by Lucy Clark
Dex stepped closer, so their bodies were almost touching. ‘If I choose to haul you into my arms—’ As he spoke, he acted out the words. Iris’ heart was hammering wildly against her chest, her mouth was dry, and her mind was blank, save for how he made her feel. ‘And kiss you so deeply so we both forget the pain of our pasts, then—’
He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Iris urged his head down. Their mouths melded and fused together with such intensity it shocked them both.
The heat, the passion, the power of what they wanted, what they were giving and taking, was filled with pure mutual need. She had never been kissed like this before. His arms were wrapped around her tight, holding her as close to his body as he could get, whilst her hands wound around his neck, her fingers in his hair, as she made sure he didn’t, for any reason whatsoever, stop this incredible torture he was subjecting her to.
They were on fire, unable to get enough and desperate for more. Nothing mattered any more. Not the hurtful words they’d said to each other, not the logic dictating they were all wrong for each other, and not the scars on her body which had previously kept them from each other.
This was right. The rest of the world was wrong. Time stood still and raw hunger grew.
Lucy Clark is a husband-and-wife writing team. They enjoy taking holidays with their two children, during which they discuss and develop new ideas for their books using the fantastic Australian scenery. They use their daily walks to talk over characterisation and fine details of the wonderful stories they produce, and are avid movie buffs. They live on the edge of a popular wine district in South Australia, and enjoy spending family time together at weekends.
Recent titles by the same author:
NEW BOSS, NEW-YEAR BRIDE BRIDE
ON THE CHILDREN’S WARD
SURGEON BOSS, BACHELOR DAD
A MOTHER FOR HIS TWINS
A BABY TO CARE FOR
BY
LUCY CLARK
To my big sister—Kathy.
Your love and support has been inspirational.
Thanks for looking after me. Ps 63:4
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
CHAPTER ONE
IRIS TENNANT slowed the large four-wheel drive down as she approached the small outback township of Didjabrindagrogalon, known affectionately to its inhabitants as Didja.
She’d been driving for the past three days, across the wide brown land that was her home country of Australia, from Sydney almost to Perth, across the Nullarbor Plains which had seemed endless. Over the past few hours she’d seen the odd tree here and there. Now, though, there seemed to be a plethora of large gum trees on either side of the road, indicating that there was not only life out here but—more importantly—water.
The houses seemed to spring up out of nowhere as though there was a line around the town and you could only build inside it. Iris slowed the car even more as she squinted to see what was up ahead.
‘A set of traffic lights?’ She shook her head as she brought the car to a stop at the red light. She waited, looking left and right and even checking behind her, but she was presently the only car on the road. She waited even longer, sighing with impatience. She’d had a long three days and whilst she’d enjoyed the driving, she was ready to settle into her new accommodation and sleep for at least fifteen hours straight.
Iris picked up the hard copy of the email her friend Melissa Clarkson had sent. Had she made a wrong turn somewhere? She read the directions again. No. She was right where she was supposed to be—if only the light would change! She sat there for a good five minutes—not another car in sight and the only other moving object on the long, flat road was a tumble weed.
She pressed the loudspeaker button on her mobile phone, pleased she had reception, and dialled Melissa’s number. She waited a few seconds yet when the phone was answered, it wasn’t a female voice at all.
‘Please be advised,’ said a deep male voice, ‘that the kissing booth is currently closed for afternoon tea. However, if you’d like to come to the Didja oval to collect your kiss in person, the booth will reopen again in ten minutes. Thank you for calling and have a beaut Australia Day!’
‘Hello? Hello?’ Before Iris could say a word, the call had been disconnected. ‘What the…?’ She looked around again and saw a blue sign that read OVAL pointing down the street. ‘Right. That’s it.’ She drove the car right through the red-light intersection, down the street towards the Didja oval. ‘Kissing booth?’ she murmured, her brow creasing into a frown. Whoever had Melissa’s phone was obviously at the kissing booth so that was the first place she’d start.
