Outback Blaze (30 page)

She shook her head – it was a story told all too often, but that didn't ease the pain of families and friends who lost loved ones.

‘He'd always wanted to be a cop,' Drew continued. ‘I wasn't actually sure what I wanted to do with my life but Ian had wanted to join the force since he was five. That day I swore that I would do what he never would. I'd become a policeman and work like mad to put losers like that driver in prison where they deserved to be.' He half laughed, then added. ‘Sounds like I had some bizarre ambitions about being a super hero but I joined the force for my friend who never would. Stupid, right?'

‘It's not stupid.' She only just managed the words past her tears. ‘It's noble, like your name.'

‘Hey, here I am supposed to be giving you a night to remember and I've made you cry.' He turned her head and kissed the tears slipping down her cheeks.

‘This has been the best night I've had in a long time,' she managed with a sniff. ‘And thank you for sharing that with me. I bet Ian would be proud of you.'

Ignoring her reference to Ian, he brushed a final tear away with his thumb. ‘I'd like to think I can make the evening even better still.'

‘Oh?' Despite the heavy emotion in her heart, her pulse skipped at his suggestive tone.

‘Yeah.' Grabbing her hand, he pulled her into a stand. They didn't get halfway across the lounge room before he drew her right up against him and halted. Standing on the shag pile rug – the one she cursed her mother for buying because it was so impossible to vacuum – he kissed her more urgently than he had before.

Fingers that had been scared to so much as brush up against a man until recently felt their way up his back, over his strong shoulders and down the front, inching over tight abdominal muscles to the prize she knew awaited her. She dropped her hands to the zipper of his jeans at the same time as he slowly peeled her sweater off her hot skin. Although the air around them was warm from the fire, she shivered as he bent his head and sucked her nipple through her bra. He had a magic tongue because a few talented flicks and she could barely hold herself upright.

As if sensing her weakness, Drew scooped her up into his arms and then knelt, bringing them both down into a jumble of wanton limbs on the floor. Her desperate body sunk into the rug and she swore she'd never again curse her mother for buying it.

Drew's fingers at her waistband banished all other thoughts from her mind. She wriggled out of her jeans and then moaned as she watched him drag down his own. Their whole evening had felt like foreplay and she was already hot, damp and ready for him.

He lowered himself and then froze. ‘Shit, I don't have another condom!'

‘I'm still on the pill,' she whispered. ‘Don't worry about it.'

And thank God he listened, sinking blissfully lower as she wrapped her legs around his waist. If she thought the first time was mind-blowing, this time felt like an out-of-body experience. Just when she thought she couldn't take the pleasure a second longer, he flipped her over, so she was on top, riding him. Her nipples poked through the lace of her bra, his hands teasing them as she began to move above him. She'd thought herself already at burning point, but heat flooded her as they moved faster and stronger, together, as one. Then his hands dropped to her buttocks, squeezing her tightly, drawing her even closer to him before he cried out her name. Ruby. Just enough to drive her insane. Her head flung back as the most powerful orgasm of her life ripped through her body, making her feel like a real woman again.

When Drew arrived at Perth International Airport just short of two months ago, he'd had all sorts of ideas about what his time in Australia would be like. He'd hoped for short and never dared to imagine it might include a night like the one he'd just enjoyed. It had been hell leaving Ruby alone in that big house, but even though she'd asked him to stay, he'd resisted. Staying the night added the kind of intimacy he didn't have within himself to give and he also knew that after everything Ruby had been through lately, she needed the best chance at sleep she could get.

If he'd stayed he wouldn't have been able to resist going in for round three. As it was he'd dreamt of her all night and woken up thinking about seeing her again. Unfortunately he was working this weekend. Again. He glanced at his watch. He could fit in a quick visit now before work, but he didn't want to give her the wrong idea. A much better option was to down his morning coffee and go for a run. While drinking, he checked the UK news on his iPad. For the first time he didn't feel like punching something when he found no progress had been made in the hunt to find his cousin's ally, the man who wanted him dead. For the first time, it didn't seem so bad being stuck in this tiny town, thousands of kilometres away from the action.

