by Juanita Kees
Heather lifted her head to look at him, and because he felt so good against her, she said, ‘Okay.’
He grinned that bruised, lopsided smile then lifted her face to his to press a soft, tender kiss to her lips. ‘Ouch,’ he whispered. ‘That bastard will pay for my sore lip.’
‘Might be a good thing.’ Heather laughed then sobered. ‘Travis?’
‘Heather,’ he teased.
‘If things were different …’ She closed her eyes against the soothing stroke of his hand on her hair and followed the movement of his body with hers as he released a deep sigh.
‘I know.’
The rattle of the bus coming up the drive reached Heather’s ears. ‘Let me go now,’ she said gently, not wanting to leave the warmth of his arms but knowing she had to. With one last squeeze, he let go and groaned a little as she eased off him. ‘You might need that frozen pack somewhere else now,’ she teased.
He glared at her out of one eye as he slapped the peas back on his eye and tossed a cushion across his groin, his fingers clutching the woven material of the cover. ‘One day we’ll finish this.’
With every bone and hormone in her body, Heather hoped so as she waited for the bus to stop and then Casey came hurtling in through the front door.
‘Uncle Trav!’ She stopped short at the sight of Travis sprawled out on the sofa. ‘What happened? Are you okay?’
Travis winced as he sat up and swung his legs to the floor. He kept hold of his ice pack while he held out an arm to hug his niece closer. Her fingers peeled back the edge of the packet.
‘Ouch. Why’s your eye all red and purple? Did you get bitten by a spider? Ooh, I hope it’s not a red back or a white tail, cos they can make you very sick.’
Travis tossed the rapidly defrosting packet of peas onto the sofa. ‘No, sweet pea. Now, you know we always promised to tell each other the truth, so I’ll tell you I had an argument with Zac today and things got a bit out of hand.’ He pointed to his eye. ‘And this is the result.’
‘He got you good.’ Her lip pouted as she touched his cheek with her tiny hand. Heather’s heart melted a little more.
‘He sure did, but you know how I told you to always walk away from bullies?’
‘Yeah?’
‘I still want you to do that. The trick is to never turn your back on them as you’re leaving because sometimes they take you by surprise.’
‘Okay. I’m sorry he hurt you, Uncle Trav. He’s just a mean bully.’
Travis pulled her into a hug. ‘Yes, he is.’
‘Is it my fault you got hurt, Uncle Trav?’
‘No, sweet pea. What makes you think that?’
Casey’s fingers traced the skin under the bruise growing near Travis’ eye. ‘Did I do something naughty that made the man angry with you?’
Travis frowned and flicked a look at Heather.
Heather’s senses went on high alert but she couldn’t think of a reason why Casey might think Travis getting hurt was her fault. Perhaps she related what had happened to their confrontation with Zac in Bella’s café.
Travis ruffled Casey’s curls and hugged her tighter. ‘Not at all, sweet pea. You haven’t done anything wrong. He’s just a mean bully like you said. He’s the naughty one, not you. Now go get cleaned up and we’ll start on dinner soon.’
She kissed him loudly on his uninjured cheek. ‘Okay. I’ll take good care of you, Uncle Trav, and I’ll try extra hard to be good.’ She turned to Heather. ‘Hi, Miss Penney.’ And then surprised her by throwing her arms around her waist and hugging her tightly. ‘Thank you for taking care of Uncle Trav.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Heather hugged her back. ‘You may call me Heather, you know.’
Casey let go and grinned. ‘Thank you, Heather. My mummy always used to say that it was polite to call people Mister or Mrs or Miss until they said you could call them by their name.’
Heather pressed a kiss to the little girl’s forehead. ‘Your mummy was a very smart lady.’
‘I know,’ said Casey. ‘Are you staying for dinner?’
‘I might have to stay the night to keep an eye on your uncle. We have to make sure he doesn’t get sick from the bump on his head.’
Casey’s eyes widened. ‘Oh! Like con … concu … confu … oh, what’s the word again?’ She stamped her boot on the hard jarrah floorboards.