Iris drove along at a snail’s pace, heading past the pub, which denied the fact that she had actually entered a ghost town as it was alive with people. Australian flags were everywhere and so were a lot of cars. Utes, minivans, trucks, vehicles of all shapes and sizes—and all covered in layers of reddish-orange dust—were parked around and near the oval, and when Iris finally found a space, she stepped gratefully from the car and stretched out her muscles. She grabbed her phone from the hands-free holder, collected her handbag and locked the car.
As she adjusted her vision to the brighter light outside, Iris searched the wide range of stalls that had been set up on the oval, for the kissing booth. She walked past the hat stall, the knitting stall, the cake stall, the spinning and weaving stall and the ‘get your axe sharpened here’ stall.
She stopped and shielded her eyes from the glare, looking around. ‘Who has a kissing booth?’ she muttered, thinking it an outdated and ridiculous custom.
‘We do!’ a smiling man announced from beside her. Iris turned to look at him and had to stop herself from gaping openly at just how good-looking he was. He was tall—she guessed about six feet five. He had dark unruly brown hair and rich, expressive, brown eyes. There was something oddly familiar about him but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. He was dressed for the occasion in a pair of denim shorts and a cotton shirt with the design of the Australian flag on it. There was a well-worn bush hat on his head and a pair of equally well-worn flip-flops on his feet. He also smelt really good but Iris hadn’t come to Didja to ogle the locals. ‘It’s right this way.’
The tall, dark and handsome stranger tried to link his arm with hers but she managed to evade him. He didn’t seem to mind and, after giving her a shrug, they walked together across the dry grass of the oval to the other side. Iris wasn’t at all sure what to do. On one level she was indignant that this stranger had tried to touch her but on another level she was too tired to argue and debate. He walked close enough beside her that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body and even being this close to him gave her a funny sense of awareness. She softly shook her head. She must be more exhausted than she’d realised.
‘Yep, kissing booth is just over there.’ He pointed across the oval as they kept walking. ‘I’ve just had a quick break and now I’m back on duty so you are most definitely in luck.’
Iris wasn’t at all sure what he was going on about but if Melissa’s phone had been at the kissing booth then there was a good chance she’d find Melissa there, or at least someone who knew where she was.
‘In luck?’ She frowned at him but he merely grinned and waggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively. He really was very good-looking…But that was bes
ide the point. ‘Actually, you might be able to help me. I’m looking for—’
‘Oops,’ he said as the kissing booth came into view. ‘Looks as though the line has grown longer. Sorry. You’ll have to get on the end and wait your turn, I’m afraid.’ He looked almost disappointed. ‘Fair is fair, after all.’
‘Dexter!’ A woman called, and the man beside Iris waved.
‘Coming. I’m coming,’ her guide replied. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked intently into her sunglasses, pleased they weren’t the mirrored type as he was able to vaguely see her eyes behind them.
‘You’re Dexter?’ Iris looked at him with great intent, recalling Melissa’s tales of her brother Dexter and how he was something of a playboy. Never able to settle down with one girl but instead preferring to play a wide and open field. Whilst she could quite easily understand the appeal of the man, gorgeous as he was, he most certainly wasn’t her type and she kept her guard in place lest he try and turn that boyish charm she’d heard about in her direction. Add to all of that the fact that he was also one of her new colleagues, given that he worked at the Didja Medical Centre, and that definitely meant any relationship with him would have to remain strictly professional.
‘I see my reputation precedes me.’ He didn’t seem at all perturbed by her knowing who he was. He edged a little closer, his brown eyes intent. ‘You will come and see me at the kissing booth, won’t you?’ His tone was quiet and imploring.
‘Er…’ Iris was lost for words. Did the man hit on every female he met? Or was this simply what they meant about country hospitality? People just jumped right into your life as though they’d known you for ever? Tried to touch you in a too-familiar way? Asked you to visit them at a kissing booth?
