“Then talk to me, tell me about Cameron.”

“I’ll consider it,” he repeated. “Now go over to the stove and warm yourself while I go talk to Luke. He was rude to me just now, and that’s not to be tolerated. I must make it clear to him that emotions must be controlled.”

Catherine watched him move across the room to where Luke sat by himself on a pallet before she turned to the corner where Erin was settled. She, too, was lying on a pallet and still covered by the black blanket. But her underclothing had been stripped off and lay in a neat pile beside her.

Cameron was gently drying her hair and looked up at Catherine. “You took long enough. How are your toes? It doesn’t take long to get frostbite up here.”

“Cold. A little numb. But I’m beginning to feel them again.” She made a face. “Everyone seems to be worried about my feet, even my son.” She came closer and looked down at Erin. Her eyes were closed, but they opened, and she smiled.

“Hi, how are you doing, Catherine?”

She smiled back at her. “Better than a couple hours ago.”

“Me, too.”

“Hu Chang will be over here to take a look at you in just a minute. He’s a wonderful physician, and he’ll fix you up. He had to go over there and give a stern reprimand to my son for not being respectful to him.” She chuckled. “With all hell going on around us and Kadmus licking at our heels, he still felt bound to teach Luke.”

“He’s right,” Cameron said. “Discipline is important. You can’t let it lapse just because the battle hasn’t started.”

“That’s your son?” Erin was looking across the room at Luke. “He’s beautiful, Catherine.”

“Yes, he is.”

Erin’s face was troubled. “But he shouldn’t be here. I told you what happened to Jafar.”

“And it scared me to death.” She looked at Cameron. “But the death of children doesn’t seem to bother Hu Chang or Cameron. They’re the ones who decided that he should be here.”

“Cameron?” Erin was looking at him. “Is this the way it has to be?”

“The boy will be safe, Erin,” he said quietly. “I promise you.”

She gazed at him a moment, still frowning. Then she nodded. “Then I know it will be okay. But it still worries me.”

Cameron gazed quizzically at Catherine. “And you?”

Did he expect her to give him the same trusting reply just because he’d made a promise? Yet, for some strange reason, that promise had given Catherine a sense of security and relief that had no basis on reality. “I don’t know it will be okay. But Luke and I will get through it together.” She fell to her knees and took Erin’s hand. “And we’ll take you with us, Erin.”

Cameron chuckled. “You notice she’s leaving me and Hu Chang behind in the dust. She’s not any more pleased with us than you are.” He looked beyond Catherine’s shoulder. “It seems that Hu Chang is finished with your son and is coming to tend Erin. She won’t need you. Why don’t you get out of those clothes and warm up?”

She didn’t move. “When will you have word about Kadmus?”

“Soon. I’ll let you know.”

“We should take turns standing guard.”

“We’ll discuss it later,” he said firmly. “I had the pilot who flew Hu Chang in bring you and Erin clothing. It’s on the chest over there. You can’t fight for Luke or Erin or anyone else bundled up in that blanket.”

She hesitated and got to her feet. “You’re right.” She turned toward the chest. “But it’s a very good blanket, Cameron. Fantastic. I’m still curious about your friend who gave it to you.”

“Among a thousand other questions,” Hu Chang said as he stopped next to her. He gazed down at Erin. “So you’re the woman who has been causing so much trouble. Now it seems I have to put you back together.”

She smiled. “If you think it’s worthwhile.”

“You are worthwhile. I made that decision before I even started on this endeavor.” He knelt beside her. “And since Catherine has seen fit to champion your cause, I have no choice.”

“You make your own choices.” Catherine looked over her shoulder. “But Erin and I will be glad to have you along.”

Cameron gave a mock shudder. “I appear to be in isolation.”

She didn’t answer as she moved toward the chest. She was still angry with both of them, but Hu Chang belonged to her. She had to forgive and work with him. Cameron was an entirely different matter.

Different. Oh, yes, he was definitely different.

However, the gleaming white cold-weather gear that he had ordered for her was the best quality and worthy of the slopes of St. Moritz. Glamorous as was the outerwear, the undergarments were the same practical issue that Venable had ordered and that she was now wearing.

The first priority was to get out of the wet clothes she was wearing and into the clean dry garb. Privacy was not an issue. There was none in this tiny hut. Forget about it. The only person she might be concerned about was Luke, and he was turned on his side and clearly dozing. She dropped the blanket and stripped off the wet clothes in two minutes. It took her less than that to replace the bra, T, and tights. She towel-dried her hair, then rubbed her feet vigorously until it revved up the circulation. She put on the rest of the clothes except her boots.

Done.

She sat down before the stove and tried to finger comb her hair but it was too stiff from the chemicals of the hot springs to behave. She looked like a wildwoman and stank like rotten eggs, but this was the best she could do.

“And a very good best it is.”

Her gaze flew to the other side of the room. Cameron was leaning against the wall, sitting slightly apart from where Hu Chang was attending Erin.

“Peeping Tom, again? This time in more ways than one, Cameron.”

“It interested me that you had no false sense of modesty.” His smile was purely sensual. “And so I decided to benefit from it. Rotten eggs or not, you’re fantastic, Catherine.”

Heat. Her breasts swelling, tightening. A tingling in her palms and between her thighs.

“Not me,” he answered the question she hadn’t asked. “You’re a very responsive woman. I was lucky enough to strike the right note.”

He was probably telling the truth. She couldn’t deny that he’d had a strong sexual effect on her from the beginning. How could she when the bastard could read her mind? “I’ll get over it. That note will get very sour the longer you mess with my head.”

“I’ve been thinking about that. I find I’m reluctant to have you get over it. Suppose I guarantee that I won’t ‘mess’ with you unless I find it necessary to save you or Erin? It worked pretty well traveling through the hot springs, didn’t it?”

“No, I always knew you were there.”

“Only because that’s what I wanted. I thought it might give you a feeling of safety. I didn’t want you to feel alone.”

“Look, I don’t need you to make me feel safe. In the end, it always has to come from me.” She added, “And it’s totally ridiculous for you to try to seduce me when we’re struggling just to get Erin out of here.”

“It’s not actually seduction. I’m just paving the way.”

“Then, stop. Go find out what’s happening with Kadmus.”

“In a few minutes. I have one of the villagers on the way up to the hut now.”

“How did—Never mind.” She paused. “Then let’s concentrate on Kadmus and forget about your libido.”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my job. I was even considering devoting myself entirely to boring duty and discipline. But that was before I spent so much time with you. I’ve been entirely too good for too long. I’ve decided I need a reward.”

“And I’m the prize? Screw you, Cameron.”

“Oh, I do hope so.” His smile lit his face with mischief and humor. “And now I’ll bow out and leave your mind alone.” He got to his feet. “But you may find that you miss that kind of contact. It’s much more efficient.”