Elephants and Ever-Afters [Dark Desires 5] (Siren Publishing Sensations)

by Suzy Shearer

  “I had fun, too. Can we do this again? Soon?”

  She nodded, keeping her beautiful eyes on his.

  “How about Saturday? Want to go to the movies?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Okay. I’ll pick you up about six, we can have a meal and then decide what movie to see.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  He kissed her then.

  Kissed her properly like he’d been wanting to since that very first day. She clung to him and gave back as much passion as he did. He couldn’t believe how much this kiss affected him. His legs felt wobbly, and he could feel his heart racing inside his chest. He felt short of breath. Hell, if this is what it was going to be like just kissing her maybe he should get his heart checked just to be on the safe side.

  When they broke apart both were flushed as they stared at each other. He reached out and traced her lips with two fingers, and she closed her eyes. When he took his hand away she opened them.

  “Bye lovely, Laura, see you on Saturday.”

  “Bye, Tobias, thanks again for such a fun day.”

  He waved as he walked down to the veranda to the car. If felt painful leaving her but he was safe in the knowledge he’d see her on Saturday.

  Their trip to dinner and the movies was just as successful as the pub outing. They held hands while walking around and he’d kept his arm around her shoulders in the theatre. Laura had put a hand on his thigh and he was ever so glad to be in a darkened theatre—his erection pressed hard against his pants.

  Much as he wanted to see her again on the Sunday, he was already committed to driving his father up the coast to see an old friend. His working week was full also. They were still settling into the new premises and there were things he and Julian had to oversee. It was unfortunate, it meant he wouldn’t be able to see her again until the following weekend. Tobias explained to Laura how his week was filled already, he didn’t want her thinking he was content to only see her on the weekend.

  “I wish I could see you sooner, but I guess I do have to show my face at work.”

  “I do understand, Tobias,” Laura conceded.

  “Well, in that case, I’ll pick you up around ten next Saturday and we’ll go touring. I’ll show you some of the local sights.”

  “I’d love that.”

  He’d brushed a hand along her cheek, then reluctantly left her at the door of her house around midnight and drove home.

  Next Saturday—he’d have to wait until next Saturday to see her again.

  * * * *

  Laura closed the door behind Tobias after he dropped her back from the movie outing. She leaned her back against the closed door and stood there, her mind filled with a torrent of thoughts. Foremost was the feeling she’d gotten when they kissed, she felt her world implode. It was as if everything was centred on that kiss and she felt its effects from her toes to the ends of her hair.

  Sighing loudly, she pushed off the door and strolled along the hallway and up the stairs as if in a dream. She wondered if her feet were touching the ground because it felt as if she were floating.

  After using the bathroom and changing into her nightie, Laura slipped into bed and lay looking at the ceiling. Parts of the evening were vivid in her mind—the feel of Tobias’s arm around her shoulders in the movies. The way his hand held hers. His hands were hard, calloused and his thumb often rubbed gently against her skin. She could almost feel the imprint of his fingers where he’d ran them against her face as he left. She loved the way he spoke to her, his eyes on hers, and not on any other part of her body.

  Her dreams were filled with him and Laura realised he was never far from her thoughts in the days that followed.

  “Damn, that man has his hooks in me. What on Earth will I do if he walks away?”

  The idea that this may end in heartbreak was very real and each time Laura thought of him leaving she felt so sad.

  On Tuesday, Greg turned up to measure the room for her bookcases. He’d rung on the previous Friday to arrange a date after Julian had spoken with him. Laura had emptied the shelves in the living room of books, packing them in some of the empty boxes she’d kept.

  She and Greg discussed options for shelving, and finally came to an agreement on what would look best and give her maximum storage space. The room was large enough for Laura to have a couple of comfy chairs in the middle or under the wide window, a small table and standing lamp. It would be the perfect room to sit and get lost in a book.

  They decided to stick with the wooden furniture theme that was throughout the house. Greg arranged for himself and Ray, the apprentice, to come out the following week on Thursday and Friday to fit the shelves.

