Page 174 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

Harper wrapped her arms around his shoulder as he began walking. “In that freezing water again? I don’t think?—”

He didn’t let her finish. Four steps into the billabong, he dropped, taking her under the surface with him.

They both resurfaced laughing, Harper clinging to him, water streaming down her face, her shoulder, over her now-clean breasts.

“All right, you two,” Keith yelled from the bank, “we gotta go. Hazel’s expecting Harper back for dinner and I don’t think she’d be happy with a drippy American sitting at the table, do you?”

Letting Harper slip from his arms, Marc turned back to his best mate. His chest tightened, the fact Keith hadn’t gotten off yet not lost on him. He’d always suspected Blue had phenomenal staying power and control. The Outback was a bloody big place but that didn’t stop talk reducing it to the size of a postage stamp. Talk that made its way back to Farpoint with the young jackaroos after a day trip to town. More than one woman in Cobar had proclaimed Keith Munroe to be the best lover she’d ever had and, after watching him with Harper, Marc didn’t doubt it.

“You don’t want…” Harper’s voice faded away. Marc looked at her, finding her chewing her bottom lip, her stare on Keith. Obviously the fact he was the only one yet to come hadn’t been lost on her either.

“Later, darl’.” Keith’s answer was low, a vow Marc didn’t miss in his words. “I promise.”

With a slight nod and a quick glance at Marc, Harper dunked back under the water.

Marc gave his best friend a quizzical look.

“You sure, Blue?”

Keith grinned. “Sure.”

He was walking back to the ute by the time Harper resurfaced, pausing only to scoop his hat up from where he’d tossed it earlier and place it back on his head.

“Ladies and gentleman,” Marc said, smirking at his mate’s back, “may I introduce Keith Munroe, the naked stockman.”

Keith flipped him the bird without turning or slowing down.

Ten minutes later, all three were dressed and in the ute. Marc sat in the back with Harper, his arm draped around her shoulder as Keith started the engine.

She sat silently beside him, her teeth still playing with her bottom lip, her eyes hidden by dark sunglasses.

He gave her a gentle nudge. “You okay, love?”

“Yeah. Just trying to…comprehend what we did.”

Marc’s gut knotted but he forced his expression, his body, to stay relaxed. “You regretting it?”

For an answer, Harper leaned toward him and brushed her lips over his. “No. Not one little bit. Just thinking about who I am now. What this means. You may not believe it, given how brazen I was back there, but I’m not exactly…experienced. I’ve led a sheltered life. If it wasn’t for Amy, I never would have found the courage to leave Chicago, let alone…” Her cheeks blushed a delightful pink and she rolled her eyes, ducking her head. “Well, you know…what we did.”

Marc held her closer as Keith navigated the old dirt road back toward Farpoint’s homestead. “Love, by the time you go back home, I suspect ‘well, you know, what we did’ will have happened many more times. And I’m glad you found the courage to come to Australia. I’m pretty certain if it wasn’t for you and the way you affected both me and Keith, ‘well, you know, what we did’ wouldn’t have happened with any other woman. It was intense.Especiallywhen you consider you’re…” He paused, unsure how to continue.

She frowned. “What?”

He cleared his throat. “A lesbian.”

Harper’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m awhat?”

A fast beat thumped into life in Marc’s head. He narrowed his eyes, studying her. Fuck, he was going to kill Big Mac.

“Seeing as I’m a what?” Harper repeated, clearly trying not to laugh.

He bit back a growl. “Bloody Ronald MacNamara told Blue and I you were a lesbian. Said trying to kiss you was a waste of time.”

Harper blinked at him. “I think I’d like to have a word with Ronnie.”

Marc snorted. “Get in line, love. We shoulda known he’d pull a stunt like that. He’s been out for revenge ever since I—” He stopped abruptly. “Well, let’s just say we don’t get along and leave it at that.”

Curiosity flittered across Harper’s face.