Catch Me A Cowboy (16 page)

What if one of those girls was someone he could love long-term? It would be a low act to deprive him of that opportunity. No denying the sparking, crackling, dizzying chemistry between them, though. She could sense it surging through her body each time she thought about him.

Mid-morning, Emily went for a walk around the property. The beginnings of spring had taken hold—new buds were sprouting on the trees, little yellow and purple flowers grew from the grass, and everything was so green. She strode past the tree where she snuck in her phone calls and shared that delicious first kiss with Wil. Her belly fluttered as the memory struck her. Moving further along, she marvelled at this place and what it was doing to her. The air dragging into her lungs was like medicine—not only for her body but also her mind. Since the first day, she hadn't had another panic attack and that rushed sensation she always had was slowly subsiding.

Further she strode, knowing she would never find the end to the farm in one day. After a little while, she took a seat on a small elevation in the grass and looked out at the landscape: the paddocks of hairy cows, the dirt roads that cut across the fields, the kilometres of fences. Stunning, but she couldn't ignore the amount of work that would go into maintaining a property like this. Yesterday with Wil was a little taster, she knew that. You didn't get a body like his, big and rugged, without doing hours of hard, physical labour.

So different from the type of men she dated in the city. They were professionals—worked all day in an office, and only ever gained their bulk from working out at a gym. And that was okay. She liked it—the sharp suits and polished shoes. At least, she thought she had. But there was something so earthy and honest about Wil and the way he got amongst it all. The rough touch of his hands. Knowing that if he had really wanted to, he could have thrown her over his shoulder.

She shook her head and giggled. This place was bringing out long-dormant primal instincts. And she didn't, altogether, want to discourage that.

A noisy engine sounded from just over the slope. She stood and brushed off her jeans, watching as a white ute with lumber in the back drove along the nearby dirt track. Couldn't be Wil; he was on a date.

It drove a distance across the grass and stopped beside the fence to a paddock. The door opened and an older male dressed in jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and boots stepped out. ‘Hi there,' came his deep voice when he faced Emily.

Emily could see immediately that this was Wil's dad. He bore the same piercing blue eyes and big deep dimples.

Grinning, Emily strolled to him. ‘Hi. I'm Emily,' she said holding out her hand.

‘William,' he said, shaking her hand. ‘Wil's dad.' Then his eyes sparkled and recognition showed on his face. ‘Oh,
that
Emily. Yes, Wil's mentioned you.'

Her eyes widened. ‘He has? All good I hope.'

William laughed and it was as contagious as his son's. ‘Yes. All good.'

She looked at the ute and back towards the cottage in the distance. ‘I'm sorry if I'm intruding on—'

‘Not at all. I've got fencing to do. And Wil's, as you know, occupied at the moment.'

She smiled. ‘Yes. Quite.'

‘I'll tell you what, Emily. I need some help here for a couple of minutes. Do you mind giving me a hand?'

Emily shook her head. ‘Not at all, but I must tell you, I'm … hopeless when it comes to manual labour.'

William laughed then, big and strong. ‘We heard all about the pig sty.'

Emily's cheeks warmed. ‘I wish you hadn't. It wasn't a proud moment.'

He laughed again. ‘We've all had it happen. And besides, my boy had trouble staying on his own two feet by the sounds of it.'

‘You're right,' she said faux indignantly. ‘You wait till I see him again.'

William walked around to the back of the ute. Emily followed. He opened up the tray, pulled out a piece of timber and handed it to Emily. She took it, hoping she had the strength to hold it, but when she bore its full weight, she knew she was capable.

‘Just throw it down near the fence there,' he said.

She did as he asked and went back for the rest, another nine times.

‘I fell off a ladder a little while ago and broke some ribs,' he said.

She gasped, but he waved his hand dismissively.

‘It happens. I'm not quite ready to do the heavy work yet and my son-in-law is tending to a heifer having some trouble calving.' He lifted his gaze to meet hers, her eyes wide with bewilderment. ‘So I'm glad I ran into you.'

