They joined a line of individuals on the burger truck. ‘So that you’ve ridden skilled earlier than?’

‘A number of occasions, sure.’ His blue eyes sparkled with mesmerising spirit. ‘In my previous life, I used to be Queensland champion for 2 years working.’

‘Actually!’ She gave him a playful shove. ‘You by no means advised me that.’

He chuckled. ‘You by no means requested.’

She grinned at his reply. ‘Critically?’

They reached the counter and Jarrah stepped forwards to order. ‘Did you desire a burger too?’

‘No, thanks, I’ve already eaten half a pig for dinner.’ She patted her full stomach. ‘A roast pork roll,’ she added in reply to his look of confusion.

He grinned. ‘Ahh, gotcha.’

Standing apart as he positioned his order, she admired the common-or-garden man he was, though she had a sense that in that different lifetime he was referring to, he would have been fairly the heartbreaker, and fairly the rule breaker too. She had a rebellious facet too, and she or he thought once more how alike they have been. She preferred his layers, very a lot, and peeling every one again was a journey all by itself.

An hour and a half later, they’d loved a few bevvies and she or he was stress-free into the rowdiness of the bar alongside Jarrah and his hilarious mate, Marty.

‘I greatest get again to loading the bulls, King.’ Marty tossed an arm over Jarrah’s shoulder. ‘Thanks for stepping up tonight. I’ll catch you on the flip facet, buddy.’

Jarrah gave his mate’s again a hearty slap. ‘No worries, and don’t go away it so lengthy between visits subsequent time.’

‘I’ll do my greatest,’ Marty affirmed with a smile nearly as large because the brim of his dusty outdated hat. ‘It was good to fulfill you, Millie.’

‘You too, Marty.’ She waved him off as he disappeared into the thick of the partygoers.

Jimmy Barnes’ voice rang out of the huge audio system, to the occasion tune of ‘Rising Solar’.

‘Oh my gosh, I like this tune,’ she shrieked, jiggling on the spot.

‘In that case,’ Jarrah held out each his arms, beckoning for her to hitch him, ‘can I’ve this dance?’ He swayed in time, his boots tapping and his face an image of absolute pleasure.

She nearly stated no, however then thought why the heck not – she hadn’t seen this facet of him. ‘I reckon you’ll be able to have this dance, sure.’ She presumably hadn’t ever seen this facet of herself both.

Taking maintain of her arms, Jarrah drew her to the dance flooring, and transferring in time to the catchy beat, spun her left then proper, his hand by no means letting her go. She noticed the dolled-up ladies who had been sitting behind her within the grandstands, dancing round them, transferring their hips provocatively