Jillaroo from Jacaranda, page 21
‘Sorry about that, Jonesy. I’ll live to fight another day.’ He tried his best to put her at ease with a smile. ‘You know what it’s like having a bad fall, being an Australian barrel-racing champion, I’m sure.’
‘Yeah, kind of, but nothing like yours was today.’ She leant in and kissed his cheek. ‘Please don’t worry me like that again.’
‘I’ll do my best not to.’ The look in her eyes told him everything he’d been dying to know, but now wasn’t the time to broach the subject.
Rose challenged him. ‘Promise me you won’t be getting back on a bull?’
He remained tight-lipped. He wasn’t about to lie to the love of his life about something she took extremely seriously. But he also wasn’t going to give up the one thing that got him through the hardest of times.
* * *
Exhausted and emotionally drained, Rose traipsed into the cottage, tossed her bag and keys onto the couch and lumbered down the hallway. She desperately needed a shower and some sleep, possibly for a few days. A storm was quickly approaching and the atmosphere was thickening all around. She loathed driving in the pelting rain, so she’d done well to avoid it, if only just. When the heaving black sky finally opened, hopefully it would bring some relief from the thick humidity that was making it hard to draw a decent breath.
As she stepped from the hall, lightning zipped through the sky, igniting her bedroom in a blue glow for a split second. Thunder crackled and boomed, ricocheting like a gunshot, the detonation of Mother Nature sounding as if it were right over the top of the cottage. Seconds later, the heavens finally gave way and heavy raindrops hammered against the corrugated iron roof so deafeningly, she could barely hear herself think.
Flat on her bed with her legs in the air, Rose hauled off her boots and tossed them into the corner of the room. Rising, she hopped around, cursing beneath her breath as she tried to pull her jeans off. She wished she had a switch to turn her mind off. Even though she’d tried to banish thoughts of Ty dying, she just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Watching him being dragged around by the bull had been horrifying, and the almost fatal thirty seconds kept playing in her mind like an old movie reel, over and over and over again. The thought of losing him was too much to bear.
She also couldn’t stop thinking about the fact he was adamant about returning to riding bulls in no time. She’d left that battle with Leah for now, but she was going to step in once she’d caught up on her sleep – she didn’t want to say things without getting her head straight first. Freed from her jeans, she flopped back to the bed. Closing her eyes, she decided to meditate for a bit before she dragged herself from the comfort of her bed to the bathroom.
Just five or ten more minutes …
The stream of water was piping hot, and she’d been standing beneath it for so long, steam enveloped the room. After stepping from what had been the most revitalising shower she’d had in forever, Rose grabbed her fluffy towel and dried herself off.
She tugged on her robe and headed for the kitchen – a cup of hot chocolate would be the perfect nightcap, along with a little bit of music. She flicked the kettle on, followed by the radio, where Dolly Parton’s soft soulful voice sang to the tune of ‘From Here to the Moon and Back’. It had been so long since Rose had heard the moving love song, but she still knew every single word.
The rain was still persistent but lighter, the scent of renewed earth floating through the kitchen window. She breathed it in deeply.
‘Rose.’ Her name drifted on the breeze. She turned to see Ty at the doorway of the kitchen, his gaze filled with promise and passion. ‘I called out, but you mustn’t have heard me.’ Droplets of rain clung to his damp hair, and a white towel was wrapped around his waist. Tall, wide-shouldered, tattooed and carved in all the right places with muscle; her mouth went dry with the sight of him. ‘I needed to come over and say thanks, for being there when I woke up in hospital.’
‘Of course. I wanted to make sure you were okay.’ Holy moly, she could barely keep her eyes off the strong planes of his chest.
‘Rose, are you listening to me?’
‘Yes, sorry.’ She tried to pull herself together. ‘What were you saying?’ Heat sparked and fizzed between them, and she felt a telltale blush warm her cheeks.
‘I can see you’re a million light years away.’ He leant forward, into her space. ‘What’s on that pretty mind of yours?’ While waiting for her reply, he watched her with absorbed fascination.
