Turning her attention and fake bullshit towards me again, she cooed so sweetly it gave me a toothache. “Sweetheart, I have to run. I’ll call you to tomorrow. And for god sakes, Gage, get a tree or a wreath or something.”
“Yes, Mum,” I agreed, just to shut her up.
As I watched her climb into her car, which sadly hadn’t escaped unscathed from her holiday cheer—the SUV was sporting antlers and a big red nose—I stretched out my hamstrings and calves. Rarely did I stretch. Usually if I wanted to run, I ran. I didn’t give it two thoughts. I didn’t question it. I just did it. Today though, today I was dragging my ass. Between my mother the busy body elf and the haunting look on Katie’s face when her father told her that her favourite pet was dead, the desire to drink the bottle of rum stashed in my cupboard was almost too tempting. But I refused to become my father. Drinking my problems didn’t solve them. And it sure as hell didn’t make them any easier either. It just delayed dealing with them.
With a cloud of dust that had me coughing and spluttering, I watched as the brake lights crossed the cattle grate and then she was gone. Turning in the opposite direction, I quickly found my stride and took off down my favourite well known track.
The grass was chafing my ass. Sometimes I think Mother Nature is just a chick with raging PMS hormones and someone needed to give that girl a glass of wine. The weather lately had been complete bullshit, which meant I was weeks behind. The daily dose of thunderstorms I could most certainly do without. I loved the rain, don’t get me wrong. But the couple of hours leading up to it was so stifling and sticky were just horrible. Rainy days were the best. At least when it rained all day I could sit inside and play with the photos I’d screwed up and catch up on my book work. I hated book work. If I wasn’t just a tight ass, I’d pay someone else to do it for me, but until I was willing to part with my hard earned cash, I was stuck doing it myself.
Swatting away the fly buzzing around my head, I shifted on the unforgiving dirt and waited. It was all I could do. No matter how uncomfortable I was, or how much my legs itched, I had to wait. Sunset only came once a day. And I wasn’t moving a fucking muscle ’til I captured it over the bend in the river.
It’d taken me two weeks to find this spot. Two weeks of stomping up and down the muddy banks looking for this exact spot. I knew I’d find what I was looking for eventually, but it had to be right. Perfect even. Now here I was. Ants trying to crawl up my ass. Flies buzzing around my ears making me want to scream. The sun burning the shit out of the back of my legs and my boobs covered in dirt. You’d think I’d have learnt by now to dress appropriately when I went out with my camera. Nup. Not this idiot. This idiot was hot when she left home, so left in a tank top and denim shorts, which barely covered my ass. Definitely not my smartest move.
Adjusting my sunglasses and digging my undies out of the crack of my ass, I checked the sky. Wouldn’t be long now. After a few quick snaps, I thought I heard something. That got my attention. Sitting up, I looked around and saw nothing. The Australian bush could be bloody creepy. There was a reason I usually only shot weddings. Even Bridezilla on a bad day wasn’t as terrifying as some of the wildlife out here. And with the image of a snake now firmly stuck in my head, I sprang to my feet, forgetting about my expensive camera equipment. It’d cost me a fortune and I loved it, but if the choice was go near a snake, no matter how harmless, then I’d just buy new stuff. Simple, really.
There was nothing. The breeze ruffled the long grass and shook the trees. The dumbass pink and grey galahs wouldn’t shut up their squawking. And my stupid, traitorous body wouldn’t calm the hell down. My heart was pounding and I was panting like a bitch in heat. Feeling like a fool, I reached down, snatched up my camera, and started shooting. I’d have way too many photos to sort through, but by the time I deleted half, hopefully I’d be able to get one or two good ones in.
A galah took flight from the gum tree and I held down the button, rapidly taking shots. I hoped the one with the outstretched wings would work. With the sky full of clouds behind it, it’d make a great wall print.
I heard the crunch of a stick and this time I knew I wasn’t completely delusional. Something was out there.
