Darkest Love by Melody Tweedy Page B

just your thing.” Annie gave him an uneasy wink. “No spray tan on her.”
    â€œAnd no past sexual experience.”
    He regretted it as soon as he said it. Annie’s face really fell at that.
    Harsh .
    Very harsh, actually. She’d just broached kinky new territory with him.
    Rain had a habit of letting thoughts like that slip out at bad moments. “Sorry Ann.” It was awkward, but not his worst call. One time, while Annie was badgering him about his sexism , he had dealt a lower blow. “A woman who studies human societies should know men don’t go in for sluts”. He’d regretted it as soon as he said it.
    â€œCan you imagine if you slept with Princess Sola?” Annie asked, clearly trying to sound more light-hearted than she felt. “It would cause the scandal of the century.”
    â€œYou think?”
    Annie didn’t seem to pick up that it was a droll remark, drenched in sarcasm. Of course Rain knew that was scandalous. “In the anthropology community? Rain, there would be a witch-hunt,” Annie said. “A warlock hunt. I really think someone would shoot you.”
    â€œYou may be right.”
    â€œUh-huh. Come on. Rain Mistern, sexual predator, takes advantage of a vulnerable island woman? During his research trip!”
    â€œAnd what if Sola came on to me?” Rain grinned. “ Princess Sola. I would have to follow her decree.”
    Annie guffawed. The great pffffft sound that issued from her lips was as moist and rattly as Skittles shaking in lemonade. “You are not one of her subjects, white man.”
    â€œI am exotic, as far as Miss Sola is concerned. And quite below her,” Rain teased, edging away from Annie’s slap on his wrist. “It’s she who would be taking advantage of me. ”
    â€œGrow up.”
    â€œShe has dreamed that I will enter her, planting a seed of Kaamo prosperity in her body.”
    â€œShut up, Mistern.”
    Rain kept grinning. “Who am I to resist? To say no would be to interfere with Kaamo culture. What if they fall into despair because their princess is not obeyed? What if they kill their newborns?”
    Annie gave him that point. “Very tricky ethical territory.”
    â€œI should probably just lie back and enjoy it. It is my duty.”
    â€œIt would probably get to the UN. They’d make a good case for banning field studies like this.”
    Rain reached for the lantern and blew the candle out. He gave Annie a hug, hoping he’d soothed her and hadn’t distressed her before the coming explorations. There was a lot to do on Sivu, and he wanted her crisp, happy and taking notes. And he definitely didn’t want any personal dramas.
    * * * *
    â€œRain, for God’s sake, duck!”
    Rain could not duck. He had one foot barely clinging to the granite surface through friction, the other nestling in a tiny crag that accommodated his big toe and not much more. His hands were both occupied, clinging to whatever jutting in the rocks they could find. Annie was already above him, skirt billowing as she stood on the precipice. He could see flashes of knickers when he lifted his head.
    Looking up felt so perilous he shot his head back down immediately. A glimpse of that triangle of woman’s underpants, while widely sought-after, was not worth a thirty foot plummet to the ground.
    â€œRain, they are about to throw their spears. For God’s sake, hurry. They will skewer you! Pin you to the cliff side.”
    Rain could see the source of Annie’s worry. A red lyrebird, considered evil by the Kaamo, had landed in a patch of scrub on the side of the granite headlands, probably to check for nectar. Kaamo lore said the bird brought unease to tribal relationships and death to new male infants. A spear through a lyrebird would save the tribe that trouble, and make you a hero for a week.
    Evil bird, bringer of trouble. I agree with that, Rain thought as the first