Usually he ran to let off steam, but not today. Today he set off to enjoy himself – to breathe in the salt water that wafted over him as he pounded his heels into the damp sand. He lived close to the beach back home, but it was almost a crime to call his local shores by the same name. ‘Beach' brought up images of paradise. Perfect blue oceans, fine crystals of lemon-coloured sand, long stretches of sun. Happy days. Even in winter this particular stretch of coast felt more like a beach than the ones back home ever did. He liked that Bunyip Bay had this gorgeous ocean on one side, yet was prime farming land on the other.

Lost in thought, Drew ran further than he usually did and almost made himself late for his shift. When he finally rode into the station car park, he was surprised to find what looked to be an unmarked police vehicle sitting next to the two local patrol cars. He frowned as he climbed off his bike and yanked the helmet off his head. Absentmindedly, he combed his hand through his hair as he headed inside. Mike greeted him at the counter. He offered a brief hello and looked past to O'Leary's closed office door. The man would
not
be happy to be working Saturday.

‘The investigators are back,' Mike informed him. ‘Not a hundred per cent sure but I heard something about them arresting the Joneses. Must have new information or something.'

Drew's gut churned. What new information? He thought of the letter Ruby had shown him and how he should have brought the information immediately to his superiors.

‘I left something on my bike,' he told Mike, turning on his heels and heading outside. He went far enough into the car park so he couldn't be overhead and then he called her.

‘Ruby, it's Drew.'

‘Hi.' Her one-word greeting positively dripped with glee. ‘I was hoping you'd call. Been thinking about last night?'

‘I've barely thought of anything else, but listen, I've got bad news.'

‘Oh.'

Dammit, he wished he could tell her in person. But it wouldn't do either of their causes any good if the investigators thought he was hindering their investigation. ‘The arson team are back. They want to question your parents again. My guess is they'll be around soon.'

There was silence at the other end of the line, then, ‘Oh God. What am I going to do? What am I going to tell them? Maybe I should do a runner too?'

Although she half laughed, he couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her again. ‘Don't you dare. I'm not finished with you yet.'

‘Oh Drew,' she sniffed and he ran a hand through his hair, desperate to be with her.

‘Just tell them the truth. Tell them your parents have gone away for a while and you're not sure where. It may pay to show them the letter so they don't suspect you.'

‘Okay. If you think that's for the best.'

Unfortunately he didn't know what was best. He hated feeling so out of control. ‘I'll talk to you later. Stay strong.' The words didn't seem enough and he hated to disconnect but he was already late for his shift and he didn't want O'Leary noticing. Shoving his phone in his pocket he went inside, sat down at the desk without another word to Mike and feigned busyness while he waited for the door of the office to open.

Ruby spent the morning entering the registrations for the Undies Run into the computer. Since Simone sent the pictorial ads out into the world they'd had more interest from outside Bunyip Bay than ever before. Ruby enjoyed the task, which, in the absence of work at The Ag Store, gave her something to do aside from compulsively checking the answering machine in case she'd missed a call from her parents. It also helped to keep her mind off Drew.

After one mind-boggling night, two almost out of body experiences, she wanted to be with him again as soon as she could and only hoped he felt the same way. He'd made it clear he wasn't offering anything long-term and that was fine with her. If she'd learnt one thing from the way her parents had handled the fire situation, it was that life should be lived. Rather than lamenting the things she couldn't do anything about, she'd decided last night to grab hold of life with two hands. And that meant taking whatever the delicious Drew Noble was willing to give her.

When her mobile rang just after midday and she saw the number he'd punched into her phone last night flash up on the screen, it was all she could do not to dance a jig around the office. Trying to keep her joy in check but failing miserably, she answered, but the pleasure of him calling, of hearing his voice, was short-lived in the aftermath of his news.

