Misplaced Princess (Foreign Affairs, Book One) (6 page)

She stroked the calf’s head. “You’ll be okay,” she murmured softly. “Your mommy’s just tired. She’s still here. She won’t leave you forever.” Annie swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat. “And if she does, you’ll be okay because I’ll take care of you. I know what it’s like to lose a mother. I won’t let you feel lonely, okay, Prince?”

Hunter stood at the back door of the equipment shed and listened to Annie’s promise. She’d mentioned her mother’s desertion, acted like the event was nothing, no big deal. He saw through that act now. Annie felt her mother’s rejection deeply. Hunter longed to go to her, but he didn’t think she’d thank him for eavesdropping.

A slight movement by one of the front stalls caught his attention. His mum’s gaze captured his and he could tell by the upset look on her face, she’d heard Annie too.

She jerked her head to the right, indicating she wanted to talk to him. Hunter nodded silently then walked around the outside of the shed, not wanting to disturb Annie. His mother met him at the front doors, beside the main water tank.

“Dylan called.”

Hunter glanced toward the house. “Is he still on the phone?”

“No. He rang while you were delivering the calf. I told him Annie was here and safe. Told him not to worry because you were taking good care of her.”

Hunter thought his mother’s tone was almost hopeful, but he dismissed it as wishful thinking on his part. Hazel wouldn’t condone him trying to steal his brother’s gal.

“Shit. I was hoping to speak to him.”

Hazel nodded. “I told him you’d ring later.”

“Is he headed back?”

Hazel shook her head. “No. Airline lost his luggage. He’s staying there until they find it.”

Hunter rubbed his eyes wearily. Resisting Annie would be a lot easier when Dylan was back. At least…he hoped it would be.

Annie walked out of the shed, covering her mouth with a yawn neither he nor his mother missed.

“You working Annie too hard today, Hunter? Poor girl hasn’t even recovered from her trip and you’ve got her pulling calves in labor and delivery.”

Annie gave him a teasing grin. “He’s a taskmaster, Hazel. A regular slave driver.”

Hunter crossed his arms and feigned annoyance. “Great. Typical of Dylan to head across the pond and bloody well leave me here outnumbered and surrounded by sheilas who think they’re funny.”

Hazel laughed. “Drop it, boyo. Sheila? When was the last time anyone in this century used the term ‘sheila’? I think you’re bunging on an act for our guest here.” She wrapped her arm around Annie’s shoulders. “The best thing for you is a quick lunch and then a nap. It’s going to take you a few days to get your internal clock sorted. After you wake up, you can help me in the kitchen. I’m baking a cake for the Country Women’s Association. We’re meeting tonight for a potluck dinner.”

“Country Women?” Annie asked.

Hazel nodded. “It’s a meeting of all the wives who live at Farpoint.”

“It’s an excuse to eat too much, drink a lot of wine and gossip,” Hunter clarified.

Annie’s face brightened. “Ooo…wine. That sounds great.”

“You’re welcome to come with me. You could include it in that article you’re writing about us.” Hazel had been far too pleased and willing to help when she’d learned about Annie’s series on Farpoint. If there was one thing his mum was proud of, it was her home. The idea of an American magazine featuring a story about them thrilled her to no end.

“I’d love to go. If you’re certain I won’t be imposing.”

“Not at all, my dear. We’d love to have you. In fact, our schoolteacher, Amy, will be over the moon to meet you. Though I fear she’ll pepper you with a thousand and two questions about New York. That girl is America-mad.” Hazel turned her toward the house and the two of them began to walk away.

Annie glanced back at Hunter. He tried to ignore the longing in her eyes, but he couldn’t deny it was there. Couldn’t pretend the same look was probably lingering in his gaze. She’d brightened up his morning—and the previous evening, making him feel things he hadn’t felt in a very long time. The foolish sentiment made him feel like a green-around-the-gills teenager again.

They were treading a dangerous path.

He waved. “Go on and sleep. I’m going to finish up a few things in the shed, then tackle some paperwork in my office. I’ll see you before you head out to the meeting.”

