Page 46 of Sharing Forever in Hope Creek (Hope Creek #2)

He closed his eyes and bent his head so his forehead rested against hers. ‘You’ve carried more than anyone should ever have to carry.’

‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?’ she quipped.

Jack pulled her against him again and she went willingly, savouring the security of being in his arms and breathing in the unique scent of him.

‘I feel like I’m home,’ he said huskily against her ear.

‘It’s beautiful here,’ she agreed as she looked out across the paddocks and then at the dusty road that led back to town. ‘And I have to tell you that you are home. The people of Hope Creek have been one hundred per cent behind you, so they’ll be happy you feel you’re at home here.’

‘I do, but that’s not what I meant.’ He shook his head and stressed, ‘You feel like home to me, Callie. Wherever you are will be my home.’

His words made a fresh pool of tears well in her eyes and they inevitably tracked over her eyelids and down her cheeks.

‘Walk with me, down to the creek?’ he asked.

‘If you like, but we can go inside. I’m the only one home.’

He grinned at her. ‘I know.’

When she frowned at him, he explained, ‘Jim and Margaret knew I was coming.’

‘Oh!’ Her eyes widened.

‘I swore them to secrecy. I wanted to surprise you.’

Her memory replayed the way Margaret had given a light shrug and told her they’d see how things panned out. ‘What time were you released?’

He smiled his attractive smile again. ‘What makes you think I was released? How do you know this isn’t a jailbreak? Maybe I used my wealth to organise a helicopter to pick me up on top of the remand centre and fly me straight to you.’

‘Now you’re sounding like Liz.’ She laughed and threw a light punch at his left shoulder. ‘I know, Jack, because last time I saw you your clothes were very different.’

‘I could’ve changed in the chopper,’ he teased.

‘Don’t even joke about it.’ She was serious.

‘I was released late last night after the police questioned Fiona Harris.’

‘Gary told us they’d found her and taken her in for questioning.’

‘Apparently she was very cooperative.’

‘They didn’t tell you that she was found in possession of cocaine and they struck a deal to go easier on her if she told them what she knew?’

‘No. They didn’t tell me that. All I know from Detective Fahey is that there was enough evidence to support what you’d found out, and apparently Marcus’s girlfriend was able to give them more solid evidence that implicated Marcus directly in Thompson’s murder.

I was released with an apology, but as far as I know they haven’t located Marcus yet for questioning. ’

Her breath stalled. ‘Are you in any danger from him?’

‘I doubt it. He’ll have gone to ground.’

‘But he’s already killed once and he obviously wants to ruin your life.’

He raised his hand and soothed it over her hair. ‘Relax, Callie. It’s over.’

She let her head fall forward against his chest once again. ‘Your name is cleared then?’

‘I believe the police will be issuing a formal statement—’ he glanced at his watch, ‘—in an hour or so. Meanwhile, let’s go for that walk before the place is overrun with journalists.’

‘If they get here this afternoon, I doubt they’ll get past Jim and Blue.’

Hand in hand, Callie walked with Jack towards the winding creek that gave the district its name.

She heard Jack inhale deeply and said, ‘It must be good to be out of those horrible brick walls and to be able to breathe the fresh air again.’

‘This air smells like freedom and it represents a second chance,’ he told her before adding cryptically, ‘A chance I have no intention of blowing.’

Before she could ask him what he was being given a second chance for, he’d stopped and turned her into his arms once again.

Her thoughts frayed as his lips brushed at her temple.

A fire lit deep in her tummy and she felt her lips soften, felt them part in anticipation of his kiss like the petals of a flower opening to the sun.

His mouth was hot against hers and their potent, scorching kisses melded them together and set off an insistent, thrumming hunger within her. Clinging to him and making little sounds from the back of her throat that communicated her need, Callie couldn’t contain her desire.

But long after she’d reached the point of mindlessness, Jack pulled back.

‘We need to stop or we’ll be here all day,’ he told her.

‘I’m not complaining.’

‘I can think of more comfortable places to be when we make love again, sweetheart.’

Callie could too. She went to turn back towards the homestead, but Jack caught her hand. ‘Not yet. We have to finish our walk.’

To hell with the walk , she wanted to tell him, but she could see it was important to him and she hadn’t been the one who’d been confined by four solid walls for days on end. So they walked on under the branches of the river gums that swayed lazily in the gentle breeze.

Convincing herself that their lovemaking could wait and that she should enjoy every second of merely being with Jack, Callie watched the dragonflies skim the surface of the creek.

Walking hand in hand, she listened to their footsteps as they crackled softly over dry leaves and pebbles covering the narrow trail on the bank of the creek.

‘It’s awesome here, isn’t it?’ Jack asked. ‘It’s such an ancient land. These banks have seen so many lifetimes pass.’

‘I know what you mean. I’ve spent so many happy years here—I’ll always feel as though there’s a piece of my soul that will remain here until the end of time.’

When they reached a bend in the creek where the water widened and deepened, flowing clear over the smooth stones, Jack slowed down. Unexpectedly, he dropped her hand and squatted on his haunches by the edge of the water to pick up a couple of small, flat pebbles.

His lips curved into a sexy smile that made her heart stutter, but she couldn’t interpret the message she saw in his eyes.

He straightened, tested the weight of one of the stones in his hand and winked at her. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the pebble skipping across the surface of the creek. It sent up two sprays of water as it danced twice across the surface before disappearing beneath the water.

