Red Dust Dreaming (16 page)

"I need you to lead Bessie back home. She's had a terrible fright and she needs some tender care."

"Okay," Luke agreed easily.

"Come on," Caden said to Lizzie encouraging her to put her weight on her aching leg. With his assistance she limped to the horse, unable to enjoy his arm about her for the pain.

Getting up on the horse was agony itself. All dignity lost in the process. She sat breathing heavily waiting for Caden to join her, braced for more jolts. She needn't have worried as he mounted with the fluid grace she had come to associate with him. He settled in behind her, picking up the reins, his arms either side hemming her in. His chest pressed against the length of her back and she held herself rigidly away not daring to allow contact.

"Relax," he said in her ear, his hot breath caressing her neck. "I've got you."

Yes, indeed you have, she thought.

After managing to convince everyone she'd broken no bones Lizzie took to her bed. Everything ached, throbbed and bruised. Strangely falling from a horse as an adult seemed a great deal more traumatic than she remembered as a child. Thelma kept her supplied with pain killers while Luke provided stories. He brought his books in to read to her. While he could indeed read much of the stories he read to her were comprised of his own storyline. And they were rather clever. Mostly she slept.

On the third day she woke to find most of her pain diminished but her body stiff from lack of use. Her muscles screamed in protest as she swung her legs out of bed. Convinced a hot shower would loosen her up she slipped into the bathroom and turned the water up as hot as she could stand. Blissful clouds of steam billowed above the shower curtain as rivers of warm water did its job.

Lizzie abandoned washing her hair, her shoulder needing a good massage to get the joint lubricated again. Instead she simply stood beneath the shower and let the water soak her through. Satisfied she had as much mobility returned as possible she climbed out of the old fashioned bath tub which doubled as a shower. Grabbing one of the super-sized fluffy bath sheets fresh from a stack Thelma kept ready Lizzie gently towelled herself dry. Her back and legs protested as she tried to touch her toes keen to stretch the protesting muscles.

Conceding her mistake at staying in bed instead of getting up and moving about Lizzie dressed as quickly as she could running a comb through her wet hair and applying a layer of moisturiser to her face. Gone the makeup she had worn like armour since she'd returned from Art School. There was no need for it in the Outback. Dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt she padded out to find breakfast and the rest of the crew.

"Well look what the cat dragged in!" Thelma stood with her hands on hips. "I was getting ready to bring you a tray too."

Lizzie pulled out a chair and took her place at the table. "Thanks but I'm good to eat here."

"How are you feeling?" Thelma deftly transferred the boiled egg and toast she'd prepared from the tray to the table.

"Stiff and a bit sore," Lizzie conceded, "but loads better."

"That's what we like to hear."

"Where is everyone?" She carefully knocked the top off of her boiled egg.

"Eaten and gone," said Thelma. "You're up late."

"Gone where?" Lizzie ignored the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Out and about on the station. Been gone about an hour." Thelma came and sat opposite her. "I'm gonna take Luke with me to visit my sister. She has grandsons about his age."

"When?" Startled she spoke with a mouth full of buttered toast.

"Today." Thelma shrugged as if leaving Kirrkalan was a daily event. As if leaving her alone with Caden was perfectly acceptable.

"Is Caden going with you?'

"He's taking us but he's not staying. Too much to do here."

"Oh!" She waited for an invitation willing Thelma to include her in the visit. But none came.

"You cook?"

"Sure, a little I guess. What you've taught me." So she was to remain here as a housekeeper of sorts. When was the last time she'd cooked for anyone other than herself? Lizzie was a bit put out by the idea. "Got any coffee?"

"Sure." Normally Thelma would have made a smart comment such as your legs aren't painted on. Instead she made up a hot cup of her brew for Lizzie without complaint.

"Thanks." She took the proffered cup, her suspicions rising. "Thelma, are you deliberately leaving me alone with Caden?"

"Why would I do that?" The older woman did a good job of looking surprised.

"You know why. The thing we discussed."

Thelma sat silently and Lizzie wondered if she would pretend she hadn't the faintest idea what Lizzie was talking about. "Ah, the thing."