‘Concussion? Yes, darling. So we have to wake him up a couple of times through the night to make sure his headache doesn’t get worse, okay?’
Casey nodded her head. ‘Okay. I’ll go clean up and get some sheets for the bed in the spare room. It used to be my mummy’s room. I like to sit in there and talk to her sometimes because then I can pretend she’s still with me.’
Heather’s heart squeezed with sadness. ‘Oh, sweetheart …’
Casey smiled up at her, her cherubic face pink and grubby from her play date with Benji. ‘It’s okay. It doesn’t make me sad anymore. It makes me happy cos I can tell her everything about my day.’
‘Well, that’s a very nice thing to do for your mum. I’m sure she loves listening to your stories.’ Heather knelt to give the little girl a hug. ‘Now off you go and clean up then we’ll look at making dinner.’
‘Oh you don’t have to do that,’ said Marge Everett, coming into the room with a bag in each hand. ‘I’ve got a nice casserole right here with a salad. Young Travis, you get the protein shake because you won’t be able to chew with that jaw. You’re lucky it’s not broken!’
Travis groaned. ‘Can’t we mash up the casserole instead?’
Marge gave him a stern look. ‘You’ll drink the protein shake like a good boy and there’ll be no complaints. We have to get you back on your feet and a good healthy shake will do that. It contains organic veggies straight from my garden, I’ll have you know.’
Travis winced as Heather smothered a giggle behind her hand. ‘I’ll be sure to watch him finish it,’ she said, ignoring the warning look he shot her that promised payback later.
Harry wandered over, hands behind his back and studied Travis’ face intently. He let out a low whistle. ‘He got you good, didn’t he, mate? Bloody drongo.’
‘I got him a far better shot,’ mumbled Travis.
Harry raised an eyebrow. ‘Right in the gonads, I heard. Good lad.’
‘Harry!’ scolded Heather.
‘What? Bloody good thing he did, I reckon. That little sod might leave the women alone for a while. I’d like to stay and chat but I’ve got to go herd the cattle before it gets dark.’
Travis pressed the rapidly defrosting packet of peas to his forehead to ease a new ache. ‘Harry?’
‘What?’
‘You don’t have any cattle.’
‘Oh. Well, the sheep then.’ Harry flexed his fingers and frowned.
‘We herded all five of them into my bottom paddock ready for shearing this morning before you got to work on fixing the tractor.’
‘Ah … right.’ Confusion blurred Harry’s rheumy eyes further.
Heather looked at Travis, worry etched into his brow. He turned his gaze to hers and in it she saw concern mixed with his pain. She turned to Harry. ‘Why don’t you stay here tonight? We have to keep an eye on Travis and I could use some help.’
‘Nah, can’t do that, matey. Dog’s all alone on the farm then. She still needs to be fed.’
Marge Everett stepped forward. ‘Why don’t I drop Harry off and keep him company for a while, hey?’
‘Be a bit like the old days, hey, Marge? Before you married Errol? We could … ya know …’ He winked at Marge playfully.
‘Now don’t go getting any ideas, you old codger. I’m only doing this so young Travis can get a good night’s sleep and not have to worry about you.’
Harry sighed. ‘A man can hope.’
Travis groaned and lay back down on the couch. ‘No amount of painkillers in the world will get that image out of my head.’
‘Mrs Everett, it would be a great help if you could drop Harry
home, thank you.’ Heather put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. ‘I’ll stop by on my way through tomorrow morning for a cup of tea.’
‘Righto, mate. Come on, Marge, we’ve got a date with the kettle.’
Heather walked them to the door and waved them off before returning to the lounge to find Travis had moved from the couch. She found him with his head stuck in the fridge, holding a cold beer bottle to his jaw.
‘You’re not thinking of drinking that, are you?’
‘Nah, it’s just colder than the packet of peas right now. Although the beer mixed with the painkillers might help get the image of Harry and Marge together out of my head.’
Heather laughed. ‘Here, sit down and let me find something else to cool it down.’
‘There should be one of those instant ice packs in the first aid kit under the sink.’
