by Annie Seaton
“Alex!” She screamed at the top of her voice, and the pig lifted its head and stared at her. From the bush behind the huge boar came a small sow and half a dozen piglets. The sow stood guard rigidly while the piglets joined their father at the edge of the shallow water.
Without removing her gaze from the creature, she reached down under the water with shaking hands, and pulled up her swimsuit as she backed into the deeper water.
Oh God. Can pigs swim?
Chapter Ten
Alex slid across the seat of the truck, the small box safely in his hand. Bowser was curled up on the floor of the pickup and opened one lazy eye before tucking his nose back under his paw.
Alex’s blood ran cold when Jess screamed for him. He slammed the door of the pickup shut and threw the box of condoms back through the open window. He took off at a fast run toward the rocky path until he reached the edge of the drop, looking over to see what had spooked her.
Shit.
A fat sow and seven piglets stood beside one of the biggest feral pigs he had ever seen.
“Stay in the water, Jess! Don’t move. As long as you stay in the water it can’t hurt you.”
“Can it swim?” Her voice was shaking, and she didn’t take her eyes off the boar. It was huge.
Shit, just her luck to get bailed up by one. He scrambled down the rocky slope, small rocks skittering to the bottom beneath his bare feet. The boar turned and sniffed the ground. Picking up a fist-sized piece of rock, he flung it at the boar, but missed. Now at the bottom of the slope, the pig stiffened and turned toward him, snorted, and dropped its head, charging for him.
Fuck.
Jess’s scream followed him as he ran for the nearest tree. He grabbed the lowest branch and swung himself up. The tree shook as five hundred pounds of solid razorback crashed into the trunk six feet below. Just to be extra sure, Alex pulled himself up another branch before turning to the pool and checking on Jess.
She disappeared and he scanned around the pool, worried for a moment she’d climbed out the other side and was heading back up to the truck. Jess would have no idea how fast these suckers could move and how deadly they were. He let out a sigh of relief when the water rippled and Jess surfaced slowly over near the waterfall.
“Good girl, just stay over there. It can’t hurt you.”
“So what the hell do we do now? You’re up a tree and I’m down here in the water.” Her eyes were huge as she stared at the pig. “What happens next?”
“We’ll have to wait it out.”
“Are you serious?” Jess stood and folded her arms and flicked a glance up to him, only taking her eyes from the pig for a split second.
“Unless you want to climb out of the water and chase it away.”
“No chance, buddy. You’re the outback hero. That’s your job.”
Alex folded his arms, leaned back against the rough bark and looked down as another snort floated up to him. But it hadn’t come from the pig. Jess was grinning up at him and when he looked at her, she giggled again.
“Oh my God.” The water splashed as she slapped her hands on top of it. “I so wish I had my camera. I could write the best article about the Aussie outback and its heroes…in their underwear.”
Alex looked down at his black Calvin Kleins.. “You won’t find it so funny if the boar decides to settle his family in here for the night.”
“Really?”
That quickly wiped the smile from her face. Alex slid down the trunk and settled in for a wait. He looked up and groaned as an avalanche of small rocks tumbled over the edge of the rock face, splashing into the water. Bowser was standing on top of the bluff, and if a dog could look happy, he would have beamed in anticipation of the fun to come. He took off into the bush, his ears flattened back and his neck muscles bunched.
“Oh, no. Make him stay up there. Send him back.” Jess looked at Alex with wide eyes.
“No chance. He was bred for this—he’ll be okay.” Alex pulled himself up to watch the action below, hoping he was right. A little brindle bullet shot out of the bush, and before the pig could turn, Bowser had latched onto its ear. With a loud squeal, the pig shook its head, but the dog had a firm grip as his back legs stretched up.
“Look, Jess.” Alex pointed to the sow and the piglets as they ran off into the bush. “Dad won’t be far behind.”
