Lie to Me (5 page)

Going up the veranda steps, he caught sight of Jezebel, the little stray that had started out lurking outside his back door, stealing scraps from his bin, and now had gotten game enough to come inside after he’d spent a few weeks cajoling her.

The little tortoiseshell’s belly was getting rounder, and it wasn’t from just food.

Shaking his head, Ryder held the door open and she trotted past.  Confident now with him, she was wary enough to disappear when anyone else came, so he doubted Dee would even see her.  Woman would laugh her head off if she ever knew.

Following Jezebel inside, he took off his helmet and leather jacket, stashing them in the hall cupboard before hooking his keys on the inside of the door and closing it.

“Hungry?”

Jezebel wound around his legs, meowing.

“I’m not surprised.”  Bending, he stroked her head, smiling as she came up on her hind legs to press her front paws against his legs, closing her eyes and purring when he fondled her ears.  “Hussy.”

Going into the kitchen, he filled her biscuit bowl and placed it in the laundry, knowing Jezebel would scurry in there and hide when she heard voices.

No sooner had he done so than the sound of Ben’s ute arriving came to him.  Jezebel peeked around the door of the laundry before ducking back inside.

By the time he’d walked back down the hallway and out onto the veranda, Ben had the bike leaning against the garage wall, Dee standing beside it.

“Thanks so much, Ben,” she said.  “I hope I didn’t put you out of your way.”

“No worries.”  He got back into the ute.  “Look after yourself.”

“Thanks, I will.”  She watched as he backed the ute out onto the road and drove off.

Ryder came up beside her.  “Come on in.”

“Is that a command or a request?”

“Whatever it needs to be to get you inside, babe.”

Turning her head, she looked up at him.  “I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself, you know.”

Crooking his arm around her neck, he nudged her towards the veranda.  “Come on, tough chick.  I want to tend your war wounds.”

She fell into step with him.  “I got them in the line of duty, you know.”

“You tackled Yvonne with your bike?”

“What makes you think it was Yvonne?” 

The breeze stirred her blonde hair, several silky strands drifting across his arm.  The scent of peaches came from her hair.  Huh, she must be trying a new shampoo.  Normally her hair smelled like apples.

Ryder gave the thick braid that reached almost to her waist a gentle tug.  “Because Yvonne came tearing past me and it was mere minutes later that I found you on the side of the road.  It doesn’t take a genius to guess what happened.”

“Oh, that explains how you figured it out then.”

Jesus, she had a sharp tongue to match her biting wit.  Another tug on her braid.  “Just get inside.”

He waited as she went ahead of him up the steps, his gaze following the sway of her hips. Dee had nicely rounded hips, generous curves both above and below her surprisingly small waist.  The woman had a set of bosoms on her, no doubt about it, and the fact that she was, well, top heavy, had had more than a couple of blokes’ eyes turning to her.  Not that Dee had ever seemed interested.  It had been a long time since she’d dated.

Ryder sure as hell hadn’t been amused, especially knowing some of the blokes.  Not one of them was good enough for her.  Luckily she hadn’t taken any of them up on their offers of a date, or he’d have had to have a quiet word to them. 

Not that she knew that or she’d have done more than rip his head off.  Luckily all the way around that she’d never know.

Dee glanced down at him.  “What are you smiling about?”

“Never you mind.” Taking the last two steps up onto the veranda, he placed his hand in the small of her back, ushering her towards the door.  “Let’s get you inside and assess the damage.”

“Minor,” she informed him.  “Very minor.”

“I’m more qualified than you to make that judgement.”

She laughed in his face.  “If you’d thought the injuries were serious I’d be at the hospital, not here.”

True.  Still didn’t matter.  Opening the door, he gestured.  “Inside.”

Rolling her eyes, she did as bidden.

The security screen clicked shut and out of habit he flicked the lock.  Years of working in the city had taught him the advisability of security no matter where one lived, even in his quiet, friendly, home town of Gully’s Fall.

Before she could say anything, he said, “Kitchen.  Take a chair.”