She nodded. ‘I'm glad I can help. W-what would you like me to do?'

With casual ease, exactly like Wil, he directed her to hold the timber while he drilled nails, sticking them to the horizontal posts. She helped him pack the soil around the posts, so they were sturdier. By the end of it, despite the cooler weather, she had a sweat up and her muscles ached deliciously.

Afterwards, they leant back against the side of the ute. ‘You enjoying yourself so far, Emily?' William had a relaxed country twang that Emily found endearing.

She nodded. ‘I am. I'll admit, I was scared to come here. I've only ever known the city.'

He crossed his arms over his chest. ‘It's a bit different, yes. But we're not so far from the city here. We head in to watch football games a lot. Or if the missus wants to do some shopping. We prefer the lifestyle here, though.'

Emily nodded. ‘I can see why.'

‘What have you got planned for the afternoon?'

Emily jolted and looked at her watch. ‘I nearly forgot. I've got a date with your son in half an hour. The directors will be wondering where I am.'

‘Jump in,' he said. ‘I'll drive you back.'

She shook her head. ‘You don't have to—'

‘I do. And I am. Now jump in. We don't want you late for Wil now, do we?'

Emily smiled and climbed into the passenger side. William joined her in the driver's seat and started the engine. They headed to the track and down towards the contestants' quarters. ‘Wil's a good lad,' he said.

Emily met his blue gaze briefly. ‘I can see that.'

He nodded. ‘And he's using his manners?'

She nodded and giggled. ‘Very much. He's attentive and incredibly polite.'
Not to mention an amazing kisser with the hottest body known to mankind.

‘Good to hear it. His mother would take it as a personal failure if he wasn't.'

They pulled up outside the cottage. ‘Thank you very much for the ride back.'

‘It's the least I could do for keeping you so long.'

She smiled and climbed out of the car. ‘It was lovely to meet you.'

‘You too, Emily. You enjoy your date with Wil now, won't you?'

She nodded. ‘I will.'

They said goodbye and she closed the door, waving once as he manoeuvred the ute around and started back up the road.

Emily barely had time to freshen up before she was loaded into a car and driven to the farmhouse. Wil awaited her in his living room. When she strode in and met his blue gaze, last night came rushing back and stung her directly between her thighs.

‘Hi, Emily.'

She grinned bashfully as his taste, scent, and feel swamped her senses. ‘Good afternoon.'

‘You ready?'

A small twinge of nerves pulsed in her belly. What did he have planned? She managed a nod.

He laughed loudly as he approached her. ‘You look nervous.'

‘A little,' she admitted. ‘I never know what you're going to rope me into.'

‘I have to warn you, today will be incredibly taxing. Lots of hard work. Mud,' he added in a teasing tone.

Emily's eyes widened. After helping his father with fencing, she hoped he was tricking. But, she wasn't going to play the damsel regardless. ‘Bring it.'

He laughed even louder and she grinned along with him. ‘Oh, I'll bring it all right,' he said and led her through the house, out to the front. He grabbed her gumboots from the front porch and handed them to her. ‘You'll be needing these.'

She bit back a groan but kept her expression calm. She nodded and said through clenched teeth, ‘Great.'

He chuckled and she tossed her gumboots into the back of the ute before climbing into the front seat. As they drove across the farm, Emily wanted to ask how his date went with Tatiana but decided it was inappropriate and she didn't need the details. It would only anger her. She also wanted to mention that she met his dad, but felt with microphones recording everything they said, and the cameramen in a car following behind, it was too personal a subject for prime-time television.

Looking through the windscreen, she saw a big dam in the distance, the water a deep blue. Beside it was a cluster of trees and nestled within was a white canopy.

Glancing sidelong at Wil, she asked, ‘What's this?'

He winked. ‘You'll see.'

He parked a short distance from the canopy and they climbed out of the ute. The mid-afternoon sun was warm though the breeze had a chill to it. He took her hand and a shot of sensation rocked her to feel his warm skin against her own. ‘Remember I said I would organise something relaxing for you?'

She nodded.

‘I kept my word.'

