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She looked at Finn, as did quite a few other pairs of eyes. She already knew his answer. Or she thought she did. He’d stay as long as there was still a case to be solved.
“Right as rain, mate,” Finn replied, blue eyes landing on hers. “Let’s get this muster back on track.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
FINN PUTTERED ALONG on his motorcycle, one eye on the cattle walking along beside him, the other on the ground in front, looking for potholes or logs, anything that might unseat him. The cattle were compliant now, after gathering the feisty mob this morning, the long walk back to the yards had cured most of them of the notion of escape. Another long day in the desert heat was nearly over. Things had pretty much gone back to normal now, three days after he and Indy had discovered the dead body in the bush.
Finn found himself slotting back into his undercover role easily once more. Almost as if he were made for working the country. Sometimes he had to remind himself he was actually here to bring down an illegal drug gang, not to get sucked in by the camaraderie and friendship built around a day’s hard work and good food eaten next to a campfire. There’d been no more disruptions, no more murders, and the stock camp was ticking along just like it should. He’d had no further opportunity to examine any more cattle trucks before they were loaded up, as he was out droving the floodplains to gather another mob by the time the sun rose in the sky. Dale and Mack loaded the cattle gathered from the day before and then joined the crew later in the morning.
Without conscious thought, Finn’s gaze slid to where Indy sat atop Gypsy on the opposite flank of the mob. While everything else in this stock camp came to him easy, made sense to him now, she was the one thorn in his side. He tried to ignore theway his body reacted to her every time she came within five feet. Tried to treat her the same as the rest of his co-workers, with friendly affability. If only she wouldn’t watch him with those dark eyes. He could feel her gaze on him as he moved around the camp. He knew what she wanted. Because he wanted it, too. And time was running out. He’d be pulled out of this job soon, or the muster would finish at the end of the week. Either way, they’d go their separate ways. And he’d never see her again. The idea made his chest ache.
They danced around each other all day, both fighting their feelings, trying to ignore them. He’d thought that if only he could keep her at arm’s length for the next few days, then it’d be easier to leave when the time came. Problem was, it was practically impossible to escape her; they all worked together closely, and then spent every evening together around the campfire.
He knew he was falling for Indy. She was everything he hadn’t even known he was looking for in a woman until he met her. Fiercely independent. Unafraid of hard work, dust, and long hours. Compassionate. Perceptive. Insightful; she certainly could read him like a book, and seemed to have an uncanny ability to understand what made other people tick. Was passionate about her animals; loved them like they were part of her family. And when she was going in a flat-out-gallop on Gypsy’s back, chasing a run-away heifer, well, there was nothing more courageous and beautiful in this whole world.
Vaguely, he wondered if she’d replied to that dick of an ex-boss yet. He didn’t want to look like he was prying into her love life, but he’d give anything to spend five minutes alone with that guy. How dare he treat her like she was nothing, use her, and then throw her away, only to realize his mistake and think she’d come running back as soon as he crooked his little finger. Because if Finn were given the chance to make Indy his—if things were somehow different—he’d hold on to her so tight,make her feel like the most special woman in the world. Besides, Indy had more integrity in her little toe than that man had in his whole body. Finn just hoped that Indy used some of that integrity to decide to tell him to fuck off once and for all.
He’d found himself hanging around her tent late at night. Not in a creeper type of way, but just to make sure she was okay. It was in those late-night hours that he finally gave into the need to be near her. Just knowing she was sleeping peacefully a few feet away made his heart finally rest easy in his chest. So, after he’d checked in with Mike, he’d wander to the edge of camp, and stand staring at the canvas barrier. Her dogs knew him well enough to merely give a whine in greeting, and he’d go over and offer them both a pat between their silky ears. They seemed to understand his mystifying need to be near Indy, perhaps better than he did.
But there was also this vague uneasiness that wouldn’t leave him. He couldn’t put his finger on the feeling, but it made him want to prowl around Indy’s tent all night like some sort of human guard dog. The sarge hadn’t mentioned Garrett again over the past few days, but perhaps Finn should make a point to ask if his brother had been spotted since that one time in Townsville. Something about Garret’s involvement was making Finn’s skin prickle, but he had no idea why.
Thinking about talking to his boss tonight had his mind back on the topic of bringing down the drug ring.
He’d struck gold when he’d found the meth hidden in the truck three days ago. It was partly thanks to Indy that he managed to slip in and out unseen. He’d passed the info on to Mike and then waited impatiently until that night to hear back from his boss. They’d managed to detain the truck driver on an isolated stretch of road twenty kilometers out of Townsville. Swapping the driver out for one of their operatives, they’d put a tiny tracker in with the drugs to see if it would lead them toa dealer, or even better, one of the major players. The driver hadn’t been of much help, merely saying he’d been contacted by phone whenever there was a shipment needed hauling, never met anyone face-to-face. He wouldn’t reveal where or how he collected the drugs, or what happened to them when he arrived in Townsville. Mike’s team were still tracking the drugs, which had stayed stationary once they reached the docks, and were sitting in an old shipping container, perhaps waiting to be collected and distributed.
