The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots (16 page)

Hitchhiking: too dangerous.

Walking: too far.

Cab: unlikely to be available.

She rubbed at her moistening eyes and blinked furiously, drumming her fingers on the tabletop to distract herself.

Damn.

‘Trouble in paradise?’

The low male voice gnawed on her frayed senses. Just what she needed – another lecture about company ink and dipping her pen. Why couldn’t he just stay out of it?

She looked up and registered Dan’s broad shoulders, chiselled cheekbones and dark glinting eyes. ‘There’s no paradise to speak of.’

His right brow lifted. ‘Well, that doesn’t surprise me. After all, we’re talking about Gavin, aren’t we? You could have chosen better.’

Her control broke.

‘In case you didn’t know, the client doesn’t actually get to comment on the dating practices of the contractor. Your opinion is neither warranted nor required. And if I needed a character assessment of Gavin, which I don’t, you’d be the last person I’d go to. So just back off.’

She looked away then, staring blankly at the people milling by her table. Cupping her chin in her palm, she pressed her little finger against her mouth to conceal its tell-tale trembling.

Go away. Go away. Go away
, she
chanted silently, hoping that her secret telepathic powers of persuasion would work.

They didn’t.

The shadow he cast across her table didn’t move and, as the silence lengthened, she finally looked up.

‘For goodness sake,
what do you want
?’

He seemed to hesitate but then sat down across from her, placing the plate he was carrying between them.

‘Hungry?’

She was starved but she wasn’t going to tell him that. ‘No thanks.’

His lips twitched. ‘Go on, have one. They’re good.’

The plate held succulent prawns covered in creamy garlic sauce; saliva filled her mouth. Her hand moved before she could stop it, picking up one of the many forks laid out on the table and stabbing a prawn. He watched her pop it into her mouth. The tender, buttery flesh burst upon her tastebuds.

‘Oh my God,’ she groaned, putting a hand to her mouth. ‘These are to die for.’

He nodded knowingly as she forked another.

She groaned with pleasure again. ‘These are the best garlic prawns I’ve ever tasted.’

‘They’re probably also the freshest.’ He grinned. ‘It’s likely they were swimming twenty-four hours ago.’

‘Poor little things,’ she said and stabbed another.

‘That’s one thing about the Pilbara. No better place on earth for seafood.’ He lifted his fork and took one for himself. She watched it pass his lips, searching his face for clues about what he was thinking. His dark hair was windswept, probably from the breeze on the balcony. Her fingers itched to smooth the wayward tufts or brush his lean cheek.

‘You shaved.’ The words were out before she could catch them. He looked at her strangely and she wished that she could bite them back. ‘When we had that last meeting at your offices you hadn’t shaved,’ she said by way of explanation.

‘Hadn’t I?’

If it were possible, she would have kicked herself under the table. ‘I don’t know,’ she tried to go vague. ‘I think so.’

He forked another prawn. ‘I guess I just didn’t have time that day.’ His expression darkened as though he were remembering something. Curiosity won out over good manners again.

‘Why?’

For a second, it looked like he wasn’t going to answer and then he shrugged. ‘I had a long phone call from home that morning. Made me late.’

Oh, the girlfriend.
She groaned inwardly.

He pushed the plate towards her. ‘Last one, you want it?’

She took the prawn and raised it to her mouth, unwittingly giving him the opportunity to change the subject.

‘So are you going to tell me why you’re sitting here all alone feeling sorry for yourself or not?’

She put her fork down and grabbed a napkin to dab her mouth. So that’s what this whole sharing-his-dinner scenario was about. He was softening her up for another interrogation. She raked his face with what she hoped was her best I-got-your-number expression and pulled her lips tightly shut.

He shrugged. ‘We can do this the hard way or the easy way. That’s up to you.’

The challenge pricked her interest. ‘What’s the hard way?’

‘I could call your boyfriend over and get him to fix his mess.’

‘Oh.’ She screwed up her face, not liking the sound of that at all. Gavin
was
the mess.

Dan leaned forwards, his eyes glowing in the dim lighting. ‘Just
tell me
.’

Something about the way he said it stirred moths in her stomach. She quickly glanced around the room. No one was watching them. Everyone was outside. They were probably the only two sober people from the project in the whole pub.