‘It’s all for a good cause,’ he went on as though he sensed she needed convincing. ‘All proceeds from today’s Australia Day fair go to towards getting an ambulance for the town.’
‘The town doesn’t have an ambulance?’ Iris was momentarily stunned.
His smile was wide and utterly gorgeous as he started walking backwards. ‘Not yet, but we’re extremely optimistic.’ With that, he turned and broke into an easy jog. People were milling across the oval and in another instant she’d lost sight of him.
She stood there, trying to get her bearings and wondering whether she was really awake or whether she’d pulled into a parking area and was having a ten-minute nap. A fly landed on her face and she swatted it away. ‘Definitely awake,’ she whispered. She took a few steps forward, looking for Melissa’s brother. ‘Good-looking and he knows it,’ she murmured, wondering if he would have a horde of women waiting in line for him at that kissing booth. When she eventually found it, she discovered she was right.
Dexter was seated behind a counter, his lips pressed to those of a brunette, who was in front of a redhead, who was in front of a blonde, who was in front of about ten other women of all shapes and sizes. Well, she certainly hoped he was using breath mints. What Iris hadn’t expected to see was right beside the line of females was a line of very disgruntled males and the lady they were waiting to kiss was none other than her friend Melissa.
‘Lis!’ Iris dodged the line and walked right up to the front where Melissa was currently lip-locked with a tall, gorgeous man.
‘Oi. No sheilas in the blokes’ line. Them’s the rules,’ a man behind her called, but she ignored him. Iris shifted her sunglasses to the top of her head and simply glared at her friend. ‘Lis?’ Was everyone in this town completely stark raving mad?
Melissa jerked back, tearing her lips from the man she’d been quite amorously kissing. ‘Iris! Hi. You made it. Oh, I’ve been so worried. Why did you insist on driving all that way by yourself? Three days. Three long days in the Australian heat. Anything could have happened.’
‘Far more is happening here.’ Iris pointed to the man who was still at the front of the line. ‘I thought you got engaged?’ she whispered.
‘I did.’ Melissa smiled and ran her fingers through the man’s hair. ‘Iris, this is my fiancé, Joss Lawson.’
‘Iris?’ Joss released his fiancée. ‘This is Iris? Iris! You’re here!’ Joss shook her hand warmly, enveloping it with both of his. ‘My paediatrician.’ He dropped her hand and pulled her forward for a quick hug. Iris looked wide-eyed at Melissa as if to say, What is going on here? Melissa merely shrugged and laughed. ‘You’re here. Iris, my paediatrician.’ Joss let her go and shook her hand again. ‘Welcome. Welcome.’
‘Don’t mind him,’ Melissa replied flippantly. ‘His first true love is the clinic. I’m coming to terms with it.’
Iris was a little taken aback at Joss’s joyous and hearty welcome. ‘Er…thanks, I think.’ There was a grumble from the men behind them. ‘Ah…Joss. You appear to be holding up the line.’
‘Oh, I’m not holding it up,’ Joss remarked casually as he leaned over the counter and kissed Melissa’s lips once more before handing her some more money. ‘I am the line.’ He indicated all the men behind him. ‘These fellas just don’t know how to take a hint. You’re not kissing her,’ he told them all, and received a variety of comments as an answer.
‘How on earth did you get talked into a kissing booth?’ Iris wanted to know.
Melissa jerked her thumb at her brother, who was sitting beside her, kissing the blonde. Gee, he was moving through them quite quickly. ‘Dex talked me into it. Said if I wanted to spend time with him, I had to do it at the kissing booth. Well, I can’t very well kiss my own brother, now, can I, so that left me with doing a stint on the female side.’ Melissa had originally come to Didja to find the brother she’d never known, both of them having been adopted out to different families when they’d been young.
‘And it’s going to leave me broke,’ Joss teased.
