Before (6 page)

That wouldn’t be such a great idea so I’d been a chicken-shit and avoided her instead. The crazy part? Even though we’d only sparred twice, I actually missed it.

I liked that she had a wicked tongue beneath that cool exterior. I’d love to discover exactly how wicked her tongue could be.

“Am I disturbing you?” Reid stepped onto the back verandah, looking every inch a smooth politician in his beige chinos, blue button down shirt and spotless brown boots. It was like the Yank had searched ‘classic outback gear’ on the Net and bought an outfit to suit the occasion.

He wasn’t a bad bloke and we’d made small talk a few times, but being near a guy so put together made me feel like a failure.

“No, I’m taking a breather,” I said, jerking a thumb at the small cooler near the kitchen door. “Help yourself to a drink.”

“I’m fine, thanks.” He sat next to me on the dusty top step and braced his elbows on his knees. “How long have you worked here?”

“About four months.”

“It’s an amazing country.” Reid’s gaze swept the panorama before us. The red dusty road, the paddocks, the mountains in the distance. “I envy you.”

That’d be a first. Not many blokes of his caliber would envy a drifter cook with no ties to anyone or any place.

“From what I hear, LA would be a buzz compared to this place.”

He nodded. “LA’s great, but I grew up in a small town about an hour out of Vegas and I kind of miss the landscape.” He pointed to the heat shimmering across the horizon. “See that? When I was a kid I used to think that magic happened at the end of the earth.”

“And now?”

“Now I have to work my ass off to make anything happen let alone magic, I know it’s a crock of shit.”

I laughed, surprised by his candor. “Tell me about it. You don’t get anywhere without working your arse off.”

He grinned. “I love how you Aussies say arse for ass.”

“And I love how you Yanks say cookie for biscuit, jelly for jam, and drop scone for pikelet.”

“Touché.” Reid cocked his thumb and forefinger and fired at me. “That’s another thing I like. Your bluntness.” He pointed at my slouching against a wooden post. “You’re all so laid back.”

Bet Reid wouldn’t say that if he knew how frigging tense I was because of his sister.

“It’s the heat,” I said. “Hard to muster up the energy to do much of anything at the end of a long day.”

Unless Jess came by my shack at dusk again…then I’d be raring to go.

“Know the feeling,” Reid muttered, sounding less than impressed. “I put in long hours at the campaign office. Not much time for anything after that.”

“So you don’t have time to cruise Melrose and attend Hollywood premiers?”

He snorted. “You’ve been watching too much cable. I work. That’s it.”

“Doesn’t sound like you enjoy it much?”

“I do but…” He swiped a hand over his face. “I’ve wanted to be in the senate for as long as I can remember. A governor toured my home town when I was about fourteen and I’ve wanted to make a difference ever since.”

I sensed a major ‘but’ coming.

“I like the thought of having enough power to evoke changes but the long hours and lack of social life for a guy my age is a killer.”

Ah, so that’s what the Yank’s problem was. He needed to get laid.

I knew the feeling.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-three.” Reid winced. “Listen to me, sounding like a sad ass. What about you?”

“What about me?”

Reid jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the kitchen. “You planning on cooking here for the rest of your life?”

“Nah. This is just a stop gap.”

“Until?”

Until I figured out what the hell I wanted to do with my life. But a guy who had no qualifications and had spent the last four years moving around had limited options.

“Until I decide where I want to live and what I want to do.” It was the closest thing to the truth and more than I could’ve imagined sharing with a guy I’d met a week ago.

But there was something about Reid Harper that encouraged me to let my guard down. He was one of the good guys. And despite our massive socio-economic differences, I could’ve imagined us being mates.

“What’s to decide?” He pinned me with a speculative stare. “Jess tells me you’ve prepared all the meals since we’ve been here and they’re fucking fantastic.”

I didn’t know whether to be happy or appalled Jess had been talking about me with her brother. But the very fact he was sitting here making idle chatter meant she hadn’t told him everything about me.

“Thanks.” I shrugged. “But it’s something I do to earn a living, not a lifelong ambition.”

Reid’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve never done a formal apprenticeship?”

“Nope.”

