‘No. Cash on arrival.’

  ‘Give a false name?’

  ‘Yes.’

  His amber eyes narrowed at her. ‘You sound like you’ve done this before?’

  ‘I’m learning fast. Do you have any tips?’

  He gave her a long look; she felt naked under that stare.

  ‘Get out of those fancy clothes. Change your hair length and colour, although…’ He tenderly stroked her hair. ‘I like the way you look now. Why mess with perfection?’

  ‘Ugh, listen to yourself, will ya,’ said Tracey, coming into the kitchen. ‘Leave the woman alone, she’s way out of your league.’

  ‘Butt out, Tracey.’ Mitch grinned at Maddison. ‘I’ll go make that phone call to the airport. Get your gear together.’ With coffee in one hand, mobile in the other, he booted open the back door.

  That man had so much presence he’d left a vacuum in the room.

  ‘Mitch really must like you,’ Tracey said, staring out the window to the backyard. ‘He wouldn’t go to this much trouble for just anyone.’

  ‘Uh huh.’ Mitch was too much for this little rabbit, he was a man who would have too much control over her. And that scared her.

  Under normal circumstances, they would never have met. Yet, these people had done so much to help out a stranger.

  ‘Here, Tracey.’ Maddison closed her laptop and pushed it to the middle of the table. ‘The laptop is yours. It’s got a hundred hours of internet connection paid for; it should help you get back into your studies.’

  Tracey screwed up her nose. ‘Why?’

  ‘You helped me out by letting me stay here, it’s the least I can do.’ It felt right.

  ‘But—but—it’s brand new.’

  ‘Technically, I’ve had it a few days, so it’s second-hand.’ She could pick up another one easily enough. All she needed was a PC with an internet connection to work with the cloud.

  Maddison scribbled on her trusty notepad and tore off the page. ‘This is the name of an interior decorating company, here in Adelaide. Michael is the owner, gifted for his skills, but known for his acidic tongue. If he doesn’t like something, he never holds back. It’s what made him the best in the business. But sadly, he’s forever hiring apprentices who quit when they’ve had enough of his layered sarcasm. If you can survive at least twelve months with Michael, then you’ll survive anything and anyone in that line of work. Tell him I sent you; he may go a little easier on you.’

  ‘But—but, you don’t know me.’ Tracey stared at the name on the paper, then gazed up at Maddison.

  ‘But I remember what my mum went through as a single mother to give me a good life.’ Maddison patted Tracey’s slim shoulder. ‘Sometimes, we all need a little help from a stranger. I should know.’

  ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘That’ll be a first. But I hear thank you is a good start.’ Mitch stood at the back doorway, tapping his wrist. ‘Time to run, little rabbit.’

  She rolled her eyes at the nickname; that only made him smile wider.

  Tracey launched herself at Maddison’s back and wrapped her arms around Maddison’s neck. ‘Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’ Maddison laughed, trying to pry the young Tracey off her back to pick up her bags. ‘Take care of you and Jamie, okay?’

  ‘Will do.’ Tracey grimaced with trembling lips and glassy eyes.

  ‘Come on.’ Mitch grabbed Maddison’s hand and led her out the door. ‘Tracey will start crying in a minute.’

  ‘Nick off, Mitch, I’m allowed to.’ In her holey socks and faded jeans with worn knees, Tracey waved from the back door. ‘You stay safe, Maddison.’

  ‘I’ll try.’

  ‘Don’t worry, little rabbit, you’re safe in my care.’ Mitch flung his arm over Maddison’s shoulders and kissed her cheek. He escorted her to an old Mazda hatchback that had different-coloured panels, like it was a metallic patchwork quilt.

  Mitch opened the passenger door, it creaked in protest. Tossing her bag into the back next to the baby seat, he gave her a bow. ‘Your chariot awaits, me lady.’

  She giggled, climbing onto the torn passenger seat that was covered in a towel.

  The door screeched shut and Mitch raced around to the driver’s side. The whole car moved as he sat behind the steering wheel.

  ‘My mate told me that, besides the staff, there’s only a couple of passengers waiting at the terminal. We’ll be taking the back entrance; coz the good lad has left the gate open.’ Mitch drove through a maze of turns, giving Maddison a side street tour of suburbia, early on a Wednesday morning.