She returned her gaze to his. ‘I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to get home. Sharon’s taken the car.’

‘And Gavin?’

‘He’s staying overnight at Point Samson.’

‘Nice.’ His voice was scornful.

She shrugged. ‘He and Carl want to have a big one.’

‘At your expense?’ He stood up. ‘Come on, I’m taking you home.’

‘What?’ she said, startled. ‘Don’t you want to stay?’

‘No. Let’s go.’

‘Carl’s got a bar tab. You’ll be missing out on –’

‘On what?’ His voice was incredulous. ‘Free booze? Come on, Lena, don’t be ridiculous.’

‘But –’

‘Have you got a better plan to get home?’

She passed her tongue over dry lips. ‘No.’

He started walking, taking it for granted that she would follow him. And she did, relief washing over her like warm water. The lift was definitely a godsend. Why not just shut up and take it?

The car park was unlit and quiet, in direct contrast to the noisy pub they had left behind. She could hear the sound of their shoes on the gravel as they made their way towards his ute and then both climbed in. He started the engine as she put on her belt. The radio was playing ‘With or Without You’ softly.

The cabin seemed to shrink in size. Suddenly, the air was just a little too cosy and the night just a little too dark. He backed out of the car bay in silence and she laced her fingers together on her lap, sucking in a deep calming breath.

It was just a ride home, for goodness sake.

Yeah, with Dan Hullog.

Her fingers tightened on themselves.

Why did he always have this effect on her? It wasn’t like he was ever flirtatious or anything. Certainly not in the way Kevin had been when she first started getting to know him. Always complimenting her, offering her things. Bulldog was more insulting than he was nice, and more stern than playful.

Of course, it
was
kind of him to have shared his garlic prawns with her. And he was really helping her out with this lift. But what was that laid alongside the criticisms, the reprimands and the threats?

It was a lowering thought, really: not only was she attracted to the one man who stood for the worst decision she’d ever made but he considered her no more than an irritating pest.

Lena sneaked a peek at him through her lashes. His gaze was intent upon the road. There were no streetlights. It only got darker and darker as they left the township. His face was deep in shadow. She could just make out the lack of smile.

What would it be like to kiss Dan Hullog?

She cringed, as though the forbidden words had been spoken out loud. Thank goodness it was too dark for him to make out her expression. She rubbed her wrist, trying to steady her throbbing pulse.

Kissing Dan Hullog would be like slaying a dragon.

Terrifying, rough and . . .

Magical.

She shivered.

‘Cold?’

She nearly jumped as he leaned over and turned on the heater. Embarrassment flooded her body as though he had heard everything she’d been thinking. Her voice came out barely a whisper. ‘Thanks.’

Warmth swirled around them, raising her already elevated temperature. If anything, she wished he would turn the radio off. The slow melodic beat did nothing to dampen the mood.

Lena cleared her throat, desperate for a distraction. ‘So, you worked late tonight.’ She indicated his shirt.

‘I got stuck on the phone.’

She shook her head. ‘I wouldn’t have worked late tonight for anyone.’

‘It wasn’t work-related.’

‘Oh.’ A faster song started up on the radio, easing some of her tension and making her speak without thinking. ‘Geez, that girlfriend of yours is pretty high maintenance.’

‘Girlfriend?’ His voice was amused. ‘What made you think that?’

‘Oh, I –’ She wiped clammy palms down her thighs. ‘You . . . er . . . You just seem to have a lot of personal phone calls back to Perth, that’s all.’

Damn my loose lips.

At first she thought he wasn’t going to reply and then he surprised her. ‘I was talking to a lawyer actually.’

‘Oh right.’

Even though curiosity was poking her in the ribs with a stick, Lena just couldn’t bring herself to pry further. If Dan was a criminal, she didn’t want to know about it. At least not in the middle of the night on a lonely road, miles from anyone who could help her. An awkward silence stretched between them.

‘You’re not going to ask?’

She heard, rather than saw, the amusement on his face. ‘I didn’t want to be rude.’

‘Oswalds, the company I used to work for, is being sued. I’m a witness.’