“Okay.”

Hunter watched Annie and his mum walk to the house, the two women talking away like long-lost sisters. Hazel had embraced the New Yorker, taking her under her wing, and he was struck by how lonely his mum must be at the homestead with only him and Dylan for company.

True, there were other women on Farpoint. Hell, the station was now big enough to have its own school for the hired hands’ little kids. The teacher, Amy Wesson, spent quite a bit of time with Hazel. But Amy was young and the hired hands’ wives treated Hazel like the boss she actually was, as did the jillaroos. Until Annie appeared, he’d never seen his mum so…happy. And chatty.

Hunter let out a ragged breath.

Annie was good for Hazel.

She was good for all of them.

Chapter Four

Annie splashed her face with water from the trough, relishing the bite of the chill. She was sweating her ass off. It was the end of November, typically the beginning of winter in New York, and she was standing in the middle of a desert with sweat rolling down her back. Her muscles were sore from helping Hunter with some of the chores he said were common tasks on the station. She’d met quite a few of the jackaroos—and even a few jillaroos—who worked for the Sullivans. Farpoint Creek was clearly a large and important cattle station, given the sheer number of men and women who lived and worked on the land.

She’d recorded hours of interviews and conversations and tried to list key points she didn’t want to forget to include in her writing. Several times she’d been so caught up in the moment, she’d completely forgotten to record or note
anything
, so she’d have to rely on her memory for some things when it came time to prepare her articles. There was simply too much going on all the time.

“Feel better?” Hunter asked.

She nodded. It was only her third day on the station. Three very busy, crazy, work-filled days. “It’s so hot.”

Hunter grinned. “Oh love, this isn’t hot. Summer hasn’t even started to kick in yet.”

“Holy shit. How can you stand it?”

Hunter shrugged as he handed her a towel to dry her face. She’d given up trying to wear makeup during the day. It was pointless considering she’d simply sweat it all off before noon. Given the way Hunter was looking at her, he didn’t appear to mind her au naturale appearance.

Hunter picked up the wide-brimmed Akubra Hazel had loaned her and put it back on her head. “We find ways to beat the heat. Speaking of, you’ve been working hard the last couple of days. Why don’t I show you more of the station? So far most of your chores have been around the homestead. I’ll give you a tour and,” he lifted a large bag she hadn’t noticed before, “even throw a picnic in as part of the deal.”

Annie’s stomach rumbled hungrily. “Food sounds awesome.” She’d found her appetite in Australia. Never a big eater at home, she typically existed on salads and yogurt. Since her arrival at Farpoint, she’d worked up a hunger she didn’t know existed. Hazel had invited her to help make dinner last night, sharing recipes and cooking tips. Growing up with a household cook who considered the kitchen his sacred property, Annie had never been exposed to the joys of cooking and baking.

Last night, she and Hazel had turned up an oldies station on the radio and danced around in aprons while baking fresh rolls for dinner and a pecan pie for dessert. She smiled at the memory.

“So let’s talk about your skills on a horse.”

Her smile disappeared. “You mean like
riding
one?”

Hunter nodded.

“We’re not going to take the ute?” Annie smiled again, proud of her use of the unique Australian word. Why they didn’t just say “pickup” was beyond her, but she liked the way
ute
sounded in her mouth. She was discovering she liked a lot of things about Australia.

He grasped her hand and tugged her toward the stable. “I’ll take that to mean you’re not a horsewoman.”

“That would be a very good assumption to make.”

They reached the shed just as Frankie, a young hand she’d met the previous day, came out with a saddled horse. Hunter took the reins from him.

“Thanks, mate.”

Annie peered behind Frankie. “Only one horse? Were you that sure of my answer?”

Hunter winked at her. “You mentioned a lack of cows in Manhattan. I assumed the same held true for other four-legged creatures.”

Annie put her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know there are tons of horses in the city.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “There are horse-drawn buggies in Central Park and policemen who patrol the streets on horses.”

“I stand corrected then. Does this mean you want to ride alone rather than behind me?”

