There hadnt been that many men in her lifea grand total of fourso she hadnt much experience on which to rely. Two boys in high school, one in college after she and Sam had broken up for a time, and then Sam. She knew sex was supposed to be exciting and it had been, up until Sam had started working twelveto fourteen-hour days. Suddenly, intimacy had become just another job for him, an obligation, like the bouquet of flowers he brought her every Friday evening.
In the weeks before the wedding, her mother had assured her it would all even out over time. There were meant to be highs and lows in a marriage. It kept things interesting. And heaven knows, shed said, sex wasnt everything. She and Paytons father kept separate bedrooms and they got along just fine.
Until that moment, Payton had always assumed the arrangement was because her father snored, but once she realized her parents no longer needed each other in that way, she began to question her assumptions about a happy marriage. She wondered if her own marriage might end up more a convenient arrangement than a lifelong passion.
From that point on, Payton began to look at Sam in a different way. Every touch, every kiss, was more evidence that the passion between them was waning. Worse, she began to doubt herself. Perhaps she was just incapable of keeping a man sexually interested. Maybe it was genetic.
But that crazy attraction hadnt been missing with Brody Quinn. There had been an excitement between them, a delicious anticipation that she hadnt felt in a very long time. Her heart beat faster at the thought of him, and her breathing suddenly grew shallow. Hed been attracted to her, too, that much was obvious.
She thought back to the night before her wedding, a night spent pacing her room at the resort in Fiji. Every instinct told her to call it all offor at least delay until she had her head on straight. But she knew what an embarrassment it would be to her parents, how upset theyd be. As an only child, so much had always been expected of her, and shed done her best to make her parents proud. But wasnt there a point in life where she had to think about herself first?
It had taken her until the very last minute to decide to run. Shed been walking across the terrace on her fathers arm, the ocean breezes ruffling her silk dress as family and friends waited on the beach. Her father had kissed her cheek and handed her over to Sam. Yet when shed looked into Sams eyes, Payton knew she couldnt go any further.
She tried to push the memory aside, taking another sip of orange juice as she fought back the tears that threatened. Shed run straight back to the room and grabbed her passport and a single bag. Five minutes later, she was on her way to the airport, still dressed in her white gown, ready to take the first flight off Fiji to anywhere in the world.
But a new charge on her credit card might betray her. So shed exchanged her honeymoon ticket to Sydney for a ticket to Brisbane, assured that the airlines would keep her plans confidential. She had a visa, so it had been no problem entering the country. And once she was there, it had been even easier to lose herself.
Unfortunately, even following a strict budget, the cash shed had with her had only gone so far. Shed heard from a woman in Brisbane that there were often jobs available for foreigners at some of the cattle and sheep stations in Queensland. They offered room and board and a decent wageand for Payton, a place to hide out until she could bear facing her family again.
Perhaps it wouldnt be so difficult to go back, she mused. She could call her parents and explain the pressure shed been under. Perhaps Sam might even forgive her. She drew a ragged breath. But would that stop these feelings of doubt?
Her mind flashed an image of Brody Quinn again and warmth snaked through her veins. He was dangerously handsome, his body lean and muscular, probably toned more by hard work than hours in the gym. His skin was burnished brown by the sun and his rumpled hair was streaked with blond.
But it was his eyes that she found fascinating. They were an odd colorpart green, part goldand ringed with impossibly long lashes. He didnt say much, but when he spoke, she found his accent entirely too charming. And when he looked at her, she had to wonder what he was thinking. Had he been undressing her in his head? Had he been thinking about more than just touching and kissing?
Had Angus not let him out, Payton wondered whether they might have acted on the attraction. In truth, hed made her feel something shed never felt before. Hed made her feel like a real woman, alive with desire and passion, not just a naive girl playing at womanhood.
Payton felt a tiny sting of regret that she hadnt accepted his offer of help. She could have used a friend in the outback, someone to show her the ropes, maybe help her find a job. Though her abilities were rather limited, she had spent the last year perfecting her skills as a gourmet cook. She could teach piano and French and Italian. Shed been an excellent rider, winning medals in dressage and show jumping. Surely there was something she could do for an honest wage.
