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Chief was lying quietly behind him. The shepherd was exhausted after a day of excitement—Steve Lewis had come by around noon and dropped off Baxter’s magnificent new boat. Chief had run aboard, barking excitedly at all the new smells. She was now tethered to the jetty, gleaming in the fading
sunlight. Baxter hadn’t decided what to call her yet. He knew it was sentimental, but he missed old
Flora Jane
.

Presently, Chief growled, stood up and pointed his nose towards the track that led down to the main road. ‘Surely not someone at this hour,’ Baxter muttered.

He stood up as a car pulled to a stop beside the house. Then his eyes widened when Liz Drew got out and came walking down to the jetty. She lifted her hand in a wave, which he returned. Immediately his annoyance left him. He wound up his handline and went to meet her.

‘Hi, Greg,’ Liz said as he came up close to her. She gave him a dazzling smile, put her arms around his neck, and then kissed him warmly on the cheek.

‘This is an unexpected pleasure, Liz,’ Baxter said, stepping back and scrutinising her. ‘You look very well.’

She was dressed in blue jeans and a red blouse, and wore a grey Akubra pushed back on her head. She looked about eighteen. For a moment Baxter had a picture of her as he reckoned she might have looked when she first came to Moondilla with the country and western troupe.

‘Thank you. I feel well, too. I’m going home, Greg.
Home
. Back to the cattle property Dad left me.’ She beamed. ‘I sold my house and I’m packed and on my way. Can I stay here with you tonight?’

Baxter looked at her. What Liz wanted didn’t have to be spelt out.

His heart leapt. ‘If that’s what you want,’ he said.

She didn’t say anything—she just smiled.

Baxter walked back along the jetty and stowed his handline in his fishing basket. He pulled the sugar bag out of the river, untied it from the pylon and let the water drain from it. As he worked, he cast a glance in the direction of the old dairy, wondering what Lester or the other bloke was thinking of all this.

When Baxter re-joined Liz, she took his arm and they walked up to the house. He paused beside her car and smiled—it was packed to the roof with boxes and suitcases. A guitar case lay on top of the pile.

‘You really are going home,’ he said.

‘I really am.’ She sighed, then she shot him a wicked look. ‘But not yet.’

He laughed. ‘Let me carry your bag, Liz.’

She dug about among the cases on the front seat and came up with a small overnight bag. ‘That’s all I’ll need tonight,’ she said, and they went up to the verandah, his arm still in hers. Chief was walking beside them, and Liz looked at him and shook her head. ‘I’d like a dog same as Chief. Would there be one, I wonder?’

‘Maybe, maybe not, but I think he’s exceptional. If I own other dogs they’ll all have to stand comparison to him. He’s a fantastic mate and a tremendous watchdog.’

‘Well, Chief is going to have to share you with me tonight,’ Liz said. They walked inside. ‘Where’s your bedroom?’

He grinned. ‘Down the hall and to the left—if you’re sure that’s what you want.’

Liz stopped and dropped one hand to a well-shaped hip. ‘Don’t you?’

The look in his eyes gave her the answer, and she smiled and turned away.

•

When she came out of the bedroom, he asked if she’d like a drink.

‘A gin and tonic would be nice, if you run to such things. I mean, I know you don’t drink. Orange juice would be fine too.’

‘Mum brought me some drinks on her last visit. She thinks its inhospitable not to have an array on hand for visitors, especially for—in her words—modern young women who expect such things.’

‘Some mother,’ Liz said, laughing.

‘You can say that again. Did you notice my new boat?’

‘The one tied to the jetty? It looked very impressive.’

‘Well, it’s an early birthday present from Mum.’

‘Some present!’

He fixed Liz’s drink and handed it to her. ‘I’m off to the kitchen now. Would you like to have a shower or watch some TV while I cook?’

‘I’d prefer to watch
you
,’ Liz said and smiled.

Liz’s smile was something else, Baxter thought. It promised a lot—a hell of a lot.

She followed him into the kitchen, perched herself on a stool, and watched him while she sipped her gin and tonic. ‘Tell me if I can help,’ she asked after a little while.

‘Thanks. You can take some plates and cutlery from these cupboards and set the table. There’s tablecloths in the drawer beside you.’

‘That all?’ she asked and laid a hand on his arm.

‘For now,’ he said, his voice low.

