The House On Burra Burra Lane (32 page)

As she stepped onto the path that led to the house attached to the veterinarian’s surgery, a sudden lack of courage tripped her up. She stopped, breathed, until her nerves rippled to calm. She moistened her mouth. It was her heart, not her head, that would be talking. She ought to know how it sounded, she’d heard it singing all night.

She rapped on the door with her knuckles, then had a desperate thought he might not be home.

He stilled when he opened the door. He didn’t speak, step back, offer to let her inside—or any of the things Sammy had imagined he would do during her walk from her home to his. He simply stared, as though not believing what he was seeing.

‘Good morning,’ she said.

The silence fell heavily between them, but eventually, beneath the quiet that cloaked them, she heard the morning birdsong. ‘Can I come in?’

His house held a masculine similarity to his surgery. The kitchen warm with wooden cupboards, and clean and tidy with formica benchtops and modern amenities. There was a frosted glass door connecting to the surgery reception.

Sammy took her time, looking around her; at the smallness and neatness of his kitchen. She’d never been inside his home. There was a hallway behind him, with a coat stand and a hall table, both jarrah and unusual enough in design to tell her he’d made them himself. She hadn’t thought about how he lived. How silly, not to have insisted on visiting before now.

She looked up at him, ready.

‘The sooner you tell me why you’re here, the sooner I can explain how I’m not letting you leave town.’

‘Oh?’ she enquired, raising her brow. ‘How, or why?’ Then before he could answer, ’You think I’m leaving town?’

He opened his mouth but didn’t speak straight away. ‘Isn’t that why you’re here?’

‘I’m not leaving, Ethan, I was never going to leave.’ She’d reached the first stage; he looked dumbfounded. ‘Is that what you expected? That I would run from you?’

He shook his head. ‘I was going to leave … if there was any leaving to be done.’

She tutted. ‘That’s running away. Did your head tell you to do that, or your heart?’

He narrowed his eyes, not in anger or misunderstanding, but as though he had a thirst for more knowledge. Second stage.

Sammy took her jacket off, threw it over a stool at the breakfast bar.

He glanced at it, seemed to drag his gaze back to her face. He looked into her eyes, and then down to the scooped neckline of her cardigan. He pondered that for a bit then looked down to her skirt, her knees, her legs, and her feet. ‘You look different.’

‘I found the real me.’

He met her gaze, and the flicker in his eye accepted the challenge, although she knew he didn’t know for sure what it might be.

She held her arms apart. ‘Do you like me? I think I say … country girl in the making but still citified enough to want to wear a designer skirt and smart cardigan.’

‘I’ve always liked you.’

She spun around. ‘I didn’t tie my hair up either, and I let it curl. You like it curling and loose, don’t you?’

‘What are you doing, Sammy?’

‘I’m showing you the goods, Ethan, so that you have a chance to think about how you feel about the new me, because I’m a changed woman from the one outside Kookaburra’s last night.’

He breathed, low in his diaphragm. Then he waited, as Sammy had known he would. Stage three.

‘Are you going to chase me around your kitchen?’

‘Don’t push me, Sammy. I mean business, and I mean to get on with it.’

She widened her eyes. ‘So why weren’t you beating at my door at 6 am? What’s a girl supposed to think, having to trudge through the dark to get to your place?’

‘You walked here?’ He glanced out of the window, where the misty, nectarine sun was nearly full beam over the fields.

‘Of course I walked. I didn’t want my old car backfiring and waking you up.’

He looked back, eyes keen. ‘I’ve been up all night.’

‘I know. You stayed all night at the end of my driveway.’

‘You were safe, I made sure of it.’

‘I know. Did you think about me as you sat in the truck?’

‘Sammy … ’ There was a plea in his tone. ‘Just give me a second.’

‘Did you?’

‘Of course I thought about you.’ He ground his teeth, clenched his jaw. ‘What are you doing?’

‘I thought you wanted to see me.’

‘I was supposed to come and see you.’

‘I couldn’t wait that long. I thought about you as soon as I woke up.’

He paused then, physically adjusting his facial features. He relaxed his brow, releasing the creases at the side of his eyes. ‘Is this shaping up to something I might be happy about?’

‘All depends on what makes you happy.’

‘You make me happy.’

