Dudes Down Under (15 page)

The two of them joined forces and cleaned up the dinner things.

Jack opened a bottle of Bollinger and raised his glass. “To a marvelous day and a memorable evening. I thank you, pretty lady.”

“
Don’t thank me, Jack. It was a wonderful day, wasn’t it?”

The sound of Michael Buble filled the air. Jack bowed low and extended his hand. Lana took it and he pulled her into his arms as the honeyed voice sang, ‘Put your head on my shoulder’.

She did.

Jack stopped dancing. He looked down at the amazing woman that he held and put one finger under her chin. Lifting her face and gently tracing the outline of her beautiful mouth, he could no more stop himself than fly; his lips met hers in sweet exploration. The passion ignited in them both and she ran her fingers through his thick hair and their tongues began an exquisite exploration of each other's mouths.

One of them groaned, or was it both? The urgency overwhelmed them and he picked her up and carried her to the silk-sheeted bed. The passion was frenzied, both of them aching to feel nothing but skin separating them. The kisses were deeper and longer. His hands explored the contours of her body and molded her to him. He looked into the dark passion-drenched eyes and positioned his hard firm body over her. She wrapped her legs around him as he penetrated her welcoming heat, and they both lost themselves in the overpowering feeling.

*  *  *

Skeet walked up by Lucy’s bungalow. He checked his watch - it was a little after eleven. No lights were showing. He didn’t want to risk waking Lucy by knocking on the door. Besides, she may not be alone. He stopped in his tracks and suddenly realized that it was not any of his damned business anyway. Lucy was a grown woman. He was unused to her maybe having company but that didn’t mean he had a right to interfere.

He turned and retraced his steps.

He could only hope that she didn’t get herself hurt. But if she did? Well, he always had a shoulder for her if she needed it.

Skeet headed off to bed.

Cyril lay quietly in the darkness. Sleep finally claimed him and his snoring ensured it was good and deep.

*  *  *

Lucy clambered up from her perch on the edge of the tree house veranda. She stretched her long limbs and smiled at Charlie. He was sitting comfortably, soaking up the unbelievable peace of the night and smiling at the noise of the possums fighting close by. The noises of the Australian bush were part of who he was. It amazed him that he missed them so much.

Lucy hated to break that silence. “Charlie, are you hungry?”

He grinned up at her and extended his hand. “Help me up, Lucy. It must be pretty late. I’m not hungry at all. It just feels too peaceful to eat. Does that sound weird?”

“
It probably would to anyone not right here, right now. But it makes perfect sense to me. How about a coffee?”

“
You got me. That would be great.”

“
Coming right up.” Lucy headed inside and prepared the hot beverage. She felt very … content.

She shrugged as the word hit her conscious mind. Funny how she hadn’t realized that she had been a little less than content of late. She gave herself a mental shake.
Don’t get too involved, Lucy girl. He will only be here for another three weeks and then he will go back to his world
. Yet she couldn’t trick herself into believing that his company hadn’t been wonderful.

She took the steaming mugs of coffee back outside. “I forgot to ask how you like it,” she said.

“
Two s, m,” said Charlie.

“
Do the Americans understand you when you ask for milk and sugar instead of cream?”

“
Probably not. I guess I’ve gotten used to having cream instead. I’ve gotten used to a lot of changes, most of them great. I’d be a damned fool if I denied that America has been good for me.”

“
The fact that you are very talented may have a little something to do with that, don’t you think?”

“
Thanks, Lucy. I haven’t found a vehicle yet that excites me overmuch. I mean, all the stuff I’ve done has had its own level, you know, but I haven’t read a script yet that’s given me that thump of adrenaline, that this-is-it buzz.”

“
I can’t identify with the acting side of things but I know how I felt when I saw my dream taking shape. The day the final touch was added to
Dudes
, phew, that was heady stuff.”

“
So we are a pair of dreamers. Not a bad way to be. The world could do with more of it, I’m thinking.”

“
Yeah, Charlie, it surely could. It’s, um, getting late. I might turn in. I have work tomorrow. It’s very dark and the walk back can be tricky without light. You want to bunk down here tonight? There is plenty of room.”

“
Uh, if you’re certain you don’t mind. I mean, people could get the wrong idea, not that it’s a bad idea. Oh hell, do you know what I mean?”

“
I do and let them think whatever they want. Doesn’t bother me in the slightest as long as you are comfortable with it.”

The smile he gave her could have lit up the track back down to the resort. “Lucy, you are one special lady. Now, if you just direct me to my bunk, I’ll say goodnight.”

*  *  *

He lay in the darkness, wide awake, achingly aware that Lucy was very close by and yet miles away. She touched him. It had been a long time since he felt protective like this, and he had to be honest with himself, she did things to his blood pressure, big time. It was a long time before sleep claimed him.

Lucy lay awake, happy in her thoughts, and smiling to herself. She had one of Hollywood’s most desirable men sleeping just a few feet away. It had been an altogether terrific day.

*  *  *

Lana awoke to the smell of bacon cooking. She lay there a while, trying to think clearly. Last night had been perfect, too perfect. She had good reason to believe what life had taught her - if something seemed too good to be true, it usually was.

Still, she felt wonderful. She had awoken several times during the night and grinned at the memory. Each time she had tried to disentangle her limbs from Jack’s, he had tightened his arm around her and stroked her hair ‘til she had drifted back to sleep. He was a wonderful, considerate lover. The experience had opened a door in her heart that had been locked up tight for a very long time. Acknowledging it and dealing with it were two different things. How do you slow down a speeding train?

