Free A Father At Last by Julie Mac

occupation?”

    She said nothing.

    “Too risky, sweetness? I might chop my foot with the spade when I’m planting a tree and bleed to death.”

    “That’s just plain silly,” she said, but she couldn’t help herself smiling with him.

    He stepped forward then and wrapped both arms around her, drawing her into his body in a warm hug. His words had disturbed her, but his arms were strong and hard, and instinct told her she was safe with him. She resisted the wild impulse to press her hips closer to his. But it didn’t matter, because he was unable or unwilling to resist the urge to do the same to her, pulling her up close, into the strength of his body, hips touching hips.

    He buried his head in the soft curve of her neck, and as she wrapped her arms around him and let her fingertips trace the steely ridges of muscle running on either side of his spine, she felt the warmth of his lips on her flesh, and knew she wanted more.

    Experimentally, she moved against him, in the tiniest of squirms; he groaned A Father at Last
    “Don’t”, and moved, putting space between them.

    “You feel too good,” he said raggedly, then he released her and started packing up the chilly bin and gathering up the rug, and she felt oddly bereft.

    “Come on, I’ll walk you to the car park,” he said, his voice still husky. They picked up their shoes and walked side by side, close but not touching. All the other cars had gone, bar hers, a black BMW, which she guessed was Ben’s, and the plumber’s van she noticed earlier.

    At her car, he opened the back door and put the chilly bin on the floor behind the driver’s seat. “Take it home. There’s at least half a bottle of champagne left in there—have it tomorrow night. Shame to waste it.”

    “Come home with me, Ben. Dylan’s not there.” The words were out before she was even conscious of opening her mouth. She turned to face him, and she knew the answer, saw it in his rigid stance, before he spoke.

    “I can’t, sweetheart.” He reached out to draw her close. “Not tonight, I’m sorry.”

    She was thankful it was dark so he couldn’t see the flush warming her cheeks. She’d misread the situation, obviously, and she felt a fool. She pulled back from his embrace as a sickening realisation dawned.

    “Is there someone waiting at home for you? A wife? A girlfriend? I’m sorry, I didn’t think.” And then she was angry with herself for apologising. If he was already taken, he was the one who should be apologising.

    “No wives, no girlfriends. Where’s Dylan?”

    “What?”

    “Dylan—you said he wasn’t at home. Who’s got him?”

    “He’s staying overnight with my friend Marnie, and her husband Jamie. They’re his friend Lachlan’s parents and they live next door to us.”

    He’d rejected her; it hurt and she wanted to know why. He didn’t have a partner waiting for him at home. I can’t. Not tonight. Of course! How could she be so naïve? Night time was when the players in the shady underworld he inhabited came out to do business.

    “Are they good people?” He was looking down at her, waiting for an answer.

    “Who?”

    “Keep up, Kelly. This Maisie and her fella.”

    “Her name’s Marnie, and yes, she and Jamie are very good people. And they’re great with Dylan. They’re going for a family holiday to the Gold Coast in a couple of days with their two boys, and they’re taking him with them.” She couldn’t help smiling. Dylan was going to love his first trip overseas, his first ride in an aeroplane.

    “Terrific.” Ben wasn’t smiling. “And how long are they in Australia for?”

    Julie Mac

    “Ten days. I’ll miss him like mad, but he’ll enjoy every minute of it, so I’m glad he’s going.”

    “Can you trust them to look after him properly? Will this Jamie bloke protect him from sharks? And snakes? And crocodiles, goddammit?”

    “Absolutely.” Kelly felt laughter bubbling up. She’d always loved Ben’s crazy