Page 65 of Outback Reunion

Even if he’d wanted to, it would be impossible to stay angry when she looked so hot and utterly adorable. ‘You look like you’ve just had sex.’

Her eyes widened as she started rifling through his glovebox. ‘Do you have a comb or something?’

‘Nope. Sorry.’

She found a rubber band and ran her fingers through her hair, scooping it up into a messy ponytail. Then she pointed to her neck. ‘Is that a hickey? Oh lord, what are Stella and Adam going to think of me?’

She let her hair fall back down to cover it.

He laughed, suddenly finding the situation rather amusing. ‘Never mind about you; Stella will tell her friends when we turn up together, and they’ll each tell someone else. Tomorrow the fact that I had a circus performer in my bed is going to be all round Bunyip Bay!’

For the first time since her phone had rung, Gabriela laughed. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. It’s not like I haven’t been the subject of town gossip before, but this time, it was worth it,’ he said. ‘I’m guessing this is why you could only give me one night? Because of your daughter?’

‘She’s one of the reasons. I’m not usually apart from her, so I didn’t see how it could work, but when she decided to stay with Heidi, it seemed too good an opportunity to waste. I’m sorry.’

‘Stop apologising,’ Mark told her, unable to regret anything that had happened.

When he pulled up in front of Adam and Stella’s house, the porch light was on and he saw the silhouettes of Adam, Stella, Heidi and another little girl who must be Luna. ‘Shall I wait in the car?’

Gabriela unclicked her seatbelt. ‘Might be less awkward. I’ll be quick, promise.’

‘No rush,’ he said as she shut the door behind her.

He watched her jog through the garden, towards her daughter, her perfect hips swishing. His mouth went dry as he recalled his hands on those hips, all over her body less than an hour ago. He couldn’t believe how compatible they were—between the sheets and otherwise.

Lost in his own thoughts, he startled when the back door of his crew-cab ute opened and turned to see the young girl from the circus climbing into the back seat. Close up, she didn’t look much like her mother. Gabriela’s hair was light brown and she had snow-white skin, but her daughter had red hair and freckles covering her nose. He guessed Luna took after her father and felt slightly less stupid about not putting two and two together before.

‘Hi there,’ he said.

‘Are you my dad’s friend? Mum said you were busy, so you probably weren’t going to see each other again,’ Luna said, sounding as if she was accusing them both of a torrid crime.

But that wasn’t what shocked him.

‘Um...’Her dad’s friend?He glanced at Gabriela as she climbed into the front seat, but she reached for her seatbelt without meeting his gaze.

‘Luna, this is Mark. I saw his farm sign when I was driving home and popped in on the spur of the moment. My car battery died so he kindly offered to drive us home. Put your seatbelt on.’

Mark wasn’t sure whether Luna bought this story, but she did as she was told. ‘It’s nice to meet you. Your mum’s told me lots about you.’

Two could play at this game.

‘What did she say?’ Luna asked.

‘I hope Heidi wasn’t too disappointed that you bailed on the sleepover,’ Gabriela said, giving him a look of reproval, before he could reply. ‘Weren’t you having fun?’

Luna folded her arms across her chest. ‘I missed my dogs. Have you got a dog, Mark?’

He smiled into the rear-view as he started the engine again—dogs he could talk about. ‘Yeah. Her name’s Rookie. She’s a bit of a ratbag though.’

Luna giggled at this. ‘Why? What does she do?’

‘Well...’ He told her about the damage to his mum’s shoes, cushions, magazines and more. ‘I’m trying to teach her to work with the sheep because dogs on the farm are supposed to pay their way.’

‘Like circus animals,’ Luna said. ‘Grandad always says that everyone needs to pull their weight—even the animals.’

Mark nodded. ‘Exactly. Unfortunately, Rookie doesn’t know the meaning of work. Every time I show her a sheep, all she wants to do is play with them.’

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