He made a little scoffing sound of disbelief. “Well, let me tell you. As someone who eats a lot of takeout because of my long work hours, and who spends the rest of the time at fancy dinners with contributors and campaign workers, your food on a scale of one to ten is a well deserving eight.”

Embarrassment made me squirm. I wasn’t used to praise let alone the admiration of someone like Reid. He had to be bullshitting me. But why?

“That’s why I asked if you were trained, because…” Reid hesitated, as if unsure of my reception to his next words.

Considering I now thought he was full of shit, I didn’t blame him. But I was curious.

“Because?”

“Feel free to tell me to butt the hell out of your life, but I’m heading to Sydney for work at the end of next week and one of my boss’s campaign investors I have to meet with runs a restaurant there.”

I had no idea where he was going with this. “That’s great. It’s a tough competitive market down there.”

“He’s Michelin starred, apparently. Great reputation.” Reid hesitated again, before shooting me a speculative glance. “I could have a chat to him if you like. About an apprenticeship?”

Speechless, I stared at this guy I barely knew, willing to go out on a limb for me. My eyes must’ve bugged as big as saucers because he laughed.

“It’s not that big a deal, but I really do think you’ve got talent and it’d be a shame for outback station workers to be the only beneficiaries of your food.”

I wanted to thank him. Wanted to slug him on the jaw for putting ideas into my head I’d never contemplated and making me hope. Because what he’d just proposed? Could set me up for life.

If I got a trade behind me, became a real chef, I could go anywhere and be respected for my profession, rather than slumming it in dirty outback sheds dishing up the same old, same old to a bunch of unappreciative workers who ate for sustenance and energy rather than taste.

“I don’t know what to say…” I stuck my hand out. “Thanks, mate.”

Reid shook my hand. “Don’t thank me yet, because it may not happen. But I reckon someone as good as you deserves a chance to shine.”

We fell into a companionable silence as I absorbed the impact of possibly working under a Michelin-starred chef. I wouldn’t get my hopes up but damn, it was hard not to.

“By the way, Doreen’s going to Brisbane while I’m in Sydney, so that means Jess will be on her own here. Seeing as you’re about the same age, do you mind keeping an eye on her?” Reid gestured at the landscape. “Maybe show her around, that kind of thing?”

Oh no. Hell no.

Because what sprang to mind when Reid said ‘that kind of thing?’ didn’t involve playing tour guide. It involved me and Jess naked and writhing and sweaty.

Reid continued, oblivious to the fact I hadn’t answered. “It’ll be good for her to kick back for a while. See a bit of the countryside. She works too hard.”

“Looks like that runs in the family.”

Reid grinned. “Jess is the brainiac. I just use my big mouth to get by.”

“So it’s just the two of you?”

“Yeah. Our dad ditched us when I was seven. Mom raised us.” His mouth softened into a smile. “Mom’s loud and flamboyant and the bubbliest person you’d ever meet.”

Which went a long way to explaining why her daughter was the opposite. If anyone knew our childhood shaped us, I did. No prizes for guessing why Jess was quiet, aloof and reserved.

“You seem like a pretty cool family,” I said, sounding way too wistful.

“What about your family?”

Thankfully, Mrs. Gee called out for me at that moment, saving me from having to hedge around the truth rather than give Reid my sorry arse tale.

“Duty calls.” I stood.

“Sure.” Reid stood too. “I’ll definitely put in a good word for you in Sydney.”

“Thanks.” I shook Reid’s hand again before I headed into the kitchen, pondering how funny life could be. After the B&S ball I’d been restless. Edgy. Lost.

Now I had a possible job opportunity and a woman driving me to distraction.

A woman I had to look after next week apparently, with her brother’s blessing. A brother who was doing me a massive favor.

This could get complicated.

JESS

I’d taken enough photos to overload my cell in an effort to stop ogling Jack as he took us on an outback tour. But it was hopeless. I couldn’t keep pretending like he didn’t exist and if I didn’t join in the conversation soon, Reid would think something was wrong. And it was. Majorly wrong. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about the last time Jack had spoken to me, the way he’d touched me…

“How big is this place?” Reid shaded his eyes and peered through the windshield.

