Taken Outback (The Dusty Rider Series Book 1)

by Stella Knights

  I’m not sure if I’ve seen a prettier sunset before.

  I’m sleepy but I fight the urge to fall asleep in hope that I might see some road sign or marker to help me work out where I am. But even with that information, how would I run from here, the middle of nowhere?

  I glance over at Aiden as he focuses on the road in front of us. A thought crosses my mind that I did not expect, nor do I have an answer for.

  Do I want to run from this man that just the other day my heart ached for?

  We turn off the main road onto a dirt one that heads towards a large gate surrounded by cerise bougainvillaea. Aiden gets out of the truck to open the gate and we slowly drive through, continuing onto what I am guessing is his property. After a few minutes, we drive through a tree-lined area that opens up to a stately homestead. It is nicer than I expected, not to mention it looks only recently built.

  “We’re home.” Aiden examines me for any reaction I may give, but I remain steadfast in keeping my emotions at bay. “Follow me, and I’ll show you around.”

  Without giving a response, I walk with him to the front door.

  A pair of kelpie dogs runs towards us, wagging their tails merrily as they jump at Aiden’s legs. He stops and gives them each an affectionate pat on the head.

  We walk inside the home, through a foyer that opens into a living room. We head towards the back of the house where there is a large kitchen. Off to the sides of the kitchen, I see a dining room, an office, a well-stocked library and another large living area that has been set up as a game room.

  I’m surprised at how modern his place is. I always imagined cattle stations having old fashioned homes as though they are stuck in the past.

  Aiden takes me up the stairs to the second story to show me where I will sleep. He says, “This place is a bit unique. Most homes in the country don’t have second stories because there’s no point when you have so much land, but the previous owners wanted to have a nice lookout from the bedrooms, so they decided to build a second story anyways.”

  My shock is subsiding, but I still cannot speak. I have been kidnapped by a man I want to be with. The irony is just too confusing and my head is hurting trying to make sense of what the right emotion should be.

  Aiden points down one end of the home and says, “I’ll sleep down in one of the rooms that way, but you can have the master bedroom.” Heading the opposite direction, he opens a door and says, “This is your room.”

  Separate bedrooms?

  Maybe he doesn’t mean me any harm. Maybe he is telling the truth when he said he just wanted time with me and he would not make me do anything I don’t want to do. Then again, there were things I wanted him to do to me before all of this happened. I wanted to be with him. I wanted his kiss on my lips. I wanted his touch on my skin. I wanted to do the things I dreamt about that night not so long ago.

  With all that Aiden has done, do I still feel anything like I did several days ago, before I had to say goodbye to him?

  I wonder if he has created the perfect way for me to live out my fantasy without making me choose between him and my taciturn marriage.

  I’m already exhausted from so many things in my life, and now this unknown has been shoved into my existence. My head is hurting from too many thoughts.

  I need something to calm me down, but how do I ask this man for a drink?

  “Holly, I’ve bought some clothes and put them in the closet. I tried to guess your size so hopefully, they’re okay. If they don’t work, I can get some other ones.”

  He pauses, waiting for a response, but I still don’t give one.

  He suggests, “Uh, why don’t you have a shower, then come back downstairs. I’ll cook you dinner. Do you like pasta?”

  I nod. It’s hard to believe Aiden is going to go and cook me pasta as if this is somehow normal.

  He turns to leave me in the room alone. Glancing around at this bedroom, I wonder if I could stay here with Aiden and be okay. It’s not as if my life has been easy lately. Not to mention, Aiden has been a breath of fresh air since the moment he first walked into my office, even if he does have a chequered past.

  How can I be thinking this? Too many complicating thoughts. Didn’t Aiden say life was simple out here in the bush?

  I enter the bathroom and see that Aiden has laid out a terry cloth robe and a fresh stack of towels as though he’s running a five-star hotel for me. A sweetness wafts through the air, coming from a vase on the sink that contains freshly cut lilies.

