Page 38 of Road to Rosalee

In that moment, Melody wished it was her receiving such tenderness from him. Turning her attention from Zai’s handsome face and back to the mare with the longest eyelashes she’d ever seen, she reached out and stroked the palomino’s long, sleek neck. ‘Well, aren’t you the prettiest girl this side of Alice Springs?’

‘Second prettiest,’ Zai countered with his slow and sexy smile before leaning over to check Sao’s back foot. ‘You have number-one spot, Melody.’

Gobsmacked with the way he could pull off being so blatant so very causally, Melody’s gaze unintentionally fell to the curves of his butt in his timeworn Wrangler jeans. Hot dang. The inner fire he kept kindling in her so effortlessly rose quickly and seared her cheeks – this man was a whole lotta temptation. She quivered a little with the thought of ever stepping over the friendship boundary – not that it was ever going to happen.

As she dragged her eyes away, they met with Toffee’s, the horse’s lashes fluttering as she gnawed a little on her bit. ‘Don’t listen to him,’ she said gently. ‘You truly are a stunner, Toffee.’

The mare’s ears pricked forwards, listening intently. ‘And you’ve got the kindest eyes too.’ Reaching out, she ran her hands down the horse’s silky mane. ‘Where have you been hiding her all this time, Zai?’ she asked as he sauntered back to her. ‘I’d most certainly recall seeing her in one of the paddocks if I’d laid eyes on her before now.’

‘I bought her for an absolute steal yesterday from the neighbour’s daughter, Kelly. She’s leaving home for uni in Melbourne and she didn’t want him left out in the paddock all the time. He’s used to daily attention.’ He cleared his throat and took a few moments to continue. ‘It broke my heart, watching Kelly say a teary goodbye, but at least she knows I’ll love Toffee like no tomorrow.’ He offered a slight shrug. ‘Kelly has had Toffee since she was a foal, so they’re bonded more than a blue sky and sunshine.’

‘I could only imagine how hard that would have been for the poor girl.’ Melody’s heart squeezed as she recalled the day she’d had to say goodbye to her beautiful horse before moving from the Blue Mountains to Sydney as an eight-year-old. To her surprise, tears welled, but she quickly blinked them back.

Zai offered her a look of concern. ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah, sorry. Just remembering something.’ She sniffed, hard. ‘From a lifetime ago.’

‘Memories can tug on the heartstrings, hey.’ He turned and wrapped his arms around the horse’s neck, his gaze still glued to Melody. ‘FYI, Toffee loves hugs, so if you’re feeling a bit down, pay her a visit. She’ll help you to feel better quick smart.’

‘Aw, how sweet.’ She tried to smile, but the pain of the memories of riding through the Blue Mountains with her mother got in the way. Feeling the emotional quiver of her lips, she coughed to hide it.

Zai stepped in close to her. ‘So, would you like a hand up?’

She looked up at the saddle. ‘Yeah, I reckon I might need one.’

‘Here you go.’ He laced his fingers and held them down for her to step into.

‘You sure I’m not too heavy?’

‘You’re an itty-bitty, Mel. Go on, climb aboard.’

‘Okay, thank you.’ She placed her boot into his hands and a hand on his shoulder.

Zai lifted her as though she were light as a feather. Sliding into the saddle, her stomach somersaulted. As she gathered the reins, Toffee stood still and calm, as if knowing her rider was a little nervous and in need of reassurance. Zai must have sensed it too, his hand lingering on Melody’s leg a moment longer as he watched her get settled. She didn’t like the feeling of him drawing it back to his pocket. Then, after another drawn-out instant, he began checking the length of her stirrups. Melody enjoyed watching him, his face a display of attentiveness to detail.

‘All looks good to me.’ He glanced up at her, his face shadowed by the brim of his hat. ‘You feel comfortable?’

She hooked her heels in and wiggled into the timeworn seat of the saddle. ‘Uh-huh. Hunky-dory.’

‘Excellent. Let’s head then.’ He hoisted himself up a lot more easily than she just had. ‘You good to go?’

‘Yup, I think so.’ She wasn’t sure whether the quiver in her voice was from fear or excitement, or because of this man’s charismatic yet gentle presence. Maybe it was all three.

‘We’ll take it nice and steady until you get the feel of her, okay?’

She let out a slow breath and nodded.

Heading towards the hazy ridges, they rode close together. The conversation quickly faded to captivated silence, the mesmerising landscape drawing most of their attention. And rightly so – it was stunning. The landscape’s pulse was slow, deep, resounding, as if she was closer to Mother Nature’s heart here, just like her father had told her it would be. Along with the outback’s magnificence, the steady clip-clops on the dusty track filled her with delight. Swaying smoothly, it didn’t take her long to fall into the rhythm of Toffee’s steady gait. She couldn’t wipe the grin from her face – it felt good to feel so … happy. Occasionally, she and Zai would glance at once another, and every time he caught her eyes, she quickly averted them, not wanting him to know just how attracted she was to him, with all that made him the admirable man he was.

That was, until he hooked her gaze with his and she was helpless to pull away. ‘What is it?’ The expression on his face was one she couldn’t quite decipher.

‘I’m just thinking how you look like you’re right where you’re meant to be.’

‘I do?’ She felt herself sit up straighter.

‘Yup.’ He asserted the fact with a confident nod and a gorgeous come-hither gaze.

All she could do for the racing of her heart was offer him an appreciative nod in return. She took a moment to catch her breath as she turned her attention back to the trail slowly rising upwards ahead. Faintly aware of the warm sunlight on her back and the gentle breeze stirring her hair, she was acutely conscious of this man’s mesmeric presence, more so than she’d ever been. Spending time together was like heaven on earth. Or maybe it was very dangerous territory? Either way, she simply couldn’t help feeling this way around him – and maybe she didn’t want to.