“Hey, Finn, you there?” Dave’s voice crackled over the two-way.
“Yeah, man, what you want?”
“We need your magic hands over here for a second. Beth’s ATV just died.”
Finn glanced over his shoulder toward the rear of the mob. Dave was astride Amigo, waving to him and pointing toward Beth’s ATV, which was being left behind in a wave of dust as the cattle moved on without her.
“On my way.” Finn gave the thumbs up and turned his bike around. “Can you take my place on the flank?” he asked Dave, as he trundled back the way he’d come. Dave gave him the thumbs-up in return and trotted up to replace him. Finn had become the unofficial mechanic around camp. For some reason, because he rode a bike and seemed to know a little about engines, he was the one everyone called if anything went wrong.
Two hours later, he’d fixed Beth’s ATV, and they were back in camp for the night. Finn was on his way to have a shower. There was no official roster for who showered when, but Finn had decided early on to get to the outdoor ablutions sooner, rather than later after they got in from the day’s ride. Twelve people were a lot to cycle through one measly shower, but it seemed to work. Most of the women chose to wash after dinner when theycould take their time. Which left the men to fight it out before the meal. The shower was your basic outdoor variety. Because this was a permanent stock camp, Steve had recently replaced the hessian walls with sturdy wooden walls and a concrete floor. The run-off was directed into a deep ditch, so it wasn’t left to turn the whole area into red mud. It was Bindi’s job to start an old generator right before everyone returned to camp to heat a large tank full of water and provide the pressure. The rules for use were simple. Keep it short, and if there was a queue, then you waited your turn. For a makeshift shower, it wasn’t bad, and Finn was looking forward to washing off the dust from his long day.
Carrying clean clothes and toiletries in his arms, he wasn’t watching where he was going as he rounded the side of the water tank, and so nearly collided head-on with Indy coming the other way.
“Oh, sorry,” he exclaimed, grabbing her arm to steady her as she stumbled.
Her wet hair was slicked back from her face, and she was wearing only a skimpy pair of shorts, a tank top—no bra—and flip-flops; obviously on her way back to her tent to get changed. His palm burned where it was still connected with her warm, freshly washed skin.
She smelled fantastic. Something sweet and citrusy, like a ripe mandarin. Was it her shampoo? He couldn’t help himself, he had to draw that scent deep into his lungs. “You smell good.” All that fresh, clean skin was going to be his undoing. He wanted to dip his head and taste her. Run his tongue down the soft expanse of her throat. This was the first time he’d seen Indy without jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, and it was doing strange things to his insides. Her legs were trim and firm, just as he’d expected, although pale from lack of sunlight. Her collarbonestood out in the curve of her shoulders, and he was surprised at how delicate she looked without her bulky work clothes on.
“Yeah, well, you don’t,” she quipped, then looked up into his eyes, the smile dying on her lips as she saw the hunger he couldn’t hide. The air between them became charged, almost alive, and they stood, immobilized by this sudden, unexpected contact.
“Does that bother you?” he asked, voice strangely husky.
She licked her lips, then shook her head slightly.
Without thinking, he shifted his hand from her arm and feathered his fingers up her shoulder to the nape of her neck, feeling her damp hair against his skin. His thumb rubbed along the curve of her jaw, relishing the way her skin felt beneath his hand. She sucked in a sharp breath, but didn’t move away.
Finn lowered his head, resting his cheek alongside hers, their mouths so close… But he needed to let her come the last little way. Needed her to want this, too.
For a second, she hesitated, then with a soft groan, she turned her mouth and met his. Their lips clashed, hungry and demanding, his hand behind her neck pulling her in closer. Their bodies melded, clothes and toiletries crushed between them. He couldn’t get enough of her, as if he wanted to devour her like he was a hungry beast. If he could, he’d draw her soul out, to mingle with his. Backing her up until she was against the corrugated iron of the water tank, he pushed his knee between her legs, dropping his hand to run it down her thigh until he found the hem of her shorts, then swept his finger up, under the fabric, finding the edge of her lacy panties. She melted into him as if she suddenly become boneless, and he was the only thing holding her up. Making a small noise at the back of her throat, one of her hands began tugging at his shirt, then her palm was skimming over the skin on his waist, fingernails digging into the muscles of his lower back. She tilted her head, angling it so she couldkiss him deeper, hotter. Her small, pert breasts pushed into his chest, and he—
The sound of approaching voices broke them apart in an instant. Dave and Carrot were coming up the path, bickering about who got first dibs on the shower. They’d be here any second. Indy fled without a word, leaving Finn dragging in ragged breath after ragged breath. Some inner instinct made his feet move, even as his mind struggled to catch up, before Dave and Carrot came around the tank and spotted him. God, what might’ve happened if they hadn’t been interrupted?
