Her slacks forgotten, Danni carefully removed the delicate flowers, floral emblem of the state of Queensland, from their box and clipped them in place at the base of one of her shoulder straps. The delicate pinkish shade of the flowers blended with the pale blue of her dress.
Shiloh nodded appreciatively. ‘Ready to go?’ he asked.
All at once Danni remembered his mode of transport and hesitated. Surely he must have come by car? He didn’t look at all windswept himself.
His eyebrows were raised. ‘What’s the hold-up?’
‘I was going to change,’ Danni began.
‘Change?’ He looked at her dress and she blushed again under his gaze. ‘No need to change. You look fine. Very sexy,’ he grinned.
‘But I forgot about your motorcycle,’ she told him. ‘I’m not dressed to ride pillion.’
His grin widened. ‘We’re going in style tonight, Miss Mathieson. I have a car, believe it or not. Okay?’
Danni smiled with relief and picking up her evening bag followed him out of the door, locking it behind her.
In the glow of the street light a low green sedan glistened in the semi-darkness. The shape was unfamiliar, but it had the look of speed.
‘Could you really see me riding a motorcycle in this outfit?’ Shiloh asked as he held open her door. Pausing as she stepped into the car, Danni looked at him and had a mental picture of him riding through town and the surprised looks he would have been given, and laughed. ‘I’ll bet you’d have collected a few comments!’ She sank into the bucket seat, impressed by the car’s immaculate condition.
Shiloh closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. In the glow of the interior light the badge of the steering wheel caught Danni’s eye. Lotus. No wonder the car had looked racy! And the dashboard, the interior was immaculate. It had obviously been lovingly restored. The engine came to life with the quiet control of a thoroughbred and when Shiloh turned on the lights Danni watched in fascination as the headlights rose from their position flush with the bonnet. She glanced sideways at Shiloh.
He shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. ‘Man must have his toys,’ he said.
‘How long have you had the Lotus? An Elan, isn’t it?’ Danni asked, trying to drag her eyes from his hands skilfully and easily manipulating the steering wheel.
‘Yes, an Elan plus two. I’ve had it for a couple of years now,’ he replied. ‘It was somewhat illused when I bought it and I was almost through restoring it when Iâ’ He paused again. ‘When I had to leave it for a while. It was all ready for its final coat of paint, so a friend of mine, who was helping me with it at the time, went ahead with it and it was ready for me when I got back. We finished off the mechanical bits and pieces a few weeks ago.’
There were a few moments’ of silence.
Once again Danni felt he was leaving a good deal unsaid. ‘Have you always been interested in driving fast cars?’ she asked him.
‘Not always. When I was a boy I wanted to be a fireman.’ He was smiling. ‘That was before I went to a go-kart meeting with a couple of mates. I was just a bit of a kid and I got hooked on driving the go-karts. They were a lot of fun and from there I went into fast bikes, with which I was quite satisfied until I discovered fast women.’
Danni could see the creases in his cheek deepen as she watched his profile in the subdued light of the instrument panel.
‘It soon became obvious to me,’ he continued, ‘that the fast women didn’t care to be taken about on the back of a fast bike, so the natural progression was to fast cars. How about you? Always hankered after speed?’
Danni laughed. ‘Well, my first recollections are of steering a battered old station utility across a paddock while perched on Pop’s knee. That was before we came down from the north to Mallaroo, so I must have been about five or six. I’m afraid I can’t claim any fast men,’ she chuckled. ‘It was nothing more exciting than one fast brother taking me with him in his saloon car on a practice run around the Surfers track. I was about fourteen and I must admit that I was exhilarated but terrified. We kind of failed to mention the outing to Pop and when I’d been going out to the track with Rick for about three weeks someone let the cat out of the bag and wow, did Pop hit the roof! He really hauled Rick over the coals and made me promise never to go again unless he came with us.’
‘And judging by what I saw the other day obviously the fast cars don’t still terrify you.’
