The Sky over Brigadier Station Page 2

  The return journey was long and by mid-morning, the sun's rays were biting his bare neck and arms. Noah wiped sweat from his forehead, unused to this heat. Otago was freezing cold and snowing in winter, but pleasantly mild in summer. Here in Central Queensland in August, it was already hotter than any weather he had experienced since leaving.

  As they came closer to the yards, he saw a large number of cattle were already assembled there; some had already found their way to the troughs and the others were feeding their way towards it, having been pushed by another group of musterers. The mob were still quite spread out, so Darcy sent his dogs wide and followed slowly on his horse. It didn't take long for the cattle to notice the dogs skirting them at a distance, and they began to mob up and start moving again.

  Finally, Darcy and Noah reached the holding paddock with adjoining cattle yards, and herded the beasts in before dismounting and resting their horses for lunch.

  Hearty homemade pies and sandwiches were laid out on tables under the wide verandah of the main house. Noah joined the line of fellow workers and helped himself to a corned beef and cheese sandwich and fruit.

  Taking a seat at an empty table, he took a mouthful of sandwich and gazed out at the landscape so foreign and yet so familiar to him. He let satisfaction at knowing he’d done a good, honest morning of hard work roll over him. Things weren’t so bad after all.

  He looked up as the deep humming of the helicopter filled the air before it flew overhead, and then slowly lowered to the flattened area where Darcy was waiting. Noah could just make out the pilot’s silhouette as he reached and pushed some buttons, powering the bird down before swinging open the door.

  Noah put the last of his sandwich in his mouth and almost choked as he watched the pilot climb out and swing long brown hair over her shoulder. He was humbled to admit it, but the thought that the pilot was female hadn't even crossed his mind.

  Noah took the opportunity to study her long, denim-clad legs and curvy hips. Her khaki, short-sleeved shirt was tucked in at the waist and cinched with a leather belt. Her slender arms had seen plenty of sun and her face was hidden by a worn Akubra. As she bent to tie down the blades, heat flooded his veins. Hers was a body he wouldn't mind snuggling up to, and he hadn't wanted to snuggle up to a woman in a long time.

  Shaking his head, he stood and cleared away his dishes. As he poured himself a cup of hot coffee and tried to dispel the thoughts going through his mind, Darcy called him.

  Noah turned too fast and the drink lurched to the lip of his cup, right towards a curvy khaki shirt. Her reflexes were fast though, and she stepped back just in time so the coffee splashed onto the floor instead of her top.

  He was left staring at her chest. And what a chest it was.

  “Up here, cowboy.” The melodic lilt of her voice reminded him of a country singer.

  He raised his eyes from full, rounded breasts to her face. His heart skipped a beat as he took in the chocolate brown of her eyes—narrowed and assessing him.

  Beside her, Darcy cleared his throat. “Riley, this is my little brother, Noah.” His voice was edged with humour. “Noah, this is my old friend and our very skilled helicopter pilot, Riley Sinclair.”

  Riley put a slender hand out and Noah shook it, surprised by her firm grip. Her features were soft, and sun-bronzed. A strand of long hair was stuck to her cheek and his fingers itched to touch it.

  “Nice to meet you,” he said, remembering his manners. “Sorry about”—he waved his hand between them—“that.”

  She shrugged. “Accidents happen.” She turned to pour herself a cup, and Noah frowned as Darcy smiled slyly at him before strolling away.

  “Darcy said that you just got back from New Zealand.” Riley glanced at him as she added milk to her drink.

  Noah gulped some coffee before answering, “Yeah, I've been in Otago for the last eight years working on a sheep station.” He braced for the inevitable sheep joke that usually followed.

  “It's beautiful there. I went skiing in Wanaka last year and had a great time. Their merino wool is the best. I brought a beanie and jersey back with me but haven't had the opportunity to wear them.” She gestured up at the blazing sun.

  The tension that had filled him eased. “Are you from around here?”

  “No, I'm from Longreach, but I work all over the place now.” She shrugged as though it was no big deal. “You’re here for the wedding?”

  He nodded. “Yep, then I'm house-sitting this place while Darcy and Meghan are honeymooning.”

  “Lucky them, huh? Two weeks in Fiji. Sipping cocktails on the beach.”

  Noah scratched his chin. “I dunno, think I'd rather spend the time skiing. I'm not really one for lazing around.”

  Riley faced him with an arched eyebrow and a cheeky grin. “But it's their honeymoon. That's not all they'll be doing.”

  Noah's face heated and his groin tightened. He watched as her eyes crinkled at the sides. She was obviously enjoying making him squirm.

  He cleared his throat. “So that was pretty impressive flying out there. I've never met a female pilot.”

  She stiffened, the teasing tone gone from her voice. “There are plenty of women pilots. Gender has nothing to do with it.”

  Shit. Way to go, Noah. Put your foot in it that time. “I didn't mean—”

  “I'm a hell of a better pilot than a lot of blokes with licences.” She put down her half-empty cup before turning and stomping off.

  Noah twisted his face to the sun and swore. He’d wanted to give her a compliment, but it had all come out wrong. He was out of practise when it came to woman and how to treat them. No wonder Jade had kicked him out.

