Obsession Down Under (6 page)

Chapter 8

Whip took the bubbly and strawberries from the mini bar. When Jessie Rose had fallen asleep earlier, he’d thought no point letting them get hot, so put them into the fridge for later.

The popping of the champagne cork coincided with her coming out of the bathroom wearing nothing but her birthday suit.

He whistled and handed her a crystal flute filled with the bubbly liquid and topped with a strawberry. She hit him with a siren’s smile, and on impulse, he pulled a single rose from the vase and held it out to her. “A perfect rose for a perfect Rose.”

Her blue eyes twinkled, her mouth widened, and her cheeks puffed out as she took the flower from him and raised it to her nose, inhaling the perfume. “Um, thank you, it’s lovely,” she stammered.

Unsure where that corny line had come from, he cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his neck and changed tactics. “Now for that toast.” He raised his glass. “To you, Jessie Rose, the bravest most adventurous woman I know.”

“Me? Brave? How do you figure?”

“For taking a chance on me, for flying all that way alone, for wanting to experience everything, even though, you may be scared. The Bridge climb being one example.”

“Well, I haven’t done that yet.”

Twin spots of color blossomed on her cheeks which prompted him to say, “Don’t sell yourself short, just accept the compliment.” He reached out and clinked his glass with hers. They both then took a sip.

“Now it’s my turn,” Jessie Rose said. “To you, Whip, for your amazing generosity and for taking a chance on me.”

“It was my pleasure.” After their flutes touched for the second time, he took a swallow and then alluded to her state of undress. “Like the outfit.”

“I wish I could say the same about you, but you’re fully clothed.”

“Well, I’m dressed for dinner, and as much as I like what you’re wearing, if you want to eat I think you might cause a riot if you go downstairs like that.”

She pulled the strawberry from the side of the glass and nibbled. The way her pouty lips wrapped around the fruit gave him flashbacks of her nibbling on something else, and the something else rose up in remembrance.

Her chin dropped and her gaze went to his crotch. “Ditto, big boy.” With a throaty laugh, she sashayed over to her suitcase and flipped out a little black cocktail dress and turned back to him. “Yep, a definite riot, I’d say.”

His skin heated. Clearing his throat again, he adjusted his dick, but his eyes never left her as she shimmied into her underwear and slipped the dress over her head.

“Lend a hand, Cowboy.”

The unblemished curve of her back was presented, so he crossed the room to zip her dress.

“Thanks, Cowboy.”

She stepped into her shoes and turned to face him. God, she looked good, curvy and chic, and she’d dressed quicker than any other woman he’d ever known.

“Gee, you must really be hungry,” he blurted out, trying to steer his one-track mind back onto an even keel.

“Yeah, well all that wild monkey sex has given me quite an appetite.” She palmed his groin and fondled him. “And if you want some more of this then you need to feed me.”

It was like she’d read his mind. “I guess we’d better hop to it and go downstairs and get you fed.” His hand rested on her back as he guided her to the door. “The sooner we eat, the sooner I can satisfy that other appetite of yours.”

The restaurant was a good choice, cozy and popular, and they didn’t have to brave the disruptive weather. The waiter led them to a table and handed out a menu each as they took their seats.

“Will you folks be having wine this evening?”

“Yes indeed, would you like red or white, honey?”

“Mmm, I’d like to try an Australian white.”

Whip selected a Hunter Valley Semillon and gave the waiter the order.

“I think the weather is worsening,” he said as a clap of thunder sounded.

“It’s coming down in buckets, sir, and not likely to improve before the weekend,” the waiter commented before disappearing to get the wine.

“Oh no.” Jessie Rose’s face crumpled.

“Don’t worry, I have a suggestion. We can do the holiday in reverse. Head off to Highland Glen tomorrow and come back later to do the Sydney sightseeing before you fly home.”

“You, my friend, are not just a handsome face.”

