Fly with Me (26 page)

“You and Simon
will need somewhere to live after the wedding.”

“You are a
pair of dickheads.” Elissa left the cousins howling with laughter
inside the newsagency.

Walking home
helped clear her head, but it also brought up a whole lot of
troubling thoughts. Thoughts such as it wouldn’t be so bad to be
Simon’s girlfriend, she wasn’t his girlfriend, he hadn’t asked her
to be his girlfriend, she didn’t want to be his girlfriend
(right?), and being his girlfriend would bring a whole lot of other
things with it.

Things such as
snuggling up to him, feeling those brawny arms surround her, being
tucked into his side, having him laugh with her, share intimate
jokes…and that last thought led to other intimate thoughts that had
her step quickening, her heart beating a little faster, and a whole
lot of heat filling her. Mostly because the thought of lying back
on a bed with that tall, muscular body above her, those lean,
strong hips against hers, his hard heat filling her - hells bells,
if she wasn’t careful she’d end up having to change her
knickers.

Even with no
one to see her or hear her thoughts, her cheeks were flushed.

Tightening her
hold on the plastic bags, she lengthened her stride. Besides, she
had her life ahead of her, other plans. Okay, she had no real
plans, she just knew she needed a job, wanted a home of her own, be
free to make her own decisions without constant scrutiny and
criticism.

Plus her
problems might not be over. Her family and Calum might still decide
to contact her, harass her. If they decided to push things, the
shit could hit the fan, and if it did she didn’t want anyone else
in the line of fire.

Yeah, too much
baggage yet to even contemplate a relationship with anyone.

Why that
thought had her shoulders sagging and a morose feeling enveloping
her, she had no idea. She’d never thought or planned a relationship
with anyone, she’d just been focussed on finding herself, doing
what she wanted no matter how inconsequential it seemed to anyone
else.

Until Simon
came along. Now she wondered ‘what if?’ What was it about him that
attracted her, made her suddenly wish for things she’d been
determined not to do yet?

And there
wasn’t even a relationship, was there? So why was she even thinking
such stupid thoughts?

“You are such
a drongo,” she muttered. “For God’s sake, it’s just small town
gossip. You don’t want Simon, he doesn’t want you. It’s just
gossip.”

Ignoring the
dip of her heart, she kept walking.

~*~

“Come on,
Arthur,” Simon wheedled, holding out the bowl of ‘roo meat. “It’s
fresh. You’ll like it.”

Out of his one
remaining eye, Arthur peered at him from halfway down the backyard.
The tattered old tom didn’t look like he was ready to move.

“At least get
your arse off the cold ground. It’s getting late, the sun’s almost
down, dew is starting to come down. Do you want to catch a
cold?”

“I don’t think
he can catch one through his arse,” Ryder said.

Simon gave the
bowl a little shake.

Arthur didn’t
move an inch, but his upper lip lifted a little. Not happy.

“Cranky old
bastard,” Ryder observed.

“You’d be
cranky, too, if you were suddenly alone in the world.”

“He’s not
alone. He has you kowtowing to him.”

“Oh, like you
don’t kowtow to Jezebel and her kittens.”

“I’m not
talking about me.”

With a sigh,
Simon set the bowl of ‘roo beside the bowl he’d already filled with
fresh water. “Poor old bugger.”

“Maybe you
should just trap him.”

“I’m trying to
win his trust. I don’t want him seeing me as the enemy.”

Ryder cast him
an incredulous look. “You think he regards you as a friend?”

Hands in his
pockets, Simon watched Arthur do his statue impersonation on the
dew-dampened lawn. “I want him to come to me of his own free
will.”

“Sure, but as
long as he’s sitting here at his old home with you feeding him
twice a day, he has no need to get close to you, does he?”

“I guess
not.”

After several
seconds of silence, Ryder laid a hand on his shoulder. “Want me to
trap him and take him to your house?”

“I don’t
know…”

“Mate.” There
was definitely sympathy in his normally incorrigible friend’s tone.
“I swear to God, I won’t hurt him.”

“I know you
won’t. I just…it seems like forcing him.”

Ryder and
Simon watched Arthur, who kept his one-eyed gaze on them in
turn.