I heard a heavy sigh, and when I spun around, I almost fell on my ass. It was my worst nightmare…and it wasn’t a snake!
He was stunning.
Pure perfection.
And I was looking with my photographer eyes.
And my feminine ones.
He was covered in sweat, his hair slicked back, and his eyes shielded by dark tinted glasses. The stubble on his jaw had me wanting to lie back in the grass so he could ravish me. And that was before I noticed he was shirtless, with a light smattering of dark hair across his sculpted chest and a happy trail leading to the top of his sweat pants. My own underwear soaked through.
I swallowed hard. Suddenly my mouth was dry and the words caught in my throat. It wasn’t a bad thing, either. Right now, anything that came out of my mouth definitely needed to be censored.
“Carly?”
If I wasn’t flat on my back, legs spread yet, then the raspy way my name fell from his lips did it.
It took a second for me to understand what he was saying. He’d said my name. He knew me. I must have met him before. So, who the hell was he?
“Hi,” I croaked.
“What are you doing out here alone?”
“Ummm…” Good work, Carly. Make yourself look like a stuttering, bumbling moron.
“That’s right. You’re a photographer. What could you be possibly shooting out here?”
Oh no, he didn’t. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” No one talked shit about me or my photographs. In fact, if they wanted to talk crap, then they could aim it at my fat ass or flat chest, but never my pictures.
Holding his hands up in surrender, he backed up a couple of steps. Probably for the best, really. I could feel my cheeks burn and my blood boil. “Whoa there! I didn’t mean it like that. All I meant was, what out here could possibly be worth taking a photo of? It’s just a dirty river and some gum trees.”
After a few calming breaths, I realised I may have overreacted. Just a little. “I’m sorry, but do I know you?” I had to ask. I couldn’t stand out here with him looking the way he did without me at least knowing his name.
His deep chuckle shook his abs. The way the beads of salty sweat trailed down his tanned torso made my mouth water, and I wanted nothing more than to lick them away. “You don’t recognise me?”
I shook my head.
He removed his glasses and blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the fading light. Caught in the most intense whiskey-coloured eyes I’d ever encountered, I attempted to step back, suddenly needing some space. Being the clumsy, bumbling embarrassment that I was, I couldn’t even do that properly. Tripping over my own feet, I landed on my butt in the dirt. It bloody hurt. It hurt a lot. I’d put my hands out to break my fall and taken all the skin off one palm and jarred the other wrist. Typical.
“Shit, are you all right?”
Gage moved towards me and I found myself wishing I’d fallen down a ravine and into the murky river waters. If I was lucky, some disgusting huge fish would swallow me and help me escape. This was me, though. Shit like that never happened to me. Instead, I was left where I was to face it head on.
Stretching out his hand in front, Gage helped me to my feet, before grabbing a shirt I had noticed hanging from the waistband of his pants and dusting me off. He dusted my legs and my ass before taking hold of my hands.
“Gage.” His name came out breathlessly.
“Hi there. Now, are you okay?”
“Humiliated, but I’ll live. It’s just a scratch.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“So, seriously though. What are you doing out here by yourself?”
“I was hoping to catch the sunset.”
“Oh.”
We both looked up at the sky and as soon as
I did, I knew I’d missed it. The one moment when the sun kissed the horizon and turned the world orange and purple. The moment when everything was still and wondrous. I was disappointed, but when I caught Gage’s eye again, I realised I wasn’t that disappointed. After all, the sunset happens every day. I’d just capture it tomorrow.
“Why are you here?”
“Running.”
“Away from or towards something?”
“Neither. Both. I don’t really know.”
A sadness covered his face and all the naughty thoughts left my brain, replaced with compassion. It didn’t happen often, and it definitely didn’t happen with many people, but for some reason, the look in those eyes, the way his shoulders hunched forward, had me wanting to wrap his gorgeous body in a hug.
“Sounds deep.”
“Yeah, too deep.”
