“Turn off the engine,” Lily snapped.
Alex noticed she didn’t call him sweetie. He switched the vehicle off and silence throbbed in the cab. Lily jerked open the passenger-side door. Killer sprang out and Lily followed.
Basuko and double basuko. Alex flung himself at the door, intent on inspecting the damage. It didn’t budge. “Basukoation.”
He shoved against it with all his strength. Finally, the door opened with a protesting groan far enough for him to squeeze through. Irritated, more with himself than anything, he wriggled out and slammed the door shut. It bounced and almost hit him at knee level. Alex jumped backward and promptly fell over an exposed root. He landed hard enough to smack the air from his lungs. Winded and struggling for breath, Alex lay on the ground and scowled up at the tree canopy and the patches of blue sky between. He should have followed his gut instinct to stay in bed this morning.
A short yap right next to his ear made him start.
“Car hurt. Luke be grumpy.”
“I’ll get it fixed,” Alex snapped, climbing slowly to his feet. That damn dog was getting on his nerves. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she’d purposely interrupted them last night. He pushed past the spotted animal and stepped around to join Lily at the front of the car. Blast, he’d broken the side mirror as well. Alex kicked it out of the way, and it rolled drunkenly underneath the car.
“It doesn’t look too bad,” she conceded. “I think I should be able back it out from under the trees.”
“I’ll pay for the repairs.”
“Damn right you will.” Lily turned to look him in the eye. “Don’t lie to me again.” She advanced on him, her finger pointing and coming dangerously close to poking him in the chest. “Don’t ever try to deceive me again. I don’t like it, and I won’t put up with untruths. I hate people who fib,” she ended on a hard note.
Alex nodded, uncomfortably aware of the sham he was living. He focused on the vehicle, deciding a change of subject was in order. “The tree gouged the driver’s door. It will have to be repaired before we can leave.”
“Maybe I can fix it.” Lily stepped past him, grabbing Alex’s shoulder for balance as she squeezed between him and the car. Her scent took him from interested to hot and ready before he had time to formulate a countermove to protect himself. It was as though being apart during the night had done nothing to dampen his ardor.
“Door broken,” Killer barked.
Alex shot her an aggrieved look. The dog should try telling them something they didn’t know.
While Alex watched, Lily tried to shut the door, but it wouldn’t remain closed. “We’ll stop by the garage. Hopefully Samuel will be able to fix it for us today.”
The cadence of her voice changed when she mentioned the man Samuel. It went soft and dreamy, and she smiled as if an enjoyable memory pleased her. A strange sensation squeezed his rib cage at the idea of Lily and another man. He knew of her ex-husband, but that man was no threat. The ex was downright stupid. This unknown Samuel was worrying.
* * * * *
“We were lucky Sam was willing to lend us his SUV while he ordered the replacement door for Luke,” Lily said. “We could have taken my car, but I don’t think it would make a long trip without breaking down.” Her eyes flashed angry sparks. “I don’t know why you treated him so badly when he was being helpful. Are all the males on Dalcon as surly as you?”
“I didn’t like the way he was looking at you.” Alex had known exactly what was going through the Earthman’s mind. Lily was blind if she didn’t see that Sam was attracted to her. He’d had more than friendship on his mind.
“We went to school together,” she explained as they drove along the main street of Sloan.
Alex noted the trees lining the streets and the colorful red and purple flowers in the plant boxes. “Is this a typical town?”
“Our discussion is not finished,” Lily said with a sniff.
“Yeah,” Killer agreed. “Lily has more words to tell you off.”
“I understand you’re my tour guide, and we need to keep this on a professional basis,” Alex said stiffly.
“A pro basis?” Killer barked. “Lily nice lady.”
Once again, Alex ignored the dog. No use encouraging her outspokenness. “I’ve said I was sorry. I’ve offered to pay for the damages, and I will. Can we please start over?”
The look Lily gave him seared straight to his toes. That bloody sexual awareness again even though he’d taken a double dose. At this rate, he was going to run out of travel pills. His mind sneaked away on him, darting back to the scene last night, remembering the feel of Lily in his arms, the smooth texture of her naked breasts. The taste of her. He bit back a groan and stared fixedly out the window at the passing scenery.