  “Probably get most of it fitted on Thursday, we’ll do most of the building in the workshop, then Thursday afternoon and Friday we’ll stain and varnish it for you. Should only be half day Friday at the most.”

  “Thanks, Greg, I appreciate your help.”

  “I’ll also make a ladder. You know one of those with wheels on the bottom so you can easily reach the top few shelves.”

  “Oh, I never thought of that! That’s perfect. Thanks again.”

  When Saturday morning finally arrived, Laura woke early, excited to be finally seeing Tobias again. She stood in the closet studying her clothes, trying to decide what to wear and dismissing outfit after outfit.

  Finally, running out of time, she settled on jeans and a cream button-through top. She grabbed a jumper in case it got cold. At last she was able to fix her hair properly. She twisted it into a loose bun on the top of her head, carefully arranging a few strands to fall around her face. She dabbed on some twenty-four hour lipstick and the soft blush of brown eyeshadow, then sprayed her favourite perfume. She looked at herself critically in the full-length mirror in the dressing area of the walk-in.

  “Right. All ready for my elephant to arrive.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Have you been to Katoomba yet?” Tobias asked Laura.

  “No. Not yet. I haven’t done any sightseeing at all.”

  “Well, let’s make a day of it.”

  She was dressed in blue jeans, an off-white button-through short-sleeved shirt and had a deep blue sweater tied across her shoulders. He thought she looked gorgeous. Tobias settled her in the car and got behind the wheel, it was ten o’clock, so plenty of time to see the sights. They drove up along Bell’s Line of Road and Laura pointed out Pie in the Sky.

  “My taxi guy tells me they make the best pies in Australia.”

  “Gee, that’s some review. We’ll have to go there one day and test them out.”

  “How’s the wrist?”

  “Not too bad, gets a little sore if I do too much but the doc told me to expect that.”

  They drove in comfortable silence, and Tobias was glad. He’d gone out with some women who felt they had to talk all the time, whereas Laura was content to watch the passing scenery. Occasionally she’d comment on something they’d passed, but mostly she was quiet.

  “Do you like looking at plants?” Tobias asked. “You know, gardens.”

  “Yes, why?”

  “Mount Tomah botanical gardens are just there on the left. Haven’t been myself but I’m told they are very beautiful. Want to have a look one day?”

  “Yes, please. What sort of things do you like to do, Tobias?” Laura inquired.

  “Call me Toby, everyone else does.”

  “Well, thank you, Toby.”

  “Me? Things like this. Going for a drive. Wandering around places like the gardens, art galleries, museums. I like going to the beach in the winter time, silly I know, but that’s my favourite time to visit it. I have a house in Queensland, right on Woodgate Beach but I rarely go there in summer. It’s usually a winter trip and I love it then.” He risked a glance at Laura before looking back to the road ahead. “Actually, I think you’d love the house, it’s a two-storey Queenslander. Six bedrooms and all the usual mods and cons, but it’s a lovely old house. When I bought it
, it was rather run down so I stripped it almost back to bare bones inside. Took me a few years to finish but it was worth it.”

  “Must be handy being a builder to do something like that.”

  “Certainly is. I love building things, even though I’m the boss, at times I love to be able to get out and get my hands dirty. That house gave me the perfect opportunity. I bought it for just over a mill five years ago and now it’s valued at almost three.”

  “I find it hard to get my head around these prices. The apartment I sold in Sydney went to four point six. I kept having to pinch myself.”

  Tobias laughed.

  “Sydney prices are rather high. I have a five bedroom place near Freshwater I bought for almost three mill nine years ago, and I’ll probably get around five million for it now.”

  “That’s a crazy amount of money.”

  “It is. I’m going to sell it.”

  “Don’t you like living there?”

  “I used to, but not anymore. When I bought it I thought I’d love it, but to be honest the outside is beautiful but inside it’s all modern. Cold and impersonal. As well I have hardly anywhere for the dogs to run around. There’s a lot of stairs in the place. It’s three stories and I know it’s hard for dad to climb up and down them all the time. I worry he’ll fall, he’s not getting any younger.”