“You’re going
to have to do something,” Ryder said finally. “The nights are
getting colder.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I
know.” Simon sighed. “I will.”

“But not
tonight?”

“Not tonight.”
Simon was still hoping that Arthur would come to him in the next
few days, though going by the way that one remaining eye was
viewing him warily, he didn’t hold out much hope.

Ryder patted
Simon’s shoulder. “Come on, mate. Let’s go.”

Reluctantly,
but knowing that unless he was prepared to force the issue there
was no other choice, Simon followed his friend around to the front
of the house where the motorbikes were parked.

“I’ll see you
later at Scott’s.” Ryder fastened the strap on his helmet. “Dee and
I’ll bring tea. You okay to pick up Del?”

“No
worries.”

Minutes later,
Simon turned off the heavy motorbike, listening to the powerful
engine throb down into silence. An owl hooted nearby, the breeze
held a touch of chill, and the peace of the countryside filled
him.

Swinging off
the bike, he left the slightly sagging garage to cross to the
veranda, walking up the steps to unlock the security screen and
wooden door, opening them to enter the hallway.

The house was
old but more well-kept than the garage. He liked old houses which
was why he’d bought this place. Full of character with features
modern houses didn’t have, not to mention the feel of generations
of families living there over the years, laughing, crying, sharing
good times and bad. Now he could add his own time and feel to
it.

A glance at
his watch showed that he didn’t have a whole lot of time before he
had to pick up Del and head for Scott’s house, so he had a quick
shower and shave before donning jeans and a t-shirt, throwing a
flannel shirt over top. Leaving it hanging open, he rolled the
sleeves halfway up his forearms, slid his sneakers on and grabbed
his wallet, car keys and a Vegemite sandwich. Munching on the
sandwich, he locked the door, going into the garage to start the
panel van.

He had to
admit that the thought of seeing Elissa held more appeal even than
seeing his friends. Sure, he liked his friends, liked spending time
with them all, but Lis…well, Lis was different.

Cool, hot,
uncertain, stubborn, she was a mixture of so many things and he
wanted to explore them all, explore everything about her. Make her
laugh, see the sparkle in her eyes, watched those lush lips curve
into a smile.

Hell, he
wanted to feel that soft body against his, and not just against his
back. Christ, that had been almost torture on its own, a sweet,
sweet torture. Now he wanted that soft body pressed right along his
front, those bountiful breasts hard against him. Wanted those
generous hips to cradle his harder ones, her heat to surround him
as he moved so deep inside her -

Jesus, if he
didn’t get a grip he’d rock up at Del’s place with a boner. She’d
never let him live that down. Not to mention what Elissa would
think if he came mincing up the veranda with one hand trying to
hide the boner. Ryder would never let him live that down. Hell,
none of his friends would, apart from Ash and Molly because those
two were about the sweetest of them all. Well, Ash, anyway, but
Molly wouldn’t be crass enough to call him on a boner. The others?
They wouldn’t hesitate.

Bastards.

Grinning, he
pulled up in front of Del’s house. Before he could do more than
open his door, she was out and locking the house. He did manage to
have her car door open so she could slip inside.

Hmmm
.
He glanced sideways at her as she buckled her seat belt. That
reminded him.

“What?” She
looked at him.

He put the van
in gear. “You went up on the roof.”

“Oh.
Yeah.”

“Why didn’t
you call me?”

“You were at
work.”

“After
work.”

“It was
raining then. Cripes, Simon, I was only putting silicone on the
hole.”

“Don’t do it
again.”

“Here we go.”
She heaved a sigh. “My house, my roof. My hole. My silicon.”

“What if you’d
fallen off?” He pulled out onto the road. “It’d be your broken leg
or neck then.”

“I didn’t. I’m
careful.”

He cut his
gaze sideways at her. “What about Elissa?”

“Man, she is
one game sheila.” Del grinned. “Never been up a ladder in her life,
can you believe it?”

Yeah, somehow
he could believe it. It gave him nightmares just thinking of her on
the roof.

“Got right up
there with me and helped.”

“You took her
up there when she’d never climbed a ladder in her life?”

“Girl power,
Simon. Ever hear of it?”