  Riley was the first woman he had been attracted to in a long time. Probably a good thing she had stormed off anyway; he was only here for a few weeks, then he would take his inheritance and head back to Otago.

  To what? His ex-girlfriend's family farm that didn't need him anymore. He didn't have any good mates there.

  If only he had someone he could share it all with. A partner maybe, someone who could complement his skills. He could do the ground mustering, and she could assist in her chopper and …

  His cheeks heated as he swallowed the last of his coffee. What was he thinking?

  Around him the tables were being cleared and Riley was nowhere to be seen. Time to get on with the job he was here for and forget about the pretty pilot.

  Chapter 3

  Riley shut and locked the helicopter door before turning and leaning against it. She took deep breaths of the dry country air and looked out at the world washed with warm golds, pinks, and browns. The harshness of the dried-out land was softened by the slanting rays of the setting sun. Hidden hues emerged in the landscape that was largely bleached of colour in the full daylight.

  Pride at a job well done mingled with the remaining annoyance over Noah's chauvinist comment earlier that day. Of course she had heard worse comments and taunts about female pilots, but it never stopped bothering her. These men didn’t know what she had gone through to get here. What she’d had to give up and go without.

  She had been a bit harsh though. Noah hadn’t deserved her rudeness.

  He was certainly a fine-looking man with his broad shoulders and tapered waist. He had cut a nice picture riding his horse today. She wouldn’t mind taking him for a ride herself. From the way he had been staring, he was certainly attracted to her. A night with Noah wouldn’t be the worst way to spend her free time.

  With a sigh, she pushed off the helicopter, swung her bag over her shoulder, and started walking to the homestead. Right now, what she wanted was a shower and hot meal.

  The cattle were safely grouped in the yards. Their bellowing was deafening as they called to their lost loved ones. Dust churned up by their hooves floated in the breeze, mingling with the tantalising aroma of barbequed meat.

  She followed the directions Darcy had given her to the ringers’ quarters. Three fibro demountable buildings arranged in a U-shape.
br />   The bunk room was quiet; the workers who were staying tonight must have already showered and gone to the homestead for a night of banter and booze. Riley found herself a vacant bottom bunk and threw her belongings on it before unzipping her bag and gathering up her toiletries.

  The shower stalls and toilets were located in the adjoining demountable and she couldn’t help but smile at the deep, rumbling hum coming from one of the shower cubicles. She wondered who it was with such a deep baritone.

  Having been warned about the old pipes, she waited patiently for the singer’s shower to turn off before putting hers on.

  As she waited for the water to warm up, she studied herself in the mirror. Her face was windblown and bronzed from her life outdoors. She never wore make-up, wouldn’t know how to put it on even if she had to, and her only skincare regime was smearing sunscreen on after brushing her teeth.

  She took out her comb and loosened her long brown plait. Her hair was naturally straight and was always tied up, so she had very few knots to brush out. It occurred to her, as she piled it into a loose bun on top of her head that it was time to get a few inches cut off.

  The cubicle door behind her opened and she glanced over as a bare-chested man emerged with a towel wrapped low around his hips. Water dripped from his muscled pecs and he stopped abruptly as their eyes met. Her cheeks burned, and she forced herself to close her mouth.

  “Sorry. I didn't hear you come in.” Noah backed up as if to retreat into the privacy of the cubical.

  Riley gestured to her shower stall. “I was just waiting for the water to heat up. It should be okay now.” Though a cold shower could be just the trick right now. She stepped into the stall. As she turned to close the door, she caught Noah’s reflection in the mirror. She memorised every inch of bare skin. The fine sprinkling of dark hair across his chest, and the trail that led from his navel downwards below the towel, sent her imagination wild.

  She leaned back against the door with her eyes closed. She wasn’t sure if Darcy would be too happy with her if she seduced his brother, especially this close to his wedding. Then again, Noah seemed pretty wound up to her. Maybe he needed to release all that pent-up energy.

  As she washed, she had to force herself not to give in to the fantasies that were rolling over her.

  When she was out and dried off, she dressed in jeans and a red checked shirt then opened the door just enough to peek through. Her shoulders sank slightly with disappointment that he wasn’t still there.

  After putting away her dirty clothes and toiletries, she made her way up to the homestead. Riley meandered through the crowds of people who had gathered on the verandah to celebrate a job well done.

  Her stomach rumbling, she filled her plate with food and found an empty seat with a group of older men—ringers and stockmen with weathered faces and eyes that spoke of years of hard work. Conversation ebbed and flowed as steak burgers and thick, chunky fries were enjoyed while from across the paddocks came the occasional cattle’s low. A quad bike revved in the distance; someone out checking the stock. They were the sounds, scents, sights, and atmosphere of a beautiful day in a beautiful land. This was a life loaded with joy and challenge.

  As the warmth of camaraderie and shared laughter wrapped themselves around her, Riley relaxed. She enjoyed evenings like this—good company sharing good stories after a good day’s work.

  “You must have seen a few things,” the man on her right said to her. “How long have you been flying?”

