Page 27

Carter’s foot caught on a rock, sending it shooting down the slope in front of him. Beside him, Shaun kicked another rock, launching it into the bush on the side of the track. Matty took aim at another one. ‘Score!’ he called when it travelled further into the scrub than Shaun’s.

‘Mine was better than Carter’s miserable effort.’

‘I didn’t kick it on purpose!’ Bloody hell, these guys were brutal. But he enjoyed the ribbing; it made him remember the old times when he was actually part of the team instead of existing on the edge of it.

‘We’re on the steepest path known to man,’ Ray commented from Carter’s other side. He slid a little on some loose gravel in the pair of pluggers he was wearing. Carter was glad he’d thrown runners on. ‘And we’re going to have to walk back up it.’

‘At least we can tell the others that we didn’t skimp on cardio today despite having the day off,’ Carter said with a grin.

‘It better be worth it,’ Shaun grumbled.

‘It will be.’

‘How do you know?’ Matty asked. ‘Have you seen it before?’

Dammit. He couldn’t exactly say that he’d seen the beauty of the place reflected in Indy’s eyes when she’d mentioned it.

‘Ah, I heard Janet and Theresa raving about it when I asked for recommendations of sights to see. They said there was the view from the top paddock, some cave in a rock formation in a patch of scrub further down the mountain and the spot at the end of the gully track where Rocknest Creek runs along the western border. This is meant to be the pick of the three.’ He was rambling. Shut up, Carter .

‘If you’re wrong, Hendrix,’ Matty said, a lazy grin spreading across his face, ‘I’m getting a piggyback up this mountainside.’

‘Deal.’

Shaun let out a laugh. ‘Damn, I want in on that bet.’

Carter gave Shaun’s shoulder an unexpected shove, sending him careening into Matty.

Ray joined in the laughter but jogged ahead to get out of the way when the two boys launched themselves back at Carter.

He stepped back, sending them into the bush on the other side then quickly jog-hopped after Ray to get ahead.

Their shouts of laughter bounced around them as the descent opened into an oasis.

Carter’s jaw dropped as he marvelled at the big, smooth boulders that carved out deep pools.

The sun gleamed off the shallower section burbling over river rocks and the sound of trickling water had to belong to the nearby waterfall.

Bird calls surrounded them, the overhanging leafy treetops providing shade from the summer sun to keep them cool.

Matty let out a low whistle when they moved further into the gully and Indy and Emery came into view.

Emery, dressed in a bright blue bikini, sat on one of the giant boulders with their belongings.

Indy remained standing, her hair tumbling down her back, still wet from the water.

Carter was salivating. Her black bikini was more tube than the triangles Emery wore but the cut against her slim build and tanned skin was perfection.

There was something about his girl in a bikini that made him want to tear it off. Especially with that thigh tattoo.

‘This is definitely worth it,’ Shaun said.

Matty whipped his T-shirt off and tucked it into the back of his board shorts. ‘I knew coming to this creek was a good idea. Step off, boys, I’ve called this one.’

Carter’s hackles rose. Don’t do it .

‘There’s two of them,’ Shaun said. ‘Which one’s your pick?’

‘The brunette one, mmm mmm, sit back and watch me work.’

Carter’s fingers curled into fists. He focused on his breathing.

‘I was hoping you’d say that. I’m loving the redhead,’ Shaun said.

‘Put it away, fellas,’ Carter growled. ‘They’re not eye candy or a way of passing the time by seeing how quickly you can get in their pants. Have you seen how hard they work? They deserve a day off without being hassled.’

They stared at him with wide eyes. Ray stayed quiet.

‘We were just mucking around,’ Shaun mumbled.

Carter sighed. ‘I know, but what if they heard you? Pretty sure your chances would completely disappear.’

‘Let’s go swimming,’ Ray said, pushing forwards.

Shaun and Matty kept silent but followed him. Carter didn’t know if anything he said would stick or if they thought he had a point, but at least they hadn’t challenged him.

Despair filled him. No doubt this would get back to Beau and give him more ammo. Should he have kept his mouth shut?

No. It was his girl they were talking about. Not that they knew that. Would they still have done it if they did? He hoped not.

He started off after them.

The girls looked up as the men drew nearer and Indy’s eyes connected with Carter’s before she looked away.

Emery dragged on a long-sleeved shirt, like the kind from a fishing store, but left the buttons undone.

She was quite pale; maybe she was worried about the sun or felt too exposed around the guys.

He bristled. Indy had had a rough upbringing and he’d place money on Emery having had one too.

‘Hey, Indy,’ Ray called as they rock hopped over to the boulder the girls were on. It was huge. All of them were, as if giants had played marbles along the creek bed.

‘Ray, isn’t it?’ Indy asked, accepting the hand he held out to shake. ‘This is Emery. Hey, Carter.’

Celebratory sparks flew around inside Carter’s mind. His was the only name she cared about.

‘Hi, Indy.’ He grinned then nodded at Emery. ‘Hey.’ She smiled hesitantly so he continued, pointing at his two teammates, ‘Matty Finch and Shaun Burgess. This place is spectacular.’

Indy stepped back and held her arms out. ‘It’s our pocket of paradise and we love it. Over that boulder is a naturally formed rock water slide into the deepest pool. We haven’t been able to hold our breath long enough to reach the bottom yet.’

‘It’s a work in progress,’ Emery said. ‘But when we need a break from that game, we take turns on the rope swing we built.’

Carter turned to the tree over the deep pool Indy had pointed to and caught sight of a piece of rope dangling from it. Excitement overtook any other feeling. This was going to be fun.