There was no way she could look away from his blistering summer gaze. ‘I’d like to see that list you spoke of, before I commit to anything.’

Look at him, just look at him.

His chest expanded as he took a deep, pondering breath, the shirt buttons nearly popping. ‘I had things planned … things I wanted to say, and you’ve thrown me.’

She nodded. ‘I’ll give you a moment, then. To settle yourself into it.’

‘I don’t want to wait another moment.’

‘So what are you saying?’

He was struggling with his control, his shirt stretched to the limit. ‘You’re making it hard for me,’ he said at last. ‘I understand. Don’t blame you.’

‘There’s nothing harder, is there?’

‘Than what?’

‘Than explaining to a person how much they mean to you. How your life isn’t the same without them.’

‘You just took the words out of my mouth.’ He stepped forwards, close enough that she could reach up and kiss him.

‘Thought it might be quicker that way.’

His eyes darkened. He pulled what might have been the beginning of a smile into line. ‘The anger, Sammy, the anger I had—it’s not real.’ He shut his eyes for a second. ‘I mean, it was real enough but I was annoyed and frustrated, not angry. Not brutally angry. I just let myself wallow in it—because I couldn’t find you.’

‘I know that. I’m sorry I hid from you. I did it on purpose.’

‘I don’t blame you.’ He swallowed. ‘I’ve got so many extraordinary things to tell you, it’s going to bowl you over.’ He took a breath. ‘At least … I hope it’s going to bowl you over.’

‘What things?’

‘You tell me first. You came here to tell me something, not to listen to me.’

‘Oh, I want to listen to you, I really, really do, but you’re right. There is something I want to say.’

He waited.

‘Last night,’ she began.

‘Last night when you were alone thinking about me? Or last night outside the Bar & Grill?’

Her smile was a flirting one, but she let it flutter. ‘That was the biggest disturbance I’ve ever seen anyone make in any town. You had quite a lot to say too, and coming from you, it was a miracle.’

He waited for more, then moistened his mouth, creased his eyes again. ‘Is that it? Is this your idea of a telling off? Thought for a few seconds I might have got away with it. That you’d come to see me so you could throw yourself at me and beg me to kiss you … or something.’

‘Not on your life. I want the full nine yards first—the apology and everything.’

He blew out his breath. ‘Thought you didn’t want my apologies.’

‘I figure this will be the last one.’

His smiled started: a tilt—not fully loose yet. ‘Pretty sure of yourself, Miss Walker.’

She was out of stages, hadn’t planned this part. ‘What about that list you were harping on about?’

‘What about it?’

‘I’d like to know what’s on it.’

‘Does that mean you’ll be quiet and consider it?’

She bit her grin. ‘I’ll consider it.’

He wore his navy shirt, the one soft with wear, with the little rip in the pocket. And there was the tip of his pencil, sticking over the top. It probably went through the wash, along with the shirt.

He spoke more calmly than Sammy had expected. ‘First on the list is, I love you. Last on the list is, I love you. There’s a lot in between, about what it is that I love about you. And there are a few blanks, where I want to learn new things to love about you.’

She waited.

‘Is this making the right impression?’

She nodded, swallowed the lump in her throat. There was that look in his eye. The one she’d been waiting to see so she could step forwards into the unknown part of her plan—the part where he took over.

‘I thought long, hard, and sometimes in despair about what I wanted from you, Sammy.’

‘What can I do to make you see what you have in front of you?’

‘Nothing. You don’t need to do anything, I can see it.’

‘And do you have your answer?’

His smile tilted further. ‘I can see a light in your eyes. I think it’s for me.’ He took hold of her upper arms and pulled her close. ‘And if you don’t mind, I’ll take it as a yes.’

‘Take what as a yes?’

‘You.’ He leaned down, his mouth open and his eyes darkened with … love.

‘Wait…
Wait
!’ She stopped him. ‘You have to ask me, Ethan. I don’t want to accept without the statement that’s supposed to go with it. I want to hear the question.’

He took her hands in his and banked them against his chest. His shirt smelled of all-night restlessness, of outdoors, lead pencil and builders chalk.

He kissed her forehead. He kissed each eyelid. He kissed the tip of her nose. ‘Will you, your freckles, your crazy exuberance, your cat and your chickens, and
anything
you wear, please marry me?’

