by Cathryn Hein
‘You could call in sick,’ said Matt, only half kidding. He still couldn’t shake the image of her lacy bra.
‘And leave the poor beer-drinking public to Doug alone. I’m not that mean.’
Kate squatted to play handshakes with Patch. ‘What are you going to do with Patch while you’re gone?’
Callie looked at Matt for guidance.
He shrugged. ‘Lock him inside?’
She regarded the dog dubiously. ‘He’d chew the place to pieces.’
‘Laundry?’ suggested Kate.
‘Honk’s enclosure?’
‘Then where would Honk go?’ Callie crouched down to inspect Patch. ‘I suppose I could tie him to the tank.’ She let out a sigh. ‘I can’t do that. It’s mean.’ She cupped the pup’s jaw. ‘Laundry for you, but if you even think about chewing anything you’ll be back with your mum before you can yelp.’
When she was ready, Matt walked with her across the yard to her ute, sneaking looks at her legs and bum, pert in her short black skirt.
‘How much longer will they be, do you think?’ asked Callie, glancing back for the third time, as though she couldn’t bear to leave her animals.
She’d knotted her hair into a loose bun, blonde tendrils drifting in the light breeze. The style exposed the smooth skin of her neck and Matt felt the urge to place a tender kiss on its satiny surface like a magnet pull.
‘No idea.’
‘Are you sure you don’t mind looking after Patch and Honk?’
‘Not a bit.’ He grinned. ‘But it’ll cost you.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘According to you, everything has a price. I’m beginning to think you’re a soldier of fortune.’
‘That’s me. Complete mercenary.’
‘Now that implies someone mean and selfish.’
Matt struck a haughty pose as they halted by her ute. ‘I can be mean and selfish.’
Her eyebrows shot up.
‘I can be anything you want.’ He glanced down at her black leather-clad feet. The thick soles and elastic inserts reminiscent of nurses’ shoes. ‘It’s those sexy shoes. They have me at your mercy.’
She laughed and playfully slapped his chest, then opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat. ‘You really are crazy.’
Balancing his hands on the chassis, he leaned in close. ‘Yeah, about you. I wish you could come tomorrow.’
‘I wish I could too, but Doug’s insistent.’ Her face turned gloomy. ‘I hate work parties. Especially on a Friday. They always get messy.’
‘I’ll drop by when I get back. Make sure you’re okay.’
‘Thanks, but I think I’ll be safe. Dargate’s bound to be tame compared to the Alice.’ She grabbed his arm and twisted his wrist, wincing at the time. ‘I’d better get going.’ She bent forward and turned the key, the movement gaping her shirt and providing him with an unobstructed view of her lace-covered left breast.
‘Callie?’
She reached back to tug on her seatbelt. ‘What?’
Ducking his head, he leaned in and curled his hand around the line of her chin. Her mouth parted, eyes widening in surprise, then he registered nothing more except the exquisite, heart-walloping sensation of her soft mouth on his.
The kiss was intense, brief and meaning laden. Exactly the way he wanted.
‘Happy Valentine’s Day,’ he said, pulling away but leaving his palm in place. Her eyes were huge, her breath shallow, and all he wanted to do was kiss her again. And more. So much more.
Instead, he pressed his lips against her forehead, holding them there a moment with his eyes closed, before finally releasing her. ‘See you first thing tomorrow.’
As Matt stood in the shade of the shed, watching as she reversed out, noting the way her uncertain gaze repeatedly flew back to his as though seeking reassurance this was real and safe and right, he knew he couldn’t lose her.
His secret about Hope would just have to stay hidden.
Eighteen
Callie pressed her wet cheek against Phan’s and wrapped her arms around his neck. The horse didn’t move, accepting her teary farewell with his usual stoicism, content with a belly full of apples.
She pulled away and gave him one last kiss on the nose. ‘You be a good boy, now. Be nice to Ethan and don’t go escaping your paddock.’ Phan blinked his silvery lashes and bunted her in the belly. More tears slid down Callie’s cheeks, her throat thick with sorrow.
Matt placed a steady hand on her back. ‘The Jenkins said you can visit him any time you like.’