“Take it where?”

“You won’t be so cocky when I’m putting Betadine on your abrasions.”

Dee limped into the kitchen.  “I can go to the bathroom and do it myself, you know.”

“But I can see your side better than you.”  Crossing to the sink, he pulled out a bowl from the cupboard and filled it with warm water.  “Take off your shoe and blouse.”

There was silence for several seconds before she asked in disbelief, “Take off my blouse?”

Chapter 2

“Yep.”

“Take
off
my blouse?”

“That’s what I said.”  When she didn’t answer, he glanced at her to find her staring at him.  “Well?”

“I’m not taking off my blouse.”

“Why not?”

Dee looked around before staring at him incredulously.  “Because I’m not!”

Oh boy, she decided now to get modest.  “Woman, I’ve seen you naked before.”

“When we were
kids
!”

Crossing to the table, he placed the bowl of water near her elbow before going to the pantry to retrieve the First Aid kit.  “I’m an ambo, Dee, a professional.  I’m not about to ogle your goods.”

“You’re not going to see my goods full stop.”

He dropped the First Aid kit on the table.  “You’ve got a bra on, what’s the big deal?”

“Ryder, I am not-”

“I’m getting a towel.  Don’t move.”  Going into the laundry which opened up off the kitchen, he spotted Jezebel sitting on the basket of dirty clothes with eyes like saucers.  “It’s all right, girl.”

“It’s not all right,” Dee yelled back.

“Not you.”  Grabbing a towel from the clean stack of washing he had yet to put away, Ryder moved back out into the kitchen to see Dee on her feet.

The woman was impossible.  Frowning, he pointed at the chair.  “Sit.”

“Look, this is-”

“Now, babe.”  Dropping the towel onto the table beside the bowl of water, he looked down at her.

Her cheeks were flushed.  “I’m not taking my blouse off and that’s final.”

Cripes.  He could argue all day or he could simply remove it himself, but that would involve a tussle which would result in her possibly being even more hurt.  “Look, I’ll get you one of my shirts, all right?”

“No, it’s not all right.”

Leaning down, he narrowed his eyes.  “What’s your problem?”

“You are.”  She glared back up at him.  “I came here to get my scratches fixed, not to give you a peep show.”

“I’m not interested in seeing your-”

“Good!”  She yanked the side of her blouse up to reveal the abrasions and laceration.  “This is as far as I go.”

It just wasn’t worth arguing about.  The longer he farted around arguing with her, the longer it took to get her injuries cleaned.

“Fine.”  He dipped clean gauze in the water.  “Lean against the table.”

Silently, Dee braced one hand on the table and leaned sideways, holding up her blouse with the other hand, making sure it was well below her bra.

Shaking his head, Ryder worked quickly and efficiently, not bothered in the least by her silence.  It wouldn’t be the first time she gave him the silent treatment.  It made a change from her usual sharp retorts when she was annoyed with him, which of late seemed more and more often.  What was with that, anyway?

The warmth from her body was amazing, he could actually feel it as though her aura were touching him - if he believed in auras.  Actually, he couldn’t say he didn’t, he’d seen a lot of strange things in his years as an ambo, but he wasn’t about to admit he did, either.  All he’d say was that he was open-minded.

Definitely not saying that around Dee.

“What’s so funny?” she queried.

There was an odd infliction in her voice, a slight huskiness as he laid his fingertips against her ribcage while applying Betadine to the abrasions with his other hand.

Man, her skin did kind of feel silky, too, he’d never noticed that before.  Warm and silky.  Mind you, he’d never really had a reason to touch her naked skin.  Sure, he’d often crooked an arm around her neck or shoulders, but apart from that, no.

“Ryder?”

Pulled from his musings, he reached out for a small Primapore to put on the laceration that was now only oozing a tiny amount of blood.  “What?”

“Are you laughing at me?”

“Why would I do that?”

“You were grinning.”

“Just thinking.”

“Oh, you can do that while you work as well?  I’m impressed.”

