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Steve and Daniella were the last to leave, and her father thumped Aaron on the back. “Welcome to the team. Come and talk to me when you’re finished here. I’ll be up in the stables.”
Julie grabbed her dad in a compulsive hug. “I’m not sure I agree with your methods, but thank you for making this happen,” she whispered into his ear. “You’re the best.” She lifted her gaze and included her stepmother in her tribute, mouthing the words, thank you. Daniella waved away her gratitude, but the corners of her mouth lifted in a secret smile and Julie knew she was delighted that Aaron was here, too.
“I just want you to be happy, Julie. And I think he makes you happy,” Steve said softly. “But if he ever makes you unhappy, you just let me know.” Then he lifted his head and said loudly enough for everyone else to hear, “This was also a business decision. By all accounts, Aaron’s a pretty good pilot.” Steve released Julie and put his hat back on. “But he’s still got a lot to learn before he’s any good at bush mustering.”
“Oh, I know that, sir,” Aaron replied. “Toby’s working over at Comalga Station for the next few months, and he’s agreed to take me up with him, help me learn the ropes.”
“That’ll be a good start.” Steve nodded his agreement, then in a surprising show of affection, took Daniella’s hand as they headed up the hill toward the lodge, leaving her and Aaron alone beside the helicopter.
Julie moved into the circle of Aaron’s arms, lifting her head to look up at him. “It’s a dangerous job,” she said, once her dad was out of earshot. “I saw on the ABC rural farm news the other day, that up to ten pilots die each year in crashes.” That was a sobering thought, but when she’d watched the program, it hadn’t occurred to her that those statistics might affect her directly one day. “They said it takes years of practice to become proficient.” Not that she was trying to talk him out of it. More that she was trying to get her head around the whole concept of having a boyfriend who flew choppers for a living.
“Around fifteen-hundred hours of flying time, or so I’ve been told,” Aaron said with a smirk, and she lowered her eyebrows in a worried frown. “Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy,” he qualified. “Your dad realizes my limitations. Probably more than I do,” he added quietly, which didn’t help to ease her anxiety. “I’ve got nearly a whole year to improve my flying skills before next muster season starts,” he told her. “Like I said to Steve, I’ll go and train with some other top-notch pilots as well. They’re still mustering in the Northern Territory and over in Western Australia. Toby said he’d help hook me up with some of his mates over there. It might mean I’m gone for a few weeks at a time, though.”
“It sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.” And he probably did. One thing she’d learned about Aaron while he’d been her bodyguard was that even though he took risks in his job, they were well mitigated to keep the danger as low as possible. He was always well-prepared, organized, and had a plan for everything. Well, almost everything. Except when she’d been kidnapped by a crazy stalker, then all protocol and rule books had gone out the window.
She tugged him toward the shade of the river gum Dale and Wazza had been standing under earlier. She could hardly believe he was real, that it was actually his muscular arm she had a grip on. Without waiting for him to come to a complete halt, she once again launched herself into his arms. He turned and backed up against the large tree trunk, sliding down the rough surface until his butt hit the ground so that she now straddled him as they sat in the dirt. She tugged her hat off her head and placed it on the ground. This time there was no crowd of people to witness the way she eagerly sought out his mouth, claiming his lips as her own. Oh, the sweetness of him, the scent of him, the feel of his strong body beneath her. They kissed like two teenagers, crazy for each other, as if they might devour each other whole, and she felt the time and the distance that had separated them over the past weeks begin to melt away. As if he’d never even left. As if he was never again going to leave. A growing pulse beat between her legs as her body readjusted to his, remembering his touch, wanting it more and more. She wanted him in her bed, needed to get him inside as quickly as possible. To cement this new relationship…or whatever it was. Their kiss slowed, becoming tender and poignant, until she finally drew back.
“Wow,” she said. “Just, wow. I’m almost speechless.”
“I guess it is a bit of a shock,” he admitted, raising that scarred eyebrow in a cheeky hook.
