“Okay, you lot, get your backsides to the club. The quicker we can get that out of the way, the quicker we can all get over to Jetstream and really let our hair down.”
It was the most ridiculous thing Gareth had ever heard Brodie James say. Everyone knew Coach didn’t know the meaning of the words ‘let your hair down’. He was the most serious, most responsible man Gareth had ever met. Just the thought of Brodie letting loose and having fun was enough to make Gareth laugh. “If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up,” he murmured.
* * * *
The drive to the Jets’ club, in Gareth’s car, was perfect. Emily sat sideways the whole way, just looking at Gareth’s profile. Every so often he would look in her direction and a broad smile would light up his features. Emily felt the love he held for her and it washed away all her fears and doubts that she had lost him. She couldn’t believe how easy it had been to gain Gareth’s forgiveness after having put him through so much over the last few years. He had not given up on her no matter how hard she had made it for him, how often she had given him reason. She loved him so much.
She watched his large, masculine hands on the steering wheel and wished they were on her body. His face, his hands, his bulging biceps all made her melt just at the sight of them, making her heart race, her pussy moist and her breasts heavy. Emily reached between Gareth’s massive thighs and stroked his jeans-covered cock, cupped it, massaged it gently and felt it harden under her touch.
“Shit, Em, that feels fucking awesome, but it’s making it…really…hard to concentrate on driving. Making everything really hard.”
She laughed at the sight of Gareth squirming in his seat to find more space for his growing erection, at the pained look on his face and the hunger for her in his eyes.
“You’re such a spoilsport. I was actually contemplating unzipping your jeans, taking that hard, beautiful cock of yours out, wrapping my lips around it and blowing you right here in your car…but if it would be too much of a distraction for you, Cowboy…”
“Em…I wouldn’t survive it. My God, the thought of it alone—your head bent over my lap, your lips on my cock—is nearly making me blow. But if you look in the rear-view mirror you might recognise the people in the cars behind us.”
Emily had forgotten all about the other Jets players and wives, all making their way to the club. She started giggling at the thought of what they would see—her leaning over Gareth, her head bobbing up and down. There’d be no way of misunderstanding what she was doing.
“Oops, forgot about them.”
“Yeah, and as much as I love your idea, pretty sure the guys would guess straight away what was happening…although I’m game if you are.”
Gareth put his hand on her head, gently directing it towards his lap and Emily wasn’t sure if he was serious or not. She had just been teasing him, wouldn’t have dreamt of being so brash or doing anything so explicit in public—not to mention the danger of distracting Gareth whilst he was driving.
“Um…maybe we should put a rain check on my idea. Another time, a darker road and without a convoy of your friends and teammates behind us.”
Gareth continued to pull her head towards him, but just to kiss her quickly on the lips.
“I’ll hold you to that, Em. One of these days I’m going to get you to make good on that idea. Now I’m going to try and get this hard-on back under control. You wicked woman, what will my groupies think if I walk into the club sporting a woody?”
“Your groupies will think that some woman—me—turned you on and that they have no chance in having you… That’s what your groupies will think, and if they don’t I’ll be sure to point it out to them.”
She knew Gareth was teasing her, but it did bring back some fear. These women who wanted Gareth would see her scars. What would they think? Would they think Gareth was with her only through some sense of pity?
“Stop thinking, I can see it written all over your face. I love you, Em, no woman holds a candle to you. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have teased you.”
“It’s okay, Gareth, I need to work through this. I love you too. Oh, and by the way, I was having a heart to heart with Dad and guess what? All those times I snuck out to meet you, so we could hump like bunnies in the dark, he knew what we were doing. He was tempted to fill your arse with buckshot. How’s that for embarrassing?”
The horrified look on Gareth’s face was priceless.
“Mac knew? Fuck.”
“Yep! Exactly that!” Emily laughed, the sound loud and carefree. “So I’m guessing your folks were clued in as well.”
“Dad never said anything if he did. Surprised Mum didn’t haul me over the coals, though. She really loves you, Em, wouldn’t have wanted me taking advantage of you. Although, as I remember it, you seduced me that day at the dam…tempted me with that sinful, blossoming body of yours. I was only human, after all, couldn’t resist that sort of temptation.”