‘Nothing in particular.’ Her eyes locked with his, but she blinked and quickly looked away before she tumbled so far into him, there’d be no turning back.
‘Really?’ He took her hand in his. ‘I don’t believe you.’ Turning it over, he ran his thumb over her palm suggestively. ‘If your love line is right, you’re going to be married once and be in love with that man forever and beyond.’
She tried to string intelligible words together but couldn’t, so she remained silent, breathing all of him in.
‘I think that man is me, Rose.’ The huskiness of his voice was deep, untamed. ‘Don’t you?’
It made her feel dizzy with longing and a desire-fuelled sound escaped her. She wanted him so badly, she could barely breathe. Looking at where he was still running his thumb along her hand, she then jerked her gaze upwards and her breath hitched even more when her eyes snagged on his – never had she witnessed such intensity. The world spun and time froze for a lengthy moment.
‘What are you doing, Ty?’ She swallowed, too afraid to move in case she pounced on him like a hungry lioness.
He took his own sweet time answering her. ‘Something I’ve been wanting to do since the day we met.’
He shifted closer and wrapped an arm over her shoulder. The warmth he always brought to her soul unfurled and circled throughout her. She gave in to the temptation to be comforted and treasured by this incredible man and lay her head upon his bare chest. Her cheek to his warm skin, she could feel him, deep down in her soul, as if he had climbed inside of her and was soothing her broken parts from the inside out.
Ever so gently, he ran fingers through her hair. His touch was magic and made her tingle. No words were spoken – none were needed. His actions were speaking way louder than words ever could. She really had to start believing that good things could happen. She had to find a way to move away from her past and trust in love again.
She needed to heal, and heal fully, to be able to love Ty Parker the way he deserved to be loved.
Tipping her face to his, she pressed up a little, to meet his lips …
… and it was only then that she awoke in the dead of night, all alone, still in her underwear and in desperate need of a shower, cold this time.
CHAPTER
17
It was four days after the rodeo, but it felt like weeks. Between Leah fussing over him, Rose worrying about him doing anything that required an ounce of strength, and his bid to try to hide his pain so they didn’t fuss and worry any more than they already were, Ty was itching to be back to his robust self so he could get back to the grindstone. Which he was planning on doing tomorrow.
Right now, he had bigger fish to fry. He couldn’t believe Rose had hidden the fact that today was her birthday. He would’ve felt terrible if it had passed them by without celebrating her life – she deserved to feel special – which was why as soon as Leah had told him, he’d driven to town in search of a gift.
The little bell overhead jingled, announcing his arrival in the Narnia-like bookshop Leah loved. Myriad scents hit him.
Holy moly, this place is a woman’s seventh heaven.
The owner looked up from the book she was reading and graced him with a warm-hearted smile. ‘Well, look at who the cat dragged in.’ She placed the book down as if it was made of the frailest glass. ‘I never thought I’d see you in here, Ty Parker.’
‘Yeah, me either.’ He acknowledged his old high school English teacher, who had moved here from the big smoke when she’d retired, with a grin. ‘Mrs Smith. Long time, no see.’
‘You don’t say, love, although it only feels like yesterday that I was reprimanding you for talking in class.’ She chuckled softly. ‘I saw your ride at the rodeo on the weekend, how are you feeling after that terrible scare?’
His ribs still sore, Ty shifted uncomfortably beneath her motherly stare. ‘I’ve had worse injuries.’
She tutted, then reached out and patted his hand. ‘You’re not a spring chicken anymore, Ty. When are you going to say enough is enough?’
She sounded like Leah. ‘I don’t know. I haven’t really thought that far.’ He had, repeatedly, and it was doing his head in, but he really didn’t want to get into it all now, again. ‘How’s Mr Smith these days?’
‘He’s still the same, grumbling about everything and anything.’ Her eyes rolled behind thick-rimmed glasses. ‘But I love him, so I don’t mind listening.’ She tittered. ‘Or at least pretending to.’
Ty chuckled. ‘Show willing, as they say.’
‘That’s it, love.’ She tipped her head. ‘So, what brings you into my shop?’
‘I’m looking for a birthday present for a friend.’