Heather opened the cupboard door and bent to retrieve it. As she straightened up, she caught the burning look in his eyes and felt the answering dip in her belly.
‘You’ve got to stop looking at me like that. It’s no good for either of us.’
He sat relaxed in the chair, back curved, strong thighs apart stretching at the denim of his jeans. His lap looked more inviting than it should. The temptation to straddle him where he sat, to kiss that mouth, caress the warm skin of his face and body— it was all too appealing. His eyes narrowed on her face, hot and searching, as if he knew she was tempted and daring her to do it.
‘Stop that now, Travis Bailey, or I’ll have to blindfold you.’
He choked back a laugh. ‘Really? That sounds terribly kinky, Miss Penney.’ The suggestiveness in his tone had her shivering with heat.
‘All right, enough now. Go on back to the sofa while I pour your protein shake and put the casserole in the oven for me and Casey.’
‘Way to kill a man’s passion,’ he grumbled, pushing himself out of the chair with one hand on the kitchen table. ‘Protein shake.’ He snorted.
As he passed her, his arm brushed against her. He stopped, pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly on the lips, wincing a little at the contact.
Plastered against his chest with those beautiful arms anchoring her there, Heather’s head spun from the feel of his mouth on hers. She wanted so much more but then he set her away and dropped his arms from around her.
‘Thanks for looking after me. A man could get used it, you know.’ With one last searing look, the hurt curbed only by the swelling of one eye, he moved around her and went quietly on bare feet.
Heather clamped a hand on her chest to still the erratic beat and prayed she could withstand the call of attraction before it broke her heart.
Chapter 12
Heather stretched on the soft mattress, aware of the silence around her except for the early morning call of the parrots and the cries of black crows in the trees. The unfamiliar bed was comfortable and she’d slept well in between checking up on Travis.
She’d thought about sleeping in the chair next to his bed, but the temptation to crawl into the bed next to him was too great. He’d been right about Casey though. She hadn’t left his side all night.
Heather sat and swung her legs to the floor. At least she’d been able to keep an eye on them both. The last time she’d checked in, Casey had been tucked up in her sleeping bag on a mattress on the floor, her teddy squashed in against her and her thumb in her mouth.
Moving to the bathroom across the hall, Heather located a tube of toothpaste to finger-brush her teeth. God, she was dying for a cup of tea. She tugged on the skirt of her dress to straighten it and smoothed out the wrinkles as best she could. There was little she could do for her tangled mass of curls.
Quietly, she pushed open the door to Travis’ bedroom from where she’d left it ajar in case he called out during the night. He slept soundly on his back with Casey curled into the crook of his arm on top of the covers. Heather’s heart softened. Somewhere before dawn the little girl must have crept in beside him. Her love and concern for her uncle couldn’t have been clearer. If they were ever parted, it would hurt Casey deeply. She had to make sure that never happened.
In sleep, they looked so alike, the Bailey genes Travis and his twin had shared obvious in the little girl’s features. Except for the nose. The shape looked awfully like Zac Bannister’s, just smaller. And that struck the fear of God into her.
Travis stirred, his right eye flickering open while the other stayed swollen closed. ‘Hey.’
‘Hey, yourself. How’s the head?’ she whispered, not wanting to wake Casey just yet.
He pressed a hand to his face. ‘Head’s fine, face hurts.’
‘Poor baby,’ Heather teased. ‘I’ll get you fresh water and painkillers.’
‘What time is it?’
‘After half six.’
‘Shit. I should be fixing the bloody tractor. If I don’t harvest the canola by the end of next week, it’ll be too late.’
He eased his arm out from under Casey’s head and threw back the covers. She whimpered in her sleep and turned over to cuddle down under them. Travis sat up and tucked her in.
‘You heard Doc Benson yesterday. Until he gives you the all clear, you’re not to do a thing.’
He stood, dwarfing her with his height and width. Gentle hands wrapped around her upper arms. ‘You want to stop me, sweetheart?’ he asked, his voice a low throb in the room. ‘A man’s land waits for no one unfortunately. Although, if my ribs didn’t hurt so damn much I could happily be kept from it in other ways.’
