“You tell me that all the time,” Cheryl said. “Yet I’m still married to Ernie instead of you.”
“That’s because Ernie scares me.”
“Ernie’s old enough to be your father.”
“I’m scared of my father.”
Cheryl laughed in his face and walked off.
Grinning, Ryder flicked a packet of sugar with his thumb and finger to settle the contents before ripping off the top and pouring it into his coffee. “So, Elissa, how do you like our thriving city?”
She glanced out the window at the sole two cars passing in the street. “The excitement is wearing me out.”
“Tell me about it. Staying for awhile I hear.”
“A month. Here for the wedding then house-sitting while Ash and Scott are on their honeymoon.” She hesitated, flicking Simon a glance before looking back at Ryder. “Maybe a little longer.”
“Great.” Stirring the coffee, Ryder studied her. “So, got a job waiting back home?”
Now this was more like it. Simon pushed the empty plate back, picking up the bran muffin as he waited for her reply.
“I’m kind of in-between jobs,” she hedged.
Music gigs, isn’t that what they called them? Simon took a big bite of toast. Maybe he watched too much TV.
“What kind of work do you do?” Ryder queried.
“A bit of this, a bit of that.” Her reply was surprisingly evasive, and Simon looked sharply at her.
Well, hello.
Catching his eye, she flushed a little but kept her head up and her gaze steady as she looked back at Ryder, who was regarding her just as closely. “I’ve done a few jobs. Receptionist, waitress, checkout chick.” She paused. “Sang a little.”
No sooner had she said that than another face appeared, this one from over the top of the back of her booth. “Holy heck! I thought I recognised you!”
Elissa leaned to the side, twisting her upper torso a little as she looked up at the face beaming back down at her. “Um…hi.”
“Hi.” Farris stuck his hand over the top, with the result that she had to reach up and give it an awkward shake. “I’m Farris. I work on one of the farms.”
“Ah.” She smiled up at him. “Guess you’re busy then.”
“Yep. But man, I heard you sing in the city a couple of months ago. One of the pubs, can’t remember which.” His smile was all teeth.
Simon exchanged a glance with Ryder. Ryder’s eyes were gleaming with a combination of amusement and curiosity. Simon just wanted to place his hand on Farris’s face and push him back over the edge of the booth. Perfectly reasonable reaction, after all, they were having breakfast and here was Farris going all fan-mad on Elissa. Perfectly reasonable.
“Glad you enjoyed it.” Her smile was genuine, pleasure flashing in her eyes.
Okay, she obviously didn’t find the young farmhand annoying.
“You disappeared after singing, I tried to find you,” Farris continued.
No surprise there, Simon thought. He had no doubt a few men would have wanted to talk to Elissa.
“I don’t hang around,” she said. “Sorry.”
“So I wanted to ask you, do you have any CDs out?” Farris queried.
She hesitated. “Well…maybe.”
“Really?”
Jesus, if the man’s face got any brighter he’d rival the sun.
“When?”
“No set dates as yet.” She glanced at Simon, back up at Farris. “It might not happen.”
“Bummer.” His face fell. “Well, are you going to tour soon, then? I’d buy tickets. Just tell me where and when.”
“Aw, that’s sweet, but I don’t tour.”
Farris was struck dumb, but unfortunately it didn’t last long. “You don’t?”
“No.”
He scratched his head. “Really?”
She nodded.
“Oh.” He thought about this, his gaze going to Simon and then Ryder as though for confirmation.
Ryder just shrugged, Simon copying.
Not one to give in so easily, Farris returned his gaze to Elissa. “Do you hold concerts? You must hold concerts.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
His mouth fell open. “But you have to.”
And there it was, a slight flicker in her eyes, a slight tightening of her lips, barely discernable to anyone who wasn’t watching her as closely as Simon.
Chapter 6
Maintaining her friendliness, she continued to smile at the young farmhand. “It’s not always what it seems, Farris.”
“But everyone will pay to listen to you sing. You’d make a fortune with that voice.”