She caressed Phan’s silken muzzle. ‘Long drive from Airlie.’
His fingers tensed; a fractional change of pressure that threaded a needle of guilt through her conscience. Their kiss yesterday had changed a lot. She wanted so much to grab what he offered, to give in to her longing and embrace the joyous honesty of love, yet her resolve continued to waver.
Last night, although weary and a little bit heartsore from a Valentine’s Day shift laden with starry-eyed couples, she’d sat on the back step, Patch snoozing at her side, and pondered her situation. She’d thought of Hope; her heartbroken parents; Nanna and Poppy. Emotional forces orbiting like electrons, each in competition. She was wrenched by the desire to do right by all of them, trapped by indecision and the call of her own heart. Then she’d thought of Matt, his sexy confidence and certainty, how he made her feel wanted and admired and special. The way he’d made her insides float with just one short kiss. The future he made her yearn to embrace.
Midnight had passed, cool and cascaded with stars. Goosebumps ranged her arms and legs. Phantom drifted across the paddock, almost pearly in the moonlight, Morton, his body dark and shadowy, following. Insects darted and whirred. A rabbit crept to the edge of the lawn and skittered off. Callie should have been in bed, but she was too lost in introspection.
Another hour of mulling brought no change. All Callie decided was that she still didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t sure she ever would.
Matt broke into her thoughts. ‘We have to go, Callie.’
‘I know.’ She tossed him a watery smile. ‘I’m going to miss him, that’s all.’
‘At least you’ll know he’s safe and looked after.’
She nodded and turned back to give Phan another hug. Pressing her mouth close to his fuzzy ear she whispered a last ‘I love you’ then hauled in a long, tight breath and walked him to the float, Patch scampering alongside.
Instructing Patch to sit, she led Phan into the float and tied his lead to a loop of baling twine while Matt secured the tailgate. She smiled as Phan nibbled at her loose hair, rubbery lips caressing her arm. Love for this tough little horse made her heart swell. This time, if it was truly goodbye, she wanted to say it properly.
She held his head between her hands once more. ‘Phan my man, The Ghost Who Neighs, Phanny Mae, Pharty Phan, you are the best horse in the world. The sweetest, kindest, loveliest animal ever born. Thank you for being my friend.’
With a last kiss on his grey nose, she left the float.
‘Done?’ asked Matt when she stepped down.
Too choked up to speak, she nodded and followed him to the ute.
He settled into the driver’s seat and wound down the window before dangling his hand out. Stepping close, she took it, liking the tenderness of his fingers as they gently squeezed hers. ‘You take care at work today, okay?’
‘I’ll be all right. Doug will be there.’
‘Be careful anyway. Dargate mightn’t be Alice Springs but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its share of dickheads.’ He sighed. ‘I have to go. It’s already seven and they’re collecting Ethan at ten.’ Callie made to step back but Matt tugged on her hand, head tilted toward the window. ‘Come here.’ He smiled, the affection in his green eyes magnetic, promising happiness. ‘Please.’
Insides fluttering, she moved closer.
‘Now bend down.’
Her stomach flutters turned into wingbeats. Drawn by longing, she leaned toward him,
mouth close to his. ‘How far?’
‘A bit further.’
Her lips hovered at the edge of his, her voice soft and husky as though she feared being overheard. ‘Enough?’
‘Never enough. Now hurry up and kiss me.’
She obeyed; a brief, hard and potent connection that left her soaring. Callie drew away, heat flushing her skin. ‘Drive carefully.’
His hand gripped hers. ‘I don’t want to leave now.’
Callie didn’t want him to either. ‘You have to.’
‘See you tomorrow?’
She shook her head. ‘Double shift.’ The hold on her fingers didn’t loosen. He stared grim-faced through the windscreen. ‘Are you going?’ she said when he still didn’t let go.
‘Do I have to?’
‘Yes.’
His pleading, puppy-dog expression could have given Patch a run for his money. ‘Kiss for the road?’
‘Go!’ Callie ordered, laughing as she tugged her hand from his to scoop Patch into the safety of her arms, using his fluffy paw to wave goodbye. ‘Now, or I’ll sic my savage dog onto you.’
