Harvest, Quietus #1 Read Online Free PDF Page A

know the weather has been
horrendously hot down there this past week.” I try to sound
unconcerned, not wishing to alarm them. Unfortunately, being a
scientist has it's downside. My mind has been running riot up to
that point, connecting the road situation with the strange sky and
the intense heat and coming up with all sorts of scenarios that
were not good at all. I am now praying that it is all a matter of
coincidental events.
    “You really think this is all down to a weather system?” he asks curiously, his face
registering disbelief.
    “I'm n ot entirely sure,
meteorology isn't my forte,” I admit. “But it's my best guess.
Bright color spectra in the sky can indicate an excess of
temperature...or a sudden change in atmospheric conditions...major
weather fronts meeting, all kinds of reasons. And it may be very
strange but it's impressively beautiful,” I say, taking a deep
breath, hanging on my steering wheel and gazing at the sky through
my windscreen for a moment.
    “Mmm, very beautiful.” He subtly
flares his eyes at me.
    Is he flirting... at a
time like this?
    I somehow find humor in the situation.
I almost smile at him, but check myself in time.
    I lean forward and look around him to
speak to his sister. “How did it go, by the way? The virgin dive, I
mean...”
    “Fabulous thanks. I
completely loved it.”
    “Well t hat's good, I was
terrified on my first dive.”
    “You were?” James asks in surprise. He
must be taken back that I'd told them something so personal. Either
that, or that I'm admitting I'm afraid of anything. I know I'm
perceived to be such a confident woman, breezing through life
without a worry on my horizon. In truth my hard personal wall is a
charade. I'm often terrified, of lots of things, but I hide it
well.
    “I was seven years old,” I explain, “a
little too young for it, in my opinion, but my dad believed in
toughening us up at an early age, whether we liked it or
not.”
    He snorts out a laugh. “So that's your
secret, is it?”
    She could see he instantly regretted
the words which had slipped out of his thoughts.
    “What secret?” I stare at him
directly, my eyes holding his in a hard grip. I'm interested in
what he thinks about my behavior. I know I appear to be tough, hard
and cold, but I don't expect he's going to tell me that.
    “You're self assured and very capable,
that's all. I'm sure your dad helped you a great deal with your
character development. He sounds quite a guy.”
    He smiles briefly at me and I can't
help it, my expression changes, softening, and my eyebrows rise
questioningly. I don't know...maybe there's more to James
Richardson than meets the eye, not that I'm the slightest bit
interested in finding out.
    “Mmm, he's a real character. Anyway,
I'd better be off, got a lot of video footage to add audio to, and
render up. Take care, and don't forget to send me an update on your
progress, call me, we need to keep in contact, just in case,
okay?”
    “I'm in full agreement with that. Very
close contact. Just in case, as you say,” he grins at me in a
manner I find very appealing, much to my disgust. He's far too good
looking for his own good, and mine.
    His expression takes me over and
before I know it, a wide smile creeps up on my face. His eyes widen
and his lips part in surprise. It's all very amusing and making me
smile all the more. I know my smile is quite stunning... and
captivating. I'm not big headed about it, but it's been said many
times. I try not too smile too often just in case I stun or
captivate the wrong people.
    “Yeah, 'bye then Wynter, it's been
nice meeting you,” he replies in a low whisper. It's a tone of
voice which I'm very familiar with. Sexy undertones.
Proportionally, much too sexy and not so undertoned.
    Yeah, you too,” I say pleasantly.
That's not entirely true, but who gives a damn.
    I close the window, my captivating
smile still plastered across my face as I leave. I may as well let
it have an airing now he's seen