“We can head north over the Harbour Bridge,  hug the coast as far as Newcastle before turning inland, or if you’d rather we can drive west over the Blue Mountains  through Bathurst. It takes a little longer that way, but the choice is yours.”

“Is your property in the outback? I’d really like to see that.”

“No, not at all, though we can certainly detour across to some of that country if you like. It’s a roundabout way to get home, and we’ll have to stop somewhere overnight, but it’s not that far out of the way.”

“In that case, I vote for the mountains.” 

“Sounds like a plan, Jessie Rose. What do you say we have a sleep-in and leave after breakfast about half nine? That way we’ll miss most of the peak hour traffic.”

“Mmm,  can I have some of what you gave me earlier before we leave?”

“Babe, you keep batting those baby blues at me, and you can have whatever your little heart desires.”

“Then I think for now I’ll have the Barramundi.”

“Good choice, one of my favorite fish.” Whip signaled the waiter and placed the order. He’d decided on a steak, figuring if this afternoon’s events were anything to go by he’d need a hearty meal for his stamina.

It was way after nine-thirty when Jessie Rose and he made their way downstairs the following day. A bit later than planned, but the night’s activities and the morning’s had been well worth the delay.

After stowing their luggage in the back of the Ute, Whip drove out of the city while Jessie Rose amused herself and him by reading the suburb names and signs as they passed through.

As they crossed the Parramatta River, she remarked, “Parramatta, is that an Aboriginal word?”

“Yep, sure is.”

“Does it mean anything in particular?”

“Heck yeah, it means Holy Toledo, baby, there’s a lot of darn eels in that river . . . or words to that effect.” He laughed, and she joined in.

“You’re so funny! It’s one of the many things I like about you.” 

“My brothers might disagree, but to answer your question, the River runs through the suburb and must have been full of eels at one time,” he explained. 

“E-yew, that sounds terrible. Imagine swimming in there.”

“Yeah, gross, but I think all the splashing about would scare them off so they’d leave you pretty much alone,” he surmised out loud.

They continued along the highway, and he pointed out different places of interest. She fired off questions one after the other and soaked up the information like a sponge.

A number of miles farther on, he said, “See those mountains up ahead? They’re called the Blue Mountains, part of the Great Dividing Range that runs through three states down the East Coast from Queensland, through New South Wales and ends in Victoria. They rival your Rockies in length but not in height. They’re mere hills in comparison.” 

“I’ve never seen blue mountains before.”

“They’re not really blue, they only appear that way from a distance. You see, the mountains are covered in Eucalyptus trees and in the heat their leaves discharge a fine vapor of oil. It’s the refracting light that makes the haze look blue from a distance.”

“Wow, what a font of knowledge you are.”

“Nah, not at all.” His chuckle was deep and hearty as he laughed. “But I do have a Science degree and a PHD in Animal Husbandry, and Highland Glen’s breeding program is tops in Australasia.”

“Aren’t you full of surprises? You never told me that.”

“Well, honey, it never came up.”

Jessica chuckled and palmed his groin. “I don’t know about that,” she teased.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Mmm, there’s a lot you don’t know about me, but I’m willing to teach you.”

“I might hold you to that.”

“I’m counting on it.”

When they reached Emu Plains at the foot of the mountains, he explained before she could ask, “It’s named after one of our native birds, the Emu, which incidentally is also on our Coat of Arms.”

“Do you think we might see some?”

When she lifted her eyes skyward, he laughed.

“Not up there you won’t, sweetheart. They’re flightless, but damn, babe, they can run fast. Much like an ostrich to look at but not so pretty.”

As the car climbed higher they settled into a comfortable silence, Jessie Rose content to enjoy the passing scenery while he concentrated on the road as it wound up the mountain.

When they reached Katoomba, he cruised into the parking lot at Echo Point. The vista overlooking the gorge and the triple rocky outcrop known as the Three Sisters really was a sight to see despite the dull weather.

“It’s like a mini Grand Canyon,” Jessie Rose remarked.