Payton crawled off the bed and walked over to the spot where Brody had stood. Shed make a vow, here and now. From this moment forward, shed act on her instincts. If she saw something she wanted, shed go after it. Shed stop planning and start doing. And maybe, once shed figured out just who she was, away from her parents and Sam, she could get on with the rest of her life.
You finished with your breakfast? Angus sauntered into the room, his keys jangling from a ring on his belt. He unlocked the cell door and opened it then stepped inside to collect the tray.
Thank you, Payton said. It was good.
He nodded. Answer a question for me?
Payton knew shed have to explain at some point. What was she doing stranded in the middle of the Australian outback without a penny to her name? And what had made her think she could walk out of a restaurant without paying. Sure. Fire away.
Anguss brow furrowed. Have you ever been to Graceland?
Graceland? The question didnt take her by surprise considering the police chiefs taste in music. No. But I hear its supposed to be very nice. I once saw Priscilla Presley in New York, though.
Priscilla?
Yes, I think she was there for Fashion Week. She was hailing a cab on Madison Avenue.
Well, Ill be buggered! Priscilla Presley. Thats almost as good as seeing Elvis. He nodded. Its always been my dream to visit Graceland. Most folks would go to Disney World or Hollywood or one of those big tall buildings they have in New York City. Me, Id head straight to Graceland. With a sigh, he stepped out of the cell. Your debt has been settled, Miss Harwell. Youre free to go.
I am? She didnt really want to leave. Not before shed figured out her next move. But then, she had vowed to stop planning and start doing. Who paid it?
Angus nodded toward the door. Hes waitin out front. Youll have to square up with him.
Frowning, Payton grabbed her bag and stuffed her belongings inside, then glanced around the cell to make sure she had everything. Whoever her mysterious benefactor was, shed find a way to pay him back.
When she reached the porch, she saw a familiar figure waiting for her, dressed in the same faded jeans and wrinkled T-shirt hed worn earlier. She allowed herself a tiny smile. Are you the one who
Brody grabbed her bag from her hand and slung it over his shoulder. No need to thank me, he interrupted, motioning toward the dirty Land Rover parked in front of the police station. We criminals have to stick together, eh?
Brody grabbed her bag from her hand and slung it over his shoulder. No need to thank me, he interrupted, motioning toward the dirty Land Rover parked in front of the police station. We criminals have to stick together, eh?
Payton walked slowly down the steps, glancing over her shoulder to find him staring at her backside. She reached for the door of the truck, but he rested his hand on hers. Thats the drivers side, sweetheart, he said.
Sorry, Payton murmured, the heat from his touch sending a tingle up her arm. He followed her around to the passenger side and helped her in, resting his hand on the small of her back as she climbed up into her seat.
When he slid in behind the wheel, he looked over at her. Where to?
II dont know, she said.
You dont know?
I dont have anywhere to go.
Youre giving up your life of crime? His dark brow arched. You must have somewhere to go. Everyone is going somewhere.
Not me, Payton said. Since Im out of cash, I cant afford to go anywhere. I need to find a job.
He nodded, then grinned. All right. Well, I think I know a place that might need some help. As long as youre willing to work hard. What can you do?
Anything.
The local brothel likes to hire talented girls. I could take you over there.
She laughed softly when she saw the smile curling his lips. He had a way of speaking, his accent broad and his voice deep, that made it hard to tell when he was teasing. Very funny.
You think Im kidding? Bilbarra has a legal house of ill repute. And it stays quite busy since women are in short supply in the outback. You could make a decent wage if you were so inclined.
Im better with horses than I am with men, Payton said.
Horses? Well, that sounds promising. He turned the SUV around and headed out of town on the dusty main street. As they drove, the landscape became dry and desolate, an endless vista ofnothing. This was the outback, Payton mused. And she was driving right into the middle of it with a complete stranger. Where are we going?
To my place, he said.