She glanced at the large animal and considered trying to control something so powerful on her own. Her gaze drifted back to Hunter’s muscular form and she licked her lips. He was certainly a strong creature she’d like to ride, though she suspected she wouldn’t have much more luck controlling
him
. Not that she’d mind that much. Visions of Hunter lying beneath her on the bed as she straddled his hips flashed before her eyes, and suddenly it wasn’t just sweat that was leaving her wet and sticky.

“Earth to Annie.”

She blinked rapidly, her vision focusing on Hunter as he waved his hand in front of her face.

“You still with me?”

She flushed, heat rising to her already too-warm face. “Sorry. Um. Zoned out. I think I’d rather ride with you.” The admission on the heels of her sex fantasy sent her mind straight back to the gutter, and she imagined Hunter’s fingers gripping her ass, urging her to go faster, harder.

Hunter gave her a funny look and she prayed he couldn’t read minds. He put their lunch in a pack attached to the back of the saddle, then mounted the horse.

Reaching down, he offered her a hand. “Put your left foot in the stirrup. I’ll pull you up.”

She placed her hand in his, marveling at the strength in his grasp. She’d never known such a physically powerful man. The men she’d dated in the city tended to be slimmer, more lean than muscular. Their hands hadn’t been rough with calluses, like Hunter’s.

His skin wore a natural golden tan she suspected was there year-round. She bet he never succumbed to the winter-white complexion that plagued most New Yorkers during the long, snowy months.

Once she was seated behind him, she knew she was in for a long afternoon of unending horniness. Her crotch was snug against his far-too-sexy ass and when he grasped her hands and pulled them around his waist, she clasped them together quickly, lest she be tempted to rest them somewhat lower.

“All right then?” he asked.

She nodded, tightening her grip as he flicked the reins and the horse began to move. They rode in silence for several minutes as Annie tried to batten down her physical urges. Hunter had made it clear nothing could happen between them. She’d come here to meet Dylan, though that reason seemed to matter less with each passing hour. In fact, she’d tried to call Monet the previous day, but the time difference and life weren’t being very kind to her. She recalled the message she’d left on Monnie’s machine and winced. Her friend would think she’d gone mental.

“Hi Monnie. I just…I just wanted to say hi. Australia is amazing. Hunter is…has been showing me the station. I hope Dylan is okay. I really need to talk to him. There’s something I need to… I really need to talk to him. Please tell him I said hello. I hope you’re looking after him. Love you.”

While she and Dylan had formed a fun friendship, complete with flirting, she didn’t think either of them had seriously engaged feelings. At least,
she
didn’t. She wasn’t sure about Dylan, but she needed to find out…and soon. Hunter’s hesitance to give in to the mutual attraction between them made her wonder if Dylan had said something about their online relationship being more serious.

Annie had jumped at the chance to travel to Australia because—in addition to wanting to meet Dylan in person—she’d wanted to get the hell out of the city before the Thanksgiving holiday kicked in. She needed a break from her family, her job, the paparazzi.

She glanced around. There wasn’t a single camera pointed at her, no one following her, shouting questions and inappropriate comments. For the moment, it was as if she and Hunter were the only two people on the planet.

Despite the ungodly heat and flies, she was starting to believe she’d found heaven on earth.

Hunter broke the silence first as he gestured to some outbuildings, explaining the purpose of each. As they rode, he pointed out various things—fencing, cattle grazing, trails they used for four-wheeling. The land was beautiful, isolated but useful. Everything seemed to have a purpose, a reason for being, and once again Annie felt like the stray piece of a puzzle, the one that didn’t fit.

She pushed the thought away. There wasn’t room for that today. She was too happy and unwilling to let go of that emotion.

They rode for nearly an hour as Hunter told her stories about growing up on the cattle station. She’d been shocked to learn he hadn’t gone to a proper school. Instead, his education had been achieved by some School in the Air, a rather bizarre concept where all the kids communicated with their teacher via radio. As he spoke, she marveled over how different their lives were. And yet, for some odd reason, she felt more connected to this stockman than she did with her friends from home, or even her sisters.

“Oh look,” she said, pointing to her right. “A lake.”

