Outback Master

by Lexxie Couper

  “Yeah. We kinda figured that,” Marc said, accepting his handshake.

  “I understand my sister has been visiting here.”

  Keith crossed his arms. “Listen. While we respect a guy looking out for his sister, Harper’s a woman now and more than capable of taking care of herself.”

  Andrew was surprised by Keith’s defense of Harper. His initial thought was that they were the first line in keeping him away from Amy. “I know Harper can take care of herself.”

  “Is that right?” Marc asked.

  Andrew struggled to understand what the fuck was going on. The men appeared to be as protective of his sister as he was. He wasn’t sure whether he should be grateful they’d looked after her or insulted that they seemed to consider him a threat.

  “I didn’t come for Harper.” Andrew wasn’t sure why he was explaining himself to these two jackaroos or stockmen or whatever the hell they were.

  Keith’s entire body relaxed and a grin emerged. “Then you must be here for our Amy.”

  Our Amy. Andrew sucked in a deep breath. “No,” he wanted to say. Amy was his.

  Or so he prayed.

  Then an uncomfortable thought emerged. “I was. But now I’m thinking I might like to know what the hell is going on between you two and my sister.”

  Marc’s anger faded and he looked chagrined. The guilty look had Andrew’s fists clenching again. He knew it!

  “Listen, mate,” Keith raised his hands in surrender. “Harper and Amy are back at the main house. Why don’t we give you a lift and we can all have a nice long chat?”

  “Or you could answer my question here.”

  Keith didn’t seem offended by his demand. Andrew’s respect for the man notched up, despite his suspicions. It was clear one of these men was interested in Harper in a more-than-friendly way. Which meant one of them had upset her enough to call Amy crying. Problem was, Andrew couldn’t figure out which of them was the villain.

  “You’re definitely gonna want to kick our arses later. But I think you need to talk to Harper before we get down to the brawlin’.”

  Our arses? Andrew wasn’t sure what to make of that.

  The image of him and Tom making love to Amy at Velvet Chains drifted through his mind. Then he looked at Marc’s and Keith’s somewhat guilty expressions and imagined the same scenario with the cowboys and Harper.

  He’d fucking kill them.

  “Come on.” Keith turned before he could reply and Marc grabbed the bag at Andrew’s feet. “I know two women who are going to be over the moon to see you.”

  Andrew followed, trying to calm down. He’d gone from excited to arrive, to nervous about seeing Amy, to pissed as hell over whatever the fuck Harper had been up to. If he didn’t find a way to rein all of that in, he was going to screw up everything.

  Marc—and his luggage—sat in the back of the truck while Andrew claimed the passenger seat. None of them spoke on the short ride back to what Keith had called the “main house”. As he rode, it sank in how different his and Amy’s lives truly were. He’d been raised a city boy, but this vast wilderness had been Amy’s childhood home.

  The truck stopped in front of a large, well-kept house. Andrew stepped out just as Harper emerged, standing on the front porch.

  “Andrew?” Harper sprinted toward him, leaping into his arms. He embraced her, so fucking relieved to find her not only healthy, but happier than he’d seen her in years.

  “Damn, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” He kissed the top of her head. “Never again, Harper. I swear to God, I don’t care if you travel to China, you tell me. I promise I’ll give you your space, but you have to at least tell me where you are, keep in touch.”

  “I’ve missed you so much. I’m sorry for leaving the way I did. I just wasn’t sure how—”

  “How to break loose of your insanely overprotective brother. I get it. I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to go to such extremes.”

  Harper shook her head. “I’m just as much to blame as you. I guess we’re long overdue for a heart to heart chat.”

  Andrew nodded. Opening up to Amy had made him realize how long he and Harper had swept the past under the carpet, ignoring the elephant in the room rather than facing it and moving on. “Yeah. We are.” Andrew looked around, aware their conversation could be overheard by the other men.

  Harper noticed his glance. “What do you say we table the conversation until we get home? Enjoy Australia together.”