“Yeah, yeah, we’ve been over this before, Cowboy. I’m a wicked, wicked woman.”
“My woman, Emily Mackenzie. Thank God you’ve finally woken up to it.” The serious tone of Gareth’s voice sent shivers down her spine. Emily loved the sound of those words. She truly was Gareth’s woman, and he was her man.
They pulled into the club’s car park and as Gareth shut down the engine of his car, Emily noticed the others parking next to them. Pippa bounced out of the vehicle nearest them and pulled open Emily’s door.
“C’mon, Emily, let’s go have some fun. Looking forward to some bubbles tonight. Told Rook I was having a few drinks so he should be prepared for some hot, uninhibited lovin’ later. Judging by the smile on his face, I think he liked the plan.”
Emily giggled at Pippa’s outrageous statement as she watched Rook get out of his car.
“Hey, Cowgirl. What’s not to like, I say. My woman, hot for me.”
“Sounded more like Pippa needs some alcohol in her system before she gets down and dirty with ya, Rook…but hey, that’s just my read on it.”
Emily was laughing so hard over Rook and Gareth’s sledging that she nearly stumbled when Pippa put her arm through hers and started dragging her towards the club’s entrance.
“It’s always like that between them. You get used to it after a while.”
“Pippa, thank you. I haven’t had this much fun in years—meeting you and Rook, having Gareth back in my life, Dad on the mend. I’ve got a lot of celebrating to do… I see bubbles and lots of them in my near future.”
Emily and Pippa, arm in arm, headed into the function room and found a table to sit at. Caitlin and Mandy followed, both women clutching a child in their arms. Then came Gareth and Rook. Brodie and JT, each man also holding onto a child, joined the table as well. There were people everywhere, the room packed with Jets supporters all eager to talk with their heroes and celebrate the recent victory. Emily was truthfully a little shell-shocked, had not expected such a large group of people. Her anxiety was rising.
“It’s going to be okay, baby, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right by your side tonight.” Gareth held her hand to his lips as he stared her right in the eyes.
She would be okay. She was surrounded by new friends, protected by Gareth.
“I can do this.”
Chapter Fourteen
Gareth almost wished they had lost today’s game. Then the club would not have been so packed—supporters were sometimes fickle, and didn’t show up after a loss. But it was chockers tonight. Just my luck that Emily’s first night would be this busy, he thought. She was doing okay, though, he noticed. His friends had welcomed her into their inner circle—Caitlin, Mandy and Pippa had taken Emily under their wings, sitting her amongst them all. It was the sight Gareth had always dreamt of—his Emily sitting amongst his friends and their kids, being part of his life. It was a perfect moment. He stood behind her chair, resting his hand on Emily’s shoulder just to prove to himself it was real, that he was not dreaming.
There had been a moment whe
n Emily had first entered the function room and seen the crowd filling the room that Gareth had thought she would run. He’d seen the flicker of unease on her face, but she had quickly recovered, staunchly lifting her head and walking beside Pippa to the table reserved for the players and family. Everyone had come back to the club—all the boys and their partners. There were kids everywhere.
Brodie handed him a beer, and Gareth noticed Rook had produced a bottle of champagne and was filling the women’s glasses.
“Cheers, Gareth. You played one hell of a game today. Reckon it will put you in the sights of the New South Wales selectors, for sure.”
“Thanks, Brodie. I really enjoyed the game. Don’t know about a shot at rep footy, but wouldn’t knock it back if I got the call-up,” he replied, thinking that life was getting better and better by the second.
Then, at the sound of one innocent question behind him, his heart fell to his feet.
“Hello. What happened to your face?”
Emily had not been able to believe the amount of people who had crowded into the room. She was surrounded by Jets players, recognised most of them from the games she had watched on the television back in Gunnedah. Wives and girlfriends sat around her, and kids were everywhere.
“Footy players sure can breed,” she’d whispered to Pippa, who had taken a seat to her left and had been handing out glasses of champagne, poured expertly by Rook, to the table of women.