She climbed out of the huge bed and headed for the bathroom. She was avoiding seeing Jack until she was a little more prepared. Washing her face and running her fingers through her tousled hair helped a little. She would shower after breakfast and head back to her own bungalow.

Jack was whistling tunelessly. He turned the bacon and heard sounds of life coming from the bathroom. “Bacon and eggs for breakfast, m’lady. Okay with you?”

“
Sounds good. Over easy with the eggs, okay?”

“
Yup. Juice or coffee, or both?”

“
Both, please.”

“
Be done in a minute. You want to eat with ocean views?”

“
Mmm, yeah, sounds just wonderful, and smells mighty good. I’ll be right out.”

The sight of Jack in his swimming trunks cooking breakfast was a great way to start the day. What the hell, reality could wait a while. This felt right.

The table on the balcony was set, and a pot of steaming hot coffee and all the fixings waited. Lana poured herself a large mug and put her feet up on the railing, enjoying the warm sunlight filtering through the trees. The rainbow lorikeets had gathered further along the railing in bright fluorescent colors and noisy demands for food.

Jack came out with plates of bacon and eggs and went back inside for the large container of honey-soaked bread for his squawking visitors. He dished it into the containers Skeet had supplied him with, and watched as the noisy little guys greedily tucked into it.

He bent down and placed his fingers under Lana’s chin. Tilting her face up, he placed a sweetly gentle kiss on her lips. “Morning, m’lady.”

“
Yes, it is, it surely is.” She felt herself blushing at the desire in his eyes and busied herself eating the delicious bacon and eggs. “It’s not fair on the rest of the male populace that you can cook too.”

“
Oh, I am a man of hidden talents, m’lady.”

“
They sure weren’t hidden anywhere last night,” she said with a girlish giggle.

“
Careful, my sweet. A man could get to thinking you enjoyed yourself.”

“
And then some. Thank you, Jack. That was a very memorable evening.”

“
Why am I getting the feeling that that was a once-only deal?” He put his head to the side, as was his habit, and his wonderful voice sounded sad.

“
I didn’t say that but we need to kinda talk a little before we do anything else. I don’t want you to get hurt, Jack, and I am a hurt factory. My career always comes in first place, no matter what.”

“
I understand that, Lana. Mine's pretty damned important to me as well. I just don’t know if the no-matter-what applies in my case.”

“
I made a rule a long time ago, Jack. Nothing and no one else comes first, not ‘til I’ve achieved everything I have set out to do.”

“
My God, what’s left? Surely you are already there, aren’t you?”

“
Not yet. I have two very important goals yet to achieve.”

He poured her another coffee and leaned forward and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears so he could look into her dark eyes. “Tell me … if you want to, that is.”

“
Funny, you know, I don’t trust many people, and hardly anyone in the industry, yet I know I can trust you. Can we discuss it a little later? I feel at a disadvantage in last night’s clothes and looking like I just climbed out of a heaven-made bed.”

“
I liked taking advantage,” he grinned.

“
Who took advantage of whom … and who gives a fuck, anyways?”

“
That’s my girl.”

“
Are you ever serious?”

“
Oh yes, m’lady. I can be very, very serious, when something is important enough to me to warrant it.”

“
I’ll remember that.”

“
Oh, I hope so, Lana. I truly hope so.”

“
So, I’ll help you clean up and then I’ll head on back to my place, okay?”

“
Uh-huh. I was kinda hoping you might like to go parasailing with me, Tristan and Izzy.”

“
Parasailing? I’ve always wanted to try. Oh hell, sounds great, but I may chicken out right at the last minute.”

“
S’okay. Tristan has chickened out both times so far. He has vertigo big-time. I’m hoping we can help him get over it enough to try anyways.”

“
Count me in. What time, where, and what the hell do you wear parasailing?”

“
I’ll pick you up around, say, eleven a.m. and what you wore most of last night would be fine with me.”

Jack moved before she had a chance to slug him, and whistled again as he listened to her crack up laughing on the porch.

Chapter 19

Lucy woke with the sunrise and wandered out to watch it breach the horizon. She was pleasantly surprised to find Charlie standing there in just his jeans. God, he looked wonderful. She drank her fill of his view and concentrated on the other. She never tired of the light show that nature provided in this little corner of the world. The colors were beyond description. The sounds of life awakening in the cool of the morning revived her spirit every day.

Lucy could never imagine living anywhere else. She had traveled widely with her father and seen many beautiful places. The memories were stark and sweet. But this place ... oh there was nothing she had seen that could touch it for sheer beauty.

Charlie grinned at her without speaking. They stood close to each other without touching. No need, they were joined at the soul.

*  *  *

Lana showered and dressed in a one-piece costume with shorts and a loose overlay cotton shirt. Jack had dropped her back in his buggy with a gentle kiss and a reminder that he and the others would pick her up at eleven. She wondered what Tristan and Izzy would make of her being included. It didn’t bother her. They were one of her favorite couples and, what’s more, they seemed almost normal in her abnormal world.

As for Jack, man-oh-man, he was something. Lana decided to relax. Whatever happened, she was gonna make some memories to hold on to. When she left this place the memories would be all she had to sustain her.