  “Oh yes, that would be a big worry.”

  “What about your likes, Laura?”

  “Similar to your likes, galleries, museums, just wandering around.” She gave a little giggle sound. “Haven’t actually ever been to the beach, been to the snow. I’d like to get a good camera and take photos. What about relaxing? Books? Movies?”

  “Let’s see. I read but not as much as I’d like to. Judging by your boxes of books I guess you read a lot. Maybe one day I’ll have more time to. I love thrillers, adventure stuff, murder mysteries. Same in movies, although I do like Sci-Fi and British comedies.”

  “Monty Python?”

  He risked a glance, she winked.

  “Yep, I’m a fan.”

  “Me, too. Only some Sci-Fi—things like Star Wars, Arrival, The Abyss.”

  “That was a good movie,” Tobias agreed.

  “Anything else you like, Toby?”

  “Good game of chess. Do you play?”

  “No. I’ve always wanted to learn but no one would teach me.”

  “I will.”

  “I’ll hold you to that. Do you play Mah-jong?”

  “No. I’ve watched it played. Went to China a few years back, and it was fascinating to watch.”

  “Then I shall have to teach you, mind you I haven’t played for years.”

  “Sounds like a deal. You teach me Mah-jong and I teach you chess. Where did you learn it?”

  “I had neighbours about ten years back, husband, wife, two kids, and the husband’s parents. The family was from China and had immigrated out here. His father taught me while I taught him a little English. It worked out well. His English improved and I learned Mah-jong.”

  He gave her another glance, he could stare at her all day but he had to drive.

  “This is Mount Victoria. If you continue west you’ll come to Lithgow, then out to Bathurst. South takes you through to Katoomba and then down the mountains back into Penrith.”

  “Bathurst, that’s where they have that big all day car race, isn’t it?”

  “The Great Race, yep that’s it.”

  “I usually have it on all day. Wander in and out and try to watch the start and the end. It was great to watch it this year on that big screen TV my dad bought, really brought the whole thing to life.”

  “Oh wow, a girl after my own heart. This year’s was good, lovely tribute to Brockie. It’s been ten years since Peter Brock died. I have to admit to sitting and watching the whole thing, usually with dad, Julian, and sometimes Julian’s parents.”

  “What about your mother?”

  “She left me and Dad when I was five. I haven’t seen her for years. She lives in Melbourne and doesn’t like to keep in touch.”

  “That’s sad. Was your dad in the building industry, too?”

  “Yep, he was a chippie. Got me hooked on building stuff from a young age.”

  “A carpenter? My dad was an accountant. Looks like we both got our fathers’ genes. I worked in finance records.”

  “Financial records? What area? I gather you worked, at least you did until someone broke your wrist.”

  They both laughed.

  “Not now. I quit a few weeks back, but I was a bookkeeper, one of several, for a large multi-national company.”

  “Very important—bookkeepers. Worth their weight in gold,” Tobias told her sincerely. “We have several, as well as accountants, and I’d hate to lose them. I bribe them to stay whenever they say they want to quit.”

  “Wish the place I’d worked for was like that. It was horrid. I used to love working there, until five years ago when a new head accountant was appointed. I’d worked my way up to head bookkeeper by then.

  “So this new guy comes in, but nothing was ever good enough, on top of that he hated women in any position of power or authority. Believed women belonged in the kitchen and nowhere else. So you can imagine how we got on.” She was silent for a moment, then said wistfully, “We had a fight over the phone when I quit. It felt so good to tell him where to stick his job.”

  “You did?” he asked intrigued at her honesty.

  “Well, not in so many words, but I did tell him he was obnoxious, misogynistic, and nasty. I was about to leave it at that, but I had to go and add that he was a lousy accountant.”

  “And was he?”

  “Oh, yes. All the bookkeepers knew, wouldn’t be surprised if the other accountants knew as well. We’d have to fix the errors before we could do any accounts he’d had his fingers on. He’d always blame us for his mistakes.”