With a grin and a horn honk, he finally departed.
Callie was up a ladder dressed in a daggy pair of cut-off denim shorts, an ancient singlet and her fishing Dunlop Volleys when Matt turned up early Sunday morning. Callie followed his progress from her perch, laughing as Honk ambushed him near the water tank. Excited by the drama, Patch erupted into a frenzy of high-pitched yipping, racing around the goose and getting under Matt’s feet.
‘Fuck,’ he said, tripping hard against the water tank, the bouquet of vibrant sunflowers he carried in his right hand swinging as tried to regain his balance. Steady again, Matt threw Honk a furious look. ‘Do that one more time and you’re a roast.’ He switched focus to Patch, still yapping and bouncing like a black-and-white tennis ball. ‘As for you, you little shit, sit!’
Patch sat and held up his paw. Grim-mouthed, Matt shook his head at the dog.
Callie pointed her paint scraper at him. ‘Aren’t you Mr Happy.’
He looked up, expression immediately softening. ‘Sorry. Wasn’t expecting to be attacked.’ He held up the flowers. ‘Wal ordered me to bring these around.’
‘Wal?’
‘Yeah. Sly old bugger saw more than he was meant to on Thursday, so now he’s turned Cupid. I told him not to bother. The arrows have already struck.’
‘Have they?’
He held her gaze, eyes brilliant in the morning sun. ‘You know they have. Are you coming down?’
Callie descended, kissing his cheek as she took the sunflowers. ‘As lovely as these are, a convertible ladder and a wire brush might have turned me on more.’ She smiled at the bright, happy blooms. ‘They’re gorgeous.’
‘Like you.’
She regarded him, thinking the same. He’d teamed a pair of faded but neat jeans with his green-and-white striped shirt, the sleeves rolled up to expose his tanned forearms. A clean soapy smell drifted from his body, the damp ends of his hair curling around his collar. ‘You’re not looking so bad yourself today.’
‘I was hoping I could drag you away from here. Maybe duck across the border for lunch at one of the wineries.’ He nudged her. ‘Should have known my date plans would go awry.’
‘Sorry.’
‘I forgive you.’ He scanned the house walls. ‘Big job, scraping all that back.’
‘Actually it’s kind of therapeutic. Although not as therapeutic as yesterday morning.’ At Matt’s raised eyebrows she explained. ‘I hired a pressure washer. Gave it all a good blast to clean the grime away. There’s something a bit sexy about shooting that water gun.’
‘Disappointed I missed that.’ He eyed her again. ‘I’ll go home and get changed, bring a ladder back.’
‘I’ll put these in water.’
He touched her cheek. ‘Back shortly.’
Calling Patch to heel, Callie took the flowers into the house, only to head out again when she realised the perfect vase was packed away in a box in the machinery shed. She found it in the fourth box – a tall, cut-crystal vase in need of a good clean – and a piece whose fate she’d dithered over.
The vase had the heavy weight of high quality lead crystal and though she wasn’t certain, Callie thought it had once belonged to her great-grandmother. She’d packed and unpacked it twice before repacking it again. A vase wouldn’t bring Nanna back and its disposal wouldn’t mean Callie didn’t love her. But now, as she dug it out of its papery cocoon, Callie experienced a surge of satisfaction, as if she’d corrected some karmic wrong.
The sunflowers looked glorious in the washed vase, their colour refracted in the sparkling crystal. Callie took her time arranging the stems just so, smiling to herself as she worked, thinking of Matt and his kindness while anticipation of his return buzzed like an electric charge across her skin.
Unable to resist, she picked up her phone and snapped a photo of the flowers, then forwarded it to Anna with a message.
Present from local farmer type. Suspect crocodile wrestling capabilities. What 2 do?
Anna’s message came back less than a minute later. KNEW IT! Drives ute?
Laughing, Callie texted straight back. Yes.
Sexy?
Very. With war scar.
RU SERIOUS? Hot in bed?
Unknown.
Make known then if pass test marry.
A few seconds later another text came through. Can u send pic?
No. Don’t want 2 make u jealous.
