Stockman’s Stormcloud (Stockmen #3)

Sixteen

‘This country is gorgeous!’ Sophie was ecstatic as she zoomed her camera in on the tips of the tall slender grasses, taller than the work vehicle, to take a photo of teeny tiny zebra finches balancing on the cluster of seed heads. Click .

She couldn’t stop taking photo after photo. The way the grasses shimmered under the slight breeze like ripples on a pond, beneath an enormous blue sky, free from any cloud formations. The escarpment’s vibrant reds shifted to deep mauves in the shade, never getting closer as they drove, not even ten minutes past the sheds to this small pocket of paradise.

Even if Dex knew how to manipulate her desires, teasing her with her passion for photography, she really had no choice but to drive him down a dirt track. There’s no way her beaten-up old sedan would get her out here, even if it was a good spot for stealth camping.

But now, standing on the SUV’s roof rack, they were parked in the middle of a field of grasses taller than the arm-reach of a professional basketball player. It was so thick in areas they created a solid wall of impenetrable grass.

Her finger couldn’t click fast enough, with her smile so wide her cheeks ached. She was living her dream, right here, right now.

‘Do I need to use this stupid mask?’ Below her, Dex wrestled with the tubes from the oxygen bottle on his new cart .

‘I’ve got something for that.’ She scooted down the ladder. ‘I was supposed to give it to you earlier, but I got so excited I forgot.’ She rummaged through the medical bags in the back of the car. ‘I have this nasal cannula. It’ll deliver extra oxygen through a tube and into your nose. But I will only let you use this if you keep up your breathing exercises—’

‘I’m not a child, Sophie.’ Dex adjusted the tubing, hooking it over his ears and nose, then slid his hat back on. ‘You can dump this.’ He shoved the mask into her hand. ‘I had a bet I’d get rid of that mask soon. Looks like I won.’

‘Did you bet on the oxygen tank, too?’

That he hoisted over his shoulder like a sack.

‘End of the week.’

Today was Friday. ‘We’ll see.’

‘I know my body, Sophie.’

And what a fine body it was indeed. ‘Where are you going?’

With a map in one hand and the oxygen tank over his shoulder, he pushed through the wall of long grass. ‘I’m looking for something. Keep taking your photos and stay by the car.’

He completely disappeared.

She gleefully re-climbed the small ladder to the roof, noticing the hospital’s car had red mud flicking up the white sides. She’d have to wash it later. ‘Isn’t this your dry season? Where you don’t get rain for six months of the year.’

‘Yeah.’

His voice came from behind her somewhere.

She climbed back onto the roof rack, where her camera beckoned her. ‘So why is this area still muddy with this tall grass everywhere? It’s like a swamp.’

‘That’s what I’m trying to work out.’ Now his voice travelled from her left.

‘What is this place called?’

‘Dead Dog’s Swamp.’

His voice was so far away, she couldn’t see him anywhere. ‘Dex?’

‘Yeah…’

‘Don’t go far.’ She stood on the roof, her hand shadowing her eyes to search the grasses as a flare of panic made her heart quicken. ‘Before you complain about being your own man, I can’t see you if anything goes wrong.’ After all, he was her patient, carrying an oxygen tank.

‘Flip it.’ Grasses shifted behind her, where he came back onto the track.

‘There you are.’ She grinned at him from behind the camera lens that seemed to fall in love with him. And why not. Dex was stunning, tall and lean in his black cowboy hat. His tight T-shirt showed off his muscles and his broad shoulders trimmed down to a lean waist to meet those jeans that did wonders to show off his powerful thighs. He was such a potently glorious male specimen, she couldn’t stop taking photos as if he were a cowboy model coming out of the thick grasslands like a god of grass.

‘I didn’t say you could take photos of me.’ Dex scowled at her.

‘I’ll just Photoshop you out and exchange you for a wood nymph, then.’

There it was, a quick grin, as he peered up at her, dumping his oxygen tank onto the ground. ‘Are you enjoying yourself up there?’

‘I am, thank you. Are you? Bashing through the grass like a sexy dark garden gnome.’ She gasped. ‘I did not just say that.’ She winced, biting her lip with her face blazing. She turned away, pretending to take photos of something in the other direction, hoping he hadn’t heard that.

Fat chance. Not when his chuckle made her cringe with embarrassment.

But then came the gasp followed by a thud as he leaned heavily against the car. She could hear his laboured breathing.

‘That’s enough.’ She quickly climbed down. ‘I’m taking you back. No complaints. You’ve had two walks today, Dex. I don’t want you ending up back in the hospital.’

‘Why not? I’ll get to see you every night, then.’

She swallowed hard, daring to lick her lips at the prospect. ‘If you want to see me, ask. Do not put yourself in danger of ending up in the hospital again.’

‘What, like a date?’ He screwed his face up as if he’d tasted something horrible, as he headed for the passenger seat. ‘I don’t do that, Sophie.’

‘Why not? Do you hate women?’

‘I don’t hate all women.’

‘Do you hate Bree?’

He scowled at her over his shoulder.

‘I saw the way you two were talking to each other earlier. And when I asked—’

He walked so fast to stand over her, she lost her train of thought.

‘There is nothing between me and Bree. Got it. We’re just friends.’

‘Do you trust her?’

He took a moment before he nodded. ‘Yeah, I do.’

‘Why?’

‘Because Bree has proved herself to me that she is trustworthy, many times. Do you trust every guy you meet?’

‘No. I learned my lesson.’ And it was a harsh one. Well, two of them to be exact.

Yet here she was, doing it again, going for round three in how dumb can one girl be when it comes to men?

Come on, she was a smart girl who’d sworn to never let her emotions or attraction to any male ruin her. She’d made a promise to herself, while in tears, to never get romantically trapped by anyone again.

Yet, with Dex, he’d made her forget her heartbreak, the shame, and the devastating consequences that led to her massive move from a busy inner-city ER to the middle of the remote outback.

Dex also had the power to destroy her. Just like he did in their games of Battleship, where he showed no mercy .

It was the wake-up call she needed.

Sophie packed her digital camera away and climbed into the driver’s seat, sliding on her seatbelt. ‘I’ll drop you off, as I have things to do.’ She had a cat to feed, and then she’d swap her site visits with someone else, sticking to her plan of looking out for numero uno —just like Dex did. After all, Dex was only a patient she would soon forget.