Burnt (31 page)

‘I want you, and the girls.'

‘That's a big responsibility, Seb. Are you sure you can take it on?'

He shrugged. ‘I know it's no life without you. No doubt I'll screw up from time to time, but I promise, I'll never intentionally do anything to hurt you and those kids ever again.'

‘But how would we make it work?'

‘I have another twelve months before I can bail, but after I get out, I plan on coming back to work Dad's place. I'm going to run cattle on it again. I've got the wind turbines approved and going up as we speak, and a whole bunch of other things I want to do with the place. I've got big plans, Bec.'

‘Are you sure you can give up the SAS? What if you realise you miss it and want to go back?'

‘Honestly, Bec,' he said, ‘I really don't know how I'll handle not being in the service – it's been my life for so long. Which is why I'm not ruling out private security work down the track. I've already contacted a few guys I've worked with in the past about the possibility, but if it comes to that, I promise I'll talk to you before I make any decisions, and we'll figure it out together.'

‘Security? I'm thinking it's not driving around industrial estates at night kinda security work,' she said dryly.

His lips tilted slightly. ‘Not exactly. More like bodyguarding businessmen in … certain environments.'

‘Environments like … the Middle East?'

‘And other places, yeah. It's not as dangerous as it sounds,' he added quickly when he saw her expression. ‘These jobs are all legit – handled by big security companies.' He shook his head slightly. ‘Look – it's just an option, and it would only be for a few months at a time, every now and then. I'd be a plain old boring farmer the rest of the time.' He tried for a grin, but must have realised she wasn't exactly thrilled by the idea and gave a small shrug. ‘It's just a thought.'

‘Well, it's probably not as dangerous as what you're going to have to do tonight.'

The look he sent her was almost comical, and she struggled to keep a straight face.

‘And what exactly am I going to do tonight?'

She smoothed the fabric of his T-shirt across his chest with her palms. ‘You're going to face my mother and tell her that her daughter and grandchildren will be moving to Western Australia with you. ASAP.'

He stared at her speechlessly. ‘Bec, I really don't expect you and the kids to pack up and move across to the other side of the country for twelve months.'

‘If you think, after missing you this much over the last few months, that we're going to go through all that again for the next
year
, then you've lost your mind.'

‘But I could still get orders. I might not even be in town permanently. You could still end up spending most of the time alone.'

Rebecca shrugged. ‘I've always wanted to see Perth, and it'll do the kids good to see the other side of the country. It's only twelve months – besides, we'll get to see you more if we're over there than if we're here.'

‘Your parents won't be too keen on losing you and their grandkids after just getting you back,' he warned.

Rebecca gave a chuckle. ‘Well, you're the one who likes to live on the edge – if this doesn't get your adrenaline pumping, nothing will.'

‘I think I might actually prefer facing the Taliban,' he said with a wince.

‘Oh relax, Mum thinks you're Mr Wonderful; you've got her eating out of your hand – it's Dad you have to worry about.'

Seb gave a pained chuckle as he leant in close, placing his hands either side of the bench behind her, trapping her. ‘I love you, Bec. Thanks for not giving up on me after all this time.'

‘I love you, too.' She lifted a hand to cradle the side of his face gently.

Buggalugs interrupted the moment by whining at the back door and Rebecca smiled.

‘The girls are about to come bursting through the front door.'

‘Do you think they'll be okay with me moving into their lives?' The uncertainty was back in his eyes again and Rebecca felt her heart swell once more.

‘Well, why don't you ask them?' she suggested.

The front door opened with a bang and two sets of feet came thundering down the hallway.

‘I don't think it's going to be a problem,' she added, just as the two girls threw themselves at Seb, wrapping their arms around his waist and knees and almost knocking him off his feet.

Rebecca had to turn away from the sight to brush away the sudden tears that trickled down her face, her heart aching with the abundance of emotion inside her. Everything she loved was right here in this very room.

She could live with his job and she could watch him walk away from her again if she had to, because she knew he'd always come back to her. Wherever they ended up, he'd be coming home to her.

Thanks to Jude McNamara, Di Moss and Karin Bridle. Thanks to Kerri Williams, for all the brainstorming sessions we've shared over the last few years and for always providing a much-needed laugh; Leanne Jarvis, for your medical advice; and my dad, Greg Lane, for your insightful information about EK Holdens – I think Pop would get a kick out of that! Tony Park, not only are you one of my favourite authors, you also proved to be a wealth of military knowledge – thank you. Thanks also to Sophie and Jo. A huge thanks to the team at Harlequin Australia: Sue, Annabel, Kylie and the clever cover art team.

To my home towns of Macksville and Bowraville, thank you for providing me with so many beautiful memories during my childhood. I consider myself privileged to have returned here to raise my own children.

While there are quite a few places mentioned in the book that are real, I have taken the liberty of creating a few that are not. This is a work of fiction, and the characters are not intended to bear resemblance to anyone, living or dead.

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ISBN: 9780857996183

Title: Burnt

First Australian Publication 2015

Copyright © 2015 by Karly Lane

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permission of the publisher:

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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