was no way to judge, and she could have an STD. Even worse, she could be
pregnant right now.
He’d raced on through the dark until the breaking dawn lit
the horizon on his right, with fear churning in his gut, praying that things
would somehow be better in the full light of day and wondering what he’d do if
the worst happened. He couldn’t imagine knowing that a child of his was alive
in the world but beyond his reach.
It was midmorning by the time he pulled off the road, his
head pounding, and tried to arrange his big body in some way that would allow
him to sleep in the cab, but it was hopeless. At last he climbed in the back
next to Evelyn. He didn’t have the heart to tell her, but it was she who closed
the small distance between them a little while later, snuggling her delectable
denim-clad ass into his groin and leaning back against his chest, her hair catching
lightly in the stubble on his chin. Against all odds, comforted by her
acceptance of him at least in sleep, he dozed off.
But now they were awake again and the long hours of sleep
had revived her fighting spirit. He would have to take precautions for their
drive through Rockhampton.
He called Owen for an update. “How’s my Range Rover doing?”
“Is that how you greet your only brother? What possessed you
to get it in black? It gets so fucking hot!”
“Don’t you know how to switch the air-con on?”
“As a matter of fact, smart-ass, I’ve been parked for hours.
I’m at a fuel stop on the edge of town waiting to see when the roadblock
clears.”
“Can you see them?”
“Yeah. They’re still in business. But it’s already half past
two. I reckon they’ll pack it up in about an hour. How’s my van?”
“Underwhelming.”
He saw Evelyn emerging from the trees. “I gotta go. Let me
know when it’s safe for us to go on.”
He leaned into the van and pulled out the Esky that Owen had
provided.
“Come get something to eat.”
“Oh, so you don’t starve your prisoners?”
“Come on, Evelyn. You know I’m not going to harm you. I
haven’t hurt you and I’m not going to.”
“Oh no, of course not! You’re the most considerate rapist
I’ve ever met. Or should that be the kindest kidnapper?”
“Do you want food or not?”
She peered into the Esky and grabbed a bottle of water,
twisting off the cap eagerly and gulping it down. When she handed back the
empty bottle, he passed her a packet of crisps and an apple. They munched in
silence for a while. Owen’s selection was classic convenience store, but they
were hungry, and the food was soon gone.
“So where exactly is your ranch?” asked Evelyn, licking chip
crumbs from her fingers.
“Don’t do that. There’s a pack of hand wipes on the
passenger seat.” He tugged surreptitiously at his jeans, trying to ease the
strain on the hard-on that sprang up, in defiance of all logic, every time he
saw her, or even thought about her. “My ranch is about sixty kilometers
northeast of Rockhampton, on the Capricorn Coast. It’s five hundred hectares.
I’ve got fruit trees, cattle, and horses.”
“You said you’re wealthy. Are you a farmer?”
“Hell no! That’s a hard way to make a living. The ranch is
just for my enjoyment. I like the privacy. I’m a software developer and a
businessman.”
“Oh.” She opened the passenger side door of the van to find
the hand wipes. “Oh! Here’s my backpack!”
“Yes. Owen went past your place last night. He found it by
the door and decided to bring it along. Were you going on a trip?”
“I was going to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro. I was supposed
to fly out this morning. Now all that money and planning’s wasted, thanks to
you.”
He ignored the jibe, adding the trip to his mental list of
things he had to recompense her for. “That sounds quite adventurous. Who were
you going with?”
“Nobody. I was going to join a guided tour when I got
there.”
“You were traveling to Africa alone?”
“Don’t sound so
pregnant right now.
He’d raced on through the dark until the breaking dawn lit
the horizon on his right, with fear churning in his gut, praying that things
would somehow be better in the full light of day and wondering what he’d do if
the worst happened. He couldn’t imagine knowing that a child of his was alive
in the world but beyond his reach.
It was midmorning by the time he pulled off the road, his
head pounding, and tried to arrange his big body in some way that would allow
him to sleep in the cab, but it was hopeless. At last he climbed in the back
next to Evelyn. He didn’t have the heart to tell her, but it was she who closed
the small distance between them a little while later, snuggling her delectable
denim-clad ass into his groin and leaning back against his chest, her hair catching
lightly in the stubble on his chin. Against all odds, comforted by her
acceptance of him at least in sleep, he dozed off.
But now they were awake again and the long hours of sleep
had revived her fighting spirit. He would have to take precautions for their
drive through Rockhampton.
He called Owen for an update. “How’s my Range Rover doing?”
“Is that how you greet your only brother? What possessed you
to get it in black? It gets so fucking hot!”
“Don’t you know how to switch the air-con on?”
“As a matter of fact, smart-ass, I’ve been parked for hours.
I’m at a fuel stop on the edge of town waiting to see when the roadblock
clears.”
“Can you see them?”
“Yeah. They’re still in business. But it’s already half past
two. I reckon they’ll pack it up in about an hour. How’s my van?”
“Underwhelming.”
He saw Evelyn emerging from the trees. “I gotta go. Let me
know when it’s safe for us to go on.”
He leaned into the van and pulled out the Esky that Owen had
provided.
“Come get something to eat.”
“Oh, so you don’t starve your prisoners?”
“Come on, Evelyn. You know I’m not going to harm you. I
haven’t hurt you and I’m not going to.”
“Oh no, of course not! You’re the most considerate rapist
I’ve ever met. Or should that be the kindest kidnapper?”
“Do you want food or not?”
She peered into the Esky and grabbed a bottle of water,
twisting off the cap eagerly and gulping it down. When she handed back the
empty bottle, he passed her a packet of crisps and an apple. They munched in
silence for a while. Owen’s selection was classic convenience store, but they
were hungry, and the food was soon gone.
“So where exactly is your ranch?” asked Evelyn, licking chip
crumbs from her fingers.
“Don’t do that. There’s a pack of hand wipes on the
passenger seat.” He tugged surreptitiously at his jeans, trying to ease the
strain on the hard-on that sprang up, in defiance of all logic, every time he
saw her, or even thought about her. “My ranch is about sixty kilometers
northeast of Rockhampton, on the Capricorn Coast. It’s five hundred hectares.
I’ve got fruit trees, cattle, and horses.”
“You said you’re wealthy. Are you a farmer?”
“Hell no! That’s a hard way to make a living. The ranch is
just for my enjoyment. I like the privacy. I’m a software developer and a
businessman.”
“Oh.” She opened the passenger side door of the van to find
the hand wipes. “Oh! Here’s my backpack!”
“Yes. Owen went past your place last night. He found it by
the door and decided to bring it along. Were you going on a trip?”
“I was going to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro. I was supposed
to fly out this morning. Now all that money and planning’s wasted, thanks to
you.”
He ignored the jibe, adding the trip to his mental list of
things he had to recompense her for. “That sounds quite adventurous. Who were
you going with?”
“Nobody. I was going to join a guided tour when I got
there.”
“You were traveling to Africa alone?”
“Don’t sound so
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