A slow fluttering started somewhere low in Mackenzie’s abdomen at the way he was staring at her. She saw the desire in his eyes. Instantly she knew. He wanted to kiss her again and everything within her wanted to feel his lips on hers again. Beneath the water they clasped hands, entwining their fingers. She swallowed, trying to move the lump still lodged in her throat. When she breathed out, the first word on her lips was his name.
“Nath—”
He pulled her back toward him and she went willingly. When he leaned in to kiss her again, she responded without hesitation. This time their kiss lingered and his hands ran up her back until his fingers snagged in her wet hair at the nape of her neck. Mackenzie closed her eyes, savoring the softness of his lips against hers and the feel of his hand as it inched its way up her neck, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. He was kissing her like a man desperate for water and she responded, hungrily.
As long as she could remember, she had wanted to be kissed this way and now her dream was fulfilled.
Chapter 16
They swam for another half an hour, cooling off as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Neither of them mentioned the kiss again, but rather than it leaving a sense of awkwardness between them, it made Mackenzie feel even more comfortable in his presence. When he decided it was time to head back she climbed out of the pool and got dressed, not feeling her usual self-consciousness at her figure or her un-matched underwear. Nathan didn’t seem to care, so why should she?
Back at their campsite, Nathan built a small fire and cooked kangaroo steaks on a small frypan over hot coals. It was the first time Mackenzie had tasted the meat. She had expected it to gamey and tough and was amazed by how tender it was. After dinner she leaned back, her body weight supported on her elbows, and admired Nathan’s backside as she followed his movements around the campsite. He tidied things up while she stayed where she was, watching the fire snap and pop in front of her.
“I’ve never camped out before,” she said as he set up their separate swags side by side on the hard dirt. She tried not to picture herself sleeping in the same swag as him, but failed miserably.
“Think of it as five-star sleeping,” he said.
“But what if a snake or something crawls over me while I’m asleep?”
“You’ll be fine. These swags have a cover that zips over the top of you like this.” He demonstrated.
“I hope I’m not claustrophobic.”
“After such a big day I reckon you’ll fall into a dreamless sleep immediately.”
Don’t be so sure. I’m likely to fall asleep and dream about you all night.
After everything was organized, they settled into easy conversation, sitting side by side, legs outstretched and thighs touching, in front of the fire. For such a remote location, it was surprisingly noisy. Nathan draped his arm across Mackenzie’s shoulder and she marveled at the way she fitted beside him as though it was perfectly natural and they’d been doing it that way for years.
As the sun set in a blaze of color in the western sky, a cool breeze picked up and she snuggled deeper into his side to stay warm. She could get used to this. When he pulled a packet of marshmallows from his backpack, she decided right then that he was the perfect man.
“I’ve never seen you this relaxed before,” he said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this relaxed in my whole life.” She wished she could see his face properly in the inky darkness. “And I have you to thank for that.” She found his hand, squeezing it. “Today has been incredible. Thank you so much for bringing me up here. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
Nathan returned the touch, not letting go, and for the next few minutes his thumb lazily caressed circles across the back of her hand.
“Has anyone ever told you how pretty you are, Mackenzie?”
The question came from nowhere, causing her heart to leap into her throat. She swallowed uncomfortably. “Um, no.”
“Not your dad? A boyfriend …?”
Mackenzie wasn’t ready for how deep their conversation had gone. She hesitated before answering. “I’ve had a few relationships, but nothing serious. I went out with one guy for almost six months but it was long distance so it was never going to work.” She pushed her hair back from her face. “How about you? You must get sick of hearing all the girls tell you how good-looking you are.”
He laughed. “You make it sound like I’ve had dozens of women.”
“Well, have you?”
“I dated a few girls when I lived in the UK,” he said with a chuckle.
“At once?”
“Of course not!”
“I was joking,” Mackenzie said.
They both laughed. In the silence the fire popped loudly and the logs settled into a different position. Mackenzie stared up at the stars in the moon-washed ceiling. There wasn’t a cloud in sight.
“So you’ve gone out with a few girls. Anyone long term?” She needed to know.
“I had one relationship that looked like it might have gotten serious but she had no intention of ever leaving her family in England and I had no intention of staying away from Australia forever. In the end, we agreed it wasn’t going to work. Like you, I don’t believe long-distance relationships can work.”
“What was her name?”
After a slight pause, he answered softly. “Ellie.”
The wistful way he said her name had Mackenzie’s mind racing in all the wrong directions. Maybe Charlotte was right. Whoever Ellie was, perhaps she had broken his heart, or maybe he was still in love with her.
“I bet the women over there hung off you. Tall, dark, handsome Aussie bloke. I bet you were never stuck for a date. So, how many girlfriends have you had?”
“Why do women want to know that sort of thing?” he asked, sounding perplexed.
Mackenzie shrugged, then remembered he couldn’t see her in the dark. “Oh, I don’t know.”