‘No. Perhaps terrify isn’t exactly what I meant.’ Danni frowned, trying to analyse her feelings on the subject. ‘I know that I can handle the car, Rick saw to that. And I know I can trust the car mechanically because I have a mechanic who’s one of the best. How I’ll fare in the competition remains to be seen, but I’m confident.’
They were lost in their own thoughts as Shiloh pulled up smoothly at a red light.
‘How long did you know Rick?’ Danni asked when they had rejoined the traffic flow.
There was that same tense pause before he answered. ‘The first time we met must have been all of, oh, fourteen years ago. I was racing motorcycles then. Just before the fast women entered the scene.’ His laugh was a trifle forced. ‘Rick was a few years older than I was and driving his own saloon car, an old Holden, I think. We ran into each other on and off for a few years at the tracks until I left the scene for a while when I was twenty.’
He pulled easily around a car that had halted in his path. ‘I went to the UK for a while.’ He hesitated again, as though he felt he was treading on uneven ground. ‘A working holiday.’
‘Were you there long?’ Danni probed, sensing the tenseness in the man beside her and not understanding the reason for it.
‘About eight years. I returned to Aussie after four years, but I hadn’t been back long when I was offered a job back over there. I had hoped to begin racing here, but I accepted the position in the UK, mainly because of the opportunity to gain invaluable experience in engineering.’ He pulled into a small parking area behind a narrow building just outside the main shopping centre of Surfers Paradise.
The restaurant, the Old Coach House, was in the basement of a tall building of business offices. Danni had not been there before and Shiloh took her arm as they walked downstairs, telling her that his friend had only taken over the business two months, previously. He had redecorated the place inside and was now building up his clientele.
Inside, the restaurant was larger than the impression given by the stairway leading down to it. The muted-toned walls were decorated with old sepia prints of approximately poster size. The tables were set in intimate alcoves as well as in the main section of the room and a band played subdued background music. The antique design of the hanging lights in amber and black gave a very pleasing atmosphere of old-world charm.
A waiter led them to a table in the seclusion of an alcove and Danni gazed with interest at the old print over their table which bore the label ‘Surfers Paradise 1930’. To Danni the scene was unrecognisable. They sipped a light wine after the waiter had departed with their order and they were discussing the old print and the rate of change in the Gold Coast area when a short grey-haired man of Danni’s father’s vintage approached their table. The newcomer smiled at Danni and shook Shiloh’s hand enthusiastically.
‘Welcome back, Rourkey. Good to see you on your feet again.’ The man sat down on a chair he took from a vacant table behind him.
A little tinkling bell of memory rang in the back of Danni’s mind and slipped away again as she reached out to grasp it.
‘Good to see you, too, Bill.’ Shiloh turned to Danni. ‘This is an old friend, Bill Peterson, who owns this set-up. Bill, meet Danni Mathieson.’
‘Glad to meet you, Miss Mathieson.’ Bill Peterson stood up to shake her hand and then subsided into the chair. ‘I know you’ll enjoy your meal. I’ve got the best chef in the area.’ He smiled and turned back to Shiloh. ‘How did you go
in Brisbane? Success?’
Out of the corner of her eye Danni saw Shiloh make an almost imperceptible shake of his head while he casually replied to the question. ‘As I told you when I rang, I was only expecting moderate success. That’s about what I got.’
Bill Peterson nodded in agreement, a faintly puzzled look in his eyes as he glanced quickly at Danni and back to Shiloh.
‘How about a glass of wine, Bill? Danni and I are celebrating.’ Shiloh filled a glass for the other man, who along with Danni, was gazing questioningly at him. Shiloh lifted his glass and said teasingly, ‘This is our first night out together. And what’s more, I had to persuade Danni to come, much against her better judgment, didn’t I, Danni?’
Before Danni could comment Bill Peterson laughed. ‘And I can understand her reticence, too, even if you have had a haircut since I saw you last. I guess you must be responsible for that, Miss Mathieson. Although I must admit he does look resplendent in that get-up.’
‘Perhaps I’ve lost my strength with my hair,’ Shiloh pulled a face, and turned to Danni. ‘What do you say, Delilah?’
