one another. It feels so good to hold her. I breathe her in, as I have been doing my entire life. Her energy becomes my energy. She squeezes me even harder and whispers, ‘I’ve missed you so much.’
She takes one look into my eyes and says, ‘You have questions. Me too.’
‘We have to go,’ says Cam. ‘You can fill each other in on the way.’
Lois and I hold hands as we race through the clearing to the jeep that Cam has parked up. We set off immediately, both of us huddled in the back while Cam drives. He has to twist in his seat to reverse out. It’s very tricky, so Lois and I wait before we launch into our mammoth Q and A. It gives me a chance to fully appreciated what excellent bone structure he has. The light bounces off his hair, his lashes and his impeccably shaped eyebrows. His DNA is truly magnificent. Like Angelina Jolie and her famously symmetrical face, Cam must be the world’s only other human being to have such symmetry. There’s nothingyou would change about his face. It is all perfect. He is simply breathtaking. And he is willing to risk everything… just for me. How have I managed to land someone so magnificent, so courageous and so downright brill –
‘Stop it. Put your stalker eyes away. You’re being way too much,’ Lois leans in to hiss.
This makes me blush even harder. Sisters! She’s only been with me five blinking seconds and already she’s criticising. I start giggling because of course, she’s completely right. I’m like a giddy teen with a horrendous crush on a kind-hearted global singing superstar. When we swerve onto the dusty road track, Cam rams the vehicle into first and we race off. Every now and again, I catch his eye in the mirror causing me to blush, blink and clear my throat.
‘How are you here?’ I ask Lois. ‘How come you’re with Cam? What is happening?’ I am so disoriented.