  He must have planned this carefully, thinking through what I would need to be happy if he got me here. I’m not sure Tom would even get these sorts of details correct.

  Oh, Tom! I have not even thought about him. I wonder if he even knows I’m missing yet.

  Stepping into the shower, I let the hot water wash away the dirt from my skin as though it is cleaning the messiness from my life. I stand here, trying to make sense of the thoughts swirling through my mind.

  Did he think I would be okay with this? Am I okay with this? How can I feel something for someone that has taken me from my life and all I know? Shouldn’t I want to whack him over the head with something and run back to my life?

  I should be angry, but there’s no anger or any urge to run. Actually, I’m surprised Aiden’s not more concerned that I’ll try to run. I guess he probably figures that I’ve been in Australia long enough to know that being unprepared on any trek out here could cost your life.

  This is all overwhelming and a headache is now pulsating beneath my temples. I rub them under the stream of water, hoping that I will find some solace in sleep soon.

  Finishing my shower, I put on the soft robe. Going into the walk-in closet, I see the few things Aiden has put there. He unexpectedly got my sizing pretty close and what he picked out is similar to what I would have bought myself. From how little this man knows about me, he surely has guessed close to the mark. Running my fingers against the clothes, I see he has meticulously thought about what I would need out here, including a pair of jeans and a swimsuit.

  I pick out a lacy lilac coloured tunic and some leggings as I think these will be most comfortable to sleep in. As I dress, I look around the bedroom and see there’s no phone. However, there is a large four-poster king size bed that would be incredibly romantic if this were a different situation.

  I sit on the bed for a moment to take this all in. My fingertips feel the soft sheets beneath me and I realise they must be fifteen hundred thread count Egyptian cotton. They are the best sheets you can get.

  How is all this possible? Is this what Aiden always had? I never knew that Stockmen could have it so well.

  Feeling this cotton against my skin makes me realise that Aiden has not touched me other than when taking care to wipe the drip of water off my chin earlier. And he did this with such care and consideration. It’s not what I would expect from someone that was going to harm me.

  I wonder what his touch would be like. Wait, shouldn’t I be repulsed at the thought of my kidnapper touching me?

  Wandering back downstairs to the kitchen, I see Aiden cooking, while some music fills the silent void. He has set out two glasses of red wine, a small cheese platter along with a couple lit candles.

  He notices me in the kitchen. “I wasn’t sure if you would want a glass of wine or not. I also have plenty of beer.”

  I nod while sitting down and taking a sip of the wine.

  I definitely need this to calm my nerves.

  Oddly, I am a bit anxious. I’m not sure if it is from being kidnapped or if it is because only a week ago this man gave me butterflies in my stomach.

  With my hand firmly wrapped around the stem of my glass, I observe Aiden making pasta and sauce from scratch. I think this is the first time a man has ever cooked for me.

  Where did he learn how to cook like this?

  As if he can read my mind, he says with that warm smile, “My grandmother taught me how to do this before she passed away. She always said a good man should be
able to cook for his woman.”

  As he looks down to toss some ingredients into the pan, I take a moment to examine his face. His tanned skin and square jawline paired with deeply set eyes and a warm smile, make it hard to pick out his heritage. Italian? German? Irish, perhaps?

  I continue to sit in silence, watching Aiden chopping ingredients and frying them in the pan next to the boiling pasta. The smell of bacon frying with fresh garlic wafts through the air as music continues to fill the silent void between us.

  When the pasta is ready, he asks, “Is it all right if we eat here at the bench?”

  Taking my first bite, I realise I’m ravenous. Thankfully, the pasta is good, while the wine is taking the edge off my nerves.

  “Does the pasta taste all right?”

  I nod and take another bite.