Cow.
A car sounded in the drive. Callie pumped out a final text. Is here. Later!
Knowing Anna and her capacity for never-ending text conversations, Callie turned the phone off. Except for work, no one else was likely to ring, and the last thing she wanted was her day off ruined with a call from the Royal.
Matt had changed into a pair of daggy cargo shorts, an old blue polo shirt, long football socks pushed down to the ankles and a pair of work boots.
Callie eyed him up and down. ‘You look like a plumber.’
‘As long as I don’t smell like one.’ He didn’t. Despite the work clothes he still smelled of soapy cleanliness. ‘Wal’s sulking.’
‘Why this time?’
‘He expected the flowers to work miracles but I told him you only wanted me for my tools.’
‘He’s right. The question is which tools.’
Matt angled his head and appraised her. ‘You know you’ve just given me a hard-on.’
Callie glanced down but his shorts were too baggy to tell. ‘No control.’
‘Want to test the theory?’
‘It’s a kind offer but right now I have other dirty things on my mind.’ Tool tray in hand, she marched off to the back of the house, halting at her ladder and squinting up at the wall. The paint guy at the hardware store had warned her that scraping the paint was the worst part of the job. Given her minimal progress she could believe him. ‘Maybe I should just pay someone,’ she said when Matt caught up.
‘Why when you can do it yourself?’
‘I don’t know. It’s just such a big job.’
‘Made easier with two.’ He dropped his ladder and slung an arm around her shoulder, earning a jealous yip from Patch. ‘Bugger off, Patch. I saw her first.’ He kissed Callie on the temple. ‘We’ll get it done.’
She smiled up at him, her heart flip-flopping as she took in his indulgent expression. Even now, the rational part of her brain registered that he wasn’t a traditionally handsome man, but that didn’t stop him being sexy as hell. ‘Thanks.’
He smiled back before releasing her to pick up his ladder. ‘You can kiss me proper thanks later.’
*
The morning drifted in a haze of scraping, sweat, old timber smells, the odd curse and a lot of perving. By eleven thirty, they’d completed the entire rear wall and the concrete path was strewn with paint flakes, as if the house had shuddered itself free of dandruff. Despite multiple orders to cut it out, Patch had run him
self silly with his attempts to herd Honk. Each time Callie turned her back, the pup resumed his sneaky stalking, only to be caught out with a hissy counterattack from Honk that set Patch running in yappy circles.
She wished he’d stop. The cuteness was making her love him.
After a brief discussion, they decided it was best to tackle the worst parts first, even if it did mean working in the sun. After taking it in turns to regrease themselves with sunscreen, they carted their equipment to the badly weathered western side of the house. Declaring that the tool-bringer gets to decide who uses it, he banished Callie to Wal’s low-set scaffold and took over the under eaves work on the ladder.
‘What are you looking so pleased about?’ she asked when she caught him grinning down at her.
‘Nothing.’
She narrowed her eyes and pointed her scraper at him. ‘You’re up to something.’
He feigned innocence. ‘Me? Never.’
Callie watched him for a moment before resuming her work. A minute later a flake of paint dropped between her breasts. She frowned and picked it out only for another to hit her shoulder.
‘Great view from up here,’ he said, one eye closed as he aimed another paint scrap at her chest.
The scrap stuck on the swell of her right breast. She picked it off, rolling her eyes.
‘Very schoolboy.’
‘I can be very adult if you want.’
Callie did want. Scraping this side of the house was a mistake. She was hot, sweaty, bored and, after a week of non-stop work, in need of some fun. She gave him one of her sideways looks, mouth quirking in an ‘I dare you’ smile.
He sobered fast. ‘Keep that up and there’ll be consequences.’
‘Oh, yeah. What sort of consequences?’
‘Like I said, keep that up and you’ll find out.’
‘A girl could be tempted.’ Callie dug the scraper into the paint edge and removed a solid run. More scraps landed on her shoulder. She brushed them off without looking up, feigning interest in a timber knot she’d uncovered. When she thought he wasn’t watching, she glanced slyly upward only to meet Matt’s gaze. She smiled again.