‘Oh, how lovely. Well, you shout out if you need a hand with anything, love.’
‘Will do. Cheers.’
Staring at the shelves of candles and bath oils, Ty felt like a fish out of water. Only days ago, he’d ridden one of the wildest bulls on the Australian rodeo circuit and defied death; today, he was in the town’s only gift shop, trying to figure out what scent Rose would like best. Talk about from one end of the spectrum to the other.
He decided on a candle and diffuser set called Tropical Island, with scents of pineapple, coconut and lime, then also grabbed a glow-in-the-dark copper bookmark with a dainty butterfly swinging from the end. Wandering back to the counter, he handed both over.
Mrs Smith shifted her glasses up her nose. ‘Nice choices. Would you like me to gift wrap these for you?’
‘Oh, yes, please. That would be tops, thanks, Mrs Smith.’
‘Call me Delilah, love.’ Digging beneath the counter, she resurfaced with patterned paper, scissors and gold ribbon. ‘So, who’s the special lady?’ She wiggled her brows to hit the question home.
Ty watched in amazement as she wrapped the candle. ‘Why does she have to be a special lady?’ If it were him doing the wrapping, it would look like he’d just scrunched the paper around it, and whacked the tape on in the hope it would keep the mess somehow intact.
Delilah looked up at him with knowing in her eyes. ‘Because a man doesn’t buy gifts like this for just anyone.’
Ty’s eyes widened. ‘Doesn’t he?’
Delilah stopped and stared at him. ‘No, love. He doesn’t.’
He recalled the conversation where Rose told him they needed to respect this was just a friendship and nothing more. ‘Well, then … uh, maybe I should get her something else?’
‘Nope.’ Delilah continued wrapping, obviously having no intention of surrendering the products. ‘If you like a woman, you make sure you remind her, again and again, until she knows you’re for real.’
‘Yeah, fair enough, but … what if she doesn’t want anything more than friendship?’
‘Does she look at you any differently than a friend would?’
He nodded shyly. ‘Sometimes.’
‘Well, in that case,’ Delilah said, sounding every bit the retired English teacher, ‘I’m not going to let you chicken out now, Mr Tough Guy.’
Ty couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘Geez, righto. I’ll buy the candle and bookmark.’
‘Good lad.’ She handed both wrapped gifts over. ‘This special lady, she wouldn’t have long dark hair and striking green eyes, with a smile as warm as sunshine, would she?’
He smirked at her spot-on description. ‘Sounds like her.’
‘She’s a keeper, that one. I could sense it the minute I looked into her beautiful eyes.’
Ty blew an almighty breath. ‘Don’t I know it.’
‘I watched her and your sister rush to the back of the chutes when you got hurt.’ She smiled ever so softly. ‘That woman loves you, Ty Parker, even if she doesn’t want to admit it yet, so don’t let her get away.’
‘I’m trying not to.’ Wandering to the door, he pushed it open. ‘See you later, Mrs— I mean, Delilah.’
‘Bye, love.’
* * *
The morning had arrived with a darkened sky, and ominous clouds had brought the lingering threat of rain throughout the day. His head pounding from all the overthinking the past couple of days, Ty swore into the whipping wind – how was he meant to give up something he’d spent half his life chasing? Bull riding was like breathing to him. And it was helping to pay the bills. Without it, he felt as if a big piece of him would just shrivel up and die.
As for falling for Rose Jones, that was just plain stupid. She wasn’t in the right headspace for a romantic relationship, but he couldn’t help himself – there was just so much to admire and adore. Her wit, her laugh, the way she made him feel. If he had her in his life, he wouldn’t miss the bull riding, not for a second, but with her leaving soon … well, he just didn’t want to contemplate having to give up so much all at once. He had to be allowed to have something good in his life, didn’t he?
With the quad screaming in top gear, he sped along the fence line, the tools in the basket strapped to the front bouncing and clanging. A crack of thunder resonated then the sky opened, bucketing rain down in a firing blast. Going down a gear as he hit a dip, Ty winced against the stinging as the droplets hit his face, raising the collar of his Driza-Bone. He still had so much to do, but it would have to wait until tomorrow. Squinting into the downpour, he headed for home.
