Finding Love Down Under

by Jay, Donna

  A visit to the Taupo Hot Springs thermal pools was a must for Claire when passing through the town. For some reason the idea didn’t seem to appeal to Zoe. Maybe she didn’t like swimming. Still, that didn’t explain the confused look on her face.

  “What the heck are togs?” Zoe quirked an eyebrow.

  Understanding dawned on Claire. However, Zoe was so gullible she couldn’t help but tease her.

  “It’s a swimsuit that wraps around you similar to a toga. It prevents water being forced into every orifice when you rocket out of the end of the hydro-slide.” Claire turned her knees in and cupped her crotch. “Trust me, some things you don’t want to experience.”

  Zoe pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “Are you kidding me?”

  Happy to have lightened the mood, and the oppressive atmosphere of the last few weeks, Claire let Zoe off the hook. “Yep, I am. We call a swimsuit togs, so pack your itty bitty ‘kini.”

  A shy smile curved Zoe’s lips, and a cute dimple appeared on her cheek. “I’m a one-piece girl. Wearing a bikini feels too much like parading around in front of strangers in my underwear.”

  It was on the tip of Claire’s tongue to point out Zoe was no longer a stranger and she was welcome to parade around the house in her bra and undies. Not only would it be inappropriate to say such a thing, but all bets would be off keeping her hands off the petite brunette if she did so.

  “Get a good night’s sleep. It’ll be a long day.” Claire picked up her book and headed to her bedroom, intent on doing the same.

  ***

  The cold overcast day Claire awoke to Saturday morning did nothing to lessen her exuberant mood. It’d been months since she’d seen her best friend and she couldn’t wait to catch up. Many friends had come in and out of her life while boarding at Napier Girls High. She’d lost touch with most, but she and Janie remained thick as thieves.

  Despite the two-hour distance separating them, or how many months passed between visits, whenever they got together they picked up where they’d left off, as though no time had lapsed at all.

  After a quick breakfast of eggs on toast, cooked to perfection by Zoe, they loaded up the car and hit the road.

  “The trip normally takes a little under two-hours, but it’s not unusual for there to be a heavy fog on the Napier-Taupo road.” Claire informed Zoe. Thick grey clouds hovering overhead made the chances of that happening highly likely.

  An hour into the trip, Claire pointed to a yellow sign on the side of the road with Slow to 40 stamped across the middle. “I hope you don’t get carsick. From here on in it’s a long winding road.” She stated the obvious just before they rounded a sharp bend at the top of a steep hill.

  Zoe sat with her feet braced against the floor, as if she had her own foot brake. “I’m still getting use to sitting on the left hand side without a steering wheel.”

  “Oh that’s right, you people drive on the wrong-side of the road in Canada, don’t you?” Claire kept her eyes on the road. A light fog had descended and visibility was limited.

  Her passenger let out a soft chuckle. “Nope, you drive on the left. We drive on the right side.”

  Enjoying Zoe’s wit, Claire smiled. “Touché.” She nodded to another sign as they approached an S-bend. “Do they warn you about things like that in Canada?” She chanced a glance at Zoe.

  An adorable shade of pink coloured her cheeks. “Wow, ‘ slippery when wet’.”

  Claire slowed to take the corner. “Complete with skid marks,” she commented as she drove past the sign.

  “Oh, my, word. Way to kill a sexy innuendo.” Zoe’s voice was shrill.

  Realizing it was rather crass, Claire feigned innocence. “Whatever do you mean?”

  Not bothering to grace her with a reply, Zoe clutched her safety belt while peering out the side window. “Holy cow, New Zealand has some freaky roads. We’re driving on the edge of a cliff.”

  The road to Taupo was beautiful, although a little treacherous. The knee-high fences offered some sense of comfort to drivers, but Claire doubted they’d offer much resistance to an out of control car. A reason she was happy to take it slow. “There’s a rest area at the top of the next hill. We can take a break and stretch our legs. Okay?”

  “You don’t have to stop for me. I’m fine.”

  Biting back the urge to tell Zoe not everything was about her, or an inconvenience, Claire took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I want to stop. The view’s stunning.”

  “Sorry, I thought you wanted to take a break because I complained about the roads.” Sincerity laced Zoe’s words. “I’d love to stop.”