Bowser let go of the pig’s ear and ran around in circles, yapping loudly. The pig pawed the ground half-heartedly before letting out one final snort and trotting off behind the others. Alex called Bowser over and he sat patiently beneath the tree waiting for him to come down.
“Some live outback action for you?” Alex jumped down and sauntered across to the pool. “Had enough entertainment for the afternoon?”
Jess rolled her eyes at him, before diving under the water and swimming over to the edge. Alex put his hand down, and she looked back over her shoulder before she reached up and took it.
“Are you sure they’ve gone?”
“Yep, they won’t come back now they know our little pig hunter is here.” He reached down and scratched Bowser’s head.
“Great job, buddy.”
Jess climbed out of the pool and let go of his hand. She reached up and squeezed the water out of her hair before walking over to collect her bag.
“What else have you got lined up for tonight?”
…
Even though she was showing a brave face and coming out with the sassy comments, Jess was unsettled. Her legs were shaking as she followed Alex and Browser up the hill, keeping an eye out behind her for the return of the pigs. He didn’t put his hand out to help her, and she didn’t look for it. If she was totally honest, it wasn’t the pigs that had unsettled her. The interlude in the pool with Alex had touched her deeply. A level of need she had never before experienced had tugged deep within her, and she was grateful to the wild pigs for bringing it to a halt. She wasn’t ready for that, and she didn’t want it in her life.
They reached the top of the hill, and Bowser scampered to the shade beneath the truck. Alex strode over and reached in, pulling his jeans from the truck and casually stepping into them before he turned to Jess. Her skin was already dry from the hot tropical sun, even though it was late afternoon, and her hair was drying in a huge tangle. Alex opened the back of the pickup and gestured inside.
“Do you want to climb in here? You can get dressed and sorted while I cook the crabs.”
He seemed to sense she needed some privacy and time to herself, and she smiled at him gratefully.
“Thanks, I will. But how are you going to cook them? They’re still alive.”
“I’ll drop them into the pot when the water boils.”
“Ew, and you call yourself an environmentalist? That is so cruel.”
“Yes, little Ms. Food Journalist, that’s how you cook them.” Alex shook his head and ran his hand down the side of her face. “Alive.”
A jolt of heat ran from his fingers to his skin, and he held her gaze for a moment before he turned away and walked over to the other side of the low-burning fire to collect her suitcase. Jess unzipped the flap of the little camp house on the back of the pickup and put her cosmetics bag on the foam mattress.
“Make sure you put some of that Bushman’s on and zip up the flap of the canopy. As soon as the sun sets, the mozzies will be bloody crook,” he said.
She watched him tip the lotion into his hand and rub it onto his face, neck, and chest before passing the bottle to her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop her eyes following his hand as he rubbed brisk circles on his flat stomach. He was a good-looking man in prime condition, and her body reacted accordingly.
Get over it, Jess. If he chooses to walk around without a shirt, you can cope.
She clambered into the back of the pickup and wrinkled her nose. She closed up the flap. It was dim inside, and a combination of smells greeted her. The hot air was suffocating, and when she sat up straight to take a deep breath, her stomach protested
, and she gagged. She pushed herself to her knees and opened her suitcase to find something clean and cool to wear. Several items of clothing were considered and discarded before she found a long silk skirt, which would protect her legs from the insects, and a spaghetti strap top with a light silk shawl to wrap around her shoulders. Dressing quickly in the small space, she ran her fingers through her curls and wound them up into a matching scarf to keep her hair away from her neck.
The memory of Alex’s hands and fingers when he’d caressed her in the water shimmied through her mind, and she closed her eyes and swallowed.
One night.
One night sleeping in the back of the truck and then some conversation tomorrow as they traveled. Then they would arrive at the resort, and she’d get her room, say thank you, goodbye, and forget about him.
She could do it.
The unfamiliar feelings would be put aside and she would get on with the job and go home. She slipped on a pair of dangly earrings and a smudge of lipstick, followed by a light application of the famed Bushman’s to prevent the mozzies…and the midges…and she was ready to go out and face the outback.
