by Maggie Mundy
He remembered Autumn coming to his rescue last night. There he had been on the floor, his body refusing to cooperate with him due to the amount of beer he had consumed. Her hair had been pulled back and she had baggy pajamas on but somehow, she’d managed to make them look sexy. Autumn had stood, hands on hips, staring down at him with what could only be described as a schoolteacher look of disapproval, and all he had been able to do was laugh.
His head had been full of naughty ideas of what she could do with a cane. If she had wanted to give him homework to discover the best sex positions ever, he would have promised to get an A-plus. She had cleared up the mess and put him to bed. He would have been happy if she had cuddled him as well. Then again, he wouldn’t have been capable of anything much. He wanted a night with her and planned on being sober when it happened.
He had gotten a quick kiss from her and she had jumped back. Brett hoped he hadn’t stuffed up his chances, as he would be after another one. Next time, he would make it last so she would want to come back for more.
Bluey jumped onto the bed and licked his face. It was time to get up and do some work. Feeling sorry for himself was not going to cut it. A couple of painkillers would put him right. He would feel a lot worse if Autumn had not shoved water down his throat. Tonight, he would get a bunch of flowers for her on his way home. If that didn’t work, he would get down on his knees and say sorry.
Her car was gone when he eventually got ready for work.
Dorothy was out in her garden, tending to her plants as usual. She waved as Bluey barked at her when Brett drove off.
The day went by in a blur. He had started on the surprise workshop for Julie’s husband. It was looking good and made him want to do more work on his own place.
It was five-thirty when he stopped off at the local florist. He grabbed sunflowers in the hope she liked them, as he was really putting himself on the line. It would probably be around the town by nightfall. If it got him that second kiss he didn’t care.
He fed Bluey his food and headed next door. Brett was hungry but wanted to see Autumn more.
Dorothy was sitting on her front porch and would see the bouquet and would no doubt interrogate him later.
Autumn answered the door in her smart work clothes of pants and a blouse. The top had tiny little pearl buttons and he could see his big hands struggling to get them undone. Why was it that every time he looked at Autumn, he thought about undressing her?
She was staring at the flowers and smiling.
It might do for him to take his eyes off her chest for a minute and say something. “I wanted to say thanks for last night.”
“You didn’t have to, but that being said, I do love sunflowers. They always make me happy.”
“I think I would have been a lot worse for wear this morning if you’d not helped.”
“You were a bit of a mess. Do you want to come in for a coffee or are you about to eat? I was just heating something up for myself.”
“I would love a coffee,” he said as he followed her inside. “You know, I’m actually not a bad cook when I have time. It comes down to being lazy.” Brett sat at the kitchen table as she popped a pod in the coffee machine.
“I have a lasagna I picked up and I am doing some salad if you want to eat with me?”
Brett was not going to turn that down. It looked like the flowers were working their magic. She placed the coffee on the counter and he put two sugars in and gave it a stir.
“And I was thinking you were sweet enough,” she teased.
“You think I’m sweet, despite last night? Now I’m touched.”
“Don’t let your head get too swollen. I just heard from Dorothy yesterday that you do a lot to help her and some of the elderly in the community.”
“I’m hoping they’ll leave me lots in their wills. By the way, you know Dorothy is a gossip. Don’t believe everything she tells you.”
“I don’t, but do enjoy her stories and her amazing cake. If I visit much more, I’ll be going home to England twice the size I arrived.”
Brett finished his coffee. “I’ll take you up on your offer and pop home and get washed up and be back in half an hour.”
Tomorrow was Saturday and he needed to work most of the day to catch up. That aside, Brett had an idea how he could get that second kiss. He washed and headed back next door.
When he walked in, she was plating the food.
“I’m tired. Do you mind if we just eat off our laps?” Autumn asked.
“Your standards are dropping but I think I can cope.”
Autumn brought over a jug of water.
He thought asking for a beer was probably pushing his luck after the previous night. “This food is great. You know how to heat a meal.”
“Trust me, as a doctor-in-training, you only ever get reheated meals or none at all. I remember a friend of mine was so busy, she only ate a small bag of peanuts in twenty-four hours. She ended up in surgery with a bowel obstruction.”
“Hell, that’s rough.” He chomped on lasagna and relished the cheesy sauce. “I have to work tomorrow morning but was wondering if you want to go for a bit of a bushwalk in the afternoon. The scenery around here is incredible and we can take a little picnic.”
“That’s really sweet of you. I’ve been thinking all I get to see is this cottage and the surgery. I’ve been writing a paper I’m to present in a few months’ time so I haven’t taken much time to just chill. The trip to the glowworms was the last time I ventured out.”
He knew just the spot with a secluded lookout to kiss her.
Brett filled a backpack with some food, wine, and water. It was the one he usually used that had his safety gear in it as well. The weather was good, though it might get cold once the sun went down. They should be back by then and he hoped he would have an invitation to spend the night with her.
