Just One Kiss
Chapter One
“The horses are at the barrier . . . and they’re off and racing in the Cloncurry Stakes. Big Mike takes an early lead but the favourite, Jester, is . . .” The race caller’s excited voice blurred amid cheers from the crowd thronging the remote north-west Queensland racecourse.
Dr Dan Middleton glanced at the red dirt track and the dust cloud lazily settling over the race day crowd. Women dressed as smartly as those at Flemington on Cup Day teetered on high heels on hard-packed earth. If there were a few more plastic cups of beer than flutes of champagne, the effect was much the same.
He swallowed the last of his beer and swatted at the flies hovering near his mouth. Horses thundered around the final bend and the crowd surged towards the barriers. A whirly-wind picked up dust, swirling and tracking behind a slim, young woman, the only other racegoer not focused on the race. Caught unawares by the sudden gust, she turned her back and struggled to hold her hat and dress as it lifted in the wind. Her pink dress ballooned and flipped up like one of his mother’s fuschias. Tanned legs went all the way up to a pair of silky white panties and Dan grinned.
As suddenly as it had risen, the wind dropped. The woman exhaled and swatted dust from her full skirt. Twitching the outfit into place, she continued towards the beer tent. And Dan.
Faint pink flared in her cheeks as her gaze connected with his and he realised he was still ogling her and grinning.
“Perv.” She pushed past him, knocking the plastic cup out of his hand.
By the time he retrieved it and stood, she had disappeared into the crowd around the bar.
“Great way to make an impression, doc.” Mike Maguire, a mechanic with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Mt. Isa, raised his plastic cup of beer in a mock salute.
“Bad timing. Story of my life.” How could he have let himself forget the perils of showing his appreciation of the female form? Surely he’d learned that lesson by now?
“How so, doc? Thought you’d have nurses hanging off your arm. Besides, our Amy’s a pretty girl and—”
“Drop it, Mike. Not interested.” Dan couldn’t afford to be. As much as his job with the Royal Flying Doctor Service let him follow his passion for rural medicine, like his mother and grandfather before him, it was an opportunity to get away from the mud slinging. Although he was pleased his staff at Gosford Hospital had told the truth and stood up for him. And now—
“Don’t say that too loud. People might think you’re—”
“Gay?” he finished off for the burly mechanic.
“So you’re not interested in Amy? She’ll be relieved to hear that.”
“I’m here to work. That’s all. Why?”
“You’re rostered on together. She’s your pilot.”
##
Amy Alistair peered into the small mirror in the ladies loo. Dust caked her face and her cleavage itched, and her new dress had acquired an unflattering layer of red that even the drycleaner would struggle to remove.
And her last-in-the-field horse was probably still running, which was why she’d been heading to the beer tent when the willy-willy sent her skirt flying and Mr Smug and Brooding had copped an eyeful.
Along with half the male population of town.
He’d been the first male she encountered after the wind caught her unawares, and maybe she’d overreacted but his amusement had ratcheted up her embarrassment and her temper had run away with her. Dull red had stained his cheeks as he bent to pick up the cup she’d knocked out of his hand.
She almost felt sorry for him. Until Mechanic Mark nudged him and nodded in her direction. Slinking behind two burly blokes propping up the bar, she sought a safe, non-windy corner where she could quietly sink into the floor. Thank goodness she’d be back in the Isa tomorrow and could get back into work trousers.
Sharyn, her nemesis at high school and all-round stuck-up prig since she’d won Miss North West Queensland, popped her head around the entrance and chuckled. “Hey, Amy, nice knickers. Didn’t realise you were so hard up for a date that you’d flash everyone. But hey, you got the eye of the new hottie.” With a snort, Sharyn waved her mobile phone and withdrew.
Damn the two-second rule. If Sharyn had seen Amy’s awkward moment, the whole region would know by—Amy checked her watch—now.
Oh, hell, had Sharyn got photos too?
##
Amy cruised along the strip of highway back to The Isa, her iPod on shuffle. As her red ute crested a slight rise, the headlights caught on metallic silver paint and flashing hazard lights. She eased back on the accelerator and pulled in behind a car with its bonnet raised. Someone had left the races earlier than her, it seemed. And by the large dent in the bonnet, they’d encountered a roo on the highway back to Mt. Isa.
She switched her lights to low beam and stepped out of her ute. The driver appeared around the front of the car, holding a torch in one hand and shading his eyes with the other.
“Well, if that doesn’t put the icing on this day.” She bit her lip, hoping her muttered comment hadn’t carried to the man.
“Thanks for stopping. I’ve lost a headlight and—” Mr Smug and Brooding stopped as she walked past the front of her car. Of course it had to be him broken down at the side of the road. She contemplated jumping back in her ute and hightailing it. For all of five seconds.
“Yeah, well, let’s see how bad the damage is.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded snarky. But dammit, she’d bought a new dress and that stupid hat and even crammed her feet into high heels for the racing carnival in celebration of her promotion.
Stupid choice. When did any male look at Amy Alistair with more than friendship on his mind? She was one of the boys, not tall and elegant like Sharyn.
She held out her hand for his torch, stalked around to the front of his car and peered under the hood. With an ease born of familiarity with machinery on the family property, she assessed the damage. “Your radiator’s taken a beating as well as the bonnet. I doubt it will get you to Mt. Isa tonight. You do know you can’t drive over eighty on these roads after dusk?”