She swallowed hard. So much for acting on instinct. Youryour place? Had she just made the biggest mistake of her life? He could drive them out into the middle of nowhere, chain her up and keep her as his sex slave for years and no one would ever know. But then Angus had seen them leave together and if Angus trusted this man with her safety, maybe she could, too. The idea of serving as Brodys sex slave rolled around in her mind for a moment before she shook herself. The thought was intriguing. In truth, any thought that involved Brodys naked body seemed to stick in her head.
Its my familys place, he explained. We have a cattle station and we raise horses, too.
Horses! she cried. Im good with horses. I can groom them and muck out the stalls and feed them
Good, he said. Then Im sure well have a spot for you. He reached above the visor and pulled out a CD, then popped it into the player in the dash.
Payton watched the countryside pass as they bumped along the dirt roads. Compared to the beautiful scenery on the coast with its lush greenery and ocean views, the outback was a harsh and unforgiving environment. Only occasionally did she see signs of human habitationa distant house or a windmill on the horizon.
When she wasnt staring out the window, Payton attempted a careful study of the man beside her. He kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, humming along with the AC/DC songs as he navigated around bumps and potholes.
After an hour of bouncing over rutted roads, the orange juice Payton had gulped down for breakfast had worked its way through her body. Will it be much farther? she asked.
Another half hour, he said.
Is there a gas station coming up? Maybe a convenience store? Anyplace with a ladies room?
Brody pulled the truck to a stop, then pointed out the window. Theres a nice little shrub over there. For privacy. He shrugged. There isnt a ladies room between here and the station.
Reluctantly, Payton opened the door. Dont watch, she said.
I wont. And if a giant lizard comes wandering by, you just scoot back to the truck flat out.
Payton closed the door. I can wait.
/
The road only gets bumpier, he warned. Ill keep an eye peeled. If I see anything approaching, Ill hit the horn.
Payton hopped out of the truck and walked gingerly through the scrub to the closest bush. It looked more like tumbleweed than a living plant, but it provided enough cover for her modesty.
She was a long way from home, a long way from marble bathrooms with gold-plated fixtures and expensive French towels. But for the first time in her life, she was in charge of her own destiny. She no longer had to please her parents, or anyone else for that matter. And though she didnt know where shed be tomorrow or what shed doing next week, Payton didnt care. Right now, life was one big adventure. And her traveling companion made the adventure a whole lot more interesting.
BRODY LEANED BACK against the front fender of the Land Rover as he stared out at the horizon, taking a long drink from a bottle of water hed pulled from the Esky in the backseat. Hed been living in the civilized part of Oz for so long that hed forgotten just how desolate the outback was.
He and his mother had left when he was fourteen. And though hed returned for his school holidays, he was always anxious to leave again. Now, here he was, back where he started.
He heard footsteps in the gravel at the edge of the road and he turned around as Payton approached, bracing his elbows on the hood of the SUV. Feel better?
Much, she said. She turned slowly, taking in the view. Its beautiful in a rugged, bleak kind of way. You can breathe out here. The air is so clean.
Yeah, we have plenty of clean air in Queensland. And were a big producer of dust. Mozzies and blowies, too. She gave him an odd look. Mosquitoes and blow flies. He offered her the bottle of water. And where do you come from?
She took a long drink of water, then smiled. The East Coast. Connecticut.
Is that near New York?
She nodded. Yes. Very near. My father works in Manhattan. I went to college at Columbia.
So youre smart, then? Smart and beautiful. A deadly combination and one he hadnt really appreciated until now. Hed never considered a brilliant mind an important part of sexual attraction. But as much as he wanted to touch her and kiss her, he also wanted to talk to her. Who was this woman? What was she doing here with him?
I did my masters thesis on the history of anatomi-cal study in seventeenth-century Dutch artists. Im not sure how smart that makes me. She glanced around. Especially out here. Unless you have an art museum filled with the works of Vermeer and Rembrandt.
We do, he teased. Its right behind the stables. Doesnt get a lot of visitors, though. Brody drank the last of the water. So how does a sheila like you end up skint in a place like Bilbarra?
Skint?
No money.
Broke, she said. Flat broke. Probably because I didnt have a lot to start with. She paused. Im just a poor grad student trying to see a bit of the world.