Those magic hands ran the length of her arms and up again, leaving a trail of happy goosebumps in their wake and a vision of ways to distract him from his work.
Heather tried hard to concentrate on his words, but his bare chest was level with her face and all she could see was him.
After his shower the night before, he’d pulled on a pair of cotton sleep shorts that hung tantalisingly low on his hips and revealed a dusky trail from below his navel to under the elastic waistband. Standing this close, she was left in no doubt of what that trail led to. Temptation she had to resist.
Raising her hand, she let her palm rest on the warmth of his chest for a moment before easing out of his reach. ‘I’ll put the kettle on for tea,’ she said and turned to walk out the door, willing herself not to look back because if she did, she wouldn’t be able to resist him.
In the kitchen, she filled the kettle with water and flicked the switch to set it to boil. Distance between them was the key, she reminded herself. Once Doc Benson gave Travis the all clear, she would bring their relationship back to the professional level where it belonged.
She couldn’t allow her feelings for him to compromise his guardianship of Casey. Any hint of a scandal or relationship between them would put the little girl’s future in jeopardy. She couldn’t allow personal feelings to get in the way of professionalism, although it seemed it was too late. Both of them had her heart in their hands already.
Travis came through dressed in jeans and a dark T-shirt as she poured the hot water into the mugs for the tea. Ignoring how sexy he looked, she jiggled the teabags until the dark liquid seeped out and mixed with the clear. She watched the swirl of tea sink to the bottom of the mug and felt the warmth of him against her back, his hands flat on her hips.
‘Thank you for staying with me.’
The press of his mouth against her hair had her leaning back into him, her eyes closed as a reply dried up on her tongue. When those hands folded across her tummy, she didn’t have words to protest. Warm lips travelled down her cheek as he pressed her back into him.
‘You taste so good,’ he whispered against her ear, nibbled the lobe and proceeded to press butterfly kisses against her neck.
Heather covered his hands with hers and pressed them closer. Oh God, just to enjoy his touch for a moment longer before facing the cold, hard slap of reality. What harm could it do? She allowed her head to fall back against his shoulder as he let go of her hand and his fingers travelled across her ri
bcage, grazing the underside of her breasts.
‘Travis.’
His name came out on a sigh. She should tell him to stop but the flick of his tongue on her skin felt too good, too damn right. And when the palm of his hand caressed the roundness of her breast, Heather lost the will to protest or pretend she wasn’t enjoying every stroke and press of his hands.
His kiss was light on her lips as he turned her in his arms, his tongue teasing a response from hers. She let her hands wander, encounter the growth of stubble along his jaw that scraped her palms, and cupped her hands on his face.
‘What if Casey comes in?’ Heather didn’t want him to stop but they had to think of the consequences if the little girl wandered in.
‘She’ll sleep for another hour yet unless I wake her.’
Behind her, he moved the mugs of tea and lifted her up onto the bench so her body was level with his then he stepped between her legs and she felt him, hard and thick, against her.
‘Sweet Jesus, Heather, you drive a man crazy,’ he lifted his head to whisper, his eyes searching hers.
In them she saw lust, desire, need … and something deeper. All the reasons to deny him didn’t seem important anymore, only this heart-rending urgency to have him inside her counted. To ride the length of him and let go of everything holding them back, to give themselves over to their need for each other at this moment in time, and chase the dark shadows away for a while.
Heather twisted closer, shifted to accommodate him, almost crying out at the rub of his jeans against the junction of her thighs. Then her hands were on his zipper, dragging it down, reaching for him.
He moaned against her lips. ‘Fuck. Sweetheart, please tell me you want this?’
‘I do. Oh, Travis, I do.’ Desperation made her words sound like a sob.
‘Whatever happens …’ he murmured, closing his eyes as if he didn’t want to face reality either.
‘Hush.’
She took control of his lips, not wanting words to come between them. Later they would worry about consequences, but right now in their own little world with no one to witness their spiral into desperate need for each other, all she wanted was Travis.