  He pulled her close for another hug. “Deal. Now…about Marc and Keith. What the hell is—”

  “Andrew?”

  He stopped speaking as Amy’s voice sounded from behind him. He released Harper, trying to figure out why his arms had suddenly gone numb.

  Turning, he faced her. He grinned, so fucking happy to see her again. She was even more beautiful then he remembered.

  She returned his smile, but her eyebrows lifted in rebuke. “So Harper was right. You did travel halfway around the world to find her.”

  He shook his head. “No. I came for you.”

  Her smile faded and he thought she suddenly looked pale. He stepped closer, worried she was going to pass out.

  “For me?” she whispered, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

  Had he misread everything last week? Been so blinded by his own feelings that he’d failed to realize they weren’t returned?

  An older woman cleared her throat loudly, distracting him.

  “I think,” she said, as everyone turned to face her, “that we should leave Amy and her gentleman alone. I’m Hazel Sullivan, by the way. Nice to meet you, Andrew.”

  He nodded by way of introduction, struggling to find his voice. Harper gave him an encouraging smile as she followed Keith and Marc into the house.

  “You seriously flew all this way to see me?”

  Amy’s bewildered tone had him turning once more. “Of course, I did.”

  “What about your job?”

  He lifted one shoulder. “I’m actually here under the guise of scoping out a new location. And to hire a personal assistant.”

  She frowned. “You want to do a story on Australia? Haven’t you already done that?”

  She’d missed the most important part. Even so, he nodded. “My producer is in discussions with a nearby cattle station. One that’s open to tourists. I think it’s sort of the equivalent of a dude ranch back home.”

  She seemed to consider that. “Sounds cool.”

  “And do you think you might be persuaded to accept my job offer?”

  Amy blinked rapidly. “What job offer?”

  “I want you to work as my personal assistant, Amy. Part of my contract negotiations said that I could hire someone to help me prepare for my trips, to travel with me, to keep me on schedule.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “And you want me?”

  “I’ve witnessed your researching abilities firsthand. I grew up in Chicago and you managed to show me things I’d never seen. And your itinerary was superior. I could really use someone with your skills out on the road.”

  His astute Amy didn’t waste any time asking the hard question. “And just how personally would I be assisting you?”

  He grinned ruefully. “That’s up to you. I’m not going to lie. That one week wasn’t enough for me. Maybe this isn’t an ideal situation, the perfect way to pursue a relationship, but I don’t have a fucking clue how else to do it. You live in Australia and I live in America. This was the only way I could figure out to get us in the same time zone. I want to date you, Amy. I want to see if what I think I’m feeling is real. I need to be with you to do that.”

  Amy took his hand and squeezed it. “I’d like to explore my feelings as well.”

  “Give me one year. Hit the road with the show for twelve months. If things go south and you decide you hate me, you can come home. And, in the meantime, you’ll have marked some of those dream places off your travel list.”

  Amy nodded slowly. “It sounds so tempting, but ther
e are so many things that would have to be worked out.”

  “I know I’m asking you to give up a lot. I mean I’d be asking you to leave your home, your job.”

  Amy’s face brightened. “My job.” Her smile grew. “Don’t worry about that. I think I know a suitable replacement for Farpoint’s schoolteacher.”

  Andrew’s gaze narrowed. “Shit. You’re thinking of Harper, aren’t you?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “What the hell is going on between my sister and those cowboys?”

  “They’re not cowboys, Andrew.”

  “Damn it, Amy. I’m not playing semantics with you.”

  “Let’s just say that you owe my friends a favor. While you were being nice to me in Chicago, they were being very nice to your sister here.”

  He swallowed heavily, beating back the sudden rush of anger.

  “And before you go into that house with guns blazing, I think you need to talk to Harper about it. And maybe you could try really listening to her. You know, pay attention.”

  He chuckled. Saucy little wench. God, he loved her.

  His breath caught, then he threw caution and common sense to the wind. “I love you, Amy.”