“I’m surprised I can do anything around you.”  When she didn’t hit him with a fast, hard comeback, he smoothed the Primapore over the laceration and straightened to find her looking at him oddly.  Worried that she was feeling faint, he rested his hand on her waist.  “You all right, babe?”

“Sure.”  She hesitated.

“Something wrong?”

“No.”

“Okay.”  He knelt down on one knee.  “Sit.”

Dee sat.  “I’m not a dog, you know.”

Slipping her shoe from her foot, he lifted her foot onto his knee, studying the laceration that was now mostly clotted blood.  “Be more obedient if you were.”

“Is that what you like in your women?”

He burst out laughing.  “Dee, you are not like my women.”  Dipping clean gauze in the warm water, he wrung it out and started cleaning the wound.

She fell silent.

Her foot was small, neat little toes, nails painted pale pink.  She’d always been partial to pink ever since they were kids.

Silence filled the room while he cleaned and dressed the laceration on her ankle.  When he placed her foot back on the floor and straightened, it was to find her looking searchingly at him.

Wondering what she was thinking - and with Dee it could be anything - he pulled another chair close and sat down facing her, capturing one of her hands in his and turning it palm up so he could clean the scratches on it.

“I’m sorry,” Dee said unexpectedly.

Surprised, he looked at her.  “Pardon?”

“I’m sorry.  You’re helping me and I’m being bitchy.  Again.  Sorry.”

He laughed.  “Dee, you’re always bitchy.”

She stiffened.  “I’m not.”

“Babe, you could strip wallpaper off walls with that caustic tongue of yours.”

“There’s a difference between being honest and being bitchy.”

“Sure there is.”  He started cleaning her palm.  “With most women anyway.”

“You know, Ryder, you’re not such a prize yourself.”

And there it was, the smart-mouth.  “Jesus, tell me what you really think.”

“I always do.”

“I noticed.”  Partly annoyed, partly amused, he dabbed Betadine on her palm.

“Glad you noticed something.”

Leaning back, he screwed the cap on the bottle of Betadine while watching her studying her palms.  “Good enough?”

“Just what I’d expect from you.”

“Don’t try to say it’s crappy.”

“I’m not.  While you may be a dumb arse at times, you’re an excellent paramedic.”

Okay, that sure as shit shocked him.  He blinked.  “What?”

Dee looked him right in the eyes.  “When I need an ambo, there’s no one else I’d rather have turn up than you.”

Ryder was so taken aback at the unexpected compliment that he could only stare at her.

A slow blush crept into her cheeks the longer he stared.  Abruptly, she stood.  “Okay, well, enough sloppiness.  I have things to do even if you don’t.”

He wasn’t sure what to say.  “Dee, I…wow, that was a compliment.  From you.”

“Don’t get used to it.”  Limping away, she bent down to yank the laces loose off her other tennis shoe, giving him a good view of a very shapely backside.  Bending her leg up, she pulled the tennis shoe off.

He was still sitting watching her with astonishment when she turned to face him, coming close to bend and retrieve her bloodied shoe from beside him.

Unbidden, his gaze followed her down to stop on the flesh revealed by her gaping blouse as she bent.

Man, the woman sported an impressive amount of boob.  Through the gaping top of her blouse he could see the generous mounds clasped lovingly but firmly in an ice blue satin bra.  As she straightened, he had a sudden whiff of her perfume, a mixture of tea rose and the peaches from her hair. 
Nice
.

Holding her shoes, Dee glanced towards the phone.  “Look, I’ll just give Dad a ring, he can pick me up and take me home.  He-”

“What?”  Ryder stood.  “No.  I’m taking you home.”

“Look, it’s no problem-”

“Dee.”  He frowned down at her.  “No arguments.”

Her eyes narrowed, the paleness of her blue eyes startling when framed with those thick, black eyelashes.  “You’re getting awfully bossy in your old age.”

“Only way to deal with you, trust me.”

She started limping from the room.  “Don’t know why you bother with me then.”

He grinned.  “Because I need a sparring partner to keep me alert for when shit really happens.”