She was watching the ripples when Jack held out a flat stone to her.

‘Your turn,’ he challenged.

She grinned back at him as she reached out for the stone. ‘You’re on!’

When their fingers brushed against each other, Callie had to swallow hard. Every time they touched there was a potent, electrifying awareness that speared through her.

No. She wasn’t going to let her attraction to Jack spoil her skills at skipping this stone. He’d challenged her and she was going to be equal to the task.

Her fingertips traced over the cool, smooth surface of the stone and she looked at the water, picking the spot where she’d direct the stone. Flicking her wrist, using the same action as Jack had done, she let the stone fly.

‘One. Two. Three!’ She cheered her own performance having skipped the stone once more than Jack. ‘Yay! I win.’

‘I declare it a tie.’

‘No way!’

‘Mm-hm,’ he asserted as he stepped closer to her and his arms encircled her waist, pulling her back against him gently. His hands rested tenderly over her abdomen and his chin rested lightly against the top of her head.

God, but she loved this man so much she wanted to cry all over again.

So close to telling him, she tilted her head so she could look up at him. Not satisfied with that, she turned in the circle of the arms so she could look up at him properly.

His expression was softer and when he spoke, his voice was scratchy as though the words that emerged had been waiting for too long to come out. ‘I love you, Callie.’

In her head, she answered, I know. But all she could actually do was look up at his expression of adoration and savour it, wanting to commit this moment to her memory so she never forgot how amazing it felt to hear him say the words.

‘I couldn’t tell you before now. I couldn’t ask you to love me back while I was locked up and my future was uncertain.’

Her chest tightened at the raw honesty in his eyes.

He reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand once again, caressing the tip of his thumb across the smoothness of her skin. ‘I love you and I want to build my future with you. A loving, lasting future.’

Tears of happiness stung her eyes.

The kind of love that she saw in his gaze was a dream come true. It was raw, honest and steadfast. A love so strong that he was prepared to declare himself and leave himself vulnerable to rejection.

‘I love you too, Jack.’ Her words were barely audible and shaky with emotion. Pausing for a breath, she told him in a stronger voice, ‘I’ve missed you so much. I’ve ached for you to be with me these last few days and I can’t even begin to imagine a future now without you in it.’

He caught her to him with one hand and used the fingertips of his other hand to brush away her tears. Before he lowered his head to capture her lips he said, ‘Just as well, because I’m not going anywhere. I want to share forever with you.’

When they pulled away from the kisses that communicated their love and commitment to each other, Jack bent down again and retrieved another couple of pebbles.

‘Here.’ He handed her a pebble. ‘I want you to throw this into the creek.’

A bit puzzled she did as he asked, then watched as he threw a stone and it landed right where hers had.

‘Whatever comes our way, we stand together just like those stones in the creek. You’ve already shown me you’ll stand by me. I hope you don’t ever have to face something so dramatic again, but I promise you I’ll always strive to be there for you, especially in the moments you most need me.’

The certainty in his words were echoed in her heart. She believed they’d make it—that they’d face and endure any storm life ever threw their way.

‘I …’ Speech deserted her and her eyes widened as her right palm cupped her abdomen. ‘Oh my goodness!’

‘Callie?’ His expression revealed his instant concern.

‘Oh yes! There it is again.’ She laughed and reached for his hand. ‘Hang on.’

The slight feeling came again.

‘Can you feel that?’ she asked him.

‘The baby’s kicking?’ Then there was a stronger sensation. ‘Yes! Yes! I felt it that time.’

‘Oh gosh, I’m turning into a regular waterworks,’ Callie apologised as her vision blurred seconds before more uncontrollable tears of joy broke over her lower eyelids.

‘Happy tears are allowed,’ he told her as he moved his hand around her tummy, trying to find another spot where he could feel the movement.

There were no more movements to be felt. ‘I think that’s it!’ she told him. ‘Our baby might take after me. I’m not sporty like Stella or Morgan. I don’t mind a little bit of exercise but then I’m done.’

Jack laughed. ‘I don’t need you to be a sports queen.’

‘Phew! Just as well.’

His eyes were full of joy and love as he took something out of his pocket, dropped to his knee and then held a small jewellery box towards her. ‘Callie, will you marry me?’

‘Yes, Jack. Yes!’ She nodded ecstatically as he took the ring out of the box and slipped it over her finger. ‘Thank you. It’s beautiful.’

‘You don’t mind not choosing it yourself? Because if you do, we can return—’

‘No way.’ She looked at the large, sparkling diamond. It was raised up from a curved band that was also set with smaller diamonds.

‘I wanted to be able to give you a ring when I proposed, so I went to a jeweller in Melbourne this morning before I jumped on the helicopter.’

It was still unbelievable to her that he’d arrived by helicopter and landed in the side paddock!

‘This is perfect.’ She loved it, but it was made perfect by the fact that Jack had given it to her as a symbol of his love.

Jack’s lips claimed hers in a slow kiss that was so sensuous, so hot, that Callie imagined it melted both of them and reformed them together in the shape of something wonderfully new.

‘Do you think we might go back to the homestead before Margaret and Jim arrive back from Lancaster?’

Jack chuckled. ‘You’re either a mind-reader or you can see into the future with amazing accuracy.’

Callie smiled back at him. ‘If I could do either I think my cheeks might be permanently stained red.’

‘I’m willing to test that theory.’

Callie liked the sound of that.