“I ruined it, didn’t I?”
“Ruined what?”
“Your photos.”
“You weren’t to know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“You sure.”
“Absolutely.”
What struck me as strange was just how much I meant it. Yep, I’d spent over an hour sitting out here waiting for the perfect moment. I had ant bites all over my legs, and I was so thirsty that even the river water was starting to look like Evian.
“Where’s your car?”
“On the road.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah?”
“You do know how far that is, don’t you?”
“Ah, not really. I just started walking until I found the spot.”
“The spot, huh?”
“Yep, the spot.”
“Okay then. Well, how ’bout I walk you back to your car so you don’t get lost?”
“Are you saying I’d get lost?”
“Umm…”
“Do you think I’d get lost ’cause I’m a girl?”
“Umm…”
“Well?”
“Carly, I don’t think there is a right answer to that question. It’s safer to stay silent.”
“Right.”
“So, you’re going to let me walk you back?”
He sounded surprised. I loved that I could unbalance him. Looking like he did, I was sure he didn’t come across it very often. Power was a very addictive drug…one I loved wielding. Especially over men who were too sexy for their own good.
“Come on then.”
I scooped up my camera gear, then tried as discreetly as I could to wipe the dirt off my ass before turning and heading back in the direction of my car. I didn’t ask if Gage was coming, and I didn’t look over my shoulder, I didn’t trust myself to. This guy was dangerous. Dangerous to my health. He was exactly the sort of man I could lose myself in. Something I had no intention of doing. Not for a man. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
My wrist was aching. I didn’t want to admit it, but looking down, I think it was starting to swell. It was looking fat. Juggling my tripod and camera, I almost dropped the lot. Thankfully not only did I manage to hold it all together, but I was also able to stay upright the entire time. An accomplishment for me.
Twenty sweaty minutes later I was panting and my fingers were numb, but we’d made it to my car. Dropping all my shit at my feet, I dug through my pocket and found my key. Hearing the fob beep, I quickly loaded everything in the backseat before turning back to thank Gage for his, well, I guess for his manners.
Although he’d followed a few steps behind me the whole trek, we’d chatted easily. Mainly I bagged out Payton and revealed secrets which, looking back on it, I probably shouldn’t have, and Gage had dished the dirt on Beau. Turns out Beau wasn’t the goody-two shoes he pretended to be. That in itself was a relief, really.
“Can I drop you somewhere?” I offered, feeling bad that not only had I interrupted his run, but now the light was fading and I had no idea how far it was back to his place.
A moment later we were side by side in my hatchback—a car completely inappropriate to be on these roads—and I turned on the ignition. When it spluttered to life, I reached down and grabbed the gear stick.
“Ow!” I screamed as I tried to slip it into reverse.
Looking like something bit him on the ass, Gage jumped in his seat, hitting his head on the roof before turning his attention to me. “What?”
I shook him off. He didn’t need to know my clumsiness had more than likely resulted in a pretty badly strained wrist, which was ballooning with every passing second. Gage must have seen me cradling it in my lap, rubbing at a particularly sore spot while Britney Spears rattled off about being a bitch or something.
“Carly.”
His voice was deep and full of authority. Stealing a glance at him, his face bore the disappointed dad look—the one I’d seen so many times before. The same one that I couldn’t cope with. “It’s nothing,” I lied, reaching down and yanking the car into reverse with the wrong hand. When I went to release the hand brake, warm fingers wrapped around my arm.
“Let me drive.” He didn’t wait for a reply. Instead he unclicked his seatbelt, threw open the door, and climbed out. I may have checked out his tight ass as he did, but thankfully I didn’t get caught. This time anyway.
When my door opened, I was still sitting there. “I’m fine.”
“Come on, Carly. Let me drive you home and then I can take a look at that wrist.”
“You know about wrists?”
“In a way.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? ‘In a way’?”