Autumn was dressed in jeans and walking boots. Her T-shirt was tight though her jacket was loose. The woman had great tits. He wished she was wearing a low-cut top so he could get another glimpse of them. She settled in the pickup and they drove off.
“It’s only a short drive and then about a two-hour round-trip walk. It’s only four, so we should be back before dark.”
“That sounds great. I haven’t been hiking for a while.”
“We can start out easy. I’ll have you rock climbing soon.”
She shook her head at him as she pointed to her foot.
“I had some great news today. My friend Simon and some of his family are coming to the conference in Sydney in a few months.”
“That’s great. You’ll love it.”
“I was wondering if you would come down while I was there and we could do the bridge climb?”
“Of course, I will.” He would stay the night as well if he could but it was the start of an invitation.
Brett pulled up and grabbed the backpack out of the pickup.
The track meandered through a ravine and then up to a lookout. They saw a koala and an echidna. Autumn was like an excited little kid and her enthusiasm was infectious. He took too much of the wildlife for granted, living here.
So far, they hadn’t seen any snakes. It was March and autumn, so it was probably too cold for them. He let her walk in front so she could set the pace.
When they got to the lookout, they both sat quietly. He almost thought he could see tears in her eyes.
“You okay?”
Autumn turned to him and smiled. “It’s beautiful and so vast—the gum trees spreading off into the distance, and the blue haze you read about. Thank you for bringing me here.”
Most people went to the main lookout higher up which was always crowded. This had been a good choice. He opened the backpack and took out the wine and snacks. He wouldn’t drink too much. It didn’t pay to be unsteady on your feet on a bushwalk.
“Thanks for sharing this with me. I tended to be a bit of a loner recently back home, so it’s been nice having someone to get me out.”
“If I h
ad an injury like yours, I probably wouldn’t be doing much either. I think you’re bloody brave coming to the other side of the world. Mad trusting yourself to my navigation skills, but that’s another story.”
Autumn laughed. “I used to love hiking before the accident. My husband was never interested but I liked the solitude. I could walk for miles and let my mind wander as well as my feet.”
“It’s good to take time out. I don’t do it enough.”
“Thanks for not asking about my foot. I had a car accident a few years back. It was a hard time and I had to learn how to walk again. Trust me, I looked like waddling duck at times.”
“I’m sure you had a very attractive waddle. As a kid I used to go out on my bike through the hills around the Dandenongs in Melbourne. My brother and I came off a few times and caused Mum stress.” He hadn’t meant to mention his family mainly because he didn’t want to burden her with it.
“I hope your mum’s better. Dorothy mentioned she’d been ill. I don’t mean to pry though.”
“Thanks for asking. She is. Had some kidney issues but the doctors have it sorted. She keeps hoping I’ll go home.” He raised his eyes at the prospect.
“But you don’t want to? Sorry, I shouldn’t intrude.” Autumn sipped on her wine and her gaze fell to her cheese and crackers.
“It’s fine. I’m really happy here and I don’t think things are ever the same when you go back. Moving on changes you.”
“I hope so.”
The two of them sat for a while longer until the shadows started to lengthen.
“I reckon we should head off or we’ll be walking in the dark.”
They started down the track, taking in their surroundings and the sounds of the bush—the birds and cicadas.
A little way along, Brett stopped.
There was silence.
Something was wrong.
There was a loud crack.
“Autumn,” he yelled. Brett reached out and grabbed her, pulling her backward so they fell on the ground. She landed in his lap with his arms wrapped around her. Seconds later, a huge branch landed a few feet in front of them, sending up dirt and stones.
Autumn screamed as the two of them kept their heads down until the dust settled. Birds screeched as they flew away from the devastation. His heart pounded as he realized how close they had come to possibly dying.
He loved having her in his arms but needed to help her up.
Autumn’s hands began to tremble as he held them in his.
“When I heard the crack, I guessed something was coming down. Are you okay?”
“Yes, no. It could have killed us both. That branch is as big as a tree.” Autumn stared at the fallen limb and then at him. “You saved my life.”
“Just part of the service.” He wanted to reassure her. “Now we need to work out how we can get around it.”
The bush was thick on either side of them. He backtracked until they found a place where they could get through.
Half an hour later, he was not so sure. This didn’t seem to be the same track and it was becoming dark. He stopped.
“Are we lost?” she asked.
“No, I’m sure this is the way.” Brett turned the next bend. The rough track ended with a steep fall down a rock face of at least eighteen feet. They were lost and darkness was setting in. He couldn’t risk it, if they went any farther they might fall off the edge.
“There was a flat patch a little way back that we can settle in for the night.”
“You want us to sleep in the bush all night?” Autumn said, wide-eyed. “Can’t we call a ranger or check a map on our phones or something.
Brett got out his phone and so did she. Neither of them had any reception.
“Nothing. I can’t see any other alternative. It’s too dangerous to keep going.”
They trudged along in silence. She would be putting on her schoolmarm face and he was going to get a telling off.
He cleared a patch of grass by a large bolder, took off his jacket, and placed it on the ground. He could hear her giggling behind him. When he turned, she was almost bent over double laughing.