And Alex.
When she climbed out of the back of the pickup, the smell of garlic assailed her nostrils, and she turned to the fireplace with a frown.
She must be so hungry she was imagining haute cuisine aromas.
There was no sign of Alex or Bowser, and Jess looked around nervously. The sun had set, and the lingering smoke from the grasslands fire drifted in on the light breeze. Wispy fingers of white smoke treaded thought the tops of the trees. All was quiet.
It was eerie, yet beautiful.
A flat rock next to the fire beckoned, and Jess retrieved the old blanket from the back of the truck and folded it so it cushioned the hard rock. She sat and closed her eyes, listening to the quiet. The only sound was the occasional pop of the fire and a hiss as the water spat from the pot onto the coals. The faint sound of the waterfall sloshing in the distance added to the peace.
A few minutes later, slow footsteps and the snuffling of Bowser, announced their return.
“Sorry, Jess. I took him for a walk after I fed him, and he took off on me. Little bugger.” Alex opened the door of the truck and lifted the dog into the cabin. “Are you ready to eat?”
“Yes, I’m hungry.”
And not just for food.
“Wanna beer? It’s all I have, sorry.” Alex reached into the cooler. She held out her hand and he passed her a cold bottle before sitting across from her on the other side of the campfire. Placing the bottle against her cheek, she closed her eyes.
“What else are you cooking?”
Keep the conversation on food; you can do that without getting flustered.
“A sauce for the crab.”
“And you just threw it together from what you have in the cooler? What’s in it?”
“Secret ingredient. If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.” Alex grinned at her, and then his smile faded as he shook his head. “Oh, sorry, that was a crass thing to say. You’ve already had the razorback experience this afternoon. I didn’t mean to be so flippant.”
“You didn’t scare me. Neither did the pig, really…once I knew I was safe in the water.” Jess laughed and tipped her beer up, appreciating the cool liquid in her dry mouth. “I enjoyed watching you climb up the tree in your—”
Whoa. Don’t go there. She was trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing. If it hadn’t been for the arrival of the pig, there would have been no holding either of them back. She couldn’t figure him out. He said he’d been a lawyer, and he was well spoken. And as much as he tried to push her buttons, she could tell that he was a good person, and he’d looked out for her without hesitation when there’d been real danger. Something about him being a wild fisherman in the outback just didn’t make sense to her.
Alex didn’t speak, but just looked at her over the fire. It was completely dark and there was no moon. The firelight flickered on his rugged face, highlighting the bluish-black glints in his hair. He stood, and Jess hitched a breath as heat ran through her. Alex walked over to pot and opened the cooler, placing the lid upside down on the ground. He put the cooked crabs on the lid and began to methodically shell them until a pile of steaming crabmeat filled the plate. He removed the smaller saucepan and set it next to Jess, before squatting in front of her.
“Now you are in for the treat of your life,” he said softly.
Fascinated, she watched his fingers as he picked up a morsel of crab, dipped it into the sauce, and held it in front of her lips.
His eyes held hers. “Hungry, Jess?”
…
A little nudge of shock ran through Alex as he held his fingers in front of Jess’s mouth. Her mouth opened and the tip of her tongue ran over her lips. When he’d been walking in the scrub with Bowser, he’d been lost in his thoughts and hadn’t noticed when the dog disappeared into the scrub. He was way too fascinated with this woman, and if it hadn’t been for the pigs, he would have had sex with her in the pool this afternoon.
For the first time in two years, he’d lowered his defenses and let his heart rule his head.
Jess was full of life, and despite being in an unfamiliar and hostile environment, she’d snapped back no matter what he’d thrown at her. Now it was time to put some distance between them Once they reached Cockatoo Springs, he had to make sure she didn’t find out who he really was, and he also had to find some way to ease her disappointment at not getting the interview she’d come for.