‘Oh okay.’ She nodded. That was a relief – for her, anyway. For him – not so much. ‘That must be rough.’

‘You have no idea.’ His tone was harried, not insulting, so she nodded again with understanding. He had to be so stressed out. She couldn’t imagine working twenty-four-seven as well as being caught up in a lengthy court battle. She’d heard terrible stories about people, stuck in litigation for years, suffering depression or even mental breakdowns. She frowned. It was no wonder she hardly ever saw him smile, with this constantly in his thoughts. Before she was aware of what she was doing she had launched into a series of concerned suggestions.

‘You know, you should really take your R and R. You need it. Recharge your batteries. Go on a holiday. Get your personal stuff figured out. People will understand. It’s not worth pushing yourself so hard.’

He tore his gaze from the road to glance at her briefly. ‘Trying to kick me out?’

‘No. I just –’ Lena broke off. She just what?

Cared?

She swallowed.
Don’t go there, Lena.

She couldn’t care about Dan Hullog like this. It was wrong, dangerous and inappropriate on so many levels. It was too late, though: her feelings for Dan were already – more than a colleague –
no, a subordinate
– should have. The hairs on
the back of her neck were prickling in warning.
This is not happening again. I refuse to be a party to it. I refuse!

Dan pulled into the camp parking lot, found a spare bay and killed the engine.

The silence was deafening.

She scrambled for the doorhandle and hopped out. If she didn’t mess around she could be in the safety of her donga within minutes. He came around to her side of the car, stalling her escape. His eyes were on her face and she could almost hear his brain ticking over as he studied her, a gentle breeze rustling his black locks.

‘There’s no need to worry about me, Lena.’

She shuffled on her feet and snorted in what she hoped was a convincing imitation of surprise and dismissal. ‘I’m not worried about you.’

He moved a little closer. All her blood went to her head as awareness coiled around her like a boa constrictor preparing its dinner.

‘Of course not, my mistake.’ His voice was wry. He lifted a hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She felt the brush of each individual finger against her hairline and almost fainted from the shock of it. The mood had suddenly shifted.

His eyes glittered in the moonlight and he wasn’t taking his hand away.

Is his face moving closer?

Her heart bounced into her mouth as his breath whispered across her cheek.

Was she going to slay her dragon?

The earth tilted on its axis.

The fingers behind her ear moved down her neck, causing her bones to liquefy. Involuntarily, her eyes fluttered closed and she rocked forwards towards him . . .

‘I hope your boyfriend makes it up to you.’

It was amazing she didn’t fall. She certainly stumbled, embarrassment flooding her senses.

She straightened quickly, trying to pretend nothing had happened. Because nothing
had.
She
rubbed newly wet palms down the front of her jeans, nerves making her babble. ‘As to that, Gavin and I are –’

‘Goodnight, Lena.’

‘Okay, yeah, goodnight,’ she responded clumsily to his retreating back. ‘Thanks for the, er –’

But he was at least five feet away from her by now. Cold and distant.

A chilly breeze whipped into her hair. She folded her arms protectively across her chest. He didn’t look back and she watched him until he disappeared into the darkness.

The next morning, Lena did her best to put Dan Hullog out of her mind and focus on the things in her life she had a better chance at fixing.

Like her relationship with Sharon.

The passing of the night had fizzled her anger and strengthened her remorse. After all, Sharon had feelings for Gavin. Seeing him kiss another woman, especially a friend she thought she could trust, would have been a devastating experience. Lena was resolved to make it up to her.

The first thing she did when she arrived at work was go in search of the bus driver. Unfortunately, she soon found out that Sharon was delivering supplies to the end of the wharf and would be unavailable until seven am when the bus returned. It was a hellish hour. She felt like everyone was watching her. Twice, she caught the secretaries whispering behind their hands.

No doubt everyone knew what had happened at Point Samson and they were all enjoying a good gossip about it at her expense. The only thing that occurred to break up the focus on her was that the yard manager, Tony, had had a haircut. Radar and his band of merry men had been spreading it around for weeks that he wore a toupee. The new cut certainly laid these
rumours to rest and various amounts of money had been changing hands all morning as bets were settled. She would have felt sorry for Tony if his hour of fame hadn’t coincided nicely with hers.