  Dirt and gravel flicked up when Claire pulled to the shoulder of the road to let traffic pass before she crossed the centre line and followed a narrow road into a sealed viewing area.

  When Zoe reached over and absently squeezed Claire’s hand, Claire almost jumped out of her skin.

  “Oh, wow. Is that a waterfall?” Zoe pointed out the windscreen, leaning forward in her seat as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.

  The Waipunga River, surrounded by lush green foliage and scrubby dark bushes, crested over the top of a steep bank. Claire felt like she was on top of the world. Zoe’s pleasure was so obvious it was contagious. “We’ll have to get out to get close enough to see the entire forty-meter drop.”

  As soon as the car came to a stop, Zoe fished her camera out of her bag, then jumped out. A blast of cold air whipped through the car as she exited. Chuckling at Zoe’s enthusiasm, Claire grabbed their jackets off the back seat and followed. “Here.” She tossed Zoe’s jacket to her and shucked into her own.

  “Thank you.” Zoe held her camera between her legs and pulled her coat on. “It’s freezing.”

  Considering it was the middle of winter, and they were at such a high altitude, the cold temperature was to be expected. Claire looped an arm through Zoe’s and breathed out a sigh of relief when she didn’t shy away. “Isn’t the view gorgeous?” She towed Zoe toward a huge boulder by the cliff edge.

  Gratitude shined in Zoe’s eyes when she turned to look at Claire. “Yes. Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “My pleasure.” Claire meant it from the bottom of her heart. Reluctantly, she pulled her arm out from Zoe’s. “Give me your camera. I’ll take a picture of you with the waterfall in the background.”

  A breeze blew Zoe’s hair around her face. She handed the camera over, then gathered the long strands in her other hand, and tucked the length under the collar of her jacket.

  Claire dropped the camera into her pocket, then took both of Zoe’s hands in her own. Zoe’s hazel eyes held her gaze. The way she put her trust in Claire’s hands called to Claire in so many ways it made her heart race. Saliva pooled in her mouth. She swallowed it down along with her growing attraction. “Climb up on the boulder. I’ll hold you until you’ve got your balance, okay?”

  Zoe nodded holding onto Claire like a lifeline. “Is it safe?”

  Perfectly, as long as she didn’t jump off the cliff. “The top of the rock is flat so you’ll be fine for a few minutes.” Claire let go of her hands and Zoe straightened. “You okay?”

  A small tremor rippled through Zoe, or maybe the wind had ruffled the bottom of her jeans. “Fine, but I’m not a fan of heights so make it quick.”

  Okay, so it hadn’t been the wind. Claire wanted to tell Zoe how proud of her she was for being so brave. Peering over the cliff, it was a long, long, way down.

  The view through the digital camera stole Claire’s breath away. She didn’t know what she liked looking at more. The waterfall segmented by three parallel columns plummeting forty-meters, or the tight-lipped striking brunette.

  Adjusting the angle of the camera to capture the falls in the background, Claire said the words that never failed to make her smile. “Say elephant.”

  A cute dimple creased Zoe’s cheek. “Elephant.” She giggled.

  Claire clicked two pictures in quick succession, pocketed the camera, then extended a han
d. Zoe grabbed hold, but rather than climb down from the rock she jumped, landing toe to toe with Claire.

  They stood so close their jackets brushed together. Zoe looked up at Claire, her face flushed and lips slightly parted. Claire wanted nothing more than to kiss her. What if she did? Would Zoe melt into the kiss or shy away? Hell, she hadn’t even told Zoe she was gay, although Claire suspected Zoe had figured it out for herself.

  Before Claire could act, a campervan pulled in, making the decision for her. It wasn’t the right time. Relieved she hadn’t acted on impulse, yet strangely disappointed, she handed the camera back to Zoe. “Come on, let’s get out of here before we catch a chill.”

  Chapter 9

  An hour later, they crested a hill. Tall green trees gave way to an expanse of blue. “Welcome to Lake Taupo.” Claire smiled at Zoe, pleased to see she no longer had a white knuckled death grip on the door handle.

  “I read about the lake. Is it true it was formed by a volcanic explosion?”

