Read Online Outback Affair: An Affair Novel (Entangled Indulgence) by Annie Seaton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annie Seaton
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settled in the trees above her.
“Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos.” Alex sauntered over with Bowser on his leash, trotting along beside him.
“They’re beautiful.”
“They’re a protected species. Over at Cockatoo Springs, we—” He bit off his words and Jess looked at him.
“You what?
“Doesn’t matter.” He turned on his heel and dragged Bowser behind him. “Come on, I have to get this boat in the water, so we can’t stand around yakking all day.”
She shrugged and followed, watching where she placed her almost-bare feet. Her sandals were pretty but flimsy, and offered little protection against any of the hazards he’d described. She’d be spending as much time as she could in the truck, and she was not going to put on those socks. Wrinkling her nose, she looked down. The smelly shirt was bad enough.
Alex paused at the boat trailer, lifted three big wire mesh circles out of the boat, and put them on the ground. Jess kept walking and stopped behind the truck. The tray on the back was covered with a square tent-like abode made of thick khaki canvas. It was zipped up tight all round, and two large canvas flaps were held down with plastic pegs.
He glanced up at her. “That’s your room. Unzip it and check it out if you want.” His tanned face broke into a grin. “I’ve already had your bags delivered.”
Jess reached up and unzipped the zipper on one side, but she couldn’t reach the top. It was too high. She climbed up onto the draw bar of the trailer, unzipped it to the top, and peered into the dim space. A foam mattress with chunky holes eaten out of it, by something she had no desire to know of, filled the small space. Her bags were thrown in a jumble at one end, and an old discolored pillow and a dirty blanket lay in a heap on the middle of the mattress.
“Sorry it’s not five star accommodation.”
Jess jumped when Alex’s breath grazed over her ear. It was immediately followed by his warm body pressing up against her back. He leaned forward and pointed into the little space. Jess stiffened as his hard body moved into her, and he casually looped one arm across her shoulders.
“Bowser chewed up some of the mattress last time he slept in there, and it might not be pretty, but it’s still comfy.” He stepped down from the draw bar of the trailer and held his hand out to her. She gripped it and hitched her breath. A jolt of heat ran up her arm. As her feet hit the ground, she dropped his hand and stepped away.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Stay in the truck with Bowser while I’ve got the boat in the water. It won’t take me long to lift the crab traps. With a bit of luck, you might even get crab for dinner.” He grinned at her. “Won’t be as good as Janet’s fish, but you can still take a photo if you like.”
He moved in closer and looked down at her. “Crab on a campfire by a waterfall. Would that give you a good article and help you keep your job?”
“It would help, but it’s not quite up there with an interview with the famous Alessandro Ricardo and his chefs.”
She moved back, feeling uncomfortable with his proximity. Alex was giving out mixed signals. Something wasn’t right. He walked to the front of the truck and lifted Bowser back in before turning to her. “Can you back a trailer?”
“Can I what?”
“Just what I said. Drive the truck backward so the trailer goes straight in the water.”
“Er…I don’t know.” And she certainly didn’t want to try it.
“What say we give it a go? A lot safer for me if I can stay in the boat while you back the trailer in.” Without waiting for her to answer, Alex opened the driver’s side door and gestured for her to climb up
“Ah, I don’t know how I’d do that. I’d prefer not to.”
“Nah, come on, it’s easy. If you can drive a car and follow instructions, you’ll be fine. Just do what I say.” He stood behind her and gently pushed her toward the vehicle. When she stepped up, his hand lingered
“Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos.” Alex sauntered over with Bowser on his leash, trotting along beside him.
“They’re beautiful.”
“They’re a protected species. Over at Cockatoo Springs, we—” He bit off his words and Jess looked at him.
“You what?
“Doesn’t matter.” He turned on his heel and dragged Bowser behind him. “Come on, I have to get this boat in the water, so we can’t stand around yakking all day.”
She shrugged and followed, watching where she placed her almost-bare feet. Her sandals were pretty but flimsy, and offered little protection against any of the hazards he’d described. She’d be spending as much time as she could in the truck, and she was not going to put on those socks. Wrinkling her nose, she looked down. The smelly shirt was bad enough.
Alex paused at the boat trailer, lifted three big wire mesh circles out of the boat, and put them on the ground. Jess kept walking and stopped behind the truck. The tray on the back was covered with a square tent-like abode made of thick khaki canvas. It was zipped up tight all round, and two large canvas flaps were held down with plastic pegs.
He glanced up at her. “That’s your room. Unzip it and check it out if you want.” His tanned face broke into a grin. “I’ve already had your bags delivered.”
Jess reached up and unzipped the zipper on one side, but she couldn’t reach the top. It was too high. She climbed up onto the draw bar of the trailer, unzipped it to the top, and peered into the dim space. A foam mattress with chunky holes eaten out of it, by something she had no desire to know of, filled the small space. Her bags were thrown in a jumble at one end, and an old discolored pillow and a dirty blanket lay in a heap on the middle of the mattress.
“Sorry it’s not five star accommodation.”
Jess jumped when Alex’s breath grazed over her ear. It was immediately followed by his warm body pressing up against her back. He leaned forward and pointed into the little space. Jess stiffened as his hard body moved into her, and he casually looped one arm across her shoulders.
“Bowser chewed up some of the mattress last time he slept in there, and it might not be pretty, but it’s still comfy.” He stepped down from the draw bar of the trailer and held his hand out to her. She gripped it and hitched her breath. A jolt of heat ran up her arm. As her feet hit the ground, she dropped his hand and stepped away.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Stay in the truck with Bowser while I’ve got the boat in the water. It won’t take me long to lift the crab traps. With a bit of luck, you might even get crab for dinner.” He grinned at her. “Won’t be as good as Janet’s fish, but you can still take a photo if you like.”
He moved in closer and looked down at her. “Crab on a campfire by a waterfall. Would that give you a good article and help you keep your job?”
“It would help, but it’s not quite up there with an interview with the famous Alessandro Ricardo and his chefs.”
She moved back, feeling uncomfortable with his proximity. Alex was giving out mixed signals. Something wasn’t right. He walked to the front of the truck and lifted Bowser back in before turning to her. “Can you back a trailer?”
“Can I what?”
“Just what I said. Drive the truck backward so the trailer goes straight in the water.”
“Er…I don’t know.” And she certainly didn’t want to try it.
“What say we give it a go? A lot safer for me if I can stay in the boat while you back the trailer in.” Without waiting for her to answer, Alex opened the driver’s side door and gestured for her to climb up
“Ah, I don’t know how I’d do that. I’d prefer not to.”
“Nah, come on, it’s easy. If you can drive a car and follow instructions, you’ll be fine. Just do what I say.” He stood behind her and gently pushed her toward the vehicle. When she stepped up, his hand lingered
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