Page 42 of Secrets of Riverside

They joined a line of people at the burger truck. ‘So you’ve ridden professional before?’

‘A few times, yes.’ His blue eyes sparkled with mesmerising spirit. ‘In my past life, I was Queensland champion for two years running.’

‘Really!’ She gave him a playful shove. ‘You never told me that.’

He chuckled. ‘You never asked.’

She grinned at his reply. ‘Seriously?’

They reached the counter and Jarrah stepped forwards to order. ‘Did you want a burger too?’

‘No, thanks, I’ve already eaten half a pig for dinner.’ She patted her full belly. ‘A roast pork roll,’ she added in answer to his look of confusion.

He grinned. ‘Ahh, gotcha.’

Standing aside as he placed his order, she admired the humble man he was, although she had a feeling that in that other lifetime he was referring to, he would have been quite the heartbreaker, and quite the rule breaker too. She had a rebellious side too, and she thought again how alike they were. She liked his layers, very much, and peeling each one back was a journey all on its own.

An hour and a half later, they’d enjoyed a couple of bevvies and she was relaxing into the rowdiness of the bar alongside Jarrah and his hilarious mate, Marty.

‘I best get back to loading the bulls, King.’ Marty tossed an arm over Jarrah’s shoulder. ‘Thanks for stepping up tonight. I’ll catch you on the flip side, buddy.’

Jarrah gave his mate’s back a hearty slap. ‘No worries, and don’t leave it so long between visits next time.’

‘I’ll do my best,’ Marty affirmed with a grin almost as wide as the brim of his dusty old hat. ‘It was nice to meet you, Millie.’

‘You too, Marty.’ She waved him off as he disappeared into the thick of the partygoers.

Jimmy Barnes’ voice rang out of the massive speakers, to the party tune of ‘Rising Sun’.

‘Oh my gosh, I love this song,’ she shrieked, jiggling on the spot.

‘In that case,’ Jarrah held out both his hands, beckoning for her to join him, ‘can I have this dance?’ He swayed in time, his boots tapping and his face a picture of absolute joy.

She almost said no, but then thought why the heck not – she hadn’t seen this side of him. ‘I reckon you can have this dance, yes.’ She possibly hadn’t ever seen this side of herself either.

Taking hold of her hands, Jarrah drew her to the dance floor, and moving in time to the catchy beat, spun her left then right, his hand never letting her go. She spotted the dolled-up girls who had been sitting behind her in the grandstands, dancing around them, moving their hips provocatively. The most boisterous of the bunch was especially vying for his attention with flirtatious glances, but Jarrah kept his gaze wholly and solely on her, making her feel like the only woman in the room. They sang the lyrics at the tops of their lungs, as did the rest of the throng. It gave rise to goosebumps all over her, just feeling part of this happy mob. It felt so good to let things be for a little while, to belong for now. She needed to do this more, let her hair down and allow her caged spirit to be free.

Boogying and bootscooting, jiving and rock-and-rolling, two upbeat songs passed them by in a flurry of singing and laughing. But then the tempo slowed, and before she had time to get out of his reach and off the dance floor, Jarrah had grabbed her, and she was now pressed up against him, his hands resting in the curve of her back and her lashes flickering against where his chest peeked out of his button-up shirt. And for once, just this once, she didn’t want to fight their intense connection. For the entirety of ‘Stand By Me’, she wanted to do just that. She wanted to be with him, to hold him, to be embraced by him. Peace filtered through her as they swayed in time to the nostalgic Ben E. King tune. Sighing softly against his chest, she felt protected, cared for, loved. So much so that when the song came to an end and Jarrah’s hands left the curve of her back, she almost cried. With his fingers entwined with hers, he led her from the dance floor and back towards the bar, where he let her go and ordered them both a beer.

She gratefully grabbed hers from him. ‘Thank you.’ They clinked bottle tops and she took a thirsty guzzle. ‘I think you just went and broke hearts in here, choosing me for that dance.’

He simply shrugged, offered her his mischievous smile, and with a lingering glance, took a swig from his beer. She couldn’t help but revel in his undivided attention, when other women were clearly trying, extremely hard, to win it. If only she didn’t have to return to reality tomorrow. If only she could allow herself to fall for this majestic man. If only she could be the one to discover where the scar on his cheek came from. And learn why he was so guarded about his life and his past. If only she didn’t have to remain tight-lipped about who she was, and why she’d arrived at Riverside Acres. Part of her felt as if she could trust him – no, knew that she could trust him. With her life, if it ever came to that. But there was way too much at stake if she opened up to him. She knew, deep down, that falling for him would be a massive risk. And for the sake of discovering the truth, she wasn’t prepared to take a gamble on him, because knowing her luck she’d be the one to throw the dice and lose it all.

***

Tapping his boot in time to Luke Combs’ song ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’, Jarrah was fighting the battle of his life – the urge to draw Millie back into his arms, tip up the brim of his hat and plant his lips upon hers, so he could let her know just how much he liked her, was overwhelming. Every second he got to spend with her, he found another quality that he was powerless not to fall for. She was strong, smart and so incredibly sexy, and she was stirring something deep and primal inside him, something he liked the feeling of, one hell of a lot. And she didn’t even know it. Or if she did, she wasn’t one to flaunt her power, or knowledge of it. And he liked that – no, actually, he loved that about her. Resting on the edge of his barstool, bearing witness to the way she was looking at him beneath those long dark lashes – her smile as sweet as sugar, her cheeks flushed from the drinks they’d enjoyed, and her eyes filled with all-consuming spicy fire – his mind, heart and body were at odds with one another. If he’d thought himself fuelled with adrenaline when he’d been pacing behind the chutes a few hours earlier, or while he was spinning her around the dance floor, it had been nothing on what he was feeling now. Right this very second. Maybe he shouldn’t have had that second shot of tequila.

Too late now, King …

He ached to make long, slow, deep love to her, all night long and then some. He wanted to learn what made her happy, discover the secrets he knew she was holding under lock and key, and make her feel the safest she’d ever been.

‘So, Mills.’ He gave her a little nudge. ‘Are you glad you stayed now?’

‘Mm-hmm.’ The lips he was dying to kiss beamed his way and there was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. ‘I can’t believe I’m still out, seeing it’s almost two am.’ She glanced around at the party that was still in full swing. ‘But I don’t care because this is the most fun I’ve had in forever.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’ He felt someone bump his side, and a buxom blonde pressed between him and the woman he craved with every fibre of his being, before he could say anymore. ‘Can I help you?’ It annoyed him, how this stranger thought it was her right to invade his and Millie’s space, and in turn, insult Millie.

Completely oblivious to the uninterested vibe he was now exuding, the early-twenties buckle-bunny leant into him, her hands going against his chest as she pressed her lips up against his ear. ‘How about I help get those jeans off you, cowboy.’

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