  They followed alongside a tall wire fence on the outer edges of the airport where assorted small planes were parked in the distance. A tower stood in the centre near a criss-cross of runways that were spread out among the brown grass. It was so dry, with a hot wind curling off the tarmac carrying the aromas of dust and baking asphalt.

  Taking a hard right, Mitch steered through an open wire gate. No security guards waited. No one was around. He zipped down the road to the gathering of buildings where a small plane was being loaded.

  ‘How come you know so much about this airport?’

  ‘Don’t ask.’ Mitch parked at the rear of the building.

  Dumb question. Hello, biker. But where was his patch?

  ‘Well, um, thanks for the lift.’ She didn’t want a long goodbye.

  ‘I’m not letting you out of my sight until you get on that plane. It’s a shame, I could have stayed in bed all morning,’ Mitch said, getting out of the car. ‘But then I doubt we would’ve got anything done for the next few days.’

  The driver’s door closed, and the car shook.

  Her cheeks burned. Nothing could cool down her rampant thoughts—except for the screeching creak of the passenger door, with Mitch holding out his hand to her.

  ‘This way, little rabbit.’

  With ticket in hand, she sat beside Mitch in the sparse reception area.

  Seated opposite, a married couple busily rummaged through their bags, talking in agitated whispers.

  ‘Looks like you’ll be travelling with them.’ Mitch nodded at the couple feverishly going through their checklists while scowling at each other. ‘Straight, conservative, middle-class kind of crowd. They’re probably on their second honeymoon, trying to recapture their marriage spark before they get divorced.’

  They seemed stressed, arguing in whispers while digging through their belongings. What did they have to be so stressed about?

  ‘Thank you for everything,’ she said to Mitch, admiring his smoothly shaven jaw. Cheekbones and freckles on a redhead had never looked so good.

  ‘My pleasure.’ Again, he casually put his arm around her shoulders as if he’d been doing it all his life. Stretching out his long legs, crossing them at the ankles, he was something to behold in his faded denim jeans, black motorbike boots and tight grey T-shirt.

  She wanted to lean on his shoulder and chill.

  But she couldn’t afford to.

  ‘Here, take this.’ She held out a handful of cash. ‘Take this, for all of your help.’

  He closed her hand with his. ‘Keep it. What you did for my cousin was enough.’

  ‘Boarding now for Elleron Downs,’ cried out the workman from behind the counter. He adjusted his baseball cap and large earmuffs. Eyeing off the married couple’s luggage, he grimaced while wiping his hands on his bright orange work vest, before helping them with their bags.

  Maddison stood and faced Mitch. ‘Again, thank you for everything, I don’t know how I can repay you for this.’

  ‘I do.’ Mitch pressed his lips against hers, holding her tight to his chest. It surprised her at first …

  But then this kiss was her world.

  Nothing and no one else mattered, just his lips against hers.

  His warm hand cupped the back of her neck and that’s when he took control. His tongue massaged hers as a hum murmured from the back of her throat as their kiss deepened. Her spine curved and their bodies aligned, their clothes a pressing barrier between them.

  ‘Oi, Romeo, the plane’s waiting,’ called out the workman.

  She pulled back giddily, blinking at the harsh light, only to drown in his amber eyes. Wow, what a kiss.

  ‘Give us a second,’ Mitch said, not looking away from her.

  ‘It’s not like you’ll never see her again.’ The workman chuckled.

  ‘That’s the problem,’ whispered Mitch, his eyes roaming over her face as the back of his knuckles gently stroked her cheek. ‘I don’t think I will ever see her again.’

  Again, he kissed her with a thirst that consumed her.

  And then it was over. Far too soon.

  ‘Take care of yourself, little rabbit. No more running blindly into strange bars, if you can help it.’

  ‘Then I would have never had the chance to ride on a Harley.’ His world was so different from hers. She clung onto him even as he squeezed her breathless from both his embrace and kiss. And then he let her go.

  With fingertips grazing her swollen lips she strolled in a daze to the runway. At the steps to the plane, she looked back.

  Mitch raised his arm in a wave. He gave a gorgeous smile with his red hair a halo in the sun. His shoulders were broad and strong, narrowing to the washboard stomach and strong thighs. Tall. Powerful. Beautiful.