To anyone else that would be a compliment. To Elissa, it was a knife twisting in her back. “Well, it’s not so easy. Anyway, Farris, it’s been lovely to meet you, but I have to finish breakfast and get back to my friends.” Softening the blow, she added, “But I’ll be around for awhile, so no doubt we’ll meet again.”
He had no choice but to either rudely continue or graciously accept her nicely-worded ‘goodbye’. He graciously accepted, disappearing from view to pop straight back up with a paper napkin in his hand. “Can I have your autograph?”
Okay, she’d have to be dead not to at least appreciate that. It wasn’t the first time she’d signed one, maybe wouldn’t be the last. “Sure, but I don’t have a pen.”
“Here.” Ryder fished one out of his pocket and slid it across the table to her.
“Thanks.” Picking it up, she signed the napkin with a small flourish, mostly to appease Farris, and handed the napkin up to him.
“Thanks so much!” Beaming, he took it like he was handling gold. “I’ll leave you to eat in peace.”
“Much appreciated.” Elissa passed the pen back to Ryder. “Thanks.”
He slid it back in his pocket. “You’re a singer?”
“Of sorts. Nothing big.” Nothing she wanted big. “Hobby.”
Simon was watching her quietly, missing nothing, his calm gaze just taking in everything she said and did with a deceiving laziness.
“So,” she said brightly, turning the conversation away from herself, “did Dee punish you by throwing you out?”
Ryder eyed her shrewdly but took the hint. “Dee wouldn’t throw me out, the sheila’s mad about me.”
“Mad at you, you mean.” Simon took a sip of apple juice.
Ryder waved that away. “You’ll never guess what she did.”
“I could do with a laugh.”
“She wanted me to pay for the few things the kittens creatively redesigned.”
Elissa exchanged an amused look with Simon. “Creatively redesigned, huh?”
“Those kittens are learning, developing, they need entertainment.” Ryder tapped the table with his fingertip. “I get up this morning and what’s waiting for me on the table? A bill!”
“Really?” Yeah, Elissa could see Dee doing that.
“For seventy six dollars!”
“Cheap,” Simon commented.
“Cheap? Cheap? I’m her fiancée, for God’s sake. You don’t charge your fiancée for damage done by our kittens.”
“Dee does whatever she wants.”
“I told her I wasn’t paying it.”
“Oh, this ought to be good. What’d she do?”
“I’m not sure yet.” Ryder frowned. “But she had that glint in her eyes. She’s up to something.”
“Be sure to keep us updated.”
Laughing, Elissa swallowed the last of the orange juice, the coldness spilling down her throat. The change of conversation from singing was a welcome one, for sure.
“Woman needs taming.” Ryder checked his watch. “Gotta go, I’m taking her car in for a service. Ben’s dropping me off at my house, so how about you blokes meet me there?”
“No worries.”
Ryder stood up. “Wait, we’re all on for tonight still, aren’t we?”
Simon nodded. “Scott’s house.”
Wondering what wa
s on at her friends’ home that night, Elissa said as Simon turned back to her, “I guess I better go as well.”
“Sure.” He nodded. “Have enough to eat?”
“Thanks, yes. I owe you.” No sooner had the words left her mouth than she cringed inwardly, especially when he turned those hazel eyes on her, the laziness vanishing to be replaced with a directness that seemed to see right through her.
“You owe me breakfast if you want to owe me. This has no strings attached.”
“I know. I just meant-” Before she could finish, he had pushed to his feet and held his hand out to her. “Um…”
Well, cripes, he didn’t answer, didn’t move, just waited. It was either be rude and push past him because the man was now standing beside her seat, or be polite and take his hand.
So she placed her hand in his, immediately having her smaller one engulfed by his, those long fingers curling securely around her own. If that wasn’t enough to make her heart skip a beat, he then supported her hand with ridiculous ease as she slid out of the booth and stood up.
Then he totally floored her by keeping hold of her hand, turning and leading her from the café as though it was completely normal to be holding her hand. Just held it like he was her boyfriend or something, because geez, no man ever held a woman’s hand unless there was meaning there, right?
