An Outback Affair/Runaway Wife/Outback Bridegroom/Outback Surrender/Home To Eden (31 page)

Her relief was such it was excruciating. “I'm not going anywhere, Mitch. I'm too concerned about you.”

“Ain't nuthin',” Cody called in a hoarse, urgent voice. “Just a bit of fun.” There was no question from his demeanour that he had been thoroughly intimidated from the moment Mitch stepped out of the thicket of trees.

“The fun hasn't started.” Mitch kept his eyes on Cody while he walked towards Christine.

“I can explain!” Cody yelled, scrambling to stand straight.

“Nothing happened, Mitch.” Christine gazed, perturbed, into Mitch's taut face, alarmed by something in his manner. He had the look of a man about to pound Cody to pulp.

“Get on your horse, Chris, and ride away,” he ordered, without looking at her. “This is between Cody and me.”

“Dammit, the lady's right!” Cody wheezed, still trying to cope with the pain in his groin. “I did nuthin'.”

“That's right, you didn't—because you didn't have time,” Mitch said, sounding almost friendly. “Now we've got all the time in the world.”

Cody stared up at him, amazed to realise he was capable of being frightened. “Hold on, man! Wait one damn minute,” he appealed.

Mitch glanced at Christine with sizzling blue eyes. “I won't say it again, Christine. Go home. This has nothing to do with you now.”

She shook her head hard. “Never! I'm not going to ride away while you're in any sort of danger.”

For a moment he almost laughed. “You've been away too long, Chrissy. There's no need for your concern, but it's nice to know it's there. I know how to look after myself. I also know how to take care of a guy like Cody—who, incidentally has been stealing our stock with a few of his mates. The maximum penalty for stock theft is now ten years, Cody,” he called. “Why would you be fool enough to try it on Marjimba? Obviously you haven't been with us long enough to know I organise plenty of checks. Especially when a character like you supposedly pulls out.”

“Try to prove it.” Cody showed a flicker of bravado.

“Already have. I've had a stock squad officer working the station for days now. He found your portable yard, your mates and our stock. It was easy to connect up the road train. Cattle theft is costing us station owners three million a year in this state alone. What a fool you were to get yourself involved.”

Cody shook his head, held up a hand. “Weren't substantial.”

“Substantial enough. You know what you've done, Cody. You've mucked up your life. Especially since you decided to bother Miss Reardon. We have to come together on that.”

Cody cleared his throat, his lean cheeks so sunken he looked like a stunned wolf. “Stay away from me, Claydon. Your girlfriend's already nearly killed me with a knee in the groin. Hell, I wasn't gonna hurt her. I just wasn't. I don't do rape. Just wanted to kiss her. Dammit, lady, tell him.” Cody appealed to Christine, who put her hand on Mitch's arm, feeling the tight bunch of muscle.

“Let him go, Mitch. He's not worth it.”

“Can't say I can.” Mitch began to walk purposefully down the slope.

“Go on—hit me. Go ahead and do it,” Cody invited, watching Mitch's formidable approach, almost admiring it. “I don't give a damn.”

“No kidding?” Without wasting another min
ute Mitch rammed his fist into Cody's jaw, stepping back fastidiously as Cody dropped like a stone not about to rise.

“Oh, God!” Christine moved frantically, reaching Mitch's side within seconds. “You're not going to hit him again?”

“Why bother? I think he's out for the count.” His frosty eyes coolly swept her. “Do you ever do anything you're told?”

“Hey, don't turn on me. I didn't want to see you get hurt.”

He shot her a mocking look. “No chance of that—but since you're here you can do something. You can get me a rope. There's one in the Jeep. It's back through the trees. You can't miss it. I have to tie Cody up.”

She stooped over the prone man. “There's blood drooling down his chin.”

“Tough beans! Are you going to get the rope?”

“You bet I am.” She started to move. “What are you going to do with him?”

“Catapult him into the creek? Hang him? I'm open to suggestions. No, I think the stock police can take him away.”

“I don't think he would have hurt me,” she assured Mitch nervously.

“Oh, hell, no!” He didn't sound convinced.