“Even more
reason to wait for me.”

“You like girl
power?”

“Don’t even
try to attempt to bamboozle me with your bullshit,” he replied
pleasantly.

“Oh boy.”

He cut her
another glance.

Del
grinned.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t do it
again, you understand me?”

“The girl
power stuff?”

He tamped down
his amusement. “You can do whatever girl power stuff you like, but
that rules out doing dangerous things. If I hear you’ve been up
that ladder again without one of us blokes around to help, you
might find sitting hard.”

“Oohh, Simon,
you scare me.” She gave a fake shudder, spoiling it with a shrug.
“Whatever.”

“You know, one
day you’ll push the wrong man too far.” He paused. “Or the right
man.”

“As if.”

“I’m going to
make sure I’m around to see it.” Hell yeah. Seeing Del take on a
man who wouldn’t take her shit would be entertaining.

“Big whoo.”
She shifted in the seat. ‘So, what movie did Molly and Kirk
choose?”

“No idea.”

“Something
scary, I hope. Last time there was that lame-arsed comedy.”

“It was a
hoot. You just don’t appreciate a good laugh.”

“You’re sad,
Simon. Very sad.”

Grinning, he
drove the rest of the short distance to Scott’s house in silence,
Del humming happily along to the CD that was playing quietly.

That reminded
him of Elissa singing quietly in his car, his desire to see her
strengthening.

Scott opened
the door of his home, took one look Del kicking off her sneakers
before entering the house and scowled. “I want to talk to you.”

“You don’t
say.” Del pushed past him into the house.

Knowing
exactly what Scott was going to say, Simon toed off his sneakers
and followed them into the house, the door clicking shut behind
him. As much as he wanted to be entertained by Scott attempting to
tell Del off for the exact same thing he’d taken her to task for,
he was more intent on searching out Elissa.

She was
standing in the kitchen with Molly and Ash, watching Kirk and Scott
both having a stern talk to Del, who punctuated the air in return
with suggestions of what they could both do. Some of it was
anatomically impossible.

“Gotta love
family time,” Molly said cheerfully as he entered. “All the love. I
feel the love. Don’t you feel the love, Ash?”

Ash just
rolled her eyes.

“Don’t you
feel the love, Elissa?” Molly persisted.

Elissa looked
like she didn’t know whether to go to Del’s rescue or sink into the
background.

Moving up
behind her, Simon breathed in the scent of her shampoo as he bent
down to murmur into her ear, “Don’t let them embarrass you. This is
normal.”

The fact that
she jumped a little was testament to the fact that she hadn’t
noticed his entrance. It also meant he had the excuse of placing
his hand on her upper arm in reassurance. That meant he could hold
her in place right before him.

“It is?” She
looked up at him over her shoulder.

Since he was
bent down with his mouth at her ear, that placed her face very
close to his. Her mouth was mere inches away. Hell yeah. He could
feel the tingle of heat at the base of his spine as her breath
feathered across his lips.

Jesus, he
wanted her. It hit him hard, low and sudden, slamming into him with
decadence, immediately followed by a hard spurt of dominance when
her eyes widened in alarm and she made to move forward away from
him.

He didn’t let
her go, his hold tightening carefully but firmly, holding her in
place as he looked directly into her eyes.

Alarm tripped
through the light brown depths of those big eyes, but there was no
denying the flash of answering heat. Nor, unfortunately, was there
any denying the sudden defiant tilt of her chin as she slammed down
shutters over that heat.

Elissa tugged
once more, and it was either let her go or force her to stay.

That, also
unfortunately, was not an option when he became suddenly aware of
the silence in the kitchen. One glance up showed everyone watching
them with varying degrees of astonishment - mostly from Molly and
Ash, smirks from Del and Dee, an arched brow and wicked glint from
Ryder, and knowing looks from Kirk and Scott.

And anger from
Elissa. He straightened. Oh yeah, he could feel anger. When she
turned to face him, her expression was cool, controlled, a slight
smile on her face that belied the storm gathering in her eyes.

Okay, that was
interesting. And hot. Jesus, he’d like to yank her into his arms
right now and kiss her, see if he could get that storm to break,
see if he could channel it into a whole other carnal storm.