The sun rose higher in the sky as they slid down the rockslide, swung from the rope and lay on the smooth surfaces of the river rocks to let the water tumble over them. It was like a massage delivered by Mother Nature herself.

‘Indy and Emery, you two sure are lucky that your job includes highlights like this place,’ Ray said, pulling himself onto one of the boulders.

‘Yep,’ Emery agreed from where she lay over the inner tube of a tyre that must have once belonged to a tractor, given its size. ‘Our lives were on totally different trajectories when Nova found us.’

‘Really?’ Ray asked. ‘What kind of trajectories?’

Carter paused at the top of the slide, his attention drawn by the interest in the assistant coach’s voice.

Emery fiddled with the cuffs of her shirt. ‘I was grieving my grandmother, who cared for me most of my life, and Indy was on her way to represent Australia in the pickpocketing Olympics.’

‘Quickest fingers in all of Denarlie,’ Indy confirmed lazily. She was propped through the middle of another tube, her head resting on her folded arms. Carter could’ve sworn she was asleep.

‘I need food,’ Matty declared as he surfaced, breathing heavily. He’d bypassed the rope swing and jumped from the branch it was tied to in an attempt to touch the bottom of the pool.

‘Indy and I packed some snacks,’ Emery said. ‘They’re in the ute.’

‘Correction, Theresa packed a bloody picnic for an army,’ Indy said.

‘I vote food.’ Shaun led the charge up the jagged rock formation that doubled as steps out of the water. Everyone except Indy followed, and Carter, who’d been sitting at the top of the slide, slipped into the water, surfacing through Emery’s abandoned tyre.

‘I could get used to this,’ he said, letting his hands trail in the water and his chin rest on the side. It was warm from the sun, a nice contrast to the cool mountain water.

‘You’d miss the action and party lights of Sydney too much.’ Her lazy tone was laced with a bite.

He lifted his head to look at her and frowned. ‘Seriously? When have I ever said anything about enjoying that lifestyle?’

She opened her eyes then her mouth before shutting it again and looking thoughtful. ‘You haven’t,’ she said. ‘Sorry, I just assumed.’

‘No, you lumped me in with a stereotype,’ he said.

She cringed but stayed quiet. ‘We moved around a lot when I was a kid, you know, because my dad was in the army, and he had a new posting every four years or so. But my favourite places to live were the small towns like Singleton and Toowoomba. My mum had worked with horses so wherever we were, we lived on land. It wasn’t until I got into the Scorpions junior program that we moved into the city.

I’m already planning on retiring to a big-arse property, preferably in Euronga, where we lived when my dad died, once my footy days are over. ’

Indy chewed on her lip. ‘The more I learn about you, the more we seem to have in common.’

Carter grabbed the edge of her float and pulled her closer. He slapped a chaste kiss to her lips.

She leant backwards, a scowl on her face. ‘What are you thinking? Anyone could’ve seen that!’

‘Relax, they’re all at the ute.’

‘You don’t know that for sure. We agreed to ignore each other around people. It’s too risky.’

‘It’s hard being around you and not being able to touch you.’ Frustration ate away at him.

Then something ran down his leg and he jumped, pulling them up until he realised it was Indy’s foot. He laughed and she grinned, wrapping her legs around his.

‘It’s hard for me too.’

Dammit. He wanted to kiss her again.

‘Are you guys coming for some food?’ Ray’s head popped over the boulder and even though their intertwined legs were hidden by the floats and dark water, they sprang apart.

‘Be there in a sec.’

After a feast of fruit, cold roast chicken pieces and cob loaf, the girls took to the giant boulders to sun themselves while Carter sat on a rock in waist-deep water and tossed a football back and forth with Shaun and Matty.

Ray was doing some exploratory diving with a snorkel and flippers he’d found in the ute.

Matty and Shaun were trying trick shots and ribbing each other with a constant stream of insults.

Carter only half-listened. He couldn’t stop glancing at Indy.

She was the most relaxed he’d ever seen her.

She was having fun, laughing and smiling.

He wanted to believe that it was all because of him, because of the last couple of nights they’d spent together and their stolen moment before lunch.

But that was only part of it. Being out here made her happy.

Spending time in the sun with her friend.

He should be just as relaxed. Beau and his gang had gone into town and Carter had been up early practising his conversions.

With memories of his night with Indy fuelling him, his kicks had been successful from all angles and distances.

Jonathan had been watching from the tree line and clapped him on the back proudly.

And now, sitting in the beauty of Mother Nature, well, it was a good day. Why was he feeling so unsettled?

Ray surfaced and threw the mask and snorkel onto the boulder before hoisting himself up beside Indy.

Carter’s gaze narrowed as Ray said something to her—Carter was too far away to hear what it was—and Indy tipped her head back with laughter.

Jealousy erupted in his chest like lava from a volcano.

Whoa. The intensity of it surprised him and he focused on dragging his fingers through the water to stop from going over there and forcing his way between Indy and Ray.

There was no need to beat his chest like King Kong.

Outside of being polite, Indy hadn’t given Ray any notice. Carter had no reason to not trust her.

Shit. He was in deep. Really deep, and he needed to check himself. Indy affected him in a big way. If she really was the sun his world rotated around, then what would happen when camp was over?

Thunk!

Laughter rang out at the pass he hadn’t even seen coming. This side of his head smarted. He shook it out and smiled.

‘Get your head in the game, Hendrix!’ Shaun called.

‘What is it that Jonathan always tells us? Always keep your eyes on the ball?’ Matty laughed hard, shutting his eyes.

Carter picked up the football and threw it at Matty’s head. Bullseye. ‘I will if you will.’