Page 21 of The Storm Boys Series Collection

He raised an eyebrow, smiling, just as Marit came in. “Can I help with anything?”

“No, it’s okay,” I said quickly. “I was just about to load up the Cruiser.”

“Oh, I can help with that.” She decided she was helping whether I liked it or not. So I had her help me, and soon enough we were on the road for our day’s adventure.

It was a lot of hiking, and though it was mostly flat, it was still humid. Getting close, you could hear the waterfalls and the river, and it ramped up the excitement. As soon as everyone walked through to the clearing and saw the amazing scenery, they soon forgot about how long and hot the hike was. The waterfalls made it worth it though.

It was one of my favourite spots.

Derek seemed to smile a bit more today, and he hung around me more. He even helped me carry stuff.

He also waded out into the water with Norah for one final dip before heading back. The walk back to the Cruiser was never as much fun as the walk to the waterfalls. Everyone was tired, the late afternoon sun was hot, the air getting humid.

A storm was rolling in across Kakadu. Not like the summer electrical storms, but the clouds were dark, the air thick.

When we got back to camp, everyone opted to freshen up with a cool shower, so I pulled out the camping chairs and sat them at the edge of the drop off. I served up some cheeses and crackers with grapes and juice, and I deliberately put Derek’s telescope next to my chair so he’d sit next to me. When he walked out, he saw it and smiled at me in a way that made my heart knock against my ribs.

His damp dark hair hung in his eyes, his tanned skin the colour of honey in the stormy sunset.

I wanted to drag my teeth across the back of his neck. I wanted to taste his skin, see if it was as delicious as he smelled...

“Yeah, of course,” Derek said. I realised then that my mind had been in the gutter and I’d missed the conversation. He took out his telescope and set the sights across the horizon, then they all took it in turns looking at the trees and wetlands that carpeted the scene before us.

The storm rolled in over the horizon, dark clouds of purple and orange with sparkling pockets of lightning and we could smell the downpours of rain in the distance.

It was an incredible sight.

It was a magical moment.

I cooked our BBQ dinner, and the five of us stayed there in our camping chairs watching over the world until long after the sun had set.

Derek shared his telescope around and his knowledge of the stars above us until Norah went to bed first, followed soon after by Marit and Kari.

“So, it’s just us,” he whispered.

“It appears so.”

He sighed. “It’s easy to see why you live here. This,” he murmured, nodding to the darkness that now lay out before us. Then he gestured to the camp. “And this?”

“It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

He was quiet again for a while. Some crickets chirped and a hawk cried somewhere not too far away. He turned his gaze to me, a peaceful smile on his face. “You asked me what I wanted. Just this; you and me, and nothing else. That’s what I want.”

It was a nice dream.

But reality and finances would probably disagree.

He seemed to read my mind. “I don’t know how to make it happen. But this is what I want.”

I reached out and squeezed his hand. “If you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way.”

“Yeah, okay,” he said, getting up. “I’m turning in. I’ll see you in the morning.”

It was so abrupt and curt, I was taken by surprise. “Yeah, okay,” I said to his back. He was halfway to his tent already.

He jumped up onto his deck, opened the door, and stopped. “Ah, Paul?” he yelled.

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