“Besides, I'd almost managed to get away.”

“You're a smart woman.”

“I am. I'm fairly sure he wouldn't have made a serious move on me.”

“Yeah, well, that's not good enough,” said Mitch. “Because if he'd hurt you I'd have had to kill him.”

 

By mid-afternoon most of the guests had gone home after a sumptuous al fresco brunch. The only ones remaining were Kyall and Sarah and the Logan sisters. The Saunderses who had arrived with Kyall, had cadged a ride on an earlier flight out.

Cody's arrest had caused a minor sensation. They had all watched him, pinned between two burly stock police and bundled into a four-wheel drive. Between them Christine and Mitch had agreed not to mention Christine's brush with him at the lagoon—his man-handling of her or Cody's panic-stricken reaction when Mitch had arrived.

In the big airy bedroom—the very best guest room at Marjimba Homestead—Christine double-checked the wardrobe and drawers to see she hadn't left anything behind. She was going home with Kyall. There was no point at all in Mitch making a separate trip.

Though the Cody incident had upset her, it could have been much, much worse had Mitch not arrived. She was determined on putting it to
the back of her mind. She had thoroughly enjoyed her stay on Marjimba. It had been a beautiful, liberating time. But now she had to go home to her mother, and their problematic relationship. She had so wanted to mend it, but she'd have to work harder to make it happen. Her mother was one difficult woman but Christine was determined to be cheerful in her outlook.

There was one other dark cloud on the home front. Christine was unable to forget Kyall's shocked revelation that their father might have formed a serious relationship with a woman in the town. Though he had certainly suffered a lack of tenderness and attention from his own wife.

When a tap came at her door she went to it all smiles, expecting to see Julanne. Instead Mitch stood on the threshold. “May I come in?” he asked, his eyes licking at her sensitive flesh.

She couldn't face him without wanting to fall into his arms. “You'd never have to force my bedroom door open, Mitch,” she answered, standing back while he walked past her, his bright aura lighting up the whole room.

“Is that so?” He turned back to study her. “That's odd. When I made it to your door last night it was locked.”

“You're joking?” Should she tell him of her own trembling desire to go to
his
bed?

“Honestly—I made it to your door, then I thought better of it.” His eyes danced wickedly.

“So you walked by? Maybe down to Amanda's?” The surge of hope died quickly.

“Chrissy, darling, I think you've stretched this thing with Amanda to twanging point.” He came back to her and brushed his fingertips across her cheek. “That poor girl needs a job to occupy her mind. All she does is sit around looking pretty.” Now his fingers were in her long hair.

“It's a wonder she doesn't feel guilty, with her sister working so hard.”

“She doesn't feel guilty, believe me.” Mitch's voice was dry. He dropped his hand, though he was in a hot haze of desire all over again. “So, have you enjoyed your stay?”

“I've had the loveliest time!” Christine's beautiful smile flashed. “Your mother is more of a mother to me than my own.”

“That's sad, though I rejoice in the fact Mum has always treated you like family. Drawing on recent observations, I can't see the troubled relationship between you and your mother changing.” He sank into a chair, thinking how immaculately groomed she always was.

“Lord knows I want it to.”

“Sometimes wanting can't make it so. That's the way life is.”

“I think she loves me in her own way.”
Christine's expression was soft and vulnerable, sweeping him back years, to when she had been so desperate for approval.

“One would hope so.” He spoke quietly but bitterly. It amazed and angered him, the scars left on Christine. “So, how long are you going to stay around?”

She sat down on the side of the bed, facing him. “I have a commitment to do a series of fashion parades in Sydney in a couple of weeks' time. And I want to catch up with Suzanne while I'm there. She needs some tender loving care. Then I have to tie up a few loose ends.”

“Like Ben Savage?” He cursed himself when it came out so hard-edged.

“What's Ben got to do with it?” she asked in surprise.

“You tell me.” His eyes had darkened to turquoise, a sure sign he was disturbed.

“You sound like you're expecting some announcement?” Challenge was passing from one to the other, hot and swift.