  She smiled, blowing him a kiss, then climbed into the plane, knowing that they’d probably never see each other again. But she would never forget him.

  Twenty

  ELLERON DOWNS, NORTHERN TERRITORY

  Mount Elleron was blanketed behind gutsy grey clouds that stretched behind the large homestead. Heavy rainfall had carved out long puddles that pooled over red dirt roads and empty cattle yards. Sheets of rain poured off the corrugated shed roofs that hid the silent machinery stored inside.

  Within the shade of the farmhouse’s deep front verandah, the family settled in for breakfast.

  The front flyscreen door burst open as Glenda walked outside carrying a tray. She made short work of serving up plates of bacon, eggs, baked beans, and sausages to the three men.

  ‘Thanks, Mum.’ With cutlery in hand, Joe was ready to dig in. His little brother, Greg, doing the same. ‘Did I hear the phone?’

  ‘Yes, dear, it was the travel agent. We’ve got three people coming out late this arvo.’ Glenda poured out the tea, taking her seat.

  ‘Three, eh?’ Earl wiped down his greying beard, then scooped up his teacup. ‘I thought we were only getting a married couple?’

  ‘Please tell me they’re not bringing out some little kid I have to keep entertained?’ Greg whined, shrugging his skinny shoulders.

  ‘Sucker,’ Joe muttered low enough to avoid the glare from his mother but loud enough for Greg to frown.

  Glenda tidied up her youngest boy’s scruffy hair. ‘You’ll be right this time. It’s a lady.’

  ‘A what?’ Joe frowned with his mouth full of toast.

  ‘Don’t speak with your mouth full.’ Glenda slapped Joe’s large hand. ‘Can’t have our guests thinking you boys have got no manners.’

  ‘Boys? Luv, they’re men,’ said Earl over the rim of his teacup.

  ‘Why do we let them come out here?’ Greg really had the whines on this morning.

  ‘Because they help pay the bills, son,’ said Earl. ‘Especially in the wet season.’

  ‘I’m hoping by next muster we won’t have to bother with them at all.’ Joe wished.

  ‘I enjoy having all these new people visiting,’ said Glenda.

  But both Joe and Greg groaned in between mouthfuls of breakfast.

  ‘Even if some of them are demanding, most of them seem nice,’ she said.

  ‘But we have to say the same speech over and over again. What we do? Why we do it? Blah, blah, blah.’ Greg whined, yet again.

  ‘Who are our guests this round, luv?’ Earl asked Glenda.

  ‘There’s the married couple, Analise and Zach Thurston. They’re here for seven days. He’s an accountant, and she’s a homemaker like me, dear.’

  ‘And the third one?’ Earl asked as Greg gave a puppy-dog plea to not get stuck babysitting.

  ‘No idea.’ Glenda shrugged, sipping her tea. ‘Only that she’s booked herself in for two weeks and paid in cash.’

  ‘Cash?’ Joe looked up from his plate. No one paid cash. It was all electronic payments because they had no shops or banks out here.

  ‘She booked in last minute and is paying at the airport when she checks-in.’

  ‘No name?’ Earl asked.

  ‘Not until she boards the flight,’ replied Glenda. ‘All I know, dear, is that she has requested the use of our PC and internet when she gets here. Oh, and sleep. Apparently, this poor lady is after an escape from all the stress she’s been under lately.’

  ‘Great, another pencil pusher, stressing over a broken fingernail she got from removing staples from paper reports,’ mumbled Joe.

  ‘Or she’s a ninety-year-old hag covered in warts who scares little children off with a croaky voice and evil-looking eyes,’ said Greg.

  Earl and Joe chuckled.

  The kid was a natural storyteller with a vivid imagination for horror stories; known to scare the absolute crap out of little kids who loved him for it.

  Greg wound up, gripping his butter knife like a microphone. ‘And this old woman will have a walking frame that creaks with each step like it’s gonna snap. And she’ll be demanding Mum waits on her hand and foot. Carrying around a deformed rat on steroids with fangs like a vampire in her handbag beside the knitting needles and poison.’

  ‘Don’t be like that, boys.’ Glenda giggled. ‘The lady’s probably nothing like that.’

  ‘Don’t care.’ Joe cleared his plate, then wiped his mouth with the napkin. He gulped down his tea, scooped up his wide brim hat off the chair beside him and stood from the table. ‘I won’t be here to see them.’

