Page 35 of Tangled Desires

Oh, right. Ididagree to that. “Oh, yeah. I’m so excited,” I reply, dripping sarcasm.

He winks. “See you then, Immy.”

That bloody wink. It’s cocky, confident—and it hits me in ways it shouldn’t, twisting something deep in my stomach. Totally uncalled for. I watch him walk to his Subaru, and a flutter kicks up in my stomach.

It’s the baby. Has to be.

11

My Hilux rattles and shakes, tearing through the bumpy track like a bloody beast.

This old ‘80s Toyota was made for this shit, and every jolt of the suspension gets my blood pumping. Been doing this since I got my P’s, and nothing beats it. Up ahead, the riverbed’s coming into view—just as sandy and gnarly as I remember. Imogen’s next to me, stiff as a board, white-knuckling the edge of the seat like the thing’s about to throw her off.

She didn’t come along willingly, but having her here? Yeah, I’m loving every fucking second of it. The river’s just up ahead. The terrain’s getting rougher now, dips and rises, throwing the ute around. Out of nowhere, Xavier’s ute hits a massive bump, the whole thing lifting into the air like it’s about to take off. Imogen gasps, clutching the door.

“Shit! Can these things tip over? Because that was way too close.”

“Nah, we’re good.” I chuckle. “That’s nothing. Trust me, Xavier and I have driven over way more fucked terrain than this. One time, we hit this ridge so steep I thought we were gonna roll right back down.”

“Sounds like a real party. Can’t believe I’m missing out on all that action.”

She tries to hide her smirk, but it’s there—just barely. I grin back, but it drops when she rolls down the window, her face paling a shade or two. “You alright?” I slow the ute, eyeing her. “Want me to pull over?”

“No. We’ve come this far, right? I took a tablet for nausea before we left.” She digs into her bag, pulling out a small open packet. “I’ve also got these disgusting gummies from the chemist this morning.”

“Let me try one.”

“Trust me.” She sighs. “They taste worse than they look.” I grab one, pop two into my mouth. Instantly, my taste buds are on fire.

“What the fuck is this flavour?”

“Tumeric and ginger,” she mutters. “It’s on the packet. Can’t you read?”

“I wasn’t paying attention!”

“I told you. I can’t get past the spice.”

I’m about to spit them out, but the burn fades fast and something sweet hits instead. I smack my lips, surprised. “Wait... they’re sweet now. What the hell?”

Imogen shakes her head, unimpressed. “Good for you.”

“These are actually pretty decent,” I say, grinning. “And if they help with the nausea? Shit, I feel like a new man.”

“You’re an idiot.” She grabs the packet back, tossing one in her mouth. Her face scrunches up instantly.

“Wait for it. Just keep sucking it. It’ll get sweet soon.”

She shoots me a side-eye, and I catch the innuendo too late. My smirk deepens, and I wiggle my eyebrows at her. Imogen scoffs. But a second later, her face changes as the sweetness kicks in. I can’t help but gloat.

“Told you. Just gotta trust me, baby.”

“Ugh,” she groans, rolling her eyes. “I’m gonna throw up now.”

We rumble along, the ute handling the rough patches like a champ. The sand kicks up under the tyres as we hit a sharp turn, opening up to a massive sandy stretch leading down to a river that shimmers in the light. Imogen sits up, eyes wide. “Oh, wow. Is this a beach?”

“Sort of,” I answer, cruising over the sand. “It’s a river, but the ocean’s been pushing the sand up for years. Now, it’s a sandy river.” She looks impressed. I might’ve just won some imaginary award for that.

I park next to Xavier, the sand crunching under the tires. He’s already out, stretching with a groan. “Perfect day for this,” he says, taking in the view. It really is a perfect day, considering it’s March. Last autumn was fucked—nothing but rain. But after a bit of rainfall, we usually get skies like this. Sun’s out, and it’s shining like it’s the middle of summer, even though the terrain’s still pretty muddy. That’s the best part, though—mud’s perfect for the ride ahead.