When he reached the back door, Ty’s downtrodden heart lifted with the sight of Rose’s thongs kicked off near the welcome mat. He loved coming home to her at the homestead. It felt oddly right.
As he stepped inside, the scents of home cooking lifted his heart even more, as did the cackling laughter of Rose and Leah. It meant the world to him, how well they got on, and it was good for Leah to have a woman like Rose to share time with. Life here could get very lonely when you already felt alone in this big wide world. Without even knowing it, Rose was making their lives so much … well, more.
Striding into the kitchen, his smile widened. ‘Hey there, birthday girl. It looks like you two have been busy.’ With almost every inch of bench space covered in pots and pans, the kitchen was an absolute disaster. But man, it smelt good.
‘We’ve been cooking up a storm.’ Rose’s French braid swung around her back as she peered over her shoulder, and the earrings he had gifted her for Christmas swayed from her ears. ‘Get it? Storming outside, storming inside.’ Her grin was goofy.
‘Ha, good one, Jonesy.’
She laughed and the sound tumbled into him. Seeing her so happy sent exhilaration rushing through him.
He joined her at the stove. ‘Oh, yum.’ What looked like a pineapple upside down cake was cooling on the bench, and he went to nick a little crumb from the side of it.
Leah slapped his hand away. ‘Bugger off, bro.’
He mocked pain. ‘Oh, but please can I have some.’ He pulled a pathetic face.
Both women cracked up.
‘So, Rose, have you had a good birthday so far?’
‘Sure have. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing and buzzing all day.’ Rose held out her wrist. ‘Smell this.’
Ty did as he was asked, barely stopping himself from running his nose up her arm and to the nape of her neck, which he longed to kiss. ‘Wow, that’s very nice.’
‘Leah got me perfume for my birthday.’ She looked to her friend. ‘I feel very spoilt.’
‘So you should.’ Ty decided this was the right time to give Rose her gifts. ‘Speaking of which, I’ll be back in a sec.’ He went into his office and grabbed the two wrapped parcels from his desk before hightailing it back to the kitchen. He was so excited to be the one to make her smile now.
‘Where’d Leah go?’
‘To the toilet for the hundredth time in an hour, poor thing.’
‘Here you go. Happy birthday, Jonesy.’
Accepting the gifts with a wide smile, she blinked a few times, as if keeping tears at bay. ‘Oh my gosh, Ty. You didn’t have to get me anything.’
‘I wouldn’t not get you anything for your birthday.’
She carefully unwrapped each. Holding the bookmark up, she looked from it to him. ‘This is beautiful, Ty. Thank you.’ She sniffed the candle. ‘And OMG, this smells like a holiday on some faraway tropical island.’ She inhaled it again. ‘It smells so good, I seriously could eat it.’
You smell so good, I could eat you.
He couldn’t say that, so instead he said, ‘I’m glad you like both.’
‘What do you mean like? I love!’ She stretched up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. ‘Thank you so much.’
Ty relished her being so close – she felt so petite in his arms. Glancing up beneath fluttering lashes, her green eyes zapped him, sending his pulse skittering. The sudden urge to lower his lips to her and kiss her like he damn well meant it was near overwhelming. He’d never felt anything quite like this. Not even the thrill he got when he rode a bucking bull gave him this kind of adrenaline rush.
As if sensing the heat building between them, she quickly unravelled her arms, stepped back and turned to the oven. ‘I better get this off, before it burns,’ she said, grabbing the saucepan and carrying it over to the sink.
‘Do you need me to help with anything?’
‘No, we’ve got it all covered in here.’ She gestured to the doorway. ‘Why don’t you go and have your run through the dip, then we can all kick back and enjoy dinner.’
‘Righto.’ He slipped into the hallway and headed upstairs, forcing himself to not place too much emphasis on her kneejerk reaction as he had a shower. Tonight wasn’t about how he felt, it was all about Rose. And he was going to do everything he could, to make her special day extra special, just like she was.