"Well?" Impatience laced Lizzie's voice. Thelma was playing her, she was sure of it.

"I figure you'll have made up your mind by now. Leaving you with Caden shouldn't make a scrap of difference. You need to see him with Luke and you've seen plenty of that. Little guy needs a break now school has finished for the term. Think of it as a holiday." She began tiding up the kitchen, stacking Lizzie's dishes in the sink to wash.

Thelma's nonchalance didn't fool Lizzie for a single moment. Everything she said made perfect sense so much so Lizzie didn't feel she could call her out but the nagging suspicion there was more to Thelma's plan wouldn't quit. "So you want me to stay here as a sort of housekeeper while you're gone?"

"Something like that." Thelma smiled over her shoulder.

Lizzie was not convinced. "How long will you be gone?"

"Couple of days or so. See how we go." Thelma's answer was maddeningly vague. She knew better than to press the old woman. If Thelma wanted to keep her own counsel she would and there was nothing Lizzie could do to pry the information out of her. "You'll have plenty of time to paint without Luke under your feet."

Once more she couldn't argue with the logic. "When are you leaving?" she sighed.

"As soon as Caden gets back." Another vague response. Not that it mattered. Lizzie wasn't going anywhere nor did she have anything special she needed to do. At Kirrkalan time stretched sideways into eternity.

"I guess you better show me the ropes then." Lizzie admitted defeat.

"That's my girl."

***

Several hours later Lizzie found herself in the unusual position of being entirely alone in the house. With Caden, Luke and Thelma gone there was no one to speak to, no one to tip toe around, no one to share a cup of coffee with – and no one to watch her. Curiosity caused her fingertips to itch. She had never been into Caden's office. He'd never invited her. Not that she intended to snoop through his desk, rather she wished to get a feel for the enigmatic man who had captured her imagination. She tiptoed down the corridor knowing full well there was no one to hear her coming yet the sense of trespass lay heavy in the air.

She pushed open the door to Caden's office, the creak of the hinges sounding loud in the silence. Taking one step inside the door she stopped, not daring to go any further in case she left some tell-tale sign she'd been there. The desk sprawled across the centre of the room, ancient and dark, as if it had sprouted there. Bookshelves lined the walls from floors to ceiling. Some shelves contained novels of the spy-thriller variety while other shelves were crammed with books on cattle and farm management. On the wall hung photos taken in the early days of Kirrkalan life leading right up to the present time. Photos of prime Brahman bulls shared wall space with the Carlyle family. A small dark haired boy appeared in later photos and she wondered if he was Caden. A framed diploma hung at the end of the row declaring Caden had spent a sufficient number of years at university to acquire a business degree.

The room waited for Caden as if he'd just stepped out for a minute. Lizzie caught the scent of him in the air. His computer screen sat front and centre on the desk. What did he spend his time looking at on the internet? Suddenly she craved to know more about Caden, more than he was willing to share. She took a step closer to the desk despite her resolve not to pry. Her fingers hovered over a pile of documents haphazardly stacked near the keyboard. Should she? The back of her hands prickled in warning she was about to cross a line. Lizzie snatched her hand back as if it had been burnt. Even if Caden never suspected she'd violated his privacy she would know. There were so few people she trusted in the world she understood the precious value of the sentiment.

Instead she backed up slowly until she was outside in the corridor once more, then she pulled the door gently closed to the way she'd found it. The near miss with her principals didn't put a stop to the craving to know more and before she knew it she stood outside Caden's bedroom staring at the door. Should she go in? Just a peek… Lizzie clenched and unclenched her fists at her side. Her body tingled with the idea Caden's bed lay within. She imagined him naked and tangled in his sheets. The image nearly overwhelmed her with its potency.

The sound of a plane getting closer shattered the silence. Lizzie's hand flew to her throat where her heart beat frantically. What a close shave! What would have happened if Caden had walked in on her? How on earth would she have explained what she was doing standing in the middle of his room? A shudder of guilty relief ran through her as she turned and walked away. By the time Caden landed the plane and drove back to the homestead she'd be sitting on the veranda with a cup of tea as if she'd been there all along.