“I doubt I was doing even that. The roo was going faster than me.” Annoyance tinged his voice and he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Any chance I can catch a lift with you?”
The last thing Amy wanted was this prig invading her space. But leaving him by the side of the road waiting for another ride wasn’t an option. She wouldn’t leave her worst enemy in such a fix, and he was far from that. Even if he had smirked at her wardrobe malfunction. She shuddered as she imagined the phrase with Sharyn’s intonation. “Hop in.”
“Thank you.” Stiff formality crackled in those two words.
Amy sniffed and thumbed the torch off. Let him be in a snit. Maybe he wouldn’t want to talk as they drove, and that would suit her fine.
##
Dan reached into the boot for his medical bag. He needed travelling with the belligerent blonde like he needed a hole in the head. Petite and feisty, she clearly didn’t want his company. Maybe Amy had been given the lowdown on him already. If his reason for leaving Gosford had been leaked to his new employer, he could hardly begin with a clean slate. The thought depressed him before he remembered her obvious embarrassment at the races.
A memory of white silk and tanned thighs rushed back as he thought of their unfortunate meeting, and he slammed the boot. Thank God she didn’t realise how clearly her ute’s lights had outlined her curves as she’d approached him. High heels had been replaced by a pair of unlaced work boots but headlights through her filmy skirt revealed far more than swirling wind. Better not share that titbit or she’d order him out of her car. Being stranded sucked, especially when he had several articles he needed to read before reporting for work tomorrow.
He climbed into the cabin and put his bag on the floor. Turning to her, he waited until she was seated and reached for her seatbelt. “I’m Dan. And you’re Amy?”
“S’pose Mark told you. I’m surprised yo
u noticed my face.”
“Look, I’m sorry I laughed. I didn’t intend to embarrass you.” Another woman would have laughed off the incident, or played it up. Amy’s response suggested she lacked confidence.
Not his problem.
In the soft glow of the dashboard light, her chin tipped higher and her knuckles tightened on the wheel. “Can we not mention that again?” She pulled out onto the highway.
“Consider the subject closed.” But Amy was mistaken if she thought he’d forget her. He folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes.
Thirty minutes later, lulled by the motion of the car and several poor nights’ sleep, Dan woke with a start as Amy pulled into the first service station on the way into town. He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’ve got to pick up a few groceries. Where do you want me to drop you off?” She opened her door and jumped out before turning and pinning him with her hazel gaze.
“Uh, I can catch a taxi from here.”
Amy nodded, rummaged in the side pocket of the door and took out a business card, which she passed across the centre console. “If you’re sure. That’s for a towing company. Ask Derro to organise a tow for your car in the morning. Night.”
Dan looked at the card before opening his door. “Thanks for the ride.” He shoved the card in his shirt pocket, grabbed his bag and made for the taxi rank across the side street without looking back.
Under other circumstances, he might have asked Amy out to dinner. Just to say thanks. But she’d made it clear she didn’t want to see him again. Which would make tomorrow very interesting.
About the Author
Born and raised in Toowoomba, Susanne is an Australian author of contemporary and suspense romances set in exciting and often exotic locations, and rural romance set in Australia. She adores travel with her husband, both at home and overseas, and weaves stories around the settings and people she encounters.
Her heroes have to be pretty special to live up to her real life hero. He saved her life then married her.
Susanne is a member of the RWA and was a finalist in their 2011 Emerald Award. She placed third in the 2015 Pan Macmillan short story competition with Chez Romeo. Mentoring aspiring writers, and working as a freelance editor keeps her off the street! She loves connecting with readers and fellow writers.
More Books by Susanne Bellamy
Winds of Change (Hearts of the Outback Book 4)
https://www.amazon.com.au/Winds-Change-Hearts-Outback-Book-Susanne-Bellamy/dp/B01LY2LAB8
Long Way Home (Hearts of the Outback Book 3)
https://www.amazon.com.au/d/ebook/Long-Way-Home-Hearts-Outback-Book-3/B01GX4NP1C
Heartbreak Homestead (Hearts of the Outback Book 2) amzn.to/1nqc9hc
Just One Kiss (Hearts of the Outback Book 1) bit.ly/1Oq3KAX
Second Chance Love (Amazon Australia store) amzn.to/1FEJyx4
Second Chance Love (A Bindarra Creek Romance) bit.ly/1O5ngaN
Second Chance Café – Four Short Stories by Susanne Bellamy, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, Noelle Clark and Abbie Jackson bit.ly/1QlViZl
Sunny with a Chance of Romance amzn.to/1Cmy9jM
One Night in Tuscany amzn.to/1dKLyX6
One Night in Sorrento amzn.to/1brE2Jp
Winning the Heiress' Heart (The Emerald Quest) amzn.to/1B9TVUJ
A Season To Remember: Four Short Stories For Christmas – a book by Susanne Bellamy, Elizabeth Ellen Carter, Noelle Clark and Eva Scott
bit.ly/1ynJsTZ
Engaging The Enemy amzn.to/1wrYGHQ
White Ginger amzn.to/MiDjVr
You can find Susanne at the following:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanne.bellamy.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanneBellamy
Website: http://www.susannebellamy.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susannebellamy/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/6869630.Susanne_Bellamy
Wild About Harry (Hearts of the Outback Book 5) Page 16