“About eighteen thousand hectares,” Jack said, expertly steering the four-wheel-drive around potholes. “Equivalent to forty-five thousand acres.”

“Shit. That’s bigger than Craye Canyon.”

I pretended to enjoy the geography lesson from the back seat. I preferred it back here. Much easier staring at the back of Jack’s head than being next to him. Though the few times our gazes had locked in the rearview mirror? Bad enough.

I hadn’t seen him much over the last week. He’d been avoiding me, which was just fine. I didn’t want to see him, not after his parting comment the last time we’d seen each other.

He wanted me naked, in his bed, begging for more.

Combined with the visual I’d copped when he’d stepped out of that shower?

Sensory overload. Every time I closed my eyes, that’s all I could see. We were in his bed, doing…things I wish I knew about.

I hated how inadequate he made me feel. Like he’d seen stuff and done stuff I could only dream about. It made me feel perpetually off-kilter and likely to do something crazy: as crazy as daring him to step out of that outdoor shower.

“The homestead’s about one thousand feet above sea level, so that’s why we get great views.” Jack pointed to his right. “If you squint and take a look out there, you’ll see the Great Barrier Reef.”

I craned my neck, and could just glimpse a sliver of blue ocean.

“Careful you don’t strain yourself rubbernecking,” Jack said, his teasing drawl making me bristle.

Yep, even an offhand remark designed to make me laugh made me feel gauche instead.

Reid laughed. “Sis doesn’t get to see ocean very often.”

“Make that never, dufus,” I said, wishing I could elbow my brother, hard. He wasn’t helping me feel anything other than a small town girl way out of my depth.

“I’m guessing there isn’t too much water in Nevada where you come from.” This time, Jack’s tone had softened, almost as if he sensed my discomfort and I flashed him a grateful grin when he glanced at me in the mirror.

“About the closest I’ve got in the last six months is a day trip to Hoover Dam with a couple of study buddies…” I trailed off, remembering Dave had been on that trip.

Dave, my friend. Who I’d trusted. Until he’d tried to put his penis inside me.

“What’s wrong?”

Damn, trust Jack to pick up on that too. How did he do that when he hardly knew me?

“The bumpy roads are giving me bit of motion sickness.”

Reid passed me a bottle. “Here, have some water.”

“Do you want me to stop?” Jack’s steady gaze bore into me. He didn’t buy my lie for a second.

“No, I’ll be fine.”

As long as I blocked out Dave and didn’t feel like hugging Jack one minute, slugging him the next.

“There’s a cattle round-up happening ahead.” Jack pulled the four-wheel-drive over and killed the engine. “Watch.”

Grateful Jack had let me off the hook, I gawked as several highly trained kelpie dogs, along with station hands on horseback, rounded up a massive herd of cattle in what seemed like less time than it took me to get dressed in the morning.

“Wow, that was amazing,” I said, practically bouncing up and down on the back seat in excitement.

“I’m just going to take a few long range photos,” Reid said, opening the passenger door and stepping out.

Leaving me alone with Jack.

“Feeling better, I see.” He rested his arm along the back of the seat and half turned to face me. “Just for the record? You may have your brother fooled but I want to know the story behind those study buddies.”

I clamped my lips tight and eyeballed him.

He chuckled. “I’ve got a great technique for loosening lips.”

“I just bet you have,” I snapped, hating when he smirked. “Too bad I’m not interested.”

“Pity.” He stared at my mouth. “I would’ve had a great time getting you to talk.”

Thankfully, Reid got back into the car, ensuring smart-assed Jack had to shut his big mouth.

A mouth I wanted to kiss as badly as he wanted to kiss mine apparently.

And as we drove through the open savannah forest back to Cooweer Homestead, all I could think about was the two of us left to our own devices for the week ahead.

JACK

Mrs. Gee gave me the afternoon off for good behavior apparently. Not only had I wowed the guests with my culinary efforts, I’d earned some serious brownie points from my biggest critic.

She’d hovered over me the first few days when I’d been experimenting with her favorite recipes, giving advice when needed. I’d learned more about cooking in the last two weeks than I had in the previous twelve months when I’d cooked for sheep shearers, cane cutters and the occasional travelers’ outpost.