Flipping her own hair back from her face, Danni set her mouth primly. ‘You’re rather old to be trying to carry off the “angry young man” bit.’ She watched to see whether her barbs went home.
He threw back his head and laughed. ‘Ah, Danni,’ he placed one hand on his heart, ‘you sure know how to hurt a guy. Here I am, an old man at thirty. What’s left for me in life but an armchair by the fire?’
‘Maybe you should settle for that,’ laughed Bill. ‘Especially if someone like Miss Mathieson was around to fetch you your slippers.’
‘There’s food for thought.’ Shiloh’s cat’s eyes twinkled.
‘Please call me Danni,’ she smiled at Bill Peterson to cover her embarrassment. ‘Miss Mathieson makes me feel old.’
‘Thanks, Danni.’ He inclined his head. ‘Mathieson?’ he hesitated, his eyes moving quickly back to Shiloh.
‘Danni’s Jock Mathieson’s daughter,’ Shiloh told him quickly.
Something passed between the two men before Bill turned to Danni. ‘Well now, how is old Jock? I’ve met him at the race track every so often over the years. Owns a farm up this way, doesn’t he?’
‘Yes. Mallaroo Stud is up in the Valley, but he often comes down to the coast. We have a house at Broadbeach. I’ll tell him you asked after him.’
‘I’d appreciate that, Danni. Perhaps you could ask him to give me a call when he’s next in town? As you grow older you enjoy renewing old acquaintances,’ he smiled reminiscently.
At that moment a young waiter appeared with a message for Bill and he excused himself reluctantly, telling them to be sure to enjoy their evening.
And to Danni’s surprise the evening flew by. She had half expected that an evening spent in Shiloh’s company would be one of conflict and irritation, but in this assumption she was totally mistaken. They found much in common to discuss and the fine food, the atmosphere of the restaurant, coupled with fine wine mellowed them both.
Danni had visited various places in England with which Shiloh was familiar and they swapped experiences and reminiscences with companionable enjoyment. Their tastes in music and literature were similar enough and Shiloh seemed to have the knack of drawing Danni out, although it wasn’t until later that she realised he deftly managed to change the subject whenever it veered near motor racing. Partway through the evening she realised she was actually coming to like this more serious Shiloh O’Rourke and, in fact, he hadn’t provoked her all evening.
They had finished dessert and sat back replete when the band which had been playing during the evening began another bracket of dance music, and they made their way to the microscopic dance floor where they joined a number of other couples in a medium to fast bout of disco music.
They had gyrated themselves through two songs when Danni remembered noticing Shiloh’s limp as they were crossing the road to the library that afternoon. He hadn’t mentioned it and suddenly she was loath to, some sixth sense telling her that touching on the subject might in some way change the timbre of what was an enjoyable evening. Surely he would say something if his leg was troubling him. She watched him closely for a few minutes and, although he was favouring his stronger leg, he didn’t seem to be suffering any ill effects from the strenuous dance.
He caught her eyes on him and she felt herself blushing under that same devastating smile. Reluctantly she admitted to herself that it wasn’t the energy she was expending on the intricate dance steps that was wholly responsible for her sudden breathlessness.
The band’s tempo changed to a slow romantic ballad and Shiloh pulled her closer into a more conventional hold.
‘This is one of my favourite songs,’ she told the front of his shirt, the touch of his hands warm on her back, burning through the thin material of her dress.
‘Mmmm,’ Shiloh murmured softly into her dark hair.
‘It’s one of Dr Hook’s,’ she told him, her throat suddenly dry as the tension between them mounted.
Mmmm,’ he said again.
‘I don’t suppose you’ve heard of Dr Hook,’ she persevered. ‘It’s a group.’
‘As it so happens,’ he said huskily, drawing her still closer, ‘I have heard of Dr Hook, courtesy of my mother. Dr Hook is one of her favourite bands so maybe I’m not as musically challenged as you thought, hmm?’ He drew back a little and smiled down into her eyes.