Still, he couldn’t understand it. She had the best of everything. Her clothes were top class, and she’d not given a second thought to leaving the hire car at Daly River. If she really needed a job that badly, she was throwing a lot of money around, flying down under just on the chance of getting an interview.
She’d tried on the crazy story about being an actress last night, and maybe the food journalist story was a sham as well. Who knew what she was doing? Now he had to try to push away the heat that pulsed in his groin when she’d parted her soft, pink lips, ready to take the crab and the sauce off his fingers.
She leaned toward him, her lips touched his fingers, and he was lost. He was hungry for more than the crab. She’d lit a fire in him this afternoon and it roared back to life again as her lips circled his finger.
“Mmm.” She pulled back and closed her eyes. “Garlic…and chili? What’s that wonderful flavor? Crab?”
Alex turned away and reached for another plate. If she kept eating off his fingers, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. He busied himself at the pot and tipped more sauce onto the crab before reaching into the cooler for the bread. Placing a large chunk on her plate, he passed it to her, and walked around to the other side of the fire.
“It is. Nothing beats the taste of fresh cooked crab.”
Jess seemed to sense he was trying to put some distance between them and she lifted up her fork and ate quietly for a few minutes. Alex leaned back against the rock to get comfortable, grateful for the fire blocking her view. His jeans were straining over an erection that seemed to have been permanently in place since she’d parked the rental car in front of his truck yesterday. He definitely needed to go out in Darwin and get back into life. But to take care of his immediate and pressing need tonight, he was going to jump back into the cold end of the pool as soon as dinner had settled and before he turned in for the night.
“Tell me about Cockatoo Springs.” Jess put her plate down on the rock and lifted the bottle of beer to her lips. Loose curls fell from the scarf she’d tied around her hair, and she lifted her other hand to push it back. Alex shook his head as the firelight caught a huge ring on her middle finger.
How many women would put jewelry on around a campfire in the outback? They were poles apart. He had nothing to worry about. That feeling of wanting to get to know her a little better receded a little. Just a little. But the other need to keep her up close and personal still strained against his jeans.
/> “You must know something about the resort if you have a cabin nearby.”
“Yeah, I wander around the kitchens a bit.”
Jess leaned back, and the shawl slipped off her shoulder. Her white skin glowed with an iridescent pearliness. It had been soft and silky beneath his lips and fingers in the pool this afternoon. He itched to reach out to her and pick up where they’d left off.
Alex stood up abruptly. If he didn’t get away from her, he was going to lose control. “I have to check on the truck. I want to look at the gearbox. I didn’t like that noise it made when we drove in.”
He knew his voice was gruff.
“I’ll see you in the morning. If there’s anything you need through the night, just yell. Oh, and make sure you zip up the windows, because the mozzies will stay around all night.”
If he was going to be hot and uncomfortable, she damned well could be too. He was getting more out of sorts by the minute. Why the hell did he ever offer to take her to Cockatoo Springs?
…
Blasted moody men.
They were all the same. As soon as things didn’t go their way, they cracked. One minute he was feeding her crab and gazing into her eyes like some love struck teenager, and the next minute he’d gone all rude and grumpy and went crawling away to hide under his truck. Now she needed to find a bathroom, and the closest one was still fifty miles away at least.
I hate the outback…and camping. Give me five stars any day.
After she’d found a private spot behind the large boulders, Jess wandered over to the edge of the rock face overlooking the pool. Her feet made no sound on the sandy dirt, and she was sure Alex hadn’t even noticed she was gone. The stars in the inky sky were brighter than anything she’d ever seen in the night sky, and they calmed her ill temper. She drew in a deep breath and sat on a flat rock gazing down at the water.
It was so beautiful out here. Despite the physical challenges, the vast space and the silence tugged at something deep inside her. The moon had risen while they’d sat around the fire, and now the moonlight was reflecting in the water. She really wouldn’t mind spending more time in the outback and having a good look around.