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up into his face, her eyes shining with happy tears. “I love you, too.”

  Epilogue

  Amy shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked out over the expanse of valley below. Andrew spoke to the camera. They were in Virginia this week and had just tackled Blackrock. The lush, green valley was more beautiful in real life than the pictures she’d studied online and trillium was blooming all around them.

  She glanced at Andrew’s handsome face and smiled. They’d had so many adventures together this year. He filled her days with discovery and her nights with passion.

  “Hey, Amy. The rest of the crew is about to head back down before it gets dark. Last chance to change your mind and sleep in the comfort of the hotel. Tom says it gets cold up here in April.”

  She knew he was teasing her, trying to get her to give in. They’d sort of dared each other to do some backcountry camping while on this excursion. There was a definite chill in the air that they wouldn’t be able to counteract with a campfire. Fires weren’t allowed.

  Even so, she wasn’t worried about the cold.

  “I’ll be fine. But if you’re backing out—”

  Tom laughed and gestured for the rest of the crew to pick up their equipment. “These two will never cry uncle. Let’s roll. See you guys tomorrow afternoon. Happy anniversary.”

  Amy grinned. It had been one year to the day since she’d agreed to join Andrew as his personal assistant. Obviously, Andrew had told his best friend they were celebrating. They’d agreed to talk tonight about her job and the relationship. Amy jokingly referred to it as their contract renewal negotiations.

  Andrew didn’t speak as the others left. Instead, he took her hand and the two of them picked their way through the woods, following the path to the camp they’d set up earlier in the day.

  When they arrived, Andrew unzipped the tent and gestured for her to crawl inside. The wind was picking up and their chilly night was indeed turning cold. They would have to eat their simple dinner inside, sheltered from the brisk air.

  As soon as they were snug in the tight space, Andrew sank down, pulling her with him to cuddle on his sleeping bag. She relished the familiarity of his arms. They’d spent month after month in each other’s arms. Amy had never regretted her decision to leave home, to follow her heart.

  “Happy anniversary.” He’d mentioned the one-year milestone a few times today and she sensed he was anxious to see if she would return home or stay.

  Foolish man. Was it really a question?

  Sitting up, she reached for the tiny flask she’d snuck into her backpack. Uncapping it, she lifted it. “Here’s to many, many more years.”

  She took a sip then passed the Bundy to him. She’d made a rum lover of him this past year.

  He accepted the flask then added to her toast. “Here’s to a lifetime.” Rather than take a drink, he reached into his pocket.

  Amy’s heart began to race the moment he pulled out the small ring box.

  Andrew flipped the lid back, revealing the most beautiful engagement ring she’d ever seen. “Marry me, Amy.”

  So much for popping the question. Andrew, in typical fashion, made it a demand.

  And as always, she responded in kind. “Hurry up and put that ring on my finger.”

  They laughed as he slid the diamond in place.

  The perfect fit.

  The End

  Preview the next book

  Outback Lovers

  Foreign Affairs, Book 4

  Lexxie Couper and Mari Carr

  Chapter 1

  Harper Shaw hitched her bag farther up her shoulder, smiled at the Australian cowboy standing before her and thought, This is not what I was expecting.

  The cowboy’s own smile spread wider over his brown, leathery face. He leaned forward, hooking his fingers around the handle of her suitcase. “You must be the American teacher, right? Welcome t’ Australia.”

  “Thank you, Mr…err…” She gave the cowboy an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name yet.”

  The cowboy pushed his very worn hat back on his head. “Ronnie will do nicely, miss.”

  Harper wasn’t sure which was drier, the gravelly sound of his voice, the red dirt surrounding her or the air she pulled into her lungs with every breath.

  So far autumn in the Outback wasn’t anything like what she’d told her fifth graders. It wasn’t as hot, she hadn’t seen any kangaroos bouncing around and no one had tried to make her eat Vegemite, something every Australian celebrity who went on Leno insisted was delicious.