She smiled and followed his instructions. ‘What are you preparing?’ she asked when she returned to the kitchen.

‘A bit of this and a bit of that,’ he answered. ‘I hope you like it.’

‘You couldn’t do anything I wouldn’t like.’

‘You’ll give me a big head, Liz.’

‘Well, after that lunch you made last time, I have an idea of what you can do in the kitchen. And Julie keeps me informed about your other culinary masterpieces. Isn’t
she
the lucky one?’ Liz arched an eyebrow.

Baxter didn’t want to talk about Julie—not tonight, anyway. ‘Mum taught me to appreciate food. She says that every meal should taste good enough to be remembered long afterwards.’

There was a gleam in Liz’s eyes. ‘That’s true of so many things.’

•

Later, after complimenting him on the meal, Liz insisted on doing the washing up. She did it hastily: apparently she didn’t
wish to dwell in the kitchen. As Baxter was putting things away, her hand rested lightly on his backside. Heat surged through his body.

‘What now, Greg?’ she asked.

‘I’m going to have a bath—I probably smell a bit fishy.’

‘All right, but you smell pretty good to me.’

He was soaking in the bath when she appeared in the doorway, just as he’d hoped. She walked to the side of the tub and looked down at him.

‘My God,’ she breathed.

He watched her unbutton her blouse and place it across the bathroom chair. It was followed by her bra and then her jeans and knickers. Free of her clothes, she stepped into the bath and sat down behind him. She bent forward and kissed him.

He leaned back against her and felt her lovely breasts pressing against his back. She was soaping and kissing him simultaneously. ‘You sure have a great body,’ she said.

‘So have you,’ he said, and leaned his head against hers.

‘It’s not quite what it was.’

‘No, I’m sure it’s even better.’

She laughed softly and put her hand to his groin. ‘You ready to get out?’

He stepped out of the tub, then gave her his hand and watched her as she stood up. He handed her a big fluffy towel and she rubbed herself dry with slow, provocative movements. When she’d finished, she walked to the bathroom
door and looked back at him. Every movement she made was unforgettable.

‘You won’t be long, will you?’ she asked.

‘I’ll be right behind you, Liz.’

She nodded, smiled and then swayed away. She was completely at home in her nakedness.

•

Liz was lying on the bed when Baxter walked into his room. Her lovely body was outlined against the deep blue silk sheets his mother had insisted on buying him, and her long blonde hair was spread like a halo across a blue pillow. She put her arms up to him. ‘Come here, you black belt maestro, and show me how you perform in bed.’

A grey shape jumped up onto the foot of the bed and then made its way towards the pillows. Baxter watched in amusement as Chief put his head down and licked Liz on the face before retreating back down the bed.

‘That’s a first,’ she said, laughing. ‘I’ve never been to bed with a man and his dog.’

Baxter was laughing too. ‘Chief’s just given you his seal of approval, Liz. He’ll get down when I get in. He always sleeps on the floor beside me.’

When Baxter climbed in beside Liz, sure enough Chief jumped off the bed and lay beside it. ‘What a dog,’ Liz breathed as she reached for Baxter.

‘What a woman,’ he said and kissed her.

He was to remember this night for a long time. He’d slept with a few women, all of them younger and some of them fitter than Liz, but none had come near her in bed. While they’d given him some memorable experiences, Liz eclipsed every one of them.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Baxter didn’t get much sleep that night and was feeling very light-headed when he got up the next morning. Liz was sound asleep with a half-smile on her face.

No wonder, he thought, that Jack Drew had been jealous if any man even looked at Liz. She was a sexual treasure.

After having a shower and getting dressed, Baxter ate an omelette, then made another, filled a glass with orange juice and took breakfast in to his guest. She was still asleep and he hated waking her. He knew he should let her sleep on, but she had a big drive ahead of her.

‘Liz,’ he whispered and kissed her cheek.

‘What is it, honey?’ she asked and reached for him.

‘Breakfast,’ he said softly.

‘Already?’ She opened one eye and looked at the tray in his hands. ‘Breakfast in bed—I’ve never had breakfast in bed. I want to kiss you, Greg.’ She kissed him several times, then took the tray. ‘Feel better, honey?’

‘Considerably.’ It wasn’t the total truth, as he felt like going back to bed with her, but he did feel less tense.

‘Think you’ll remember me?’ she asked, her lips brushing his cheek.

