Antarctic Affair by Louise Rose-Innes Read Free Book Online Page B

shrugged. “I interview a lot of
artists. Temperamental bunch,” she commented dryly.
    He grinned. “So it would seem. Look, I’ve
been thinking. Perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement with regards to
this whole interview thing.”
    She gave him a sceptical look. “I’m
listening.” Here come the excuses, she thought.
    Taj leaned back in his seat and his legs,
because they were so long, nudged her feet under the table. She immediately rammed
hers against the back of the seat.  
    He looked amused.
    “What is it you were thinking?” asked
Georgina curtly, willing herself not to flush.
    “You mentioned you wanted to come ashore
with us on the excursions, well, I was thinking that might not be such a bad
idea.”
    “Really?” Georgina couldn’t believe her
ears.
    He nodded, “Yeah. You know how I feel
about schedules and all that, well I’ll make a deal with you.”
    Her eyes narrowed, “What kind of deal?”
    He chuckled at her expression. “You’re
not very trusting, are you?” When she didn’t reply, merely raised an eyebrow he
continued, “Okay, here it is. You may ask me anything you like and I promise to
answer to the best of my ability,” he paused for effect, “as long as it’s during
an excursion and not in a formal interview environment. When we’re back on the
ship, the questions stop.”
    She looked at him suspiciously. “And
you’re happy to do that?”
    His unwavering blue-green eyes held
hers. “I don’t break my promises.”
    She swept an unruly strand of hair,
thanks to her worthless hairdryer, out of her face, “So let me get this
straight. I can accompany you on all your photo shoots and ask as many
questions as I like and you’ll cooperate?”
    He nodded.
    Georgina couldn’t help a delighted
chuckle.
    “I’m sorry, but I have to ask, what
brought on this change of sentiment? Yesterday you didn’t want me anywhere near
you.”
    “I need you.”
    At her incredulous look he clarified, “I
need this cover article to raise my profile in Europe. Next year we’re thinking
of doing a project in Scandinavia and I need financing. It’s that simple. I
have to cooperate with you as much as I don’t want to. And I’m sure you have
better things to do than be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere with the
likes of me.”
    He did have a point there.
    “I still can’t believe it, but great.
It’s a deal then,” she said happily. They shook hands.  
    “Can I get you a cup of coffee?” offered
Taj.
    “Sure.” She put away her notepad. Might
as well make it look official. Chatting, in her opinion, was as good as an
interview anyway. Perhaps he just didn’t like formal arrangements. Well, that
was fine with her. It looked like she’d found a way to work around him.
    Taj returned with two steaming polystyrene cups.
    “Thanks. It must be nice to have this,”
she gestured around them with her hand, “as your office?”
    He nodded, taking a sip. “You can’t beat
it.”
    “Do you ever get homesick?” She wasn’t
sure why she asked that except for she remembered him saying he was hardly ever
home.
    “Never,” he answered without hesitation.
    “Not ever? You mean you never long for a
familiar view or to cook in your own kitchen, or sleep in your own bed?”
    He shook his head. “No. I love waking up
to a different view every morning, particularly if it’s like this,” he nodded
towards the window. “I don’t often cook and I’ve never been the type to sleep
late. I’m always up with the first light, it’s the best from an artistic
perspective, but even when I’m not working, I’m still up before anyone else.
Always been that way, even as a kid.”
    “Lucky for you,” she smiled.
    He grinned, “It used to annoy the hell
out of my mother. She was not an early riser.”
    “Your mother’s a sculptor, right?” asked
Georgina trying to remember what she’d read about him.
    “Yeah, you read that in your file?”
    “Uh-huh.” She didn’t miss the