Driftwood (27 page)

Nearing the homestead, Taylor began to panic as she spotted the group huddled around something on the ground. On closer inspection she could see one weathered boot peeking out from beside Adam, the bootless foot beside it at an angle that wasn't possible. ‘Dad!' she cried, running towards them, her heart in her throat.

‘Oh my goodness! Jay! My boy! You're alive!' Patty screamed as she stopped what she was doing and ran towards them, arms wide.

Taylor slid to a stop, dropping to the mud on her knees as she grabbed hold of Tom's hand. She ran her eyes over him, unable to look too long at his ankle, where the bone protruded out of his skin. She assessed the other places he'd been hurt, alarmed by how pale he was. Blood dripped slowly from the side of his head, his hair was matted and a huge purple bruise on his cheek. He was semiconscious, his eyes fluttering open and closed.

‘Dad, are you okay? Can you hear me?' She gently touched his forehead. ‘Please, stay with me. I can't lose you now I've finally got you in my life.'

There was no reply and she looked to the men for answers, noting Fang was missing. ‘Where did you find him? What's happened? Is he going to be all right?'

Adam placed his hand on her back, as if to steady her. ‘Calm down, Tays, he's going to be okay. We found him pinned under the roof from the workers' cottage. He's broken his ankle and a beam has grazed his head. Fang's just gone to get the chopper. He's going to fly him to Cairns to have him checked over at the hospital. Your dad's one lucky bloke, I reckon, to have survived what he has!'

Tom tried to mumble something, his lips curling faintly at the edges, and Taylor could have sworn he was smiling. She leant in so she could hear him, her ear close to his lips. ‘What did you say, Dad?'

Shaky arms enfolded her and Tom's tears wet her cheek. ‘My girl, my beautiful little girl, I've missed you so much, sweetheart.'

Taylor rested her face on his chest and wept with him, savouring the fact she was cradled in her father's arms. Feeling so safe and loved by him, the bond of father and daughter undeniable as he held her. She felt so blessed, she was beyond words.

Patty appeared alongside her, rubbing Taylor's back as she remained in her dad's embrace. ‘I hope you don't mind, love, but I kept telling Tom he had to tough this out, and that he had to survive, because his daughter was here at Waratah. I explained to him that you had the same photo and had been carrying it around for all these years, thinking he was dead. That was when the old bugger seemed to come back to life.'

‘Oi, fair go, I'm not that bloody old,' Tom muttered, trying to crack a smile but instead wincing from the pain. The group chuckled; uplifted by the fact they were all together, and safe. Tom turned to Jay, who had squeezed in beside Taylor. ‘I told you this girl was a keeper. I could tell there was something special about her from the second I laid eyes on her.'

‘Yep, I can vouch for that, too,' Patty said, grinning at Taylor.

Jay laughed. ‘You both got that right.' He took Taylor's hand in his, smiling at her in a way that only a man in love could. ‘And now I have her, I ain't ever letting her go.'

2012 — Far North Queensland

Gritting her teeth while digging her boots firmly into the sodden ground, Taylor gave the fencing strainer one last pull, her blistered hands slipping as she tumbled backwards and landed into a puddle of putrid-smelling water. Laughing at her misfortune, she sat up. ‘I should thank my lucky stars it's only you out here, Floyd. I must have looked like a bloody tool just then.' She blew a couple of dirt-encrusted curls from her face as a few mucky drips rolled down her cheeks. ‘And I probably still do.'

From the partly shaded back tray of Jay's LandCruiser, Floyd stared nonchalantly back at her. His body was stretched out and his head rested on his paws, his tail smacking the metal rhythmically as she spoke to him. Still chuckling at herself, she stood. Reaching into her backpack she pulled out her water bottle and took a long slug, allowing some of the water to run down her neck and soak through her mud-splattered button-up shirt. Her body was so overheated she could almost feel the water sizzling against her red-hot skin. The soaring temperature had been relentless throughout the day, the soaked earth steaming beneath.

The sun's power had been so brutal at midday she'd had to seek shelter beneath a bottlebrush tree for a couple of hours while at the same time warding off an army of ants that was after her lunch. The insect numbers since the cyclone had multiplied hugely, especially at night, when they were trying to eat dinner while being bombed by moths and flying insects by the thousands. The odd bug succumbed to a sudden death as it plummeted into a gravy-rich stew or pile of mashed potato. That was where geckos came in handy: they helped cull the flying creepy-crawlies.

