So, it was that after they showered—and he discovered that the movies were right and you could make love up against a shower wall and it was pretty damned amazing even if his knee had ached a little—he found himself creeping through the misting rain, into his own house at sparrows fart early in the morning like some teenager coming back from an assignation. He kissed Prita breathless at the back door, let her slip inside first, then followed her ten minutes later. He stripped out of his wet clothes and then tried to go to sleep for what remained of the night before he had to get up and go feed the horses and round up those they needed for the rides today.
He woke with Aaron jumping on his stomach. ‘Dad, Dad, wake up. You slept in and Uncle Reid needs you down at the barn and Gran says your breakfast is on the stove and what’s that bruise on your shoulder?’
He jerked upright, and slapped his hand over the love bite Prita had given him during their shower, hoping like hell he hadn’t left any visible marks on hers. This one would be covered by his t-shirt and he hadn’t imagined anyone would see it and what the hell was he supposed to tell his son about it now he’d been caught sleeping with only his jocks on. Which wasn’t unusual. He slept in his jocks most nights. ‘Umm, I …’ Why the hell wouldn’t his brain work?
Not that it mattered, Aaron jumped off the bed and ran over to the armchair, picked up the jeans Flynn had thrown there a few hours ago, and threw them at his dad. They collected Flynn in the face, the wet of them a heavy slap. ‘Thanks.’
‘Sure,’ Aaron said, completely oblivious. Or maybe not, given the cheeky grin as he rummaged in the second drawer of the dresser one armed. A t-shirt followed the jeans across the room, this time landing in Flynn’s lap. ‘Come on, get dressed. The bus will be here soon and Uncle Reid is calling you a lazy gad-about. What’s a gad-about?’
‘Umm, it’s a …’ He got hit in the face again with fresh jocks and socks. ‘Hey! You’re not supposed to be throwing things.’
Aaron gestured at his sling. ‘I’m using the other arm. Prita says that’s okay as long as I don’t jerk it.’
Heat flushed through him and he had to pull the doona back up to hide the evidence of just how much hearing her name affected him. Damn. He thought maybe last night had sorted that little problem out a bit, but it seemed to be worse than ever.
‘Come on, Dad, get up. Gran said to let you sleep but Uncle Reid needs your help. Mac and the men are down by the climbing wall putting out another small fire.’
‘What?’ That sent a rush of cold through him and he couldn’t help shuddering, the glow of last night evaporating under relentless fear. ‘Is anything damaged? How far did it get?’
Aaron frowned. ‘Mac said it singed the edge of the climbing wall, but didn’t do any permanent damage. He thinks the rain we had last night probably stopped it.’
‘Someone was trying to burn down the climbing wall?’
Aaron blanched. ‘I …’
Shit. He shouldn’t have said that. Calm down. Just calm the hell down. He couldn’t burden his son with his weakness too. He touched Aaron on his uninjured shoulder. ‘I’m sure it’s fine. Mac would have called in more units if it was serious, right?’
‘Right.’ Aaron returned his stiff smile. ‘He said it was taken care of and not to worry but sorry he couldn’t be here to help with the ride.’
‘See? Then it’s okay.’ But it wasn’t okay. Not even close.
Flynn pulled the t-shirt over his head and stood, ice shivering through his veins, stomach roiling. This made three fires now. Four if you counted Prita’s house. And he was counting Prita’s house, because someone had deliberately set that fire. The same someone who’d set the others? He didn’t know. Couldn’t see the link. Three of them had been on or next to CoalCliff property, so you’d think it was someone with a grudge against him. But then, why would they set fire to Prita’s house? Because they’d helped her with the renovations and got her in there quickly? It was a link, even though a tenuous one. Especially when you considered the threatening phone calls and dead animals left at Prita’s. Maybe the arsehole who burned down Prita’s house was coming after him and CoalCliff because they’d helped Prita and had befriended her and championed her ever since she arrived. That was a possibility too. There had to be a link because it was just too much of a coincidence that there would be two firebugs in the area. He needed to call Constable Bruce and try to get him onto looking into the link.