  “Apparently so. Twenty thousand odd years ago according to everything I’ve read. But, given I’m only twenty-seven, I can’t say for sure. What I do know for a fact is there are Maori carvings on the cliffs of Mine Bay.” Claire nodded to the island mass in the lake as she recalled an image of a tuatara (lizard) carved into one of the rocks. “It’s believed the carvings help protect the lake from volcanic activity bubbling underneath.”

  A warm feeling settled over Claire when a favourite childhood memory of a visit to the lake came to mind. Even though she now resided in a town on the seaside, a perilous part of the Pacific Ocean with limited access points, she preferred the freshwater lake over saltwater. “We didn’t have many family holidays as kids. There was always too much to do on the farm. The year I turned twelve, my parents surprised Tyler and I with a trip to the lake. We spent hours playing in the water, making boats out of pumice and twigs, bombing them with stones.”

  Claire slowed the car as the turn-off to De-Bretts Spa and Resort came into view. “But today I think we better stick to the hot pools.” It was on the tip of Claire’s tongue to say they could visit the lake during summer, but with no clue how long Zoe intended to stick around, it might sound a little presumptuous.

  As Claire turned left into the car park, Zoe angled herself sideways in her seat.

  “Thanks for sharing such a pleasant memory with me. My parents had barely turned twenty when I was born. We didn’t go on many vacations either, but that was because their jobs came first. For as far back as I can remember, I went to afterschool care until Mom picked me up at five o’clock. I often wondered if I was an accident as Ryan didn’t come along until seven years later. By the time I was old enough to be left home alone, I also became his caregiver.”

  Until then, it’d never occurred to Claire how fortunate she’d been to have her mother pick her and Tyler up from school every day. Claire shut off the car and turned to look at Zoe. “That must have been rough.”

  A resigned look crossed Zoe’s face. “No, it wasn’t. I didn’t know any different. Even though my parents were career driven, we never went without.”

  Still, Claire mused, it couldn’t have been easy having adult responsibilities put on such young shoulders. As a child, she used to grumble about the list of daily chores, but in hindsight scooping poop out of the chicken coop, collecting eggs, and helping with feeding the cattle, was no hardship in comparison to absent parents.

  A hand waving in front of Claire bought her back to the present. “Hello? How about we get our togs .” Zoe smirked, finger quoting the word.

  When Zoe stepped out of the individual changing room, Claire’s breath caught in her throat. She had to fight hard not to stare. A light yellow bathing suit complimented porcelain skin, a petite frame, and large round breasts.

  The high cut revealed a perfectly groomed bikini line. Zoe had pulled her long wavy hair up and piled it on top of her head in a messy bun.

  Unbidden, an image flashed through Claire’s mind of kissing the elegant slope of Zoe’s neck, Zoe’s hands bound to a spreader bar suspended from the rafters, completely at Claire’s mercy. She shook her head trying to dislodge the inappropriate images as she descended three steps, hot water stinging her cold toes.

  After tucking her clothes and towel into one of the poolside lockers, Zoe followed Claire into the pool. “Ah, bliss.” She let out a contented sigh, lowering herself slowly until water washed over her collarbones.

  A surge of panic rippled through Claire. Without conscious thought, her arm shot out and wrapped around Zoe’s waist. She turned Zoe and pointed to a poolside sign. “Don’t put your head under.”

  A couple sitting on built in seats, submerged to their necks, glanced in their direction then turned back to two kids playing happily nearby. The swimming complex surrounded by tropical palms and native fauna, also had a children’s play area with fresh water, but the day was too cold for kids to be running around wet.

  Suddenly, Claire realized her hand was resting under Zoe’s left breast. If she rotated her wrist, she’d have a handful. A perfect handful. God she needed to get her head out of her pants, or Zoe’s pants or togs or whatever.

  Unaware of Claire’s inner turmoil, Zoe chuckled. “I read the warning signs.” She turned, and with no good excuse to keep hold of Zoe, Claire reluctantly released her grip. “The lady who took our money also cautioned us.”

  Of course she did, Claire felt like an idiot. She was so used to the spiel she hadn’t paid any attention.

  “Let’s go over there.” Claire indicated to a corner of the pool where the water was bubbling.