‘For a very long time,’ he assured her. ‘Go on, have some breakfast. You should be ready for it after last night.’

•

He was reading a two-day-old newspaper when she came into the kitchen, freshly showered and wearing the same blue jeans but with a different blouse. There was a real glow about her that he thought was pretty incredible, considering the effort she’d expended during the night.

‘You look good enough to eat,’ he said. ‘Tea or coffee?’ The two pots were sitting in front of him on the table.

‘Coffee would be wonderful,’ she said, sitting down.

He poured her a mug and then appraised her again. ‘You shouldn’t look as good as you do,’ he said.

She shrugged and gave him a small, pleased smile. ‘I was feeling very fresh last night. You know, I’d been thinking about you quite a lot.’

The idea of her thinking about him like that made him hot all over. ‘I’m not sure exactly how to put this, Liz, but you’re
the most . . . the most
woman
I’ve ever known. I hope you understand what I mean.’

‘I like sex,’ she said, matter-of-fact. ‘Especially when it’s with someone I really like. And I like you a lot, honey,’ she added warmly.

They smiled at each other for a moment.

‘What are you going to do with your life, Liz?’

She dropped her eyes and shrugged. ‘Who knows, I might marry a cattleman.’

‘Lucky cattleman,’ he said.

She got up and came around the table to him. He felt her firm breasts press against him as she kissed him and sat on his lap. ‘You can make a person feel real good without even trying,’ she said huskily, and they kissed for a while, his arms around her.

When they came up for air, Baxter stroked her cheek and said, ‘Don’t just marry any cattleman, Liz. Marry a fellow who loves you and doesn’t booze. Have a couple of kids. You’re a very warm person—you’d give your kids plenty of love and affection.’

‘I’ll see what I can do.’ She smiled down at him affectionately, then slid from his lap and sat at the table again. ‘Someday I’ll make a trip back here to see you and Julie. Though I should hope that there’ll be no Franco Campanelli to concern me.’

‘By then I’m sure there won’t be,’ Baxter said, thinking of what Lester had told him. ‘Maybe you’ll be able to bring your family.’

‘Maybe.’ She finished her coffee. ‘There are two favours I’d like to ask of you before I go, Greg.’

‘Ask away, Liz,’ he said with a smile.

‘I’d like you to take me for a run in your new boat. I want to remember you and this river and my last morning here.’

‘Okay, what’s the other?’ he asked.

‘I’d like to watch you doing your exercises and martial arts routines—Julie says they’re worth seeing.’

‘No problem,’ he said. ‘But when do you plan on leaving?’

She met his eyes and smiled. ‘If it were only up to me I wouldn’t leave at all. But, as it is . . . probably after lunch.’

•

Baxter packed ham-and-tomato sandwiches, small cream cakes and a thermos of hot water. With Liz holding on to his arm, they walked down to the jetty.

He handed her into the new boat and watched as Chief followed. Then he untied the two mooring ropes, threw them onto the boat and jumped on board. Liz stood beside him while he started the engine and listened as it purred into life.

He backed the boat out into the river and then pointed it down towards the harbour. They passed under the bridge and traversed the harbour’s mouth before coming back into the river proper. When they reached the bridge again, Baxter kellicked the boat and they had their morning smoko in the cabin.

‘This and what happened last night must be as close to
paradise as I’ll ever experience,’ Liz said and pressed his arm. ‘And doesn’t Chief like to be here?’

The dog’s tail was wagging and he was sniffing around, his eyes bright.

‘He’s nuts on this boat,’ Baxter agreed. ‘Must be all the new smells—he has a very acute nose.’

Liz was staring out across the water, her eyes suddenly sad. ‘Jack liked his boat. He was liking it more and more towards the end. If only he hadn’t been so keen on the booze.’ She sighed. ‘I still don’t understand why.’

Baxter gave her a sympathetic look. ‘Neither do I. There’s no answers in a bottle, Liz. Like there’s no answers from using drugs.’

•

Liz sat on a chair in the shed and watched Baxter perform some of his old gymnastic exercises followed by his martial arts routine. He was clad only in white shorts and white gym shoes. When he’d finished, she told him it was a performance she was likely never to forget. She said, a sparkle in her eyes, that Baxter had the best body she’d ever seen, and she had never seen anyone who could move like him. She didn’t have to add that this included her late husband.