The police were coming. They'd be here at any moment.

She rushed through the immaculate house, thankful she'd done last night's dishes first thing this morning, while at the same time not sure why she cared what the house looked like. It wasn't like they were coming to conduct a dust inspection.

Half an hour after Drew called, a black sedan Commodore rolled up the driveway. One of the local patrol cars followed close behind. She watched through the front window as both vehicles parked not far from the house.

Her heart reverberated in her chest as she waited for the doorbell, as if she were guilty of something besides not showing them the letter from her parents earlier.
Oh Mum and Dad, how could you do this to me?
That was something she simply couldn't fathom. They'd mentioned not wanting to drag her down in the letter but how the hell did they think she was supposed to stay out of it?

Bypassing the perfectly good doorbell, someone banged loudly on the front door and she jumped even though she'd been expecting them. Taking a deep breath that didn't even begin to calm her, she opened the door and tried for a bland smile. Four men stood in front of her – two she didn't recognise, O'Leary and Drew right at the back. He winked and although she wanted to rush forward and throw herself at him, she played the game, taking the comfort his small gesture offered but not smiling back.

‘Good afternoon, officers. Can I help you?' She cursed the words, which sounded like she was hiding something even to her ears. And she wasn't. She planned on telling them everything she knew because she didn't have any other game plan.

The most senior looking man stepped forward. ‘Are you Ruby Jones?' When she nodded, he continued. ‘We want to speak to your parents. Are Robert and Lyn in?'

‘I'm sorry but they're not.' Her heart was still crashing around in her chest like jelly in a blender. ‘They've gone away for a while.'

‘Really?' The officer-in-charge raised his eyebrows. ‘I'd like to discuss that with you while my colleagues search the premises.' He handed her a piece of paper, which she soon read to be a warrant.

The paper shaking in her hands, she managed a nod and stepped sideways to let the four men inside. She tried to find comfort in the fact that one of them was Drew but it still made her skin crawl to think of them ransacking through her parents' belongings. She had nothing to hide and no idea now whether her parents did or not, but having her privacy violated like felt like the last straw.

Somehow she held it together while Drew, O'Leary and the third guy opened every drawer and looked under every surface in the house and also in the garage and back shed. She didn't know what they were looking for but judging by the frustration on the face of the cop in charge when they left, they hadn't found it. Still, that wouldn't stop people talking. She might not have close neighbours but their house sat on the edge of the town and at this time of the day, plenty of people would have driven by and seen her guests.

In Bunyip Bay everyone had identities – there was the child health nurse, the publican, the local drunk, the town gossip (although in this town it sometimes felt like everyone played that role), and now Ruby would forever be the daughter of the people who'd burned their shop down. It didn't matter if they'd done it or not, but in fleeing they'd nailed the lid on Ruby's coffin. She couldn't see how she could continue to live here, never mind grow her riding business, but with two horses in tow and next to nothing in the bank, neither did she have an abundance of options for relocation.

Drew and his colleagues had barely left before Adam rang. She prepared herself for his questions, surprised when he didn't mention anything about the police.

‘You'll never guess what?' he said.

‘What?' She didn't even bother trying to sound enthusiastic; she had no energy for it.

‘Yesterday's arrivals just left. I think the cottage is jinxed and my latest guests think it might be haunted.'

‘Really?'

‘Uh huh,' he sighed. ‘I'm not sure I believe in ghosts but Old Tom was a bit of a joker so it wouldn't surprise me if this was his way of having a laugh. Faith mentioned a while back that maybe I should market the place as having a resident ghost. It'll turn some people off but others like that kind of stuff and…ah…I don't know. Maybe the whole thing was a stupid idea and I should just give up.'

Usually she'd try and chivvy him up, but with her spirits at an all time low, the last thing she felt like doing was working on improving someone else's. ‘I'm sorry, Adam, can I call you about this later? Tomorrow maybe.'