‘It’s for a good cause,’ Melissa countered. ‘With the funding from the government and today’s takings, we should have our very own ambulance in about two months’ time! Very exciting.’
As Iris looked at brother and sister side by side, she saw clearly why she’d found Dexter immediately familiar. Dexter and Melissa shared the same colour and shaped eyes, their smiles a little alike as well.
‘Anyway, let me introduce you to Dex.’
‘We’ve met,’ Dex interjected, having finished with his latest customer. ‘Just before. Walking across the oval. A definite connection. It was love at first sight.’ His voice was deep and he raised a rakish eyebrow in Iris’s direction.
‘You’re such an over-actor.’ Melissa chuckled and turned to Iris. ‘He’s not even three weeks after surgery and both Joss and I are very concerned about him. I wanted him to take it easy, to stay close, but, no—he’s gotta go and volunteer for the kissing booth!’
‘Kissing is hardly taxing on the system, Lis.’
Joss chuckled. ‘I don’t know about that, mate. When I kiss Lis, it’s very—’
‘All right. Enough of that,’ Melissa interjected before Joss said too much.
‘Dex!’ The woman next in line started complaining that he wasn’t giving her his undivided attention, which she’d paid for. Dex, however, was finding it difficult to tear his gaze away from the new lady in town. She had long, strawberry blonde hair, pulled back in one long plait down her back. She was fairly tall, probably around five feet ten, and her build was slight, or at least he thought it was beneath the baggy clothes she wore. However, it was her eyes that held him captivated. The most deep, rich shade of green—like pure emeralds. Her complexion was fair and she had a smattering of freckles over her nose. She also wore no hat and he was instantly concerned that she’d get sunburnt.
He’d heard what Joss had said. This mystery lady was the new paediatrician and Dex couldn’t be happier. They’d managed to secure her services for the next six months and even though she appeared over-dressed in her long-sleeved cotton shirt and long cotton trousers, he was most definitely looking forward to working alongside her.
‘Dex!’
‘Huh?’ He snapped
out of staring mode and looked back to the line of adoring females waiting for him. ‘Right. Must focus.’
Melissa and Joss chuckled.
‘Ambulance. Must raise money for an ambulance.’ He winked at Iris. ‘It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it.’
‘There’s only five more minutes left before my shift is over,’ Melissa said to Iris. ‘Then we can show you around.’
‘Is Dex leaving too?’ The woman first in the female line asked.
‘I think he’s doing an extra—’ Melissa started, but Dex quickly cut her off.
‘I’m about done.’
‘Who’s next on the roster to take over?’ Melissa asked Joss.
‘Me,’ came a call from behind Joss, and they all looked around to see a largish man, slightly balding, dressed in a too-tight, too-small football jersey and a pair of equally too-tight football shorts.
‘Then quick!’ The woman in line grabbed Dex by the lapels of his shirt and pulled him forward, smacking her lips to his.
‘Ah…Bluey. You’re right on time,’ Joss remarked, clapping the man on the back.
‘And I’m taking over for Melissa,’ a bright bubbly blonde called Bridget said.
‘You can start right now if you like,’ Joss said as Melissa collected her bag and hat and came around to stand beside him. ‘I think the poor men of Didja have been waiting long enough.’ Joss kissed his fiancée again before putting his old bush hat on his head. ‘Do I have to pay for that one?’
Melissa laughed and took his hand in hers. ‘Come on, let’s show Iris around. Introduce her to some people.’
At this news, Dex was up and out of his seat so fast he almost knocked the last kissee to the ground. ‘Sorry,’ he murmured as he came around the booth. His departure was followed by a collective groan of disgust as Bluey stepped up to the plate.
‘I can show Iris around,’ he said as he caught up to Melissa, Joss and Iris.
Melissa raised an eyebrow. ‘It’s not like you to walk away from doing your civic duty.’ She pointed to the waiting line of females, some of who were deciding to spend their money elsewhere rather than kiss Bluey.