“Yeah, but on a much smaller scale. When you’re finished checking out the view, I thought we’d grab a bite to eat. Travis recommended a café they ate at the last time he and Annie were here, so I thought we’d give it a try.”

“If it’s good enough for your brother and sister-in-law then I’m sure it will suit us fine.”

Not much more than an hour later they were back on the road again. Jessie Rose fiddled with the radio dial until she found some country and western music.

“I must say, I like you’re taste in music,” Whip said.

“Really? Because not everyone does.”

“If you look in the console you’ll see quite a selection of country CDs.”

Jessie Rose rifled through his collection as the miles sped by. They talked about music and sang along to whatever the radio churned out. It didn’t matter that she sang out of tune her enthusiasm made up for it. Just one more thing they had in common.

Chapter 9

“Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty,” Whip said as he detected movement beside him much later.

“Where are we?” Jessica asked, easing into a stretch.

“Just outside of Parkes. We can make a pit stop if you’d like, get something to eat, stretch our legs.”

“Mmm, I could do with a coffee and a pit stop, but not necessarily in that order. I dropped off to sleep, didn’t I?”

Her tone was apologetic, her face flushed from sleep.

“Don’t sweat it, it’s no biggie, and you’re still probably getting over the jet lag,” he reassured her.

“My God, what on earth is that?” she gasped and pointed as the huge dish that dominated the backdrop of the rolling landscape came into view.

He chuckled. “It’s a radio telescope.”

“But it’s gi-normous! Seriously, that thing must be a hundred feet or more across. What would you use something like that for?”

“I guess the most famous would be the Apollo 11’s moon landing.”

“No way. You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nah, honest. The world watched Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon courtesy of that telescope.”

“Really?”

“Ah-huh, unless you’re a conspiracy theorist. NASA asked for The Dish
,
as we Aussies affectionately call it, to be used in the mission.  Two other tracking stations also received signals, but the upshot was that the Parkes’ pictures were so much clearer, NASA stayed with them for the telecast, and Australia saw the moonwalk six seconds before the rest of the world.”

“Wow, I never knew.”

“Well, it’s ancient history now,”  he said as he pulled into a service station.

They both got out and used the facilities and then had coffee and a snack before heading back to the car.

“Would you like me to drive?”

No fucking way. “Thanks, babe, but I’ve got it covered.”

“You’ve been driving for hours, Whip, you must be tired. I’ve just had a nap. I’m happy to take a turn.”

“Gee, ah, it’s a nice offer, Jessie Rose, but nobody drives The Beast but me. You just sit there and enjoy the scenery.” He held the passenger door open for her and waited.

“The Beast?”

“That’s what I call this baby.” He tapped the roof twice and slid his Akubra lower on his forehead. “There’s a lot of grunt under the hood. Eight cylinders, to be exact.”

“Oh, and you don’t think I can handle it?” She squared her shoulders and her chin came up. The look she gave him was just shy of a glare. “I’m quite capable, you know, even if you do drive on the other side of the road.

“I’m sure you are, and it’s not that. I just, ah, thought you’d, ah, rather take in the scenery.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke.

Her raised eyebrows and tight lips had him thinking she was going to insist, but she climbed in. He closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Call him a chauvinist if you like, but no way was he going to be chauffeured around by a woman. Hell, he even disliked his brothers driving him. But when he was in The Beast, he was in the driver’s seat. End of story.

As he engaged the gears, he was glad she hadn’t pushed the point and rewarded her with a grin. “All set?”

“Yes, ready and eager,” she replied with a wink, and he set the car in motion.

They settled into a comfortable silence as the road snaked in an endless obsidian ribbon over the undulating hills. They were heading for Dubbo, a large rural town less than two hours away where they would spend the night.

The scenery changed the farther they motored, and the drought conditions became more obvious as they neared the city.

“Is there anything special to see in Dubbo?” she asked as their destination came into view.