“Got that right, Em. Macho men and macho sperm…”
Emily had taken a sip of the bubbles and had felt herself begin to relax. The heat from Gareth’s hand on her shoulder that’d seeped into her tense body and the cool, bubbly drink had both done their part. As she’d leant forward to place her glass back onto the table she’d noticed a little dark-haired girl approach, but had not been prepared for the question she’d asked in such a tiny voice. The girl’s saucer-sized brown eyes had been full of innocent enquiry, her small hand reaching out towards Emily’s face, possibly to touch her scars.
Emily could not help but flinch out of the girl’s reach, couldn’t bear the thought of that delicate little hand touching her ugly, marred skin.
“Elaina, no!”
The voice boomed through the club, scaring Emily half to death with its ferocity. It nearly had her jumping from her chair in response. The club—well, at least those in the vicinity of the table—went deathly silent in response. The little girl beside her gasped, pulled her hand away from Emily’s face, and tears welled up in the poor little thing’s big, brown eyes. The girl’s bottom lip started to quiver, then she began to cry, but before she could react, Mandy had her arm wrapped around the girl’s shoulders, hugging the little girl to her side.
“There, there, Elaina. Don’t cry. Daddy didn’t mean to shout so loud. But you know, it’s not polite to be a nosy parker.”
“I d-d-didn’t m-mean to make Da-a-d-d-y-y angwy…” Mandy and JT’s daughter sobbed. Emily watched a torrent of fat tears roll down Elaina’s sad little face as her mother tried to console her. All the kids around her were now crying, their mothers and fathers doing their best to quiet their offspring. Emily wasn’t sure whether JT’s booming voice had started off the waterworks or if Elaina’s tears were infectious. “I j-j-just wanted to ask the pretty lady what happened to her face…and if it hurt…”
Emily’s heart broke for Elaina. The girl was so upset that her father had shouted at her, yet those three little words were the most monumental, most world-changing words Emily had ever heard. Elaina had called her ‘the pretty lady’—the slip of a girl had not cared about her scars, but had seen her as pretty. All the fears of children thinking her a monster were swept away. If this little girl could see past the ugliness, then it was high time she did too.
“Oh, Elaina—is that your name, darling? Stop crying, honey. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sure your daddy didn’t mean to shout so loud. I’ll tell you a secret…your daddy was so loud I nearly fell off my chair.”
Those big brown eyes turned sheepishly towards her. The hesitant smile on the young girl’s face melted Emily’s heart even more.
“My daddy is vewy loud.”
“Yes, Elaina, your daddy is very loud, but I’m sure he didn’t mean to make you and every other child in the room cry,” Mandy said pointedly, as she sent what could only be described as a death stare towards her husband. “Isn’t that right, Daddy?”
Emily looked on as an apologetic-looking JT tried to make peace with his wife and daughter. The room had come back to life. Conversations had resumed now the drama had passed, but Emily wanted to answer Elaina’s question, wanted to show the sweet little girl that no harm had been done and she was not in any trouble.
“Elaina, do you still want to know about my face?” She was overjoyed when Elaina moved to stand in front of her, her eyes again like saucers. The solemn look she was giving Emily was so adorable, it was hard for Emily not to just sweep the girl into her arms and squeeze her to within an inch of her life.
“Well, a few years ago I got trapped in a bushfire. A tree fell on me and burned my skin.”
“Oooh…” Elaina’s mouth gaped open. Then Emily watched, transfixed, as the information registered in the young girl’s brain, and saw the flickering in her eyes. Emily waited to hear what the first question would be—people always wanted to know more about the gory details surrounding the fire and her scars—so was taken aback when the words were nothing like she’d imagined them to be.
“I burned my finger once, touched a really hot plate. It really hurt. I cried and cried…and my little brother Jay, he told me I was a sooky lah-lah. You must have cried a lot.”
“Yes, I did cry a lot, Elaina, and for too long. But I’m okay now. How about you, is your finger better?”
