Free Kakadu Sunset by Annie Seaton Page B

Billabong. The dour mood she’d be in since he mentioned the farm lifted when they’d turned off the main highway and headed east towards the billabong. Her face came alight as she pointed to some cabins in a cluster beside the dirt road. Kane caught a glimpse of a river behind them in the gap between the buildings.
    ‘That’s a culture camp run by one of the traditional owners,’ she said.
    ‘What do you mean by traditional owners?’
    ‘The local Aboriginal clans.’
    Ellie glanced across at him and Kane took note of her relaxed position. Her legs were curled up beneath her on the seat and her arm rested along the back of the seat. He lifted his gaze from the tanned thigh close to his.
    ‘The traditional owners make decisions in the management of the land, and many of them have roles within the park.’ She leaned her head back on the seat rest. ‘Heather is descended from one of the clans, and Bill, her dad, is heavily involved with the protection of the park.’
    ‘Protection from what?’
    ‘Mining initiatives, development, basically anything that threatens the park. He represents the local clan on a couple of parliamentary committees.’ Ellie’s voice was quiet and she turned away, staring out of the window and lost in her thoughts. They didn’t speak again until they passed a narrow road and she directed him to take a right turn then pull up next to a big noticeboard on the other side of an area where long tussock grass almost reached to the top of the bonnet of their vehicle.
    She grabbed the laminated poster off the seat, opened the door and jumped down from the seat, pulling a key from her pocket.
    Kane opened his door and climbed down, watching as Ellie unlocked the glass door at the front of the noticeboard. He walked through the long grass to stand beside her.
    ‘Any snakes around here?’ He kicked at the sandy soil between the mounds of grass, grateful for his sturdy boots. Plenty of holes and places for them to hide.
    ‘Nah, they’ll stay away. The main thing to worry about here is the crocs.’
    Kane looked up at her, unsure whether she was teasing him.
    She pinned the warning onto the board and then slid the front panel back down and locked it. ‘Want to have a look at the billabong while we’re here? The bird life is amazing.’
    ‘Sure, why not.’ Ellie strode ahead of him and Kane followed, enjoying the view. He’d noticed Heather’s posturing in the office and had been slightly amused by it, but he wasn’t here to get involved with anyone. Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate a tight butt and a fine set of legs.
    Kane expelled his breath and lifted his gaze as a huge expanse of water dotted with all manner of bird life opened up in front of them. A mass of purple waterlilies in full bloom edged the water, nodding over the flat lily pads. Beyond them, the billabong stretched as far as he could see.
    ‘How big is this? I always imagined billabongs were like a small dam.’
    ‘
Djarradjin
is almost three kilometres long. It’s one of the biggest billabongs in Kakadu.’
    Ellie stopped beside a wire fence that ran through the grass about three metres back from the edge of the water and Kane looked at it curiously. It was falling down, and in some places had been pushed flat to the ground. He could have stepped over it if he’d wanted to. ‘That wouldn’t stop a water buffalo in full flight, surely?’
    Ellie grinned at him with a flash of white teeth. It was the biggest smile he’d had from her yet. A lazy swirl of desire ran through him and he kept his eyes on her face. Her lips parted softly as she held his gaze for a second before she looked away and across to the water. A faint hint of colour touched her cheeks.
    ‘That’s to keep the tourists away from the water. There are crocodiles here.’
    ‘Are they really so dangerous?’ It was hard to believe there was danger in such a beautiful place.
    ‘Close your eyes.’ Ellie’s voice was soft. ‘What do you