Page 29 of Do Opposites Attract?

He delved into his bag and gave the mother some rehydration sachets. ‘You need to mix these in the water I’m leaving you and get the kids to drink lots of it.’ Then he explained, yet again, the importance of good hygiene. Washing their hands with soap after going to the toilet and before cooking or eating. Treating the water before drinking it. Finally he nodded over to the youngest. ‘Someone will come and collect him and take him to the hospital tent. He needs to be put on a drip for a while.’

‘Thank you.’

After saying his goodbyes, he went in search of Brianna. He found her sitting near a small clump of bushes, hugging her legs.

He nodded over to the bush. ‘Is that where your breakfast ended up?’

She stared resolutely past his shoulder. ‘Yes.’

Hunching down next to her, he smoothed back her hair. ‘Sorry. Bringing you here wasn’t one of my best ideas. I didn’t think.’

‘It’s not your fault I seem to have this propensity for throwing up at the drop of a hat.’ She nodded to his shirt. ‘At least you weren’t in striking distance this time.’

‘I guess I should thank the bush for taking the hit.’

Suddenly she let out a sob and thrust her face into her hands. ‘God, why am I so flaming useless?’

He felt a strange fluttering sensation in his chest and had to fight not to fling his arms round her. She was leaving tomorrow. He might have let his guard slip last night, but he had to shove it firmly up again now. ‘I told you, you’re not useless. Just not cut out for life in a refugee camp.’

‘I guess not.’ She glanced sideways at him. ‘Did you fix them?’

‘I’m not sure that’s the right terminology, but yes. They’ll be okay. If you catch it early enough, cholera is easily treated by rehydration.’

‘That’s it? No hour long operation? No fancy drug cocktail? Just drink some fluids?’

He chuckled. ‘A lot of what we do here is very simple.’

For a few moments they sat side by side, gazing out over the camp. Mitch was very much aware of her next to him, but not only as a woman. In every way they were diametrically opposite and yet . . . and yet he could sit here, next to her, and feel not just comfortable, but strangely content.

But that was dangerous. Because he didn’t want to feel any closeness towards her, Mitch suddenly jumped to his feet. ‘Right. I need to head on downstream. I’ll give you a lift back.’

* * *

Once more Brianna sat next to Mitch in the truck. It had been a strange morning. She’d humiliated herself again. Okay, nothing odd in that. At least not on this trip. But what had been odd had been Mitch’s attitude towards her when he’d sat with her by the bush. For a few wonderful moments he’d been warm, relaxed. Of course he’d quickly smashed whatever had started to grow between them, almost as if he’d been afraid of letting her get close.

‘Got any plans for your last night?’ They were the first words he’d spoken to her since they’d set off back to base.

‘No, I hadn’t thought of it.’ Liar. Images of Mitch making love to her all evening danced through her mind. She bit the inside of her cheek and went for broke. ‘Will you be around?’

‘I’m not sure. Maybe if I get back in time, we can drag a few of the others out and go for a farewell drink?’

Not exactly the images in her mind, but she was pathetically grateful for the offer nonetheless. ‘Sounds good, but if you go out twice in a week they’ll think you’ve had a knock on the head.’

At last he smiled at her. ‘When in truth, I’ve been corrupted by the patron’s daughter.’

‘I think it was you who did the corrupting last night.’

Mitch eyed her speculatively. ‘You didn’t look like you were complaining.’

She returned his gaze steadily. ‘I wasn’t. I’m not.’

The electricity crackled between them once more. They were poles apart when it came to background and personality, but when it came to physical attraction they were dynamite together. As his eyes darkened with desire, she knew at least on that front, they were in agreement.

Chapter Fourteen

Brianna spent the rest of the day helping Dan out with the medical supplies. She was a liability everywhere else in the camp, but at least with Dan she felt useful. And welcome. He flattered and charmed her, a welcome change from Mitch, who seemed determined to do neither.

When her muscles finally screamed at her to stop, she sat wearily on one of the many medical supply boxes they’d collected from the airport.

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