“All right,” she said after what seemed to Alex an extraordinary length of time to consider his proposal. “But if I find you’ve lied to me about paying to fix Luke’s vehicle or anything else, then all bets are off.”
Alex opened his mouth to reply then snapped it shut. Best he not answer that one. “So this is a normal town?”
“We’ll pass through several Kiwi towns today. You’ll get to compare for yourself, but yes, Sloan is fairly typical with a bank, post office and a few shops.”
“What is this Kiwi?” Alex couldn’t remember reading about one and had no idea what the word meant.
“A kiwi is a flightless bird native to New Zealand.” Lily glanced across at him. “New Zealanders call themselves Kiwis. It’s an affectionate term.”
“So you are a Kiwi?” Alex asked, savoring the unfamiliar word on his tongue.
“Yeah. If we get time, we’ll visit a kiwi house so you can see them.” She glanced at the guidebook that sat on the seat near Killer. “You should find a picture of one in there somewhere.”
Lily indicated to turn onto the motorway south. “Actually, we can take a slight detour and go via Rotorua. It’s not far out of our way but they have a kiwi house there. Kiwis are nocturnal,” Lily said. “So they keep them in specially controlled environments to fool the birds into thinking it’s night rather than day when they normally sleep.”
Alex frowned at her professional manner. Maybe she intended to distance him and treat him like a client. Despite his fear of bonding, his irritation blossomed. He wasn’t used to anyone pushing aside, especially a female, and he didn’t enjoy the snub. Talk about ironic. For a male trying to blend in and go about his business, he wasn’t doing such a good job. He had to concentrate on his fledgling business.
“I’d like to see a kiwi. Isn’t Rotorua the thermal area?”
“That’s right.”
“Good, I’d like to visit the place.”
“Okay,” Lily said. “Check the guidebook and decide what you’re interested in seeing. You can do the tours, and I’ll talk details to the site operators and find out about group discounts and that sort of thing.”
Alex settled back to enjoy the ride—or tried to. Each time Lily changed gear, her arm brushed his thigh, and as it became warmer inside the car, her scent seemed to permeate each breath he took. He picked up the guidebook, opened it to the section on Rotorua then stuck it on his lap to cover up his blatant erection. This promised to be a long drive, which was why he’d wanted to operate the vehicle in the first place. He’d foreseen this development after the way his body had reacted to her last night. Pity he hadn’t been so smart earlier on and chosen a male tour guide.
After they turned off the motorway, they passed lush green pastures dotted with cows, sheep and horses. Alex noticed the small towns they drove through were similar to Sloan, some bigger, some smaller, but each full of what he was becoming to regard as Kiwi character. Now and then, he turned the pages in the guidebook. Lily was right. A visit to Whakarewarewa, the thermal reserve, where they had bubbling mud pools and geysers along with a kiwi house sounded fascinating. Something that would interest his clients.
“I hungry,” Killer barked without warning.
“Don’t bark in my ear,” Alex snapped.
“Wanna smell outside.” Killer scrambled into his lap and shoved her nose in the four-inch gap between the window and the frame. Her entire body wriggled with pleasure as she scented the outdoors.
“Smells funny,” she said.
The spotted creature was right but Alex could hardly start up a discussion with her without Lily wondering what was happening.
“Aren’t dogs strange the way they like to shove their heads out the windows of moving vehicles,” she observed. “I think we’ll stop for lunch soon. There’s a picnic spot at the top of the next hill. Killer will enjoy a run.”
“Oh, boy,” Killer barked. “Rabbits!”
Lily laughed. “Sounds like she agrees with a stop.”
Alex shrugged. Lily didn’t know the half of it. “I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs a bit.” Some fresh, Lily-free air would do him a power of good.
Lily pulled up at the picnic spot five minutes later. There was one other car in the parking area when they arrived.