  Once there, they hefted themselves up onto an air lounger a foot or so beneath the water, then reclined, their heads supported by a metal bar well clear of the water.

  The side of Zoe’s body bumped against Claire, sending tingles up Claire’s spine, or perhaps it was the jets of water pounding against her back.

  For a long time, they both just stared up at dark grey clouds hovering high in the sky. Lulled by the glug-glug of the bubbling water and the fresh scent of the mineral springs.

  Zoe broke the comfortable silence. “So what’s with the no putting your head under rule?”

  A story she’d been told as a kid, of the time her aunty got a nasty ear infection, ran through Claire’s mind. Luckily, it hadn’t manifest to anything more sinister. “It’s a geothermal pool so the warning is in place to protect you from amoebic meningitis.”

  Zoe sat up so fast she splashed water in Claire’s face. After wiping her eyes, Claire met Zoe’s wide-eyed gaze. She hadn’t meant to alarm her. They’d be fine if they heeded the warnings.

  “Relax.” Claire sat up and shoulder-bumped Zoe. “Did I tell you about the health benefits?”

  Zoe scooped up some bubbles and watched them slip between her fingers. “No.”

  “Lay back.” Claire put a hand on Zoe’s shoulder. “Nothing’s going to swim into your ears up here.”

  Alarm flashed across Zoe’s face as a shiver rocked her upper body.

  Claire wanted to laugh and curse herself at the same time. She’d brought Zoe here to relax, not to scare the living daylights out of her.

  Finally, Zoe smiled and reclined. “Fine, I’ll take my chances. It’s too frickin’ cold to be sitting in the cool breeze wearing a wet swimsuit.”

  Unable to argue with that, Claire lay back and finished what she’d been saying. “The good news is...”

  Zoe interrupted. “We don’t have to go down the hydro-slide.”

  Claire snorted and turned her head to look at Zoe. Zoe had her eyes closed and a huge smile plastered across her face. If it weren’t for the other people frolicking nearby, Claire would’ve been tempted to wipe the cheeky smile off Zoe’s face - with her lips.

  Instead, she pushed down the tug of desire and continued to inform Zoe of the benefits of soaking in the pools. “As I was saying, the mineral-rich contents and temperature of the volcanic spring water purifies skin and eliminates toxins.�
�

  Considering there would be plenty of booze at Janie’s, that last tidbit of information made Claire wonder if it would’ve been wiser to plan the visit for their journey home.

  Chapter 10

  After soaking in the pools, they got a bite to eat in town, did some window shopping, then booked into a twin share hotel room not far from Janie’s.

  Claire tossed her overnight bag on the floor and sat on the side of one of the queen-sized beds. The mattress was soft but firm, perfect for her. “Are you sure you don’t mind sharing a room?”

  “It’s absolutely fine.” Zoe replied, as she sat on the bed opposite Claire, facing her head on, two feet of carpet separating them. “But you should’ve let me pay half.”

  Paying for the room was the least Claire could do considering she hadn’t paid Zoe much in the way of wages. “Nonsense, you’ve more than earned it.”

  “Oh, right.” Zoe sounded disappointed, as if she’d expected a different reply.

  On impulse, Claire blurted out, “And, I like having you around.”

  Zoe’s head shot up. “Thanks, that means a lot. I like you too.” Her cheeks turned pink, and she quickly stood, turned her back to Claire and rummaged through her overnight bag.

  The jeans Zoe wore hugged her backside deliciously. The long forgotten yet still familiar ache of arousal pulsed between Claire’s legs. The temptation to reach out and swat, bite, or caress the firm-round buttocks filling her vision almost overwhelmed her. In all honesty, she wanted to do all of the aforementioned. Instead, Claire dragged her gaze off the tantalizing view, strode to the kitchenette and poured a glass of cold water. She needed to hydrate before hitting the booze anyway. Although, she’d probably take it easy so she had her wits about her enough to keep an eye on her bashful companion.

  “There’ll be lots of wine and giggling women tonight. I can’t do much about the latter, but I told Janie to make sure she had alcohol free punch.”

  Having retrieved her makeup out of her overnight bag on the bed, Zoe turned to look at Claire, eyes full of appreciation. “You didn’t have to do that, but thanks.”