“Sure, there’s the Western Plains Zoo and an old convict jail, both are worth a visit if you’re interested.”

“Is there time for both?”

“It’s your holiday, babe, there’s time for anything you want to do.”

“I’m in your hands, Cowboy, wherever you take me will be just fine,” she replied as he turned into a motel just off the main street.

The rest of the afternoon was taken up checking out the old jail and shopping for souvenirs. Jessie Rose must have taken a hundred snapshots and walked them almost as many kilometers up and down the streets, looking for the perfect gifts. After a late-afternoon coffee, they agreed on dining at a Chinese restaurant that was within easy walking distance of their motel. On his suggestion, she selected dishes to share while he chose a white wine from the Margret River region on the West Coast.

As they strolled back to the motel, his arm wrapped around her waist, Jessica said, “Thanks for a delightful day and for dinner. It was great, Whip, but next time it’s my treat, and I don’t want to hear you making a fuss about it either.”

“Listen to me Jessie Rose,” he replied, unlocking the door to their room. “I’m the man, so I’ll pay. Besides, you’re in my country on my invitation, so it’s my treat. Agreed?”

Her mouth straightened into a tight line. “Paying for my airfare was more than enough.”

He softened his tone and stroked her arm. “Humor me, babe. I don’t want to see you reaching for your purse every time we have a meal, okay?”

“And I don’t want you paying for me at every turn, okay?”

She gave him a smile, and he returned it with interest. Stalemate.

Jessica studied Whip. The man was an enigma. Big, strong, and so damned old-fashioned, but that was part of his charm. And, truth be told, she found it rather endearing. She’d been taking care of herself for a lot of years now and didn’t like feeling beholden to him, but his sexy eyes held determination. She was sensible enough to choose her battles and this was one she’d save for another time.

“Whip, I know you have strong feelings about this, but please understand this is hard for me to accept when you’ve already been so generous.”

“Don’t worry about it. Money is not an issue. You just have a good time and leave the finances to me,” he said as he began to nuzzle her neck.

He really was incorrigible, but so darn gorgeous. She slipped into his arms, and the thought skittered across her mind that if she wasn’t careful, she could find herself head over heels in love with the Cowboy.

The next morning was spent at the zoo. Not your typical caged-animals zoo. These animals roamed free in large, fenced paddocks. Whip had opted to drive from one enclosure to the next rather than cycle or walk, due to time constraints.

“Wow, it was like being on safari,” Jessica said as they left Dubbo behind and started on the last leg of their journey to Highland Glen.

“Glad you enjoyed it.” He took the mobile phone from his pocket and handed it to her. “Give Travis a call for me. Tell him we’ll be home about half seven and we’ll be expecting dinner.” When she gave him a questioning look, he said, “The cops take a very dim view of anyone caught chatting on the phone while driving, and my blue tooth’s in for repairs.”

“Sure, okay.” She scrolled through the contact list. There were a few numbers under Travis, so she chose his cell number. “It’s ringing.”

“About time you turned your fucking phone on. Drew and Mark are driving me nuts bitching about doing your chores while you’re down in Sydney too busy banging your brains out to even give us a call. So I guess your lack of communication means she wasn’t hit with the ugly stick.”

When Travis drew a breath, she butted in, “Well, I don’t know, Travis, perhaps you can judge for yourself when we meet tonight. We’ll be in about seven-thirty, and Whip would like us all to dine together.” She contained a giggle and waited for him to respond, but the silence on the other end was profound. “Are you still there?” she prompted.

“Um, yeah, ah, sorry about that, Jess. I thought, ah, um . . . oh, forget it. I’ll see you tonight when you get in. I’ll be the one with ‘dumbass’ written across my forehead.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” She laughed and disconnected the call. “I think I’m going to like your twin. So ugly stick, hey?”

“What can I say? My brothers are idiots, but don’t take offense. My name will be mud, but you’ll get a lot of mileage out of that little blunder. Travis will turn himself inside out trying to make amends.”