AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Pull yourself together, Jess, right now!
And as she spun, guilt washed over her in an engulfing tide. No longer a memory, but instead all tattooed, sun-kissed flesh and broad shoulders, not the lanky twenty-five-year-old she’d left behind but a solid tower of virile man now striding towards her, and essentially back into her life, Morgan Savage had aged mighty well. As he neared her, she could see the shaggy hair she used to run her fingers through curling from beneath his Akubra. And once he was close enough for her to reach out and touch him – which she was hesitant to do, so she didn’t – her eyes collided with the brilliant blue of his, and in that fleeting instant, she was right back to being a twenty-two-year-old bride-to-be, and the impact of the memory-punch made the ground feel as if it had given way.
If only she could fall through it.
‘Hey, Morgan.’ With a conscious effort, she willed herself to breathe. In. Out. Repeat.
‘G’day, Jess.’ His voice was deep, dreamy and quintessentially Australian. ‘Long time no see.’ His tone was overtly playful, but there was a sheer drop of cobalt depth in his eyes. ‘How was your flight?’
‘It was long, but okay, I suppose, as flights go, you know.’ Tripping over her words, she flashed him a brilliant smile. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to be here, to pick me up, I mean.’
Stop blabbering, Jess!
‘Yeah, about that, it’s a bit of a long story.’ Grimacing good-humouredly, he extended a strong hand. ‘First things first, though, it’s really good to see you.’
Oddly formal, given the fact they’d almost married each other, but she accepted his gesture. ‘It’s really nice to see you, too.’ She sucked in a breath, shocked by how familiar his touch was and how it still made her feel instantly safe. ‘So why aren’t Roberto and Shanti here, is everything okay?’
‘Not really.’ He sucked air through his teeth. ‘They woke up to a very flooded house.’
Eyes widening, she gasped. ‘Holy crap.’
‘Literally, seeing it was the sewage line that burst.’ He grimaced again. ‘Sooo, now they are at Shanti’s mum’s, likely until at least after their honeymoon, and as for you, the plan is you’re staying with me, well, not with me, but at my place.’ He rubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. ‘Sweet Jesus, get your words right, Savage.’ He shook his head and chuckled. ‘Notatmy place, but in your own place at my place, in the cottage.’
‘Oh, right.’ She wanted to refuse his proposal. But beggars and choosers, and all of that …
Then it struck her. ‘You mean, our,the, cottage.’
‘Yes, the one and only.’ Warmth lingered in his baritone voice.
‘Uh-huh.’ Somehow taller, stronger and more handsome than she remembered, he was a feast for her weary eyes. So much so, she wanted to tear his Wranglers right off him like some lustful hussy – her need to do so ran way deeper than just being aroused by how he looked. And that terrified her. ‘Well, I suppose I should say, thank you for coming to my rescue.’
‘No worries.’ He waved a hand through the air. ‘Shanti was so upset that she couldn’t be here to welcome you home, I mean back, but she and Roberto are tied up trying to sort out the mess.’ He cleared his throat and took a breath. ‘She said she left you a voice message and sent a text as well.’
‘Oh, my mobile’s flat. And of course, yes, I could only imagine the state their place is in, poor things.’ His familiar scent settled into her soul, jarring loose a long-lost memory from where she’d tucked it away, and as she remembered the way his hand used to rest in the crook of her back whenever he kissed her, a warmth crept up her neck and to her cheeks. ‘Well, then, should we make a move and hit the road?’
‘Yeah, yup, for sure.’ His chiselled features stretched into a charming smile as he thumbed over his shoulder. ‘The Troopy’s this way.’ He reached for her heavy suitcase. ‘Here, let me.’ Taking the handle, he wheeled it in beside him and eyed the bulging zipper. ‘Far out, did you bring the kitchen sink with you, too?’
‘That’s enough of that, Savage.’ She felt the load on her heart and shoulders lighten with his spirited teasing. ‘I’m a woman, and we need lots of stuff.’
‘Righto.’ He chuckled. ‘I’ll take your word for it.’
Side by side they wandered out of the airport, where she felt a slap of tropical heat to the face, then after debating over who was going to pay for the parking – Morgan won – they headed to his four-wheel drive decked out with all the country bells and whistles. Making it to the passenger door first, he opened it and gestured for her to hop on in.
‘Still the gentleman, I see.’ She clambered up and got settled. ‘Thank you,’ she added as she tugged her seatbelt on, and with an acknowledging smile he closed the door.
A few awkward minutes later, and they were heading down Sheridan Street, towards Port Douglas, where they would then head a little further north to Silverton Shores. In what she suspected was an effort to dull the silence, Morgan reached out and turned the stereo up, but only enough that they could still talk. Waylon Jennings’ unmistakable voice filled the void nicely with his song ‘Good Ol’ Boys’ from one of her all-time favourite TV shows.
‘Oh, my goodness, I haven’t heard this song in years.’ She noted her foot was tapping in time to the catchy tune.
‘I’m guessing you don’t listen to much country music in Florence?’
She shook her head. ‘No, not really.’
‘If my memory serves me correct, I recall you used to loveThe Dukes of Hazzard.’ He offered a lingering sideways glance. ‘Have you watched any re-runs since you’ve been overseas?’
‘I actually haven’t, but I should show my little girl, because I reckon that she’d love it.’ She’d blurted it out before she stopped to consider that she’d asked Roberto and Shanti not to mention Chiara to anyone here, other than Shanti’s mum.
‘You have a daughter?’ His words came out in a woosh.