Such innocence shone from Elaina’s brown eyes—no fear or revulsion apparent, just concern. Children seemed to be becoming a great source of learning for Emily. After Gareth’s description of the children in the hospitals he’d visited, and now faced with this little girl standing in front of her, she had definitely finished feeling sorry for herself.
She had all but forgotten Gareth was standing behind her, so was surprised when he spoke to Elaina. “Hey, sweet-pea. So you’ve met my friend Emily, then?”
“Hi, Uncle Gawef. Is she your friend? She’s pretty. Are you going to get married like Uncle Mitch and Aunty Pippa? She got burned on her face just like me on my finger, did you know that?”
Emily’s head was swimming at the way Elaina had just pumped out the questions one after the other, but she loved the fact the child had called Gareth ‘uncle’—it was so sweet. She listened with amused curiosity for how Gareth would answer.
“Yep, sweet-pea, my Emily is the prettiest girl around. Well, maybe next to you, that is. And just between you and me, I hope she will marry me one day.”
Elaina’s giggles and shy smile at Gareth’s saying she was pretty was too cute for words, especially when Gareth ruffled Elaina’s riotous brown curls. Emily was enjoying watching the interaction between them—Gareth was so easy-going, a natural when dealing with children, and Emily could see that Elaina was enjoying the attention.
“Do you want to know how my Emily got hurt by the bushfire, sweet-pea?”
“It won’t make me a nosy parker, will it, Uncle Gawef?” It was such a serious little voice that both Emily and Gareth started laughing. Considering Gareth was about to talk about the bushfire that had almost destroyed her life, Emily was surprised at her own reaction.
“No, sweet-pea, it won’t. My Emily is so brave. When the bushfire was burning close to her farm—she comes from the country just like me, in fact her farm is right next to mine—anyway, the fire was big and mean, burning all the trees and grass for miles…”
Everyone around Emily had gone quiet, all listening to the story Gareth was narrating. He looked like the Pied Piper, she thought, as she watched all the children gather around her man. By her quick count, ten sets of eyes, opened wide on little
faces, gazed up at Gareth as though he was about to tell some fantastical tale. It looked so surreal. Emily had locked away all visions of Gareth and children, but seeing him surrounded and so at ease with the small folk, about to tell her sorry tale, was quite unbelievable—a place and time she’d never thought she would experience. She felt goosebumps on her arms as she awaited the response from those around her.
“Emily and I have lots of animals on our farms. Cows, dogs and cats and chickens and horses—big, beautiful brown horses that have long manes that flow in the wind when we ride them at full gallop. When our parents heard about the bushfire, they told Emily to put her horses in one of the paddocks away from the fire, thinking it would be safe. Emily did what she was told and moved her horses. Two of Emily’s horses had just had babies. Baby horses are called foals. Emily put both foals into the paddock as well so they could be with their mummies.”
As Gareth spoke Emily lived the day again in her mind, remembered every move she had made. Everyone else around their table, it seemed, was listening.
“Well, sweet-pea, a little while later the wind changed direction, started blowing the fire another way, towards the horses.”
The little gasps from the children as they imagined what was about to happen caused Emily to worry. She didn’t want Gareth to upset their tender little minds, worried how the children’s parents would react. Caitlin and Mandy might not want their children traumatised by the events of that day. But when Emily looked at the women to judge their reactions to the story, they both smiled at her—smiles that told Emily that it was okay, not to worry. Before she could speak up and ask Gareth to stop, Elaina spoke.
“What happened to the horses, Uncle Gawef? Did the fire burn them too?”
“No, sweet-pea, that’s just it. Emily saved the horses. She went searching for them. In their fright the horses had broken through the fence and actually headed towards the fire. The horses were so scared. But not Emily. She ran through the bush, all the trees and long grass, not scared of the fire burning around her, or all the thick smoke making it hard for her to breathe. She didn’t give up until she found them. Emily led the horses away from the fire. Only just after the horses had galloped past her, all headed safely away from the path of the fire, a big tree branch crashed down onto Emily. The branch was on fire and it fell on her pretty face. I found Emily and lifted the branch off her, but the fire had already hurt her.”
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