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“Well it does!”
He rolled his eyes at her. “We were so young. We never talked about any of that when we got married. I’m not holding it against you that you grew in a different direction to the one I wanted to take. Are you happy?”
She paused before answering. “Yeah, I am. I love all the things Andrew and I can do because we don’t have kids and my work is very rewarding.”
“You think you made the right decision?”
She hesitated again, then nodded.
“Then so do I, because I couldn’t have settled for that. So don’t you worry about me. I don’t need it.” She still looked doubtful. “Come on, Sharon. Get over yourself.”
She smiled at that. “Okay. Fine. But you should still tell her.”
Georgie and Andrew returned, making any further conversation on the topic impossible. Taking her seat next to Ryan, Georgie smiled when he refilled her wine glass. “Did you know that the land lobster on Lord Howe Island was thought to be extinct because of a shipwreck in nineteen eighteen that released hundreds of rats onto the island and they ate all the bugs.”
“I did not know that, no,” he replied, adoring her.
“Crazy, huh?”
* * *
“I’m a bit excited for today,” Georgie said, running her hand over Ryan’s chest as the morning sun-filled the bungalow.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, his fingertips trailing along her upper arm, giving her goosebumps. “Are you?”
“Yeah. I had a friend in high school whose family took a holiday up here. She was a really good photographer and showed me all her pictures of Mossman Gorge. I remember thinking at the time that I would love to see it for myself, but that it would probably never happen. And here I am.”
“Here you are.” He shifted suddenly, pushing Georgie onto her back and covering her body with his own.
“Mmm, I’m not sure we have time for this,” she said, wrapping her legs around him nevertheless while he pressed light, fluttery kisses down her neck. She’d never get sick of this, she thought to herself. She just couldn’t get enough of it. Of him. She’d been nervous, as she’d told him, about meeting his ex-wife. For no other reason, really, than that Ryan cared about her and therefore it was important to Georgie that Sharon like her. Approve of her. Which seemed silly, but it was a feeling she couldn’t shake. It had been particularly difficult for her to discuss what she did for work since she hadn’t been able to work since her accident. She’d felt a bit useless in that moment, because she didn’t want to go into the accident or the aftermath. But Ryan had stepped in, looked after her. He was always looking after her. Stroking his back, Georgie felt her body warming as Ryan kissed her, even as her mind drifted, thinking about all the ways Ryan looked after her, in big ways and small. From her surgery and recovery, to talking about Brandon, to taking her to bed, to getting her a blanket when she was cold, to holding her hand when she was feeling uncomfortable. It was a lovely feeling. Her brow creased in a small frown. But not a feeling she should let herself get too used to. The last thing she needed was to become too reliant on Ryan.
“Jesus Christ, Georgie May, do you have to think so loud?” Ryan raised his head to look at her. “I swear I can hear the cogs turning in your mind.”
He went to shift off her and Georgie tightened her legs around him. “Sorry.”
“I thought you weren’t in the mood,” he said when she buried her fingers in his hair and tried to pull his head down for a kiss.
“I’m always in the mood.” She kissed him then, feeling the heat pool in her belly.
“Mmm,” he said when he broke the kiss. “Well, I’m afraid you’ve run out of time.”
“Hmm, I don’t think so.” Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Georgie pressed against him, smiled wickedly when she saw his eyes darken. She was surprised when he pulled back abruptly, gasping when he pushed off the bed and scooped her into his arms.
“We’ll have to multitask,” he said, walking to the bathroom.
Kissing his neck, Georgie said, “What a great idea.” This was good, she thought while she waited for Ryan to turn the water on. Keep it light and fun. Keep your distance, she told herself. That’s the smart move.
Less than an hour later, they stepped onto the track that would lead them up to Mossman Gorge. The day was warm and humid, like every day in Far North Queensland. Georgie didn’t know how anyone could stand it in the height of summer. It got a little cooler as they walked under the tree canopy and even better as they approached the Mossman River. “Oh, can you go in?” Georgie asked when she saw people swimming.
“Yes, you can here,” Sharon answered.
“No crocs around these parts?” Ryan asked.
Laughing, Sharon said, “No, not around here. If you fancied a swim, Georgie, we can go up past that bend. It’s a bit harder to get to so no one tends to use it. You’d be fine to strip down to your underwear, as long as it’s not too slinky.”
Georgie recoiled instantly, feeling the words like a slap in the face.
“I’ll not be swimming anywhere others aren’t, thank you Sharon.” Ryan said. Georgie shot him a grateful look.