With a huff, I put the car in neutral, climbed out, and stomped around the other side. Even though I was secretly glad I didn’t have to drive, I couldn’t admit that. I didn’t want to. I wasn’t used to relying on anyone. I’d seen what that did to people. Fuck, that’s the whole reason I was living in this backwards hick town. Payton, my best friend, my other half, she was supposed to be my sister. But my douche canoe of a brother fucked that up royally. Instead of watching Payton walk down the aisle and get her happy ever after, I watched her pack everything into boxes and leave town.
It took me six months to scrape together the nerve to follow her.
Without Payton I’d been lost. I felt like I’d lost a limb. She was the yin to my yang and I couldn’t do it without her. I didn’t want to. So here I was. Living in a tiny town. A million miles from reality, taking off every other weekend for a wedding somewhere beautiful, then back to the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t the life I imagined I’d have, strangely though, I didn’t hate it. In fact, this place was starting to grow on me.
“Well, I did go to med school…”
“For animals! You went to vet school, not med school. I’m a person, not a cow!” Folding my arms over my chest in protest, I pouted.
“You sure?” His question barely slipped out. I wanted to tear him a new one. How dare he insinuate I was some kind of heifer. Except when I turned to face him, he was staring straight at my boobs. The purple lace bra I was half wearing was on display, and with my arms under my boobs, they were propped up almost in my face, they couldn’t be missed.
“Asshole,” I muttered, righting myself.
With a deep chuckle, Gage slipped the car in reverse, and with a cloud of dust, we were headed home.
Fifteen minutes later he pulled in to an empty spot out the front of Payton’s bakery. The sight alone made my mouth water. What I wouldn’t give right now for a latte and a hot cinnamon scroll. That girl made the best scrolls known to man. Maybe that’s why I followed her out here. My addiction to her sugary treats couldn’t be denied.
Climbing out, I grabbed my bag before looking at the heavy camera equipment. Shit! I didn’t want to leave it in the car overnight. I know this was supposedly a sleepy country town, but that camera was my livelihood. I wasn’t about to be an idiot and risk it.
As if reading my mind, Gage offered, “Want me to take this stuff upstairs?”
I should have said no. I want
ed to. Instead, a pathetic little squeak came out in agreement. Without another word, Gage carefully picked it all up and motioned for me to head up the stairs.
Conscious that my fat ass was in his face, I moved as quickly as I could. No one should be exposed to that view for too long.
I wanted to bite that ass. It wouldn’t take much. Lean forward. Open wide. Chomp down. I know I shouldn’t have been staring. Salivating. I couldn’t help it. It was right there in front of me. And those tiny shorts. Holy fuck! Were they even shorts? She might as well have just worn her underwear. I felt my dick twitch, but with my hands full of her crap, I was forced to grit my teeth and think of something else. Anything else.
Carly pushed open the door and instantly I forgot everything.
My half hard dick shrivelled up and my balls tried to climb back inside me.
Why the fuck was it impossible to unsee something?
As quick as I could, I spun Carly around, dumped her gear on the chair inside the door, and slammed it shut. There was no need for her to be traumatised too. It was a burden I’d have to wear alone forever.
“What the…”
“Trust me,” I huffed, squeezing my eyes together as tight as I could, trying to erase the image replaying in my mind. “You don’t want to go in there right now.”
“Oh crap! They’re going at it again, aren’t they?”
The laugh exploded from me before I even knew it was coming. The look of pure disgust on Carly’s cute face was comical. She looked like she’d stepped in something nasty. Nodding, I swiped away the tear that ran down my face. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d laughed so hard it brought tears to my eyes.
“Wanna head to the pub and grab a beer?”
“Or something stronger,” I agreed, quickly dashing down the stairs two at a time.
After the first beer I felt slightly better. Slightly. The second was making everything much easier though. Surprisingly, Carly was a lot of fun. We had little in common, but somehow that didn’t stop us laughing. A whole lot.
Picturing Perfect (Meet the McIntyres Book 2) Page 2