She smiled back, relaxing instinctively into the circle of his arms. ‘Apparently not,’ she said drily.
‘That’s better,’ he whispered appreciatively, and they leaned against each other, scarcely moving at all. ‘You know your hair smells like fresh lemon.’
The touch of Shiloh’s body so close to her own was having a breathtaking effect on Danni. It seemed as though she could feel every muscular contour of his body. She had never danced this closely with a man before. Oh, she had danced cheek to cheek, but never in this totally sensual, intimate contiguity.
Her hands were resting on his chest, her fingers twined in the softness of his shirt, and the heady masculine scent of spicy aftershave lotion was almost intoxicating. The firmness of his thighs, flexing in slow movements to the rhythm of the music, had her heart racing while his arms wrapped about her body held her locked to him. Danni gave herself up to the stimulating newness of their mutual arousal, and when the bracket of romantic music ended they remained close together for some seconds before they realised that the other couples were leaving the floor.
Shiloh stepped back and sighed. ‘Pity Dr Hook’s songs weren’t hours longer,’ he murmured, his eyes alight with an expression that had Danni’s senses soaring, and taking her hand, he led her back to their table.
CHAPTER THREE
Danni felt she was gliding along on cloud nine. Her whole body seemed to be tuned to the tall man walking beside her, his hand clasping hers, his shoulder touching hers. Tonight she was seeing a totally different side to this unconventional man, a side that had probably been in evidence when she had first made his acquaintance had she but allowed herself to see it. What was more, she knew in her heart that he could very easily become important to her, and this feeling was causing her some apprehension. She shivered as she sat down opposite him. Somehow she wasn’t ready to want to make or need any commitments. Everything was moving too fast for her. Her heart flipped over while her head bade her hesitate.
Until this evening her whole life, all her energies, revolved around her motor racing. She had given no time or thought to anything else save her job. Romance just didn’t enter into her scheme of things, not until she had taken out the series and had tried her luck and skill overseas.
They chatted on as before, and yet not quite as before. A spark had been added to their relationship and it glowed brightly in both their eyes. They each knew it was there and for their own reasons tried to keep it in its
place. For Danni the feeling was too new to her, and her natural reticence kept a tight rein on her so that she was almost relieved when the time eventually came for them to leave.
Excusing herself, Danni went to the powder room to touch up her makeup and tidy her hair. She gazed into the mirror, her eyes almost the shade of violets as they glowed with a new awareness. No other man had ever made her feel this way. It was as though all her senses were stimulated to fever pitch. And if her eyes glowed mistily then a flush of dusty rose touched her cheeks while her lips trembled with a hitherto unknown yearning.
Would he kiss her goodnight? Her knees turned to water at the thought and she clutched at the bench top for support. Good grief, she was behaving like a teenager on her first date! A tiny flame of pleasure flared from deep inside her and she knew that she wanted him to kiss her, to take possession of her lips with his own, and that feeling had nothing of a teenager in it, it was all woman.
Danni splashed her burning cheeks with cool water and dried her face on a paper towel. Where was the single-minded, controlled motor racer now? She renewed her lipstick and, taking her emotions firmly in hand, opened the door and looked about in search of that now super-familiar figure.
He had told her he would chat to Bill while he waited for her and it only took her a few seconds to place him across the room. She made her way across to them and as she approached she noticed the two men deep in conversation. Their faces were serious and Bill was shaking his head in a kind of sympathetic disbelief. When Shiloh caught sight of her he changed the topic of their conversation, his face once more full of humour, an emotion that had been missing from his expression a few moments earlier.
They said their farewells and set off across the restaurant to the door to the street, and Danni became aware that more than one pair of feminine eyes followed Shiloh’s figure as they moved through the tables.
Everything seemed to have taken on a rosy magnification in the few hours they had spent together. Her eyes were continually drawn to him, her thoughts were centred around him, were full of him, and her heart had developed a disturbing miss-beat whenever their eyes met or they touched. Danni grinned happily to herself.
Race For Revenge (Lynsey Stevens Romance) Page 4