“Isn't he coming to Australia? I heard he was going to be in Sydney while you're there?”

“Most probably he will be,” she agreed, breathing deeply to keep her equilibrium.

“So you knew about it?”

“What is this? The third degree? I know Ben's doing a trip to publicize his show. He's very pop
ular in Australia. Your own mother watches the show.”

“I wouldn't say she's an addict.” He pushed his hands behind his head. “At least I hope she isn't. It's pretty damned silly.”

“So you watch it?” she asked sweetly. “That's fabulous!”

“Sorry, sweetheart, I'm not that pleasure-deprived. Ben, according to the tabloids, is always trying to find true love. I thought it was with you?”

She suppressed the urge to snap. “Ben is a nice guy. You'd like him.”

“Not if you were his wife,” he clipped. “Or even his girlfriend.”

“I'm an ex-girlfriend.”

“Does he know the difference?” Mitch watched her eyes. “Didn't he say somewhere his love for you just wouldn't die?”

Christine grimaced. “I think that's one of the recurring lines in his scripts.”

Restlessly Mitch stood up, walking to the open French doors and staring out at the sunlit garden. “Does he do drugs?”

Christine's lustrous dark head shot up. “Why ever do you ask that? Not everyone in the business does. Ben's too damned smart.”

“But you know a lot of people who do?”

“Of course. Let's face it.”

“And you've never been tempted?”

“Listen, I've damned well told you I haven't. I wouldn't have thought I'd have to tell you again. Surely you know that much about me?” Precipitately Christine stood up, wondering if someone might have been trying to trash her reputation. “What is this all about, Mitch?”

“Is that a no?” Mitch asked.

“Go to hell!” She felt her temper snap. “I thought we'd had this discussion. Obviously someone's been talking to you, haven't they? Some mutual friend who wanted to share a scandalous secret?”

“Celebrities do get talked about.”

“Was it dear Amanda by any chance?” she queried, her eyes stormy. “I wouldn't put it past her. So what did she say? She read some place that Christine Reardon admits to having fun with designer drugs?”

“Something like that.” He shrugged.

“And you believed it?” She was so hurt and angry she felt like taking a swing at him.

“Actually, I didn't. I know quite a lot about you, Chrissy. You've always had character.”

“So why are you trying to get me riled up?” she asked in amazement.

“Just checking.”

Her expression went from surprise to disgust. “Oh, thank you.”

“I didn't intend to insult you. Forgive me if I have. I hadn't realized Amanda was quite so dangerous.”

“Perhaps you should take a closer look at her when she's not wearing her flirty red dress. Obviously she believes all's fair in love and war. That was a vicious lie. I think I'll have a few words with her.”

“I think you should. That's why I told you. So, this is goodbye for a while?” He came towards her, his gaze so intense she swallowed.

“God, Mitch, I hope not. My holiday isn't over.”

“You'll be flying away from me for the rest of your life.”

“Is it so hard for you to accept I'm at a turning point in my life, Mitch?” She looked up with appeal in her eyes.

“So am I!” he answered with quiet force. “It usually happens around thirty.”

“Hey, I'm twenty-eight.” She tried to lighten him up.

“And I've never seen anyone look more fabulous. But let's get this straight. Are you asking me to consider the possibility you're coming home for good rather than living your dream?” He sent the expression up, and did it very well.

“Why so sarcastic?”

He stared into her beautiful eyes. “There's a
good deal of pain around the whole issue, Chrissy. What do you say I come visit when you're in Sydney? A little house-call?”

She was overwhelmed, his blue gaze bathing her in simmering heat. “Are you serious? Could you get away?”

“I think so.” He could have said that if he thought there was a chance of resuming their old relationship he'd travel to the ends of the earth, but he didn't. He was endlessly on guard. “I still care, Chrissy, but the trouble is I can't trust your good intentions.”

That brought her back to earth with a jolt. “You might if you stopped talking about the past. I'm looking to the future.”

“With me in it?” A cynical smile played about his mouth.

“Of course.” She sighed heavily. “I care about you too, Mitch. That's why I'm not at all happy with your talking about me behind my back.”