Tossing a cheerful ‘thanks’ to Cheryl, who watched them with unmistakeable glee, her glance falling meaningfully to their joined hands, Simon led her out of the café, holding the door open for her without letting go her hand as she stepped outside.
Cripes, what did she say? Do? Did she pull her hand away now that they were out of the café? Did she tell him to let her go?
Did she want him to let her go?
Hell no, would be the answer. But she didn’t really know him either, in fact, apart from having bawled her eyes out beside him on a balcony on a rainy night, watched him fall from a tree, threw a mobile past him on a rainy day, told him what she’d meant to keep private, ridden on the back of his big motorbike to feed his soon-to-be cranky cat, and had breakfast with him, she hadn’t had anything much to do with him.
Okay, maybe she’d had more to do with him in a couple of short days than most people did in a couple of weeks.
Now he held her hand, led her around, and currently was sliding the helmet over her head, his smile friendly, his movements lazy, and nothing in his warm eyes to give away his thoughts.
The man was a mystery to her, and damned if she didn’t find that a little intriguing. Or maybe that was because he treated her like no other man ever had. God knew.
Now her emotions were tangling again, her thoughts starting to chase each other around in her head. What was she doing letting him do this? Do what? Treat her with a protective friendliness? Like a man caring for a woman in a friendly way? Certainly non-threatening, because she doubted right then that this man could threaten anyone. Congenial, happy, contented, easy to talk to, he was the very embodiment of a friend.
That was until she caught another glimpse of heat in his eyes, a flicker of flame as he looked down at her while fastening the strap beneath her chin.
Cripes, no denying that heat in his eyes, just as there was no denying the answering heat she’d had in the café, the shiver of heat that spiralled up her spine now. But at this instant there was something more in his heat. Something in the way he’d silently waited for her, the way he’d held her hand and led her from the café. Something more.
Something more earthy, more male.
Maybe he wasn’t as safe and uncomplicated as she’d first thought.
Damn it, right now what she didn’t need was unsafe and complicated.
His eyes were locked with hers, holding her almost captive, her heart beating like wings in her chest. Right then she didn’t know what she wanted to say or do. Well, shit, she knew what she wanted to do, but it went against everything her commonsense told her.
Plus grabbing him on the street and kissing him hard would probably shock him, not to mention knock him unconscious with the bang of the helmet now covering her head. Not a smooth move even if she’d been game to do it.
Unable to hold his gaze any longer, she looked away. What was she thinking? Scratch that, she knew what she was thinking, but it wasn’t something she should be thinking. Hell. Definitely not something she had planned on thinking.
He didn’t linger, sliding his helmet on and swinging astride the big bike, kicking off the stand and starting the engine, the powerful throb of it filling the quiet street.
This time when he tapped the seat behind him, Elissa swung on silently, wrapping her arms around that lean waist. Unsettled, she would have put as much distance between their bodies as she could, but with no experience on motorbikes, she snugged up against him.
Well, she had to, right? It was part of being a good pillion passenger. She was just doing what she should do. And you keep telling yourself that.
When the motorbike pulled into Ash’s driveway, Elissa didn’t have to worry about what she was going to say to Simon because Ash and Scott were waiting for them. Scott was done up in his leathers, his motorbike waiting in the driveway. As Elissa swung off the bike, another big metal and chrome beast pulled in beside Simon’s bike, the rider pulling off his helmet to reveal Kirk.
He smiled at her. “Hey.”
“Hey back.” She waited patiently while Simon undid the strap of the helmet and slid it off her head.
Immediately her hair tumbled around her shoulders and down her back in a riot of curls. Feeling suddenly conspicuous, she gathered the messy, heavy length in her hands, twisting it into a long rope and clipping it to the back of her head with the clip, then gave her jumper a tug into place, smoothing it over the generous swell of her hips. A glimpse down had her inwardly gasping in dismay. The hem of her slacks were spattered with mud stains. Riding on a motorbike after the rains definitely wasn’t a wise idea.