Alex opened his door, and Killer shot out, nearly unmanning him in the process. With a muttered curse, he climbed out and went to the rear of the vehicle to help Lily with the picnic basket.
“Where would you like to eat?” Lily asked. “We can use the tables over there or take one of the walking paths and find a place in the sun.”
No sooner had she spoke than Killer took off down the track, paused briefly and then darted down the right-hand fork.
Alex wrestled the cane picnic basket away from Lily. “I guess we’re going the same way as Killer.”
Lily pulled a tartan blanket from the back, locked the vehicle and fell into step with him. A small bird with a fanlike tail flitted about them while Alex heard the guttural call of another bird in the distance. The situation reminded him of an outing on Dalcon with a special female. He’d attended many picnics before he’d grown smart enough to realize the attraction was his status and not his company.
They headed along a dirt track that wound between mounds of rocks and manuka trees. A series of clicks sounded, and Alex decided it must be a tui. He’d actually absorbed a lot of knowledge during the long, sleepless night. The guidebook hadn’t put him to sleep, but he’d learned a fair bit about New Zealand.
The track narrowed, and Lily went first. Alex’s gaze zoomed to her butt. To his frustration, the black skirt she wore was shapeless, making it difficult to ascertain the female form beneath. The long red jumper didn’t help much even though the color suited her. He wished she’d wear a garment that showcased her beautiful curves instead of hiding them. Then again, perhaps not. Other men would ogle her.
The court painters would offer many gold coins to paint her naked form. He hated the thought of other males seeing her lush curves. The visual that popped into his mind sent his system into full arousal, his tom stabbing against the loose cotton pants he’d taken the precaution of wearing today to lessen the pain. While the idea had been good in theory, in practice he still ached. All over.
The rush and bubble of water filled the air as Alex and Lily rounded the curve in the track. The dim light beneath the trees gave way to sunshine when they stepped into a clearing. Alex caught a flash of white from the corner of his eye as Killer bounded across the swift-flowing water and leapt up the grassy bank on the other side.
Lily slowed to a halt and stared at the water.
Alex caught the look of trepidation. “I’ll carry the blanket for you. You’ll be fine. The stones are close together.”
Lily gazed at the six stones that jutted from the water with something akin to horror. This was the stuff of a clumsy person’s nightmare. It wouldn’t be much easier wading through the stream. The water would be freezing cold despite the sunny day and the rocks would be slimy underfoot. That was assuming it wasn’t too deep for her to cross.
“You go first.” Her voice sounded faint and more than a little frightened. She wanted to look elegant for once in her life.
Alex speared a look at her but didn’t comment. “Okay. Sure.” He tugged the blanket from her nerveless fingers and tucked it under his arm.
Lily caught Killer’s faint bark as she tore ’round and ’round the small clearing on the other side, her nose to the ground chasing rabbit scents. Then she turned her attention to Alex. He made the crossing look easy despite carrying the blanket under one arm and the cane basket in his right hand. He seemed to glide over the stream, stepping from stone to stone with barely a pause. Suddenly, it was her turn. Lily debated on whether to go back to Sam’s car. She could sit and wait for them.
“Should I come back for you?” Alex called.
Lily swallowed, her fear creating a huge knot inside her throat. Yeah, right. Then she’d look stupid because she couldn’t manage on her own. Memories of her ex crowded her mind along with the jokes that still haunted her. She inhaled then slowly exhaled. When she glanced down at her feet, she saw she’d bunched her hands into fists. Unconsciously, she’d clenched her fingers so hard the knuckles had turned white. She released them and flexed her hands to stimulate the blood flow. Boy, was she a picnic basket of nerves.
“No. No, don’t come back. Set out the lunch, and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Alex hesitated and turned to walk across the clearing. Lily watched him set down the basket and spread the tartan blanket on a grassy spot.
Right. She’d finally found a man who didn’t think it was woman’s work to unpack a picnic. Now all she had to do was cross the stream to get to him. Any child could manage.
Lily sidled closer. The stream looked…wet and cold. White froth surged around steppingstones that stuck out like teeth. Where the current ran at a slower pace, it was clear enough to see the gravel bottom. Grass and dark green moss grew on the banks.