She rose to him, sliding her arms around his neck. ‘Yes,’ she whispered, burying her body, and being, in the strength and warmth of him.’

‘There’s something else.’ He held her with one arm and withdrew something from his pocket.

Sammy stared at the topaz ring in the palm of his hand.

‘I’d like you to wear it, but you don’t have to if you don’t like it.’

The setting was old. Vintage rose gold with clusters of diamonds around the topaz. ‘Was it your mother’s?’

‘No. There’s nothing unhappy about this ring, Sammy. It belonged to my grandmother. My grandparents were happy together. They lost their lives together. I imagine they’re still together.’ He paused. ‘Only if you want it.’

She tilted her face to him. ‘You gave me happy diamonds.’

‘You don’t deserve any other kind.’

Poetry, diamonds, and the topaz he’d said would suit her. He’d known her all along.

‘I’d love to wear it.’

He grinned, cleared his throat, looked like he was in the middle of mindboggling dream. He slid the ring on her finger, pressing it a little over her knuckle. ‘Thought I’d be carrying it around in my pocket for the next twelve months—or perhaps a decade.’

She smiled. ‘Are you joking? The town would have a field day, you’d never get your hundred dollars back.’

He licked his lips. ‘I’m going to kiss you now, if that’s alright.’ He didn’t wait for an answer. He kissed her.

A long, slow kiss. An exploration of a kiss. A tingling, thrilling kiss. A deal. Sealed. They were going to take a walk together. They’d have tartan picnic blankets for when they fished the river. They’d have a park bench in town so they could sit and bask in the sun. They were going to take a stroll through life and make memories together.

He sighed as he released her. ‘I love your mouth, too. Did I tell you that?’

Sammy shook her head. ‘You said you loved my eyes. Didn’t mention anything about my mouth.’

‘Don’t ever rub those freckles off your nose either. And don’t cut your hair or I’ll divorce you.’

How come he couldn’t hear her heart singing? ‘Don’t ever change, Ethan. I love you as you are.’

‘I imagine we’ll both do some changing. Not just within ourselves, but what we do, what we give back. I need to give something back, Sammy. I thank fate and chance and luck that I’ve got you in my arms but I don’t trust them. I’m never letting go, do you hear me?’

‘Yes, sir.’ Sparkling and sensual, that’s how he made her feel.

He grinned. ‘I like it when I’m in charge. How often will it happen?’

She smiled. ‘As often as you like.’

He laughed, hugged her tight. ‘Hardly ever, I imagine. But I’ve got an idea about how we can begin this new life together.’ He leaned back. ‘It’ll involve taking you out of your clothes.’

She giggled. ‘How fast do you think you can get these clothes off me?’

‘How fast do you want to know?’

‘Oh, Ethan.’ She didn’t want to remove her arms from around his neck, ever.

He lowered his jaw and locked her in his gaze. ‘Can I ask you something? It’s important.’

What did he need? What hadn’t she expressed?

‘Am I the first man you’d been with since Dolan?’

She held her breath, nodded.

‘And did I … ’ He paused for so long that Sammy couldn’t stand it.

‘You took away every bad memory. You cared for me. I couldn’t have been happier in any man’s arms but yours and never will be again.’

‘I’ll always care for you. Do you understand that?’

Sammy nodded. ‘I’ll watch your back too.’

‘So why are we wasting time in the kitchen when we could be caring for each other in the bedroom?’

‘I have to visit my mother.’

‘We’ll go together. Later.’

‘I have to tell her our news.’

‘We’ll tell her together. This afternoon.’

‘I have to pay Mr and Mrs Capper.’

He squeezed her. ‘Sammy, I need you now. I’m feeling kind of desperate.’

‘I want to ring the biggest bell and tell the world!’ She clutched his back, pressing herself to him. ‘Did you know that every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings?’

‘Well, my beautiful Sammy, there are going to be a lot of angels hanging around you, because my heart will ring like a bell every time I look at you.’

The early morning light shone in his eyes. The promise of summer.

‘I need to prove to you I will stay, Sammy. Always.’ He pressed his hand to the base of her spine. ‘So here’s the deal, while I’m still in charge.’ He kissed her, thoroughly, holding the back of her head and pulling her body tight against his. ‘You can either walk with me or I pick you up and carry you but either way we’re going to bed. It’s the only choice I’m giving you. Take it or leave it.’