  “I wasn’t sure if I maybe overdid it with the garlic and oregano. When I first got here, I put in a herb garden near the stables because I like things as fresh as possible.” He takes another bite of the pasta before putting his fork down for a moment. He leans down on his elbows as he says, “I guess you might be wondering about this place. There are only a few horses and a few head of cattle here. I’m getting some cattle moved in once I make sure the fences are all good and things are okay.” He talks as though this is a completely normal situation between us.

  He sits up straight, eats more of his pasta and takes a sip of wine to wash it down. There is nothing alarming about his demeanour and nothing that makes me think I’m in danger.

  Continuing, he says, “I think that some of the paddocks might be good to grow some wheat or sorghum, but I’ve not decided on it, yet. I need to work out how good the soil is first. My family has always tried to grow grain along with the cattle if the land will allow it.” Noticing my blank stare, he smiles. “I guess you don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

  I shake my head in bewilderment.

  It’s like I’m on a date, but am I supposed to enjoy a date that I was forced to go on?

  We continue to eat in comfortable silence. Every so often I take a moment to study Aiden and his actions, trying to work out his intentions. His handsome, rugged looks still give me butterflies, even now, after he has scared me senseless and taken me away to the outback.

  While finishing the last bite, Aiden breaks the silence. “Holly, you know, I’m sorry I frightened you.” He turns and stares into my eyes. “I know what I felt between us is real. I thought long and hard about it and I couldn’t figure any other way for us to be together.”

  He turns his gaze and stares off at the flickering candles for a few moments. “A while ago, I lost someone I cared about. Since then, I hadn’t felt anything for anyone until I met you.” He turns back to me, leans closer and mumbles, “I know you’re married, but I couldn’t just let you walk out of my life.”

  I could hear the sadness in his voice and see heartache in his eyes. This is the first time I have seen Aiden truly vulnerable so I decide I must say something back. “I was sad to say goodbye to you, too.”

  Aiden looks slightly relieved as his lips curl into a smile. “That’s good to know.” With desire in his eyes, he asks, “Do you think you could stay here and spend some time with me? Give me a chance?”

  My heart says yes, but my head says no.

  Which one do I listen to?

  After a moment, I give in to my heart and nod.

  A grin stretches across his face.

  But can I really do this?

  He gets up to clear our plates. “It’s getting late and I’m sure you are tired, so I’ll let you get some sleep. I hope you can look through any anger and see that I have the best intentions towards you.”

  “I’m not angry Aiden.” The words escape my lips, catching me off guard. I did not expect the thought to come out of my mouth.

  He gently smiles at me, hesitating as if he’s still unsure if I’m being truthful.

  Aiden walks me up the stairs, stopping outside the door of my room. “Don’t worry, I won’t lock you in. If you need anything, I’m down the hall. Just come and get me.”

  He pauses for a moment, standing there staring at me with those steely eyes as though he wants to say something, but he doesn’t speak. He leans in as if he is about to hug me goodnight but stops before making contact with me. A confused expression crosses his face and I wonder if he wants permission to touch me.

  Taking a step back, he turns towards his room. “Goodnight, Holly,” he says as he walks down the hall away from me.

  Wait! Aren’t you going to hug me goodnight or something? Do I want him to hug me goodnight? Should I touch him to let him know it is okay to touch me?

  But I can’t let him know my thoughts. Not until I know how I really feel about all of this. Right now, I just need sleep. Maybe then I can figure this out.

  I go into the bedroom, close the door behind me and slip out of the leggings to sleep in only the tunic top. I get into the four-poster bed and listen to the sounds outside. I hear the faint songs of what I think are frogs and owls as they hunt for their next meal of insects in the dark bush night.

  It’s quiet enough that I can almost hear Aiden breathing across the house. I look over at the empty space beside me in bed and wonder what it would be like if he were lying next to me.

  It’s been years since I have touched any man other than Tom. But this is also the first time in years I have wanted to touch another man.

  Should I care what Tom thinks after how he’s been acting?

  My thoughts take me back to the life I was taken from. With Tom being away I wonder if he even knows I’m gone.