‘Dad?’
He looked down at Aaron. His son was watching him, a concerned look on his little face, fingers picking at the edge of the sling. ‘It’s fine. I was just thinking of when I could get down to see the damage to the wall so I can see what we need to do to fix it.’ The thought of going down there and seeing and smelling the charred bush made bile rise in his throat, but he swallowed it down. Maybe he’d pull Prita aside before heading down there and stock up on some good distracting memories. Or maybe she could come with him. She knew he had a problem, wasn’t judging, had agreed to help. Yes. She could come down there with him. They’d have to go by themselves so he could distract himself with kissing her if it got too much. It was a plan.
He ruffled Aaron’s hair and said, ‘Right, out you go while I finish getting dressed. And tell Reid that I’ll be up there in a few minutes. And don’t run,’ he called out as Aaron ran out of the room.
He grabbed a dry pair of jeans and dressed quickly, amazed how good his knee was feeling—must be the endorphins from the sex—and ran out the door before his mother could nag at him about eating something.
Charlie and Farrah ran up to him, sniffing at his hands as walked down the road that wound to the stables. He bent to pat them and apologise for the lack of bacon he usually smuggled out for them, when the scent of smoke and char caught him in the back of his throat. It was faint and he knew it was from the fire Mac and the boys had taken care of, but it still hit him like a punch despite the dampening effect of the rain they’d had.
The police had to find whoever was doing this and stop them, because unless he could keep Prita around twenty-four seven, he wasn’t sure how in the hell he was going to manage if more fires were set, or god forbid, one finally got completely out of control and took everything again.
He shuddered and pulled the phone out of his pocket, hoping like hell the police had some news for him to stop whoever the hell was doing this.
Chapter 21
Prita was astonished how quickly Barb could get things happening. The woman had put in some calls yesterday afternoon and things started to arrive from eight this morning, utes and delivery trucks pulling up outside the cottage with office furniture, an examination bed, chairs, a computer, even some medical equipment she’d need to do basic examinations. All of it got unloaded and carted inside to the two rooms that had been emptied of their furniture yesterday. The rooms could be accessed by the back door, so none of her clients would need to traipse through the rest of the house to get to her temporary clinic.
Every time she’d gone to sign a delivery docket and organise payment, she discovered most of it had been donated. The morning left tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat. She’d thought she was an outsider—Bob Thompson and Doc Simpson and their cronies had got under her skin despite all her bravado. But this, this generosity, this acceptance, this need for her to be here, working for herself and for them, the community, it made her feel more a part of things than she’d ever felt before.
For the first time in her life, she belonged. Truly belonged. And it was an astonishing feeling. Better than she ever imagined.
She hugged Carter to her side as he came out to her after having been upstairs inspecting his new bedroom with Tilly and Aaron. It had been Tilly’s room when she and Nat had lived here when they’d first moved back to CoalCliff. They’d been here for a very short time, having moved in with Reid a month after arriving, their love for each other even after all the years apart, too big for either of them to deny. Nat came out of the bedroom just then, having delivered
bags of clothes for Prita and Carter that Colin Ferguson and his husband, Peter Duggins, had donated from their Seconds & Antiques shop in Wilson’s Bend. She went to join Nat as Carter ran off with Tilly to pat her horse, Rey. The almost two-year-old colt loved Tilly and followed her around and Flynn had gifted her the horse for her birthday last year.
Flynn. Such a generous man.
Generous in more ways than she’d ever imagined.
Her face heated.
Nat laughed gently, a knowing glint in her eye as she said, ‘This place made me so happy. I can see it’s making you happy too.’
‘I …’
Nat laughed again and raised her hand. ‘You don’t have to say anything. Reid and I had our own interlude in the barn last night and saw the lights on down here when we headed back to our house. I’m glad you two have got together.’
‘We’re not together. I’m married.’
‘Are you?’ She pierced Prita with a look. ‘Isn’t your husband gay and in a serious relationship with another man?’