But damn, it had been fun while it lasted. She’d felt like she’d been free, flying along. Until now when she suddenly realised how dishevelled she was, a little messy, definitely not the neat appearance she was used to maintaining.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders. “I think I better clean up a bit.” Turning to Simon who was leaning his forearm on the helmet resting on one strong thigh, she added, “Thanks so much for breakfast.”
“My pleasure, Lis.” He said it a little oddly, studying her so closely she felt like a beetle on its back being poked by a curious cat.
Huh, maybe he’d changed his mind? Maybe it had all been in her imagination? Maybe he wasn’t as keen on spending time with her as she’d thought? Maybe - oh cripes - was she pushing herself onto him? But then, he’d asked her, right?
Damn it, he’d asked her.
A flicker of annoyance went through her, making her eyes narrow.
Simon’s head angled a little to the side, his attention so focussed on her suddenly that it was unnerving. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, what he was seeing when he looked at her, but whatever it was - well, she had no bloody clue, and that irritated her.
Lifting her chin, she turned and walked back to stand by Ash’s side, keeping her gaze on anything but the man watching her so silently. Okay, she felt a little like a bitch, but confusion didn’t sit well with her. And she needed quiet to think it over, see what happened, find out where it suddenly went a little weird.
Because the truth was, she didn’t know Simon. Had an inkling, sure, but that was surface only.
Ash gave Scott a kiss on the cheek. “You boys be careful on the road.”
“Isn’t Ryder here yet?” Kirk queried.
“We’re swinging by his place, Ben is dropping him off.” Scott gave Ash a kiss right back, only a whole lot hotter and a whole lot deeper.
It left her blushing and laughing as she stepped back. “Have fun on the ride.”
Really wanting to go inside, change her clothes and tidy her hair, Elissa forced hersel
f to stay beside her, watching as the men mounted their bikes. The rev of high-powered engines filled the air as they took off, leaving Ash and Elissa looking after them.
“Well, now.” Ash turned to grin widely at Elissa. “You had breaky with Simon, huh?”
Recognising the teasing in her friend’s eyes, Elissa started for the veranda. “It was just breakfast.”
“He took you on his bike.”
“I’m going to change.” She fastened her pace.
“He took you on his bike and bought you breakfast.” Ash was right on her heels.
Half laughing, half scolding, Elissa almost ran up the veranda. “I’m not doing this with you!” She kicked off her slightly muddy sneakers.
“Oh, come on. Confession is good for the soul.”
“Nothing to confess.” Jerking open the security screen, Elissa ran inside.
Tilly took one look at the women running down the passage and bolted into Elissa’s bedroom.
Elissa was right behind her. “If you follow me, Ashley Smythe, you’ll see me half naked!”
“Like I haven’t done already.” Ash dropped down onto the bed.
Tilly, who’d taken refuge on the bed, bounced a little on the mattress and looked totally put out, her whiskers bristling indignantly.
Ash cooed to her, smoothing her hand over Tilly’s head. “Come on, I’m your best friend. Tell me what happened.”
Yanking down her slacks, Elissa took a clean pair from the hanger in the wardrobe and pulled them on. “He saw me by the gate this morning, invited me to go for a ride. We fed Arthur. We had breakfast.” He looked at me hotly.
“And?” Ash tickled Tilly under the chin, making her close her eyes in ecstasy.
“He brought me back here. End of story.” And I looked at him hotly. And then it went a little weird. Elissa pulled the jumper off, smoothing down the blouse and eyeing it critically in the mirror. Clean. She slid her arms into the sleeves of a pale pink cardigan. “Now, what isn’t the end of the story, is you and Scott.”
“Me and Scott?” Ash was surprised. “What about me and Scott?”
Turning to face her friend, Elissa placed her hands on her hips. “The wedding? Me, your matron of honour? The details? Isn’t it time now? I’ve been here for a couple of days and zilch so far. Time’s up.”
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