  Would he care enough to drop everything and come back to find me? Or would that damn job stop him in his tracks?

  I feel a pang of anger towards him.

  Maybe this will help Tom see what he has, and he’ll finally stop taking me for granted.

  As I stretch out under the cool sheets, I feel strangely secure here, far away from the mess of my failing marriage. I drift off to sleep as the irony of this security is lost on me.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  THE WARMTH OF the sun shining through the bay windows rouses me. It takes me a moment to register where I am. In the light of the morning, nothing feels alarming about this situation, except for the fact I was taken without being asked. If asked, would I have come out here of my own free will?

  I stretch out under the soft sheets before getting out of bed. Now that it is daylight, I want to see where I have been taken. Walking to the bay windows, I pull back the tailored, pleat curtains.

  My eyes widen as I gasp, taking in the view before me. Green paddocks in every direction, with the occasional ochre termite mound interrupting the span of native grasses. Crimson bougainvillaea billows over the fences adding a splash of colour while the azure sky rises to the heavens above. It’s a stark contrast to the harsh, crowded city views I’ve always known. It is as if I’m looking a painting by Monet for the first time after spending years staring at bleak landscape created by Munch. Didn’t Munch have a breakdown while living in the city?

  I smell something deliciously sweet wafting through the air. I throw on the robe and walk downstairs.

  What time is it? I should be at work.

  In the kitchen, I find Aiden cooking pancakes. He turns to me and smiles. “Good morning, beautiful. I thought I might cook my favourite American dish for you.” Pausing to flip a pancake, he says, “You know, I never found out where you grew up exactly?”

  I realise there is no point in remaining silent any longer. And deep down I’ve always wanted to really talk to this man. “I grew up in Texas, but it was in a city.”

  He turns away from the stove to look my direction and raises his eyebrows in surprise. “So not from the country at all?”

  He must have assumed all of Texas was cattle ranches, tumbleweeds and desert.

  “Nope.”

  Cocking his head to one side, he asks, “So, can you ride a horse?”

 
“No, uhh, I guess the closest I got to a horse was driving my Ford Mustang convertible.” I smile at him, waiting to see if he gets my joke.

  He laughs. “Would you like me to teach you how to ride?”

  I look down because I’m not sure how to answer this. I’m not here to learn how to ride horses.

  Actually, why am I here? This man could have anyone. Why me? And why take me away instead of just asking?

  Aiden looks briefly at the pancakes then back at me. “It’s fine. I can have you ride with me for now. I just thought I’d take you out today and show you around.”

  He hands me a plate of pancakes. “If you want to go riding with me that is. If you don’t, that’s okay, too. You can do whatever you want here. I have just one request and that’s to let me take care of you.”

  “I’ll go.”

  It’s not like I have any else to do around here.

  “Good. We’ll head out after you’re dressed. You can wear the jeans I got for you. I think I have a hat around here somewhere that you can use.” He searches the room and finds another Akubra sitting on a shelf.

  Aiden stands tall, walks over and sits next to me with his cup of coffee as we eat in silence. He’s close enough that I can smell the heady mix of his sweat mixed with sandalwood. My insides tighten as I notice his shirt has fallen open, exposing his muscular chest. The glimpse of his hard body leaves me breathless.

  Seeing that I’ve finished my breakfast, he takes my plate so I can go get dressed.

  As I leave the kitchen, I instinctively scan the room for a telephone but there isn’t one. I know I should feel trapped, but I don’t anymore. Oddly, in the light of a new day, I feel free from being out of the mess that my life has become.

  AFTER GETTING DRESSED, I head back downstairs. Aiden is in the kitchen wearing jeans that are tight in all the right places. He hands me the Akubra hat. “Follow me.”

  As we walk outside, the heat of the sun is already building up. It’s radiating back off the ground, and yet it’s only breakfast time. I notice a pool close to the house that looks quite inviting.

  I always thought stockmen used their dams to cool off.