Sure enough when Caden arrived twenty minutes later Lizzie had her feet propped up on the veranda rail sipping on a cup of Earl Grey tea. He pulled up in front of the house in a cloud of dust. Her heart had not fully recovered its natural beat and the sight of him only encouraged it to beat faster. Her fingers trembled so much she had to steady the tea cup with both hands. He saw her and waved. She put her tea cup down on the small table next to her, not trusting herself, and returned the gesture. He strode towards her and she thought of the long hours ahead, only the two of them.

Caden climbed the steps two at a time. He sauntered the length of the veranda to reach her. She frantically thought of something to say, something clever. All she came up with was: “How'd you go?”

“Dropped them off safe and sound. Luke is like a pig in mud. There's more kids there than you can poke a stick at and there's a swimming pool.”

“Heaven,” she murmured.

“How about you?” He fixed her with those dark, dangerous eyes. A blush stole across her cheeks. Could he tell she'd been sneaking about while he'd been gone?

“Nothing eventful.” Which was true. Nothing had actually happened.

“How are you feeling?”

Now there was an interesting question. “Physically I'm a little stiff although feeling much better.” She'd leave her emotional state of being out of the equation.

“You need a massage, help loosen up those muscles.”

“I know but Kirrkalan doesn't have a resident masseuse and you didn't bring one back with you.” She smiled thinking a massage would hit the spot.

“Just so happens I studied sports massage for a bit. Had this idea I was going to become a world class rugby player and when that didn't happen I fancied myself a degree in sports science.”

“What happened?” She swallowed hard beating back the image of his hands on her body slick with oil.

“Common sense prevailed and I ended up transferring to business.”

“Oh!” she said as if she hadn't got a clue there was a business degree hanging on his wall.

“Come on, let's take a look at your shoulder. If we can relax some of those back muscles you'll sleep and move easier.” He turned to walk inside, the situation agreed in his mind.

“It's okay, thanks.” Her words tumbled out one over the other in a rush. “I'm sure I'll be fine. No need to bother you.” Heat pooled between her thighs at the mere thought of his touch on her skin. The reality had to be averted before she disgraced herself.

“Shy?' he grinned. He could see right through her, she was sure of it.

“No…” she stalled. Shy wasn't the right word. Terrified was a much better one.

“Come on, get over yourself. You need a clinical massage and I can give it to you.”

A clinical massage. So nothing personal, nothing intimate. “As if I were a client of yours, an athlete or something.”

“Or something. Now get inside and strip off. Keep a towel wrapped around you for modesty's sake,” he winked, “and I'll get the massage table.”

She stood up, tempted to bolt out into the yard. “Massage table?” she squeaked.

“I told you I was a professional.” With that parting remark he disappeared inside the house where she could hear him banging about, no doubt resurrecting his massaging kit. Had he ever given Angela a massage? If he had it wouldn't be because she was silly enough to fall off a horse. Angela had always been the better rider out of the two of them.

Picking up her empty tea cup she followed him reluctantly into the house. Dragging her feet she went to her room and stripped off her shirt and shorts. Unclasping her bra she debated about taking her underwear off and decided to leave them on. The decision helped her to feel safer, about what she couldn't exactly say. She wrapped the biggest fluffiest towel she could find around her securing it as tightly as she could. This massage was a bad idea, a very bad idea.

Five minutes later she stood vulnerable and a little chilly in Caden's air conditioned office. He had changed into a t-shirt and cargo shorts. At least he wasn't stripped down expecting action. Not that she wouldn't mind a little action with Caden Carlyle if the ramifications weren't so huge.

“Climb up on the bench and lie face down,” he said matter-of-factly as if this was something he did every day. A bottle of oil stood on his desk. “I've warmed it for you.” He noticed her glance at it.

“Thank you.” She backed up to the bench and tried to work out the best way to get on and still keep her dignity intact. Clutching her towel tightly with one hand Lizzie finally managed to wiggle up and with an awkward flop she ended up lying on her front with the towel still covering her rear end.