Kate Hoffmann - Brody

Her fingers paused when she reached his knee and Brody sucked in a sharp breath. He knew it was ugly. The scars were still sharply defined, to the eye and to the touch. “What happened?” she asked.

He didn’t want to tell the story again, especially not to her. It had been a foolish mistake that had changed the entire course of his life. But then, that course had led to her, hadn’t it?

“I tore up my knee in a motorcycle accident,” he said. “It’s not nearly as bad as it looks. It happened a long time ago. I barely even think about it anymore.” At least that was the truth, he mused.

She bent over him, her hair tickling his thigh, then pressed her lips to the scar. “There. All better.”

Brody chuckled softly. “Yes. That does make things feel much better.”

She pushed up on her hands and knees and crawled on top of him. In the soft light from the torch, Payton looked like some ancient goddess, her perfect skin gleaming like marble. He could imagine how a woman like her could drive men into battle for her favors. He was already lost and he’d only known her a few days.

“Any other interesting scars?”

“What exactly are you looking for? Defects?”

She picked up the torch again and shined the light on the tattoo on his right biceps. “What is this?” She rubbed her fingers over the inked skin.

“Nothing, really. Just something tribal.”

“I have a tattoo,” she said.

Brody pushed up on his elbow, stunned by the admission. “Where?”

She pointed to her ankle and he took the torch from her and held it there. “I don’t see anything.”

“There. It’s that red dot right there.”

“That’s not a tattoo, that’s a freckle.”

“No, it was supposed to be a tattoo. But I chickened out after just a few seconds.”

“Because it hurt?”

“No. Because I was afraid of what my parents might say. And my-” She smiled. “My boyfriend.” She shook her head. “There were a lot of things I thought about doing and then never followed through on. Spontaneity was not something that was encouraged by my family.”

“Tell me about this boyfriend,” he said.

“That was a long time ago.”

“What would they think of you now, lying here naked in a stable with me?”

“They’d probably have me committed.”

Brody reached out and picked up her hand, then pressed it to his lips. “I wouldn’t let them take you,” he said. “You’d be safe with me.”

A winsome smiled touched her lips. “I’m not sure safe is the right word.”

Brody leaned forward and pulled her into a long, lingering kiss. “Will you spend the night with me?” he whispered.

“Here?”

“Wherever you want. Here is good.”

“Gemma is probably going to wonder where I am.”

“I think Callum is keeping her occupied,” Brody assured her.

“The same way you’re keeping me occupied?”

He shook his head. “I expect my brother has his own talents. He’s-” Brody stopped short when a sound from outside the stall caught his attention. He reached over and switched off the torch, then pressed a finger to Payton’s lips.

“What is it?” she whispered.

“Someone is out there.”

The sound of horse’s hooves on concrete echoed through the silence and Brody got to his feet and moved to the door of the stall. A moment later a light flicked on in the tack room, illuminating the interior of the stable enough to see who had intruded.

Payton stepped to his side, wrapped in one of the wool blankets, and peered out through the bars on the top edge of the stable door. “Who is it?”

“Teague,” Brody whispered.

“What’s he doing?”

“I think he’s saddling his horse.”

“Where is he going to ride in the dark?”

“Hell if I know,” Brody said. He might guess where his brother was going. Hayley Fraser was back on Wallaroo Station. One plus one equaled two.

Brody thought about what Callum had said earlier. Family loyalty aside, whatever Teague was up to was his business and no one else’s. Just like what went on between Payton and him didn’t involve his brothers. They were adults now, and they made their own choices. “He’s probably riding out to check on the herd,” Brody said.

“Alone?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

They listened until the stable was once again silent, the light from the tack room left burning by his brother. Then Brody turned and tugged the blanket off of her. She squirmed playfully as he ran his free hand from her belly to her breast. “We’re alone again,” he said.

“We should get some sleep,” Payton murmured.

Brody groaned as he kissed his way to her nipple. Teasing it to a peak with his tongue, he tried to convince her that sleep was the last thing on his mind. But when she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled his gaze up to hers, he realized just how tired she was. Her eyelids fluttered and she bit back a yawn.

“You’re right,” he said. “We both have to work tomorrow.” Why the hell had he decided to bring her here? Brody wondered. If she hadn’t taken this job, then they’d be free to do exactly what they wanted with their time. He should have bought them both a ticket to Fremantle and they could have spent a week in his apartment. Or he could have found some private getaway where they’d be waited on hand and foot.

Instead, he’d brought her to the station, where they had to sneak around and hide in a horse stall to find some privacy. “You know, the weekend is coming up. You don’t have to work on the weekend.”

“What? Do you send the horses off to a spa on Saturday and Sunday?” she inquired with a raised brow. “They still need to be fed and groomed.”

“But someone else can do that,” Brody said.

“It’s my job,” she replied.

He drew a deep breath and sighed. “There has to be some benefit to sleeping with the owner’s brother, don’t you think?”

She slipped from his embrace and began to collect her clothes, scattered over the straw-covered floor. “There are a lot of benefits. But I’m not sure unlimited vacation time is one of them.”

Brody wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. “But aren’t you interested in seeing some of Australia while you’re here? Isn’t that why you came? I’m sure Callum can get one of the jackaroos to take your job for a while.”

She shook her head. “Not now. Maybe after I’ve worked here longer.”

Brody understood her worry. After all, when he met her, she’d been reduced to petty crime just to survive. Here, she had a place to sleep, three meals a day and a paycheck at the end of each week. Security trumped great sex, at least for now.