Lily took another deep breath and forced herself to take the first step. She could almost hear Ambrose’s taunts when she’d fallen face-first into a muddy puddle during a visit to his father’s farm. “Stupid, clumsy cow,” he’d said in his high singsong voice. Of course, that had made her even more self-conscious, and she’d promptly stumbled into more mortifying awkwardness.
She wouldn’t embarrass herself this time.
Not in front of Alex.
“You can do this, Lily Morgan.”
She took another step and stopped with both feet on the second stone. So far so good. Feeling marginally more confident, she strode onto the third. Halfway through taking a fourth step, a flash of bright yellow in her peripheral vision snared her attention. Her head turned to track the splotch of foreign color while she placed her foot. Cold water trickling into her leather shoe shocked her rigid.
“No!” she gasped, her mind leaping ahead in horror at the possible consequences.
Lily jerked in reaction to her fears. Her foot hit the safe, solid stone then slipped. She’d mis-stepped! In alarm, she tried to leap the few extra inches to compensate. Her arms windmilled wildly while she teetered on the edge of the slimy triangular-shaped stone. She made the mistake of glancing down and wobbled precariously.
A loud shriek echoed through the clearing as her feet shot from under her and she toppled backward. She hit with a mighty splash. It took Lily a moment to realize the scream came from her. Not that she thought she was in danger. It was more the shock of the icy dip.
“Lily!”
For a second, she floundered in a panic. She swallowed a mouthful of cold water before realizing the stream was knee-deep and she could stand without aid. She scrambled to her feet and stood wavering like a drunken man in the swift current, her hair and clothes dripping. A shiver worked down her spine as her skin reacted to the cool breeze.
“Lily?”
She looked up at the worry in Alex’s voice. “I’m okay. Just a bit wet,” she said in a wry voice. “Stay there. No point both of us getting soaked.” She took a baby step toward the bank, fighting the current and slippery footing and trying desperately not to fall again. A girl’s
pride could only take so much.
But Alex didn’t listen. He waded into the fast-flowing stream and reached her side in seconds, making the whole maneuver appear simple. His hands ran down her body, checking for broken bones or bloody wounds. Lily suspected she might suffer a few bruises, but that was all. The thing that smarted most was her dignity.
Clumsy clot strikes again.
Chapter Six
Alex swept her up in his arms with an ease that stole her breath.
“No, don’t lift me.” Lily belatedly struggled against his firm hold. Heedless to her pleas, he splashed through the water, heading for the bank and paying no regard to her strangled protests. “You’ll hurt your back. I’m too heavy. You can’t have sex with a sore back.” She paused to take a breath. “Well, you could but it would hurt.”
“Let me worry about my sexual activities.”
Oh, my stars! Burble alert. She buttoned her lips to a prim line and tried to ignore the silent laughter vibrating through his chest.
Alex clutched her a little tighter and halted her uneasy wriggling. But Lily couldn’t help tensing in preparation for a spill to the ground. He couldn’t carry her all the way to the blanket—not without doing himself an injury.
“I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” Alex said, as if that explained everything. “Not before I check to make sure you’re okay. I mean if you’re hurt, I’ll have to drive.” A teasing grin flirted with his lips.
Lily’s mouth went dry. Her breath stalled in her throat. He sounded as if he cared even though they’d known each other for a few days. Ambrose would have shouted, and he would never have deigned to touch her when she was sopping wet. “Water stains on the designer clothes,” she imagined him saying with a sniff.
Alex stepped out of the stream and onto the bank without breathing heavily or making a single clumsy stumble. Lily started to relax and since she was so close, she studied his face. She savored the cuddle against his muscular chest. He hadn’t shaved this morning. Exhibit one—his jaw covered with golden stubble. Her fingers itched, desperate to touch, but she kept them under firm control. His brown eyes glowed golden, too. Simply looking made her eyes hurt, and she couldn’t help wondering why he seemed interested in plain old her. She didn’t think she was misreading the signs.
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