“I’m not sure what you find funny about our situation? We could be nibbled to death by kangaroos and wombats.”
“I should have warned you about something before we became intrepid explorers in the Aussie bush, Brett. Everything I’ve done over the past few years has ended up in some crazy way.”
There was something about her laughter that told him she was breaking a little inside. Did she really believe she brought bad luck upon herself? How could someone so strong be so fragile as well.
“Your chivalrous knight in khaki is here to save the day—or night, rather. Look, I have even lain down my cloak and there wasn’t a muddy puddle in sight.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” she said, and did a fake curtsey.
Brett sat and she settled beside him.
“Well, let’s check what we have to get through the night.” It was already starting to get dark and soon all they would have were the stars, if it was not too cloudy. “We still have the other half of the bottle of wine, and water, chocolate, a bag of sweets, a flashlight, a thermal blanket, and a compass.”
“A compass. You make a habit of getting lost, do you?”
“In Australia, most people tend to pack a bag with a few things in it.”
“I suggest we start with the wine.”
Brett didn’t bother with one of the cups but offered her the bottle, and she took a swig. He did the same and stared at the bush around them. The leaves rustled in the breeze and apart from the fact they were lost, all seemed right with the world. He had Autumn beside him. “You know, I’ve been trying to work out how I could spend a night with you. I have to admit this was not part of the plan.” He took a gulp of wine before he peeked at her and offered the bottle back. What would her reaction be?
Autumn took a big mouthful and smirked. What was going through that clever little brain of hers? “I have to say, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
That was the best thing he had heard in days. Problem was, they were on rough ground and there was no chance of getting sexy now. “I mean, we’ve both seen each other’s goods already. You surprise me, though. You always pull this prim-and-proper look and yet there is a naughty little mind under there.”
“I’m not prim and proper. I just like to be professional sometimes.”
“So, was it that kiss I pinched last night that made you lust after me? I knew you secretly wanted to pash me.”
Autumn shook her head. “Seeing you drunk was not a turn-on. It was my discussion with Dorothy that did it.”
Now she had him intrigued. How did his elderly neighbor convince her to have sex with him? “I’m worried. What the hell did she say?”
“It was more what I said. She was asking me why I came to Australia. I told her I wanted to have some fun while I was here. As you know, I’ve had a tough time in the divorce department. Some of the fun could be sex. She suggested you.”
“Bloody hell. My eighty-plus-year-old neighbor suggested I should be your fuck buddy. Now I’ve heard it all.” Brett couldn’t stop laughing.
Autumn winced. “I never feel comfortable using that term, but yes. I wondered if you would like to have sex with me while I’m here. I don’t have any expectations and only request that you make sure you use protection when you have other partners.”
Wow. That was a bit clinical but fair enough. She was a doctor, so what did he expect? He had a feeling if he could get close to Autumn, he would not be looking far afield for sex elsewhere. He took another drink of wine, and she finished it off.
“I accept all terms and conditions and promise to make your time in Australia memorable.”
“Thank you.” Autumn nodded.
It was dark and he turned on the flashlight. “I don’t suppose I could have a kiss now to keep me going?”
“You mean ‘a pash’ as you called it?” Autumn turned toward him. Her lips o
pened slightly and all he desired was to delve into the warm interior, but would take it slow. Brett wanted this to last.
Autumn was watching his every move. He placed his hand against her cheek and she leaned into it. He ran his thumb along her lower lip. Brett had noticed how full her lips were the first time he saw her. He had wondered back then what they would be like to properly kiss. Now, he was going to find out.
Moving closer, he pushed her fringe away with a finger. Then he placed kisses across her forehead, tracing them down past her temple and cheek, and to below her ear. Her neck was long and slender and he loved the feel of her cool skin beneath his lips. He traced a little circle below her earlobe, and she put her arm across his chest. Could she tell how fast his heart was beating?
Brett inhaled deeply. Her perfume was delicate and yet potent in what it did to him. She gave a little groan as he nibbled on her ear. Was she wet for him? He was hard for her. He would take this slow for once in his life. Women like Autumn did not come along very often. She was smart and sexy as all hell and for some reason wanted to have sex with him. Brett did not want to mess things up.
He needed that mouth, and moved across her jawline with kisses and then ran his lips back and forth across hers. Autumn’s eyes were closed as her breathing increased. He nibbled her lower lip and then ran the tip of his tongue from side to side.
When he pressed down, she opened to him and he entered the smooth silkiness. Their kiss was gentle as they both took time to discover each other. This was a delicate dance they were performing as if the kiss was saying what they wanted. He sought to be closer to her in any way he could.
Brett flicked off the flashlight and wrapped his arms around Autumn so her breasts were pressed against his chest. He was so hard his cock filled his trouser front as it throbbed. He threaded his fingers through her hair at the nape of her neck and brought her closer as he fought to take control of her mouth with his kiss. She fought back equally, as if he had opened a floodgate. Brett never wanted this to end. He did not want to talk, simply wanting to kiss her.