“All right.” He took Payton’s clothes from her hands and grudgingly helped her dress. Though she’d removed her clothes as quickly as possible, Brody didn’t rush putting them back on, taking the chance to touch her one last time. When he finished, he pulled his jeans on, before slipping his bare feet into his boots. He didn’t want to bother with the rest, tossing the remaining clothes over his arm.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back to the bunkhouse.”

Payton shook her head. “No. Wait here for a few minutes. I can walk back on my own.” She pushed up onto her toes and gave him a sweet, lingering kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she whispered.

“Abso-bloody-lutely.” He captured her mouth again with a deep and possessive kiss of his own.

“All right,” she said, running her hands over his bare chest. “Tomorrow.”

She turned and hurried out of the stable. Brody watched her as she disappeared into the dark. They’d only known each other for a few days, but he’d already twisted his life around hers. Living on the station had become almost tolerable and working the stock just a way to mark time until he could be with her again.

Brody knew the fascination would probably fade. It always had in the past with other women. There was something about Payton, though, that made him believe it might be different this time.

But was it her with her sweet smile and gentle touch? Or was it him? Had he finally let go of his former life and begun to look forward to what the future held?

A BEAD OF PERSPIRATION fell into Payton’s eye and she straightened and brushed her arm over her damp forehead. Her back ached from the day’s work-mucking out the stables and moving bales of straw into the freshly cleaned stalls. Setting the pitchfork against the rough wooden wall, she stretched her hands above her head and twisted to work the kinks out of her back.

“A dip in the hot tub would soothe those sore muscles,” Teague said.

“Sounds good,” Payton replied. “Maybe after dinner.”

He stared at her for a long moment. “You know, you don’t have to work quite so hard. Callum is already impressed. You do twice as much work as all of the jackaroos who’ve had the job before you.”

“What exactly is a jackaroo?”

“Just another name for a stockman. Technically, you’re a jillaroo since you’re of the female variety.”

She smiled. “I like that. I have a title. Maybe I should get some business cards printed. Payton Harwell, Jillaroo.”

“Really, I’m serious. No one is going to fire you. And if you’re trying to impress Brody, don’t bother. He’s never been one to enjoy station work.”

“Why is that?”

Teague shrugged. “From the moment he could express an opinion, he wanted off the station. He’s more like our mum than our dad. He finds it sheer drudgery.”

“So, why does he stay?”

“I expect because you’re here. Before you came, he spent most of his time in Bilbarra.”

“No, I mean, why did he stay as an adult?”

“He didn’t. He left the same time our mum did. Moved with her to Sydney when he was fourteen. After that, he only spent holidays here. He hasn’t told you this?”

Payton shook her head. “We haven’t really talked about our pasts. I guess we’ve been focusing on the present.” She pulled off her gloves, then sat down on a nearby bale of straw. “So he’s just here visiting?”

“He’s been back for a while. Since his accident-”

“His motorcycle accident?”

Teague nodded. “Since his accident, he hasn’t been able to play and he got dropped by his club.”

“Club?”

“He hasn’t told you much at all,” Teague said. “Football club. He was a professional footballer. Aussie rules. He played for a club in Fremantle for the past five years. But he tore up his knee in the accident.”

“I’ve seen the scar,” she murmured. “He just brushed it off like it had happened years ago.”

“He was in the hospital for a month and in a cast for six. He’s lucky to be alive.”

“I wonder why he didn’t tell me?”

“He doesn’t like to talk about it. The accident ended his career. Just when he was starting to play really well, too. And I suppose he thought it didn’t make any difference.” He sat down beside her. “Does it?”

“No. The scar doesn’t bother me. Why would it? It’s just that-” She shook her head.

“What?”

“I guess we don’t know each other very well. At least not in that sense.”

Teague shrugged. “Believe me, it isn’t any easier when you know everything about each other. Maybe you and Brody are better off. Less…baggage?”

“Maybe.” What Teague said might be true. She and Sam had known each other for years and the passion between them had faded to nothing more than a dull glow. But with Brody, there was fire, flames shooting up into the sky every time their bodies came together. Maybe all the things she didn’t know just kept it more exciting.

“I’m flying into Brisbane day after tomorrow. Do you and Gemma want to ride along? You’d mentioned you wanted to shop.”

“I have to work,” she said.

“We’ll be back before dark. I can’t land on the station after sunset. And I’m sure some of the guys will take over your duties for a day.”

“I don’t have any money.”

“Payday is Friday,” Teague countered. “And I’d be happy to loan you a dollar or two if you’re short.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“Hey, I think you’re a trustworthy sort.”

“Then you haven’t heard of my criminal past,” she said, laughing. “I met your bother in jail.”

“Callum mentioned something about that. I guess we’ve all done things in the past that we wished we could change.” He stood, then held out his hand to help her up. “Can I ask you something? From a woman’s point of view?”

“Sure,” she said.

“Do you think it’s possible to forgive past mistakes? I mean, if things get royally stuffed up, is it possible to begin again?”

“I don’t know,” Payton said. She’d wondered the same thing. “I’m not sure you can ever go back and fix the mistakes you’ve made. You can just go forward and promise not to make them again.”

He nodded, then smiled. “Yeah, I see what you mean.” He drew a deep breath. “Listen, if it’s all right with you, can we vaccinate those yearlings next week? I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”