  Tobias laughed.

  “Oh, Laura, I love it!”

  “I’d put up with him for years for the sake of my job, but the opportunity came up for me to finally let him know and it felt so good.”

  Laura joined in with his laughter. He was so glad she had the balls to tell people off, he hated meek women.

  By now they reached Katoomba. Tobias drove through the town and parked at Echo Point. Together they walked to the lookout. Tobias pointed out various sights like the Three Sisters and the Giant Stairway.

  “Oh, I do wish I had a camera. This is amazing. I’ve seen photos, of course, but to see it for real. Thank you, Toby.”

  She leaned over the railing, looking down into the valley, then across to the marvellous rock formation. Tobias stepped behind, putting a hand on the rail either side of her. She straightened and leaned back against him, and Tobias felt a thrill of excitement. It seemed so natural on her part. He put his mouth to her ear.

  He pointed out the stairs.

  “You can actually walk the Giant Stairway, takes about three hours I think.”

  “I’ll just admire it from here, thanks,” she said, sounding relieved he hadn’t suggested they climb it.

  He directed her attention across to the Scenic Skyway. “Later we can go for a ride, if you don’t mind heights.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Let’s get some lunch, it’s gone twelve.”

  “Yes, please, I’m hungry.”

  “No breakfast again?”

  She gave a carefree honest laugh.

  “Can’t help it, I know I shouldn’t skip it so much, but I do it when I’m nervous.”

  “So you were nervous today?”

  She turned in the circle of his arms to face him and gave a little shrug.

  “It’s been a while since I dated, I…I just didn’t know what to expect, what to do.”

  “I can relate to that. I’m the same and I was nervous this morning but not now.”

  “Neither am I.”

  He took her hand as they walked along. There was a restaurant on the edge of the cliff and they had plenty of
tables free.

  “Have to admit I’m rather hungry myself. Let’s go the whole hog.”

  “Okay.”

  Tobias was delighted to be given a table right on the edge of the escarpment. They had an uninterrupted view of the breathtaking valley and he loved Laura’s reaction when they were seated.

  She tapped eagerly on his hand and said, “Toby, look!”

  She pointed everywhere at once and he laughed when she added unashamedly. “This is wonderful.”

  They ordered entrees, mains, and dessert. Tobias had his favourite—pumpkin soup, while Laura settled for honey-roasted sweet potato, baby beet salad, feta and sunflower seeds. Both selected the herb-crusted salmon with cucumber salad for mains. When it came to dessert, Tobias settled on the spiced lemon myrtle donuts with chocolate sauce, while Laura had the citrus curd tart and smashed meringue.

  Over three hours later she pushed back her chair and looked across the table at him.

  “That was simply delicious, and this setting, wow, it’s perfect. Thank you so much for this, Toby.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  After Toby settled the bill they went back to the car and he drove around to the Scenic World. Once again, Laura showed her delight as they rode across to the Scenic Skyway. She allowed him to stand behind her once again, his arms wrapped around her as she leaned her body against him. He could have stood there all day with her within the circle his arms, she felt so right. When they alighted from the sky-car, he bought tickets for the railway.

  Laura insisted they sit at the front, and when she discovered they could adjust the seat to the “cliff-hanger” ride of a sixty-four degree incline, she opted for it. Her enjoyment was childlike, she didn’t hold back as some women would, instead she embraced her enjoyment. It made Tobias enjoy it all the more as they plummeted down into the valley with Laura laughing and screaming at the same time.

  When they reached the bottom station he helped her out, her face flushed with her joy and she had the hugest grin on her face. He couldn’t help it, he kissed her. She didn’t react at first, then she kissed him back and smiled up at him when they broke apart. When they walked through the scenic rain forest, she kept hold of his hand, dragging him this way and that. Tobias thought he’d never enjoyed a day out with a woman as much as he did that day. He just wished it would never end, and he knew he would keep it in his memory forever.