  ‘Where are you going, dear?’

  ‘I’ll be busy checking out the floodplains. I’ll be back in a few days.’ He kissed his mother’s cheek. ‘Thanks for brekkie, Mum. Don’t mind if I raid the pantry?’

  ‘I’m coming with ya.’ Greg got up from the table.

  ‘Nope.’ Earl landed a strong working hand on Greg’s shoulder. ‘You’re staying put and helping me out, son.’

  ‘Aw, come on, Dad.’

  ‘Jeez, you’ve got the whines on today, bro. Suck it up.’ Joe grinned at his baby brother flipping him the bird.

  ‘You might need your raincoat, dear,’ called out Glenda as the rain poured heavier on the roof.

  ‘I’ve already got it, thanks, Mum.’ In the kitchen, Joe slid on his Driza-Bone then stood at the open fridge with the esky at his feet, trying to work out his menu for the next few days.

  ‘What are you driving and where are you sleeping?’ His mother asked.

  ‘I’m going in my ute, towing the dinghy. I put the canopy on the back yesterday; that’ll keep me dry.’ He sniffed at the cheese, then put it back. He grabbed eggs, bacon, sausages, steak, and milk for his cuppa. He opened the crisper where his mum kept the fruit and veggies, screwed his nose at it and slammed it shut. ‘I’ve got the swag and the small gas cooker,’ he said, adding potatoes, onions, baked beans, and the trusty dead-horse to his esky. His hand hovered over the mustard—did he or did he not?

  ‘Clothes, dear?’

  Why not go posh? He chucked in the mustard beside the salt. ‘I’ve packed extra clothes in case I need them.’ Not that he’d bother. It wasn’t a fashion parade out there; cattle didn’t care how he smelled.

  Inside the pantry, Joe scoured the wall-to-ceiling shelves, searching for the junk food. His mum hid it from their dad, who loved the sweet and the salt.

  ‘If you’re in the pantry, dear, can you please take those tools that seem to show up out of nowhere?’

  Joe looked at the shelf containing shifting spanners, screwdrivers, a drill, assorted rope, and cable ties. They cluttered a shelf all on their own.

  ‘Leave ‘em, son,’ said Earl from the table. ‘It’s handy having them there if we need to make a quick house repair without bothering the guests.’

  ‘The pantry isn’t a part-time toolshed, dear. You have over a dozen sheds on the property to choose from.’

  ‘Taking any guns, son?’ Earl called out, ignoring his wife.

  Victory! From the top shelf, Joe dragged out a jumbo bag of chips and the good ol’ salted beer nuts. ‘I cleaned my rifle yesterday and packed it with extra ammo and torches too.’ His beer was already chilling in the fridge on the back of his ute. As always.

  ‘Is that it?’ His dad asked.

  As if. ‘The shotgun’s in the boat with the spare spotlight and the flare gun is there to keep it warm. All I needed was this.’ He walked outside, carrying his loaded blue esky.

  ‘Have you got enough water, dear?’

  ‘Mum, it’s raining.’ Greg pointed to the rainy grey skies.

  Yeah, Joe was in for some crappy weather, but it beat sticking around to play polite with the tourists. ‘I’ll see ya in a coupla days.’

  ‘Check in on the radio tonight, son,’ said Earl.

  ‘That’s if the reception will allow it with all this weather, but I’ll make sure I contact you in the morning,’ said Joe, staring out at the rain.

  Glenda got up from her chair and hugged her eldest around his large shoulders. ‘You be careful out there; they’re predicting some big electrical storms later on this arvo.’

  ‘I’ll be fine, Mum. Don’t worry, Dad knows where I’m heading.’

  ‘Man, I wish I was going with you,’ said Greg, sulking in his seat.

  ‘I don’t.’

  ‘Hey!’

  ‘No offence, bro, but I want some time out to myself and don’t need you nattering in my ear for the next two days. If I wanted that form of torture, I’d stick around to put up with the tourists.’

  ‘Yeah, yeah. We all know you’re jealous that I’ve been blessed with a gift the women love,’ said Greg, wearing his big cheesy smile.

  Joe laughed. ‘I’ll bring back some fresh fish and whatever else I drag out of the billabongs.’

 

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