  People were always interested in learning more about what Riley did and where she had worked. So she happily spoke about her favourite topic and shared some of her best stories with them.

  As the conversation shifted to other subjects, Riley found herself searching the crowd for one particular cowboy.

  She spotted Noah standing on the far side of the verandah, surrounded by a group of men. His stance was stiff and his expression serious and tense. Was he always like this around a large group of people? Again, her mind travelled to all the ways she could help him relax.

  He was wearing a blue shirt which brought out the azure colour of his remarkable eyes. Her heart beat a little bit harder as she remembered that delicious bare chest below it.

  She shook away her dirty thoughts. She didn’t know the first thing about this guy. He could already be in a relationship—although there had been no mention of one when she had spoken to Meghan that morning. The fact that her friends liked him so much only spoke well of Noah’s character. Was he like Darcy? The strong, silent type who, when they gave their heart, gave it forever?

  Not that she was looking for that. It was unfair to ask any man to have a relationship with her when she worked away most months of the year. And the chances of her being injured or killed on the job were higher for her than even those in the military. She didn’t want to think about all the widows her colleagues had left behind.

  She concentrated on finishing her meal in peace. When she returned to Longreach, she would head to the local pub and see if there were any new cowboys in town looking for a fun night.

  “Go easy on him.”

  Riley jumped when Darcy sat next to her.

  “What?”

  Darcy nodded in his brother’s direction. “He’s just coming out the back end of a long-term relationship. Turns out the girl he went to New Zealand for broke up with him and has started seeing another bloke right under his nose.”

  “That’s too bad.” Riley tried to sound nonchalant but wasn’t sure she pulled it off. “How long had they been together?”

  “Since high school. Jade was over here on an exchange and when school finished, she took him back with her.” Darcy leaned in closer so as not to be overheard. “He said he was in love, but I think it might have just been an excuse to leave home.”

  “Why would he want to leave so badly? I thought you guys had a great childhood.”

  Darcy's gaze darkened. “It wasn’t all that great. Noah’s in particular.”

  Riley itched with curiosity. She wanted to know more. What had happened? What was Darcy talking about?

  But his eyes warned her not to ask him.

  “It’s great he came back then, for your wedding,” she said.

  “No one is more surprised or happy about it than me.” Darcy grinned. “He’s a down-to-earth, fair-dinkum bloke.”

  “Not like Lachie?”

  “Hell no. Jade was Noah’s first and only girlfriend. Meghan wants to set him up with someone while he’s here. She wants everyone to be happy now, just like us.”

  Riley watched as Darcy searched for his fiancée in the crowd, and their eyes locked for a moment. It was enough for even the most sceptical person to believe that true love did exist. And for the first time in her life, Riley’s heart ached.

  She had never known a marriage that was happy. Her parents had divorced when she was a newborn, and Riley had been raised by her grandmother. Her mother had made an appearance at the occasional Christmas lunch which would inevitably end badly. Yes, Riley knew all about dysfunctional families and their drama.

  But she'd had the love and support of her cousin, Grant, who had encouraged her in school to become a pilot like him. By the time she had earnt her pilot’s licence, Grant had a few years’ experience and had started his own business.

  Riley was his first and only employee. They still regularly worked together on musters and other projects requiring multiple helicopters. But, unlike Riley, Grant was more of a homebody and had found happiness with his long-term girlfriend, Andrea. Grant ran the successful business from their home base in Longreach, while Riley spent her time in the sky. It was a partnership that suited them both.

  Riley took her plate to the kitchen and had just finished serving up a slice of pavlova for dessert when Meghan called her over.

  Too late, Riley realised Noah was sitting at the same table as her friend’s fiancée and the only vacant spot on the bench was next to the broad-shouldered hunk of a man. She chewed on her lip as she
climbed over the bench. He shuffled over, allowing her an extra inch of space. When she was settled, she felt the heat radiating off him. His hard thigh pressed against hers, tempting her to touch him to see if other parts of his body were also long and hard.

  She scooped up a spoonful of the fluffy sweet dessert and shoved it in her mouth before she could worry her lip raw.

  “Noah was just about to tell us about working in New Zealand,” Meghan said before turning the floor over to him.

  Noah shifted in his seat and Riley sensed he didn’t like being the centre of attention.

  “It’s not too different, working with sheep. Except they have to be shorn. That’s a skill that takes a fair bit to master.”

  He was so close she could see the faded freckles across his nose and the faint dimple in his chin. His masculine scent was subtle and fresh, reminding her of rolling green pastures. He lifted a can of Coke to his mouth, and she watched his Adam’s apple bob along with the movement before he lowered his drink and twisted to let his gaze slip over hers.

  God, she wanted to taste him. The thought slipped recklessly into her mind and her gaze dropped, drawn to his mouth. His lips were just inches away—

  Their table companions laughed at a story Meghan was telling, and Riley forced her attention away from Noah and all the things she wanted to do to him.

  A gust of cold air replaced his nearness as he climbed out of his seat.

  “Another round anyone?” He lifted his empty can to the group seated around the table and was answered by requests for beers and rums. He raised an eyebrow to Riley who shook her head, reaching for her glass of water instead and quickly slugging it down.