“Yes, but a good one. I still can’t quite believe it. I’m not sure of all the ramifications of you being here, though…”
Aaron’s face suddenly turned serious. “You still haven’t said if you’re happy with all this. I knew I should’ve asked you first.” His eyes took on a worried edge. “I shouldn’t have let Steve and Dale talk me into it. This was a bad decision. I’m so sorry.” Aaron scrubbed a hand across his brow, which was knotted in a worried frown. The scar bisected his eyebrow quivered as he stared down at her. It seemed like he was suddenly trying to talk himself out of his decision.
She sobered as well. “Yes, you should’ve asked me first. I mean, what if I don’t want you here? What if I had other plans, and you’ve gone and ruined them?” It was a huge thing he’d done. A big move. She probably should be a little put out that he hadn’t at least asked her what she wanted; that he’d taken her love for granted. She pouted and stared up at him.
* * *
Aaron stared into Julie’s face, silently kicking himself that he hadn’t asked this question first. Because if Julie didn’t want him here…the thought was too much to bear. Steve had talked him into keeping his new job a secret from Julie; he thought it’d be a lovely surprise when Aaron arrived with the new helicopter. And in truth, the job offer from Steve and his unexpected acceptance had happened very quickly. It was less than a week ago that Aaron had made possibly the biggest choice of his life, to quit this job with Shield Solutions, uproot his whole life and move to far North Queensland. Jake hadn’t been happy, but he also said he understood. From the very first time Aaron spoke about Julie to him over the phone, Jake had an inkling he might lose one of his best agents.
But Aaron knew now, he should’ve included Julie, allowed her a vote. Because this future entailed them both. He suddenly felt foolish and guilty for making such a rash decision without her, and he opened his mouth to say so, when she started laughing so hard, she nearly fell off his lap.
“The look on your face,” she crowed. “I really had you going, didn’t I?”
“What?”
“I’m kidding,” she giggled. “I’m just messing with you. Of course, I’m happy you’re here. I’m ecstatic.” Her eyes sparkled with barely restrained humor.
“Shit, Jules, don’t do that to me.” He sucked in a deep breath.
“I’m sorry.” She fixed him with a brilliant, blue-eyed grin, full of cheeky merriment and absolute love, so that his heart nearly exploded.
Fuck. He’d missed that smile.For twelve long years, he’d missed that smile. Now, it was his whole reason for being, all he wanted was to make her happy. Because if she was happy, he was happy. He found her lips, delving his tongue into her mouth, and she responded, tore the rest of the air from his lungs as her mouth consumed his. Hands roaming over her back, he clasped her hips as her core rocked against his cock, which strained for release from his jeans. She closed her eyes and moaned low in her throat, getting lost in their kiss. He was here to stay, forever. His muscles tightened at the idea of being able to touch Julie, hold her, whenever he wanted to. Actually, he wanted to drag her off to bed this very instant. But that thought brought up another minor problem that should perhaps be sorted out. He drew away until the back of his head hit the scratchy bark of the river gum. Slowly, she opened her eyes, wondering why he’d stopped.
“You know that means I’ll be living on the station?” he said.
“Well, duh.”
“And you’re okay with that?” He needed to have her say it; needed to have this all out in the open, so they didn’t start this fledgling relationship on the wrong foot. Steve had offered him a room in the staff quarters, for the short term, until they figured out how this was going to work, which Aaron had been grateful for.
“Yes. I am.” She nodded slowly in agreement, as if finally catching the sincerity of his questions. “I’m more than happy for you to move in with me, but… What do you want to do?”
“I think that’s a good start, but it might become a little suffocating, after a while. Don’t you agree?” While Aaron knew he’d get along with Steve and the rest of Julie’s family, they couldn’t live in the lodge for the rest of their lives. They needed their own space and time to figure things out between them.
She wrinkled her cute little nose and nodded. “Yes. But what’s your alternative?”
“Long term, I’d love for us to buy a property of our own together.” He hoped he wasn’t being too presumptuous, but when she flashed her teeth in a happy smile, he knew she wanted the same thing. The dream he’d had when he’d first met her had never truly died, it’d been blanketed with all his fears and self-loathing for a time, that’s all. “But while we work toward that, we could rent a house in town together.” He’d sorted through lots of different options in his head over the past week. None of them were perfect, but they could compromise, for a start.