Hunter glanced over his shoulder. “That’s where we’ve been heading all this time. And love, that’s a
billabong
.”

He directed the horse toward a clearing. Hopping down, he reached up for her. Annie leaned forward, placing her trust in Hunter as he caught her, delivering her safely to the ground. He kept his arms around her as she struggled to find her footing.

“My legs are wiggly.”

He laughed at her description. “You’re not used to spending so much time on horseback. It gets easier.”

Once she’d gotten her sea legs back, Hunter released her, grabbing their lunch and a large blanket from the pack.

Annie walked closer to the water, enjoying the fresh, clean air and smell of wet earth. It was a welcome change after several days spent in the dry heat surrounding the homestead.

“It’s beautiful here.”

Hunter spread out the blanket and sat down. He patted the spot next to him. “Hope you’re hungry. Mum packed enough food for an army. You like roast beef sandwiches?”

She nodded.

“After we eat, we can take a dip if you want.”

“I didn’t bring a bathing suit.”

Hunter gave her a wicked grin. “Skivvies work just as well.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You expected me to swim in my underwear?”

“Why not? What’s a bikini if not a bra and undies? Of course, if you prefer, skinny-dipping works too. I just figured you might be a bit modest.”

She picked up a grape and threw it at his head. He dodged the tiny missile. “We’ll sort out the details after we eat. I’m starving.”

They chatted easily as they consumed Hazel’s delicious food, but Hunter had planted a dangerous seed. Too many times during the meal, Annie wondered if Hunter was serious about skinny-dipping. Would she do it if he asked? Could she? She didn’t consider herself shy by any stretch of the imagination, but Hunter wasn’t exactly a friend daring her as a lark.

She’d seen the way he looked at her, knew his feelings were no more platonic than hers.

“So what made you pick Dylan out of all the men in that online dating pool?”

Hunter’s question caught her off-guard, but suddenly she felt grateful for the chance to explain her reasons for signing up. He’d said enough over the past two days to give her the feeling he wasn’t a fan of finding true love virtually.

“Actually, I didn’t. My friend, Monet, was the one who spotted him. We were having a girls night, drinking wine, commiserating over my latest in a long line of shitty boyfriends. Next thing I know, Monet’s signing me up for the service, insisting that there was someone, somewhere in the world, who could love me for me and not my family’s money.”

Hunter scowled. “You been dating gold diggers?”

“Well, not by choice. Usually their true natures and reasons for going out with me don’t come out until much later in the relationship. Might be better to say I date actors. Even if they have other jobs, I always manage to find men who are very convincing when it comes to their interest in me.”

“New York men sound like wankers.”

She glanced at the lake, grinning. “Not all of them. I’ve actually dated some really nice guys too. Unfortunately those are invariably the ones I feel zero attraction to.”

“So if Monet picked Dylan, how did
you
end up talking to him?”

“She picked him out for
me
. We were three sheets to the wind and Monet gave him my email. One thing sort of led to another and before I knew it, we were emailing back and forth every day.”

“What did you two talk about?”

Annie shrugged. “Nothing deep, really. Our jobs, families, what we ate for breakfast. Silly stuff. Dylan’s a really easy guy to talk to. He was nice and,” she paused, trying to find the right word, “safe.”

“What’s that mean?”

Annie wiped her mouth and pushed away the paper plate. Once again, she’d eaten enough to choke a horse. If she stayed in Australia much longer, she’d have to start jogging to keep off the extra weight. “Dylan was half a world away. It’s easy to flirt with someone you run very little risk of ever seeing in person.”

“But you agreed to meet him.”

She nodded. Dylan’s invitation had come on a very bad day. Her boss had called her “Princess” during a staff meeting, Joel had found a new rich girlfriend, telling the tabloids Annie’s cold-fish tendencies in the bedroom led to their breakup, and her sister, Cindy, had called to inform her that their Thanksgiving meal was going to be recorded for a special holiday event on the reality show. “When I read that IM from Dylan, I was feeling pretty lonely. Getting out of town seemed like the answer to a prayer.”