“Huh.”

Picking up the bowl of red-tinted water, he crossed to the sink.  “Let me just clean this up.”  Seeing her start towards the table with the obvious intention of helping, he added, “Just stay there.”

“Don’t want me touching your precious stuff?”

“Bugger me, you are prickly today.”  He emptied the bowl, rinsed and set it on the draining board.  “That time of the month?”

Just as he’d planned, she rose to that particular bait like a shark.  “You are such an arse!”

“Apparently so.”  God, he loved teasing her, seeing the fire in her eyes.  “You tell me so frequently.”

Before she could do more than open her mouth to give him a volley of venom, the phone rang.  They both looked at it.

“You going to answer that?” Dee asked finally.

“Nope.”

“It could be your job.”

“They have my mobile number.”

“Maybe it’s another bimbo chasing you.”

Amused, he shrugged.

The answering machine kicked in, a sultry voice purring out.  “Hi, Ryder.  It’s Rachel.  I hear you’re free tonight.  How about we get a bottle of wine and-”

Rachel Winters?  Hot, luscious, Rachel Winters?  Delighted, Ryder grabbed the phone.  “Hey, Rach.  I’m here.”

Dee sighed.

He threw her a wink.

“So how about it?” Rachel’s voice was low, seductive.  “Drinks?”

The woman was as seductive as her va-va-voom figure.  “Sounds like a plan.”

“What time will you pick me up?”

He glanced at the clock.  “I’m just finishing up some stuff here.  How about six o’clock?”

“I look forward to it.”  She paused.  “Bring condoms.”  She hung up.

Bet your sweet little arse
.  Grinning, he hung up the phone.   “That was Rachel-” Realising that Dee was no longer in the room, he called, “Dee?”  When there was no answer except the sound of the front door shutting, he strode out into the hallway, opening the door to see her limping down the steps.  “Where are you going?”

“You’ve a date.”  Turning, she looked up at him, her tennis shoes dangling from one hand by their laces.  “I’m some of the stuff keeping you from getting ready.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”  Crossing the veranda, he stopped at the top of the steps and folded his arms.  “You’re not stuff.”

“Then what am I?”

“You’re just Dee.”

She looked up at him in silence for so long that he actually glanced behind him and then down to check that nothing was wrong before looking back at her again.

“Yeah,” she said, strangely quiet, as though all fire had gone from her.  “Yeah, I am, aren’t I?”

Uh-oh, he was missing something.  “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Ryder.  Absolutely nothing.”  She smiled suddenly, turning carefully on her heel to limp across to the car.  “Take me home, Romeo.  You’ve got a sheila to get drunk and into bed.”

Indignantly, he dropped his arms to his side.  “Hey, I don’t need to get women drunk to sleep with me.”

“Whatever.”  She waved one hand in the air.  “Let’s go.  I don’t want to keep your pecker waiting.”

Cripes, the woman blew hot and cold.  One minute Ryder wanted to hug her, the next smack her.  He’d never understand her.

She was unusually silent on the drive back, weirdly subdued when she got out at the back of her shop.  Ryder frowned as he watched her go inside, the door shutting behind her.

Dee Miller was one complex sheila.

~*~

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”  Dee looked around the pub.

“You looked so miserable, I had to do something,” Del replied.

“I didn’t.”

“I walked into your place, got one look at your face, saw your chin dragging on the ground and I knew.”

“It’s the scrapes.  They hurt.”

“I don’t think they’re the only thing that hurts.”

Dee shot her cousin a narrow-eyed look.

“You know, you could just tell h-”

“Are you getting those drinks or not?”

Del sighed.  “Sure.  Whatever.”  Getting up, she crossed to the bar on the other side of the room.

Leaning back in the booth, Dee fiddled with the drink coaster in front of her.  Was it any wonder she’d been miserable?  One minute Ryder was tending to her wounds, his warmth and nearness doing funny things to her insides, and the next thing he was on the phone chatting up the latest chick he intended to nail that very night.