There was a long silence between them. Nathan got up and threw another log onto the dying embers. Sparks flew upward and disappeared into the darkness.
“So Kenz, tell me about you. Start with why you’re still single.”
“I guess for the same reason as you. I’m still waiting for the right person.” She exhaled. “The problem is, I’m thirty-five and the good old biological clock is ticking so loudly I think it puts lots of guys off. They assume I just want to go out with them just so I can sleep with them to fall pregnant. And that couldn’t be further from the truth!”
“You don’t want kids?” He sounded surprised.
“I desperately want kids, but I’m not going to have sex with anyone just so I can have a baby.”
“So who’s putting pressure on you to have babies?”
She sighed. “My family, especially my father. He can’t wait to have all his daughters married and off his hands. It’s not easy being the only single one left, especially when I’m the oldest and all my sisters are married and having kids.” She snickered. “You watch. I’ll probably end up as that crazy old aunt with a dozen cats!”
Nathan’s laugh filled the night.
“I just want to meet someone who loves me unconditionally for who I am. If that’s too high of an expectation, then I guess I’ll never end up married.”
“Sounds like we’re both looking for the same thing in a partner,” he said softly.
Something moved inside her heart. It wasn’t the first time he’d said that.
“It’s not a crime to be our age and not married with kids you know.”
Mackenzie sighed. “I know, but—”
“No buts.” In the dark he found her hand again and squeezed it tightly. “We’re both looking for the same thing and maybe it’s staring us both in the face.”
Mackenzie’s heart stopped. She drew in her breath sharply. What did he mean?
“Do you have any idea how attractive I find you, Mackenzie?”
She felt heat rush to her cheeks and was glad it was dark. “Um, I think so.”
; Nathan chuckled. “You think so? Wasn’t that kiss in the pool today enough?”
The fluttering started again deep in her belly. “I guess.”
“Does that mean I need to prove it to you again?” His voice was low and husky.
Mackenzie giggled. “Maybe,” she drawled.
“Before I kiss you again, can I say something else?”
“Sure.”
Right now he could say whatever he wanted.
“I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you, Mackenzie Jones.”
That was not what she was expecting to hear.
He leaned over and his lips brushed hers in a tender kiss full of promise and hope.
Chapter 17
Mackenzie woke with the feeling of his kiss still on her lips. A slow smile spread across her face as she remembered the previous day. When she had finally crawled into her swag she had fallen into a dreamless sleep with the scent of him in her hair and his words tucked deep within her heart. She rolled to her side now and gazed at him. He was still sound asleep in his swag beside her. Warmth flooded her veins from her head to the tip of her toes. It felt so right waking up and seeing his face near hers. Her smile widened as the memory of their passionate kisses in the pool the day before came flooding back to her. It hadn’t been a figment of her imagination after all.
Nathan slept with a small frown crumpling his forehead and she wanted to reach over, undo his mosquito net and smooth the lines away with her fingertip. He must have sensed her watching him because he groaned and rolled over, opening one eye and then the other. When he saw her staring, he jumped as though startled to see them lying side by side. His frown deepened.
“Good morning,” she chirped.
“Hey.” He rubbed his eyes as he sat up. “Give me a minute.” He stretched and yawned.
Mackenzie laughed at him as she jumped from her swag. She was a morning person and he definitely was not.
Nathan groaned theatrically. “What’s the rush?”
“No rush.”
She went to the car, humming to herself. She dressed quickly and came back with muesli bars and orange juice. By then Nathan had also dressed and rolled up their swags.
“Sorry, nothing gourmet,” she said as she handed the breakfast to him.
“Thanks.”
“You’re a man of very few words this morning,” she joked.
Nathan merely grunted in reply and Mackenzie had to work hard not to feel miffed. Last night he’d said he was falling in love with her and now he was giving no indication he wanted to pick up where they’d left off. If their kiss was a once-off, she’d be bitterly disappointed, but she’d get over it. Nathan was probably just caught up in the moment. Firelight and stars had a way of doing that. She let out a small huff of frustration at the crazy thoughts spinning in her mind. No doubt she was jumping to conclusions and thinking the worst, as usual.
They finished packing in silence and headed for the car. Thick clouds surrounded the nearby mountain ranges and it looked like it would rain again. The heavy cloud cover made the soil look like dark red blood.
“Sorry, I’m not great in the mornings,” Nathan said when they’d settled into their seats and clicked their belts on. He was so good at knowing what she was thinking.
“That’s okay.” She deliberately kept her voice light and pasted a smile on her face. She didn’t want him to know she was upset.
“No. No, it’s not okay. I don’t want you to think my cranky morning personality is in any way an indication I’m not interested in you.” He scrunched up his face and ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end even more. “I meant what I said last night, Kenzie. There’s something between us and I’d like to see where it leads.”
Mackenzie’s heart sped as he reached for her hand and entwined their fingers. She locked hers around his and when he tugged her gently toward him, she leaned over and the desire for him burst instantaneously through her once more. Their lips met in a delicious, unhurried kiss and then everything in Mackenzie’s world was right again. She fell back in her seat with a sigh of pleasure.
