Page 91 of No Strings

He goes from floating to swimming back with me.

“You didn’t have to get out as well.”

“I know but we can have a look around.”

I look around once more at the ghosts of the once standing building. I agree. It would be cool to see what stood here once.

Throwing me a towel, which I sling around my waist and slip my boots back on, and start walking. There’s a wall here and there, old style ovens, and simple floor plans still on concrete slabs.

We counted sixteen buildings. So, whatever was here was either a really small town or it was just simply housing for the men that worked the mine.

“Jump in once more before we head back?”

As if hearing his words, a bead of sweat rolls down between my shoulder blades, “Ah yeah.”

We drop the towels and kick our boots off. And with a simple nod, we’re running the small distance and jumping in together.

I’m laughing by the time my head is above the water. I swim over to Rhys, who is also laughing, wrap my arms around him, holding onto him. I feel the need to kiss him. So that’s what I do. His hands wrap around my body pulling me closer.

And things are starting to feel less friends with benefits and more… I’m not finishing that. I’m not thinking about it. We have an agreement.

I’m leaving.

Chapter Twenty-Six

RHYS

The day of the rodeo comes around quick enough. Things continue to shift between Morgan and I. Small things. A selfish part of me wants to ask her to stay, but another part, the part that is falling for Morgan knows, I can’t keep her here. Even she said it, she’s not cut out for a life up here.

She rarely sleeps in her own bed, which is fine because the one night she stayed in her own, I ended up in there because she had a nightmare. She still doesn’t know she has them, or that I crawl into her bed to stop them.

It’s six am when we all pile into the cars.

Miles and Dani ride with Brent and Molly. Molly’s teacher slash nanny stays behind. She’s quiet, and when she speaks, she’s very softly spoken. She seems so out of place here, and I see the way she tries to hide her own flinching when one of us men raise our voices. She has her own demons, I just hope Brent knows what he’s doing. We decide to leave Esky, Tia offered to take her. Morgan agreed and ran through everything as if Esky was a child and not an animal.

Morgan and I are with Beau and Davis, which I think is by design.

The rodeo is past the other side of Burra Point. It’s about a four-hour drive, which is why we’re leaving so early. Morgan is in the front with me, pillow up against the window and sunglasses firmly in place while she sleeps a little more. Davis and Beau are in the back, not speaking to each other. A spat in lovers paradise maybe? They’re always so hot and cold.

The crackle of the radio comes through. “We’re going to stop in Burra, I promised Molly Macca’s.”

“Coffee.” Morgan sits up like she just rose from the dead.

I pick up the receiver and tell Brent we will follow.

We all order something, so we decide to park up and eat together. Molly, Dani and Morgan sit on the hood of one of the cruisers, while the rest of us stand around. Molly talks about the rodeo last year, with Morgan hanging onto every word, giving Molly her full attention. We talk about a couple of the events and the riders. Brent uses rodeos as a networking event, while the rest of us use it as a couple days off to have fun.

Before we know it, we’re all done with our food and coffees, so we get back into the car’s and are back on the road.

Morgan is sitting crossed legged, hunched over her sketchpad. Food seems to be all Beau and Davis needed because they’re now talking to each other. I turn up the music, Ice Nine Kills comes on and with the opening notes, Morgan snaps her head up to look at me, grinning at the selection. I return her smile and focus back on the road.

We all chat, sing along with the music and laugh, and soon enough we see the signs for the Rodeo approaching.

“Oh my God!”

“Yeah, it’s not just bull riders.” I tell her.

There are rides, food trucks, three arenas, and a couple of makeshift bars with dance floors.