He lifted the tent door and led her inside. There were two massage tables and a heating lamp at the side of the canopy filling the small space with warmth. Two ladies, dressed in white shorts and shirts, stood near the wall, grinning. Obviously massage therapists. It smelled delicious, like lemon and lavender and expensive hand creams.

Emily's eyes widened as she glanced back at Wil. ‘Wow. You keep surprising me.'

He laughed. ‘I'd hate to be predictable now, wouldn't I?'

She arched a brow. ‘So the gumboots?'

‘Were a devious ruse.'

‘Well played.'

He grinned wide and her heart melted. He gestured she go further inside. ‘I'll wait outside while you get ready, then I'll meet you back in here.' He released her hand and left the tent.

Emily's muscles were already relaxing just contemplating a massage. She stripped down to her knickers and laid stomach down on the table, poking her head through the head hole. The massage therapist covered her backside with a towel and squirted oil over her back.

Her fingers were like heaven as they worked away years of built up stress in Emily's back, shoulders and neck. A rustle and footsteps sounded as Wil entered the tent again. She lifted her head to the side to catch a glimpse of him as he was lifting his shirt over his head.
Holy mother of God
. He was as delectable as she imagined. His chest, arms, shoulders and abs were unbelievably strong—all thick lines of muscle. His skin was gorgeously tanned, as though he worked through the summer without a shirt.

He caught her eye as he started on his jeans buttons, and winked. If she wasn't already lying down, she would have been. That swooning she thought was imaginary was very much happening again. She licked her lower lip and pressed her face back into the head hole though it took every ounce of effort she had to do so.

The massage therapist continued to press and knead at her back and she had to clench her jaw so as not to groan. How lucky was Wil's masseuse to be running her hands over that amazing body? She'd be wondering what heavenly creature graced her with such luck today.

Emily turned her head to face him again, to look upon that naked upper body of his, the smooth lines of muscle. Wil was already watching her though his attention wasn't on her face, rather his gaze was raking up her body. When he met her eyes again, he grinned, cheeky dimples flashing.

‘Was this an excuse to get me half-naked, Wil Parker?' Her voice was low and her words long from the utter indolence she was experiencing.

He chuckled. ‘No, just a pleasant side-effect. Now relax and enjoy yourself.'

The masseuse continued to rub and knead over her shoulders, down her arms, then to the back of her legs. It was the most splendid sensation, as though she was dissolving under this woman's magical hands. Wil had nailed it; this was exactly what she needed to let that little bit more of her Melbourne life go.

When Emily was about to drift off to sleep, the massage ended.

‘I'm going to sleep here tonight,' she said, unwilling to use her muscles, so deeply relaxed.

‘Hmmm, me too,' came Wil's sleepy voice. ‘We're never getting up,' he said to the masseuse, who giggled like a school girl. Emily couldn't blame her; Wil reduced her to that at times too. And the fact that Wil had no idea how much charm he wielded was what made him so damn sexy.

‘You better get up first,' Emily said. ‘Otherwise, this date is going to turn into a peep show.'

Wil laughed. ‘Best not reduce it to that level then.'

He pressed his palms into the massage table and lifted up, his arms tensing with solid muscle, his back rippling. There was that dizziness again. She wasn't looking away, no way, as he flipped onto his backside, then stood, dressed only in black briefs. His legs were long and pulsing with muscle as he walked to grab his jeans. She was a perv. No denying it. And she was loving every tanned, muscled-flesh minute of it. Emily bit down on her bottom lip to hide the grin commandeering her lips.

‘I'll meet you outside,' Wil said and left the tent.

Emily had to wait a few moments for her senses to return before she changed back into her clothes, thanked the massage therapist and met Wil outside. He was looking off into the distance, but turned to her, his blue eyes sparkling, when he heard her approaching.

She smiled wide. ‘Thank you for that. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.'

‘It's not over yet.'

Chapter 21

Wil held out his hand. Emily reached for him and entwined her fingers with his. It felt natural, like they were always meant to, and always had been, holding hands. But a pain pierced her finger.