Nathan laughed. “My sentiments exactly,” he said with a grin as he turned the ignition and the car rumbled into life. “I don’t want you to think yesterday’s kisses were one-offs either. If you need reminding, just let me know.”
Longing burst through her again and she had to tear her eyes away from him before she did something crazy like jump on him.
“How would you like to drive out to Wittenoon?” Nathan asked, interrupting the direction of her daydream. “It’s where they used to mine for blue asbestos. The government closed down the town because so many people died from cancer and lung disease, but there’s still a few people living there.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“You and most of Australia, I’d hazard a guess. They removed all references to it from the maps back in 2007. At the same time they stopped all services and de-gazetted it as a town. The government cut off the electricity and stopped the mail service, effectively shutting down the entire town.”
“Are we allowed to go there?”
“Hm, not really, but people still do. No one’s sure how unsafe it is. If you don’t want to go, we won’t. We can just drive through and stay in the car. But if you’re keen, Wittenoon Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in the Pilbara as far as I’m concerned. I’ve packed face masks to be safe, but honestly, if you’re not comfortable going there, we’ll just head back to Iron Ridge.”
“I’m curious, so let’s go.”
For the next hour the breathtakingly beautiful Hamersley Ranges pulled them slowly west as if it had a will of its own. The air-conditioning in the car worked overtime to keep the interior cool. Like a child’s toy, their four-wheel drive felt as though an unseen hand drove it, urging it forward into the hazy distance. It seemed to steer itself down the road which wound its way along the northern end of the national park – the place where the plains met the ranges. The shadow of red, green and steel blue hills on either side of the car bathed the dusty red road.
“It’s stunning isn’t it?” Nathan almost had to shout above the noise of the gravel beneath the tires. For the first time Mackenzie wished for the sealed roads of the city. The corrugations in the road jarred every bone in her body.
“Incredible. Beautiful. Awesome. I can’t find the words to explain it.”
“Makes you understand why the indigenous people love it so much.”
“I’ve heard them say the land is the source of their wellbeing, but it’s never made any sense until now,” Mackenzie said.
“For them, there’s no separation between themselves and the country they live in. You’ll hear them explain they cannot own the land, that it owns them.”
Mackenzie nodded her head in understanding.
Twenty minutes later they arrived at the outskirts of the deserted town and Nathan brought the car to a stop. A large sign warned them of the dangers of entering the area. Nathan glanced at her, concern etched across his features.
“If you don’t want to keep going, just say so and I’ll turn around.”
“It’s all good. I’m okay. Keep going.”
Nathan put the car back into drive and moved slowly forward.
“When did the mine close?” she asked.
“Back in the 1960s I think. It took the government another decade before they realized the blue dust in the air was actually killing people. Then it took another thirty years before they officially declared the town a contaminated site and removed it from existence. We’ll drive past the entrance to the mine. It’s completely overgrown but quite surreal. You can almost picture the men and boys in their dusty clothing walking in and out of the gap in the side of the mountain.”
“You said people still live here?”
“Yep. Three or four permanent residents all determined to keep living in a town that doesn’t officially exist.” Nathan laughed. “You know they still have to pay rates though?”
“That’s crazy.” Mackenzie cast her eyes around at the dilapidated weatherboard homes, overgrown with weeds. Someone had hand-painted a warning on the side of one house: Keep out. Dead inside. Mackenzie shuddered. “How many people used to live here?”
“I don’t know exact numbers, but it was a bigger town than Tom Price. There was a hospital and everything here back in the day.”
“It’s kind of eerie. I feel like I’m being watched.” Mackenzie was certain she’d seen someone peer out from behind a curtain before quickly moving away from the window.
They drove along sealed streets, now cracked and overgrown with weeds. Nathan pointed to a man working beneath the bonnet of an early model Toyota Land Cruiser, which looked as if the man had dragged it through the desert more than once. The man looked up suspiciously. His deeply creased face was silent and intimidating as he watched them pass.
“It feels like we’re trespassing,” she said with a shiver.
“Did you want to head up to the gorge? We can get out of the car but I recommend we wear masks.”
Mackenzie hesitated. “You know what, I’d rather not. I already feel itchy just driving through. I can picture blue asbestos particles clinging to me. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Nathan said as he turned the car around and headed home.
Mackenzie was glad to put some distance between herself and the town. They continued their drive and outcrops of sheer cliff faces seemed to hang in the air above them, the metallic blue iron ore in the rock face shining where the sun hit it. Ridges loomed over them and the color palette once more enthralled Mackenzie. From pastel green to steel blue and blood red all in one visual smorgasbord. At times her mouth hung open in wonder at the beauty that surrounded her. Snatches of stray lines of a long-forgotten poem she had learned in school came to mind. A poem about ragged mountain ranges, sweeping plains and far horizons.
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