  Nor was the cowboy in front of her anything like the two cowboys her Australian best friend, Amy Wesson, had said would be collecting her from the airport. Not that she’d told her students how she’d expected the cowboys to look. That conversation had been reserved for after-work cocktails with the few girlfriends she had back in Chicago. In those chats, the cowboys who collected her at the airport—Keith Munroe and Marc Thompson—looked like Ryan Gosling, sounded like Chris Hemsworth and removed their shirts the second they saw her.

  This cowboy was more…homely.

  Oh God, Harper, are you really so superficial?

  Disgusted with herself, she bit back a soft snort. She was here to teach a small group of Australian elementary-aged children, not have a trans-global affair, no matter how erotic it sounded.

  Okay, that was kind of what she was here for. She had, after all, promised herself and her best friend she would do the opposite of everything she’d normally do back home, and back home she was damn near close to being a shut-in. The only boyfriend she’d had in the last four years had been scared off by Andrew—who was the other reason she’d journeyed so far away from home. She needed to get away from her brother. He was on the verge of delivering one of his “big brother knows best” lectures and, by the serious tone in his voice during their last phone conversation, it was going to be a doozy.

  Spending two weeks teaching in a small school on an Outback ranch was just what she needed. A chance to prove she was capable of standing on her own two feet. Of being independent. Of being a woman, damn it.

  It had sounded so exciting when she and Amy had discussed it. The young teacher Harper had met online a year ago had painted such an evocative picture of life in the Australian Outback, Harper couldn’t resist suggesting a “life swap” for two weeks. A brief escape to cloudless sweeping skies, air so fresh it was sweet, young students enamored with everything American, cowboys so sexy they hurt to look at, kangaroos, Tim Tams and an adventure beyond her imagination.

  Now, standing on the dusty runway of the airport at Cobar, the small town closest to the ranch, out in the middle of nowhere with not a tree—or kangaroo—in sight, let alone a building higher than two
stories, Harper wondered if she’d been too eager to pursue the exchange.

  “Shell-shocked, ’eh love?” Ronnie grinned. “Yeah, reckon the Outback is a bit different to where you’re from. But don’t panic yet. Wait until you get to Farpoint.”

  Harper adjusted the brand-new designer sunglasses she’d bought just for this trip, the brilliant autumn sky bright against her eyes. Eyes that had grown accustomed to spending the last twenty-six hours either inside a plane or an airport terminal. “It’s very…different.”

  Ronnie laughed. “City sheila?”

  “City what?”

  He laughed again, the sound close to boisterous guffaws. “Sorry, I’m messin’ with ya. You’re a city girl, yes? Never been outta the big smoke?”

  Harper was sure he was speaking English. Maybe?

  “You’ll love Farpoint,” he went on. “Promise. I’ve worked there for the last fifteen years and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Started as a wet-behind-the-ears jackaroo when I still sounded like a girl.” He turned and began walking toward some sort of red-dirt-covered vehicle that looked as if it wanted to be a pickup when it grew up.

  Harper didn’t follow. Not straightaway. She stood and stared at the alien world she’d committed to spending the next fourteen days in. A world, it seemed, without green. Red dust blew around her ankles. A flock of bone-white birds flew overhead, their screeching calls harsh on her ears.

  “Comin’, miss?”

  She started. “Um, Amy said Keith Munroe and Marc Thompson would be—”

  “They got caught up with a cow,” Ronnie cut her off. “I’m a better driver anyway.”

  Harper chewed her lip for a second before giving the waiting man a nod. She’d never get in a car with a stranger back home. Ever.

  The opposite of everything, remember?

  She tilted her chin and smiled at Ronnie. “Coming.”

  By the time she’d caught up to the cowboy, he’d placed her suitcase in the back of the baby pickup and was holding the passenger door open for her. A little giggle bubbled up in Harper’s throat as she climbed inside. The left door. How weird was it going to be sitting on the left side of a car and not driving?