Prita jerked around to face her. It was impossible to keep secrets around here. ‘Did Flynn tell you?’
Nat shrugged one shoulder. ‘No. Reid did. He met Chandra yesterday when they were looking for Maccy. His boyfriend, Vivaan, was with him.’ She tipped her head on the side. ‘Why are you still married to him?’
Prita sighed. How many times was she going to have to go over this? ‘There were good reasons why I married Chandra. He didn’t tie me down. I got to do whatever I wanted. It worked for him too.’
‘But those reasons aren’t working for you anymore, are they?’
Her jaw worked for a moment before she blurted, ‘I won’t out him. He has to make that choice.’
‘But why does his choice or lack-thereof have to take away your choices?’
‘What do you mean by that?’
Nat turned to face her, arms crossing as she viewed Prita with a serious expression on her face. ‘Maybe you didn’t want to be tied down once, but now you’ve got Carter and things have changed. I see the way you look at Flynn and he looks at you.’
‘That’s just hormones.’
‘It’s more than that. But it’s not only what’s going on with Flynn and you. I also see the way you are every time you’re shown how much you belong here. That you’re one of the family. You want to be tied down.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘Isn’t it?’ Nat shook her head slowly. ‘Then why did you stay when things got hard? Why did you buy your house and start up your own clinic? How do explain how happy you’ve been ever since you made the decision to do that? Those aren’t things people do who like to fly free. That’s what stayers do when they want to stay. When they enjoy being a part of something. Maybe you’re ready for more. With Flynn. Maybe you’re ready for a real relationship this time.’
‘No, you’re wrong.’ She flapped her hand when Nat cocked her brow. ‘Maybe you’re not wrong about Carter and my house and all, but you’re wrong about Flynn and me. We’re just scratching an itch. That’s all. He’s a good distraction from my problems.’
Nat’s brow rose higher, lips pressed together. ‘I’ve never heard being in a loving relationship described quite like that before, but if that’s what you’ve got to tell yourself for now, who am I to stop you?’
‘Loving relationship? Who said anything about a loving relationship? We’re not in love.’
Nat snorted and held up her fingers. ‘From your glow, I know you had amazing sex. Tick. You spend a lot of time together and enjoy each other’s company. Tick. You make each other smile and don’t mind making the other person angry too. Tick. You are both giving in the same way, and both need in the same way. Tick. You’d both do anything for your boys and this community. Tick. And you’d do anything for each other. Tick.’ She screwed her mouth to the side and made a tutting sound. ‘Sounds like all the loving relationship boxes are ticked to me.’
‘I … that isn’t … we’re friends. With benefits. That’s all.’
Nat shook her head slowly. ‘You and Flynn may dance around it and colour it up in any way you want, but you both are crying out for something deeper than what you’ve allowed yourselves to have and now you’re starting to take it. I say, good on you.’
Prita stared at her for a moment, something very like panic fluttering in her chest, her throat. She tried to clear it but when that failed, just made a huffy noise and said, ‘Shut up.’
Nat laughed and bumped her shoulder against Prita’s. ‘I was the same when Barb told me I loved Reid. I didn’t want to accept it and now look where I am. Happier and more content than I’ve ever been before.’ She tipped her head on the side, her expression suddenly becoming serious. ‘That’s what we all want for you. And Flynn. You both deserve the best and you both are the best. For each other. Just don’t let some idea of what you think you want get in the way of that, okay?’ She leaned in and gave Prita a kiss on the cheek and then pulled away. ‘Think about it.’
Prita didn’t think she could think about anything else.
The neigh of horses, followed by the murmur of chatting and the clop of horse hooves along the hard-packed dirt road that wound up from the bush behind the cottage had Nat turning from her, smile widening. ‘The boys are back. I better get up there to help them with the riders. You want to come? Flynn will be there. Maybe you can find a dark corner in the barn and continue what you started last night.’
Prita stared, brain full of an image that made her want to pant.
‘Prita?’
‘Umm.’ She blinked, and wiped her mouth, hoping that wasn’t drool she wiped from the corner. ‘What? No.’
Nat laughed. ‘Sorry. I scrambled your thoughts, didn’t I?’
Not wanting her to know just how much, Prita shoved the image aside and focused on saying words. Any words. As long as they weren’t about Flynn and sex in a barn. ‘I have to stay here. There’s still so much to do. And Cherry’s coming by soon to set up the reception area the way she likes it and to help me get my office into workable order. And I’ve got to follow up on the insurance company. They still haven’t got back to me yet with the paperwork.’
‘Do you need me to do anything?’
‘If you can just keep Carter busy, that would be great.’
‘Sure.’ She leaned forward and gave Prita a hug, whispering in her ear, ‘You’re not a runner anymore.’ Then she pulled back and with a cheery smile, strode up the hill towards the corrals where the sound of happy riders was loud and clear on the quiet afternoon air.
Prita watched her go and then turned back to the cottage and looked around. It was almost ready for her to see patients, but she hadn’t been lying to Nat when she said there was still a lot to do. She had so many things that needed to be ordered—medicines, a lock cabinet for them, basic first aid stuff like bandages, syringes, saline, and other medical necessities so she could run tests, do pap smears, order prescriptions and so on. But still she didn’t move, just stared at the room. The place seemed so quiet. So empty. It had seemed so full last night. Why?
Because Flynn had been here.
Maybe she could go up to the barns to see him, just for a little while. Not to have sex in a dark corner of the barn—although, her body tingled all over at the thought. But no. They didn’t want any more people figuring out something was going on. She could just go up there to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt his knee any further. And also to watch him in his element, to enjoy the way his face creased in that smile he wore when surrounded by his horses, his hands busy, always busy, muscles straining as he unsaddled and wrangled guests and horses. He would stop at one point though and breathe in deep, as if the dust and manure and chaff heavy air was manna, and he’d lift his head to the sky, take his hat off, run his hand through his hair, wipe his brow, then stick his hat back on and get back to it.
She hadn’t realised she had that image so indelibly imprinted in her mind. But she did. She must have watched him do that hundred
s of times over the last year and a half. It did something to her insides every time. Just thinking about it made her want to reach out and pull him to her and kiss him senseless.
But no, she needed to be sensible. Her practice needed her attention. She didn’t need to see Flynn. She had other things to distract her. Positive things to do. She didn’t need Flynn for that today. And that’s all sex with him was for. Nat was wrong. So wrong.
She had to be wrong.
She gave herself a shake when she realised she hadn’t moved since Nat left. ‘Make the phone calls.’ Where was her phone? Ah, she’d left it on the desk in her new office. Her gaze followed a trail towards the hall that led to the office. The same hall that she and Flynn had stumbled up last night and into the bedroom, where wild, uncontrollable passion had reigned.
Her stomach clenched, her breasts became heavy, skin prickling with a frisson that ran over her entire body.
She shook with the impact of it.
Hell. Nat was right. She did want more. So much more. Problem was, how was she going to get it? She’d made promises to Chandra. Not to mention, she was pretty sure Flynn was happy with how things stood. He was still in love with his wife. He’d said as much to her. He wanted the explosion of the sex that they’d had, but he didn’t want anything more. Married, she was safe, could give him what he wanted. But if she wasn’t married—or planned not to be married—that opened up a whole new pot of beans that she was certain he didn’t want to eat from.
That she had felt certain up until now that she didn’t want to eat from either. She didn’t want to be tied down. And yet, Nat was right. She was tied down and she didn’t mind it at all. In fact, she rather thought she liked this kind of tying down.
Crap.
What was she going to do?
‘Prita?’
She gasped and turned around. There he was, as if conjured from her thoughts, standing in the doorway, sleeves rolled up to showcase the wiry muscles of his forearms, his legs encased in those sexy worn jeans that moulded to his body in a way that made her mouth dry. He took his hat off, just like she’d imagined, running his hand through his damp hair, but he didn’t put it back on, kept it in his hand and stepped into the room, his gaze intent, intense, yet questioning and unsure.
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