Feeling proud of what she'd achieved for the day, Taylor hurled her weary body onto the tray of the LandCruiser. Gazing at the magnificent uninterrupted views from the ridge, she made herself comfortable beside Floyd, casually dangling her legs over the back. The landscape that was cyclone battered only weeks ago was now transforming as rich green grass emerged and bushes, trees and shrubs sprouted fresh leaves. Wild melon vines had begun creeping over the ground and up dead trees, too. It was as if the land was rejoicing in the fact it had survived Mother Nature's fury.

Pulling her hat down further to ward off the glare, Taylor peered into the dwindling afternoon sunshine, admiring her handiwork on the kilometres of fence line that disappeared into a distant steamy haze. The straining posts were now all sitting perfectly in line and the fencing itself had just enough give to help the animals bounce off it if run into, barged at or shoved against. Taylor was confident and proud that her work would provide a steadfast barrier.

Giving Floyd a loving rub behind the ears, Taylor smiled. It was satisfying to see the fence standing strong again, to know that the cattle and horses that had survived the cyclone — surprisingly, most of them — would now be safely kept within the boundaries of Waratah Station. It had been heartbreaking finding dead cattle for a week afterwards, their bloated carcasses a horrific reminder of the cyclone.

The hum of a distant vehicle grabbed her attention and she gazed down the track, her belly flip-flopping as she spotted Jay smiling gallantly at her from behind the wheel of her Jeep. Over the past few weeks all they seemed to do was eat, sleep and work. The restoration of Waratah Station was top priority for both of them. And considering all of them were sleeping in their swags in the restored lounge room of the homestead until they fixed the roof of the workers' cottage and repaired the damage to the homestead's four water-damaged bedrooms, privacy was a rarity. They only got stolen moments such as these, which were few and far between, and if she weren't covered in mud from head to toe she would be tempted to rip Jay's clothes off right now and ravish him on the spot.

Taylor grinned back at him as he pulled in beside her, his gaze making her feel as dizzy as a lovesick teenager. The sensations he evoked deep inside her were ones she'd never felt before, physically or emotionally, and she was dying to make love to him to prove just how wildly and crazy in love he made her feel.

‘Hey there, sexy lady, need a lift somewhere? Although, you might have to strip off if you do, I ain't letting you get in my Jeep covered in that stinky mud,' Jay said, humorously pinching his nose, his grin so deliciously devilish it made her toes curl. ‘What in the heck have you been doing to get so covered in mud anyway, my gorgeous lady?'

Without replying, Taylor slowly slid down from the tray of the LandCruiser and teasingly began to unbutton her shirt. Jay's light-hearted smile faded as he dropped his gaze to the hint of her voluptuous breasts encased in a lacy black bra. Then he beckoned her towards him with a simple look. She bit her bottom lip, feeling somewhat coy, but continued on, releasing each button with unrushed hands, the heat between her and Jay escalating.

Giving into the moment, Jay swung the door open and leapt from the Jeep, his need to feel Taylor's beautiful naked body pressed against his own overwhelming him. He placed his hand over Taylor's, halting her as she plucked open the very last button of her shirt and revealed the creamy flesh of her stomach. ‘Before we go any further, you have to come with me. I have a surprise waiting for you,' Jay said, his voice rasping.

Taylor smiled wickedly as she linked her fingers with his, her confidence allowing her to leave her shirt open. ‘You only have to ask me once, Jay Donnellson. Lead the way.'

‘We have a little bit of a drive. Ten minutes, max. Will Floyd be okay here for an hour or so till we get back?'

Taylor glanced over at Floyd, who was staring sleepily towards them. ‘Yeah, he'll be right.' She gestured towards Floyd. ‘Stay here, boy, and mind the Cruiser. We'll be back soon.'

Floyd's eyes closed, giving her his answer. Jay's arms circled her waist and he picked her up from the ground. He carried her over to the Jeep. ‘I hope you like what I've done for you.'

Taylor planted a lingering kiss on his lips, making him swagger slightly as he placed her on the passenger seat. ‘I'm sure I will.'

Driving down to his secret spot, Jay found it hard to keep his focus on the pothole-filled track, his eyes continually wandering over Taylor as she leant in and trailed kisses down his face and neck, her cheeky grin enticing him. Then, positioning herself on his lap so he could see over her shoulder, she slowly unbuttoned his shirt, licking, kissing and biting his nipples as she did, her sweet heaven pressing into him as she swayed softly back and forth on his lap. His mind whirled, her tongue so sweet against his skin that he struggled to keep the Jeep on the trail, the fervent desire flooding him more powerful than anything he'd ever experienced before. He moaned as she ran her warm breath down his neck then sank her teeth into his skin. He loved it. And the way she was taking control of him at a time when he couldn't touch her for fear of crashing the Jeep, as though his hands were tied behind his back, was just so damn sexy.

Jay switched off the ignition as the dam's bank finally came into view, and relief flooded him. He wrapped his arms around Taylor and pulled her into a hungry kiss, their tongues passionately exploring one another's. Sliding his hands up her bare stomach, hovering over her breasts as he feathered his fingers over her nipples, he finally brought them to rest on her cheeks. He allowed himself to fall into her emerald green eyes. ‘I love you, Tays. So much, it scares me at times.'

Taylor smiled gently. ‘Don't be scared, Jay. I love you too. And I'm not going anywhere, ever, no matter how hard it might sometimes get. I promise you that.'

Jay pulled her towards him once again and kissed her chest. ‘You, my beautiful minx, have a heart worth fighting for.' He grinned. ‘Now, let's go find your surprise, hey?'

With the sun beginning its gradual descent over the distant mountains, a twilight hue bathed the landscape in gold, accentuating its beauty. Pulling at the door handle, Taylor pushed it with her boot, sliding herself off Jay's lap and allowing him some space to step down. She took his outstretched hand as he led her through the scrub and down towards the water.

‘Now, close your eyes. And keep them closed,' Jay said, suddenly stopping. She giggled as she bumped into his back.

She did as she was told, not wanting to ruin his surprise, as she clutched his hand. Taking a few steps forward the sweet perfume of frangipanis filled her senses, and then the sensation of something soft and silky brushed against her skin. She heard what sounded like a lighter as Jay let go of her hand and moved away from her before returning and sliding his arm around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder. ‘You can open your eyes now, gorgeous.'

Flicking her eyes open, Taylor covered her mouth with her hands, the scene that lay before her absolutely breathtaking. Jay's swag had been rolled out with crisp white sheets and two plump pillows, and sprinkled with frangipani flowers. All the way around the swag were candles, the flames flickering softly in the whisper of a breeze. Above the swag, suspended from the branch of a huge paperbark tree, was a mosquito net, draped so precisely it looked a little like a four-poster bed. In the middle of the swag was a long piece of red silk, a bottle of red wine and two glasses, and a box of chocolates.

She spun around to face him. ‘Oh my God, Jay. I've never seen anything so beautiful in all my life. Thank you.'

He smiled mischievously. ‘You're welcome. I'm so glad you like it, Tays.'

Ruffling her mass of muddy hair she grimaced. ‘But before we slide beneath those beautiful white sheets, I reckon I need to have a wash in the dam.'

‘Yeah, me too, considering I've been on a roof all day in the sun.' Jay pulled a small bottle of vanilla-scented soap from his back pocket and waved it in front of her. ‘I tried to think of everything.'

Taylor didn't need any more persuading as she tore off her boots, socks and jeans and then cheekily ripped off her bra and pants, letting her black G-string hang from her fingertip as she smiled playfully at Jay, mocking shock as it dropped to the ground. Squealing, she ran for the water, her arms high in the air as she jumped in.

Ducking under the water, Taylor rinsed the day's mud from her naked body, emerging, refreshed, to the surface. She watched with longing as Jay began to strip off. She grinned as she observed him hesitate, his hand resting on the top of his jocks. ‘Go on! Get it all off,' she called out, laughing.

Jay grinned, hurriedly ripping them off then covering his manhood as he bolted for the water, crashing in beside Taylor, the pair of them hooting with laughter. Enjoying the moment of frivolity, they tossed water at one another, dodging and weaving to get out of each other's path. Eventually Jay grabbed hold of Taylor and, tipping some soap into his hands, he spun her around and washed her shoulders and back, massaging at the same time, lingering in the spots where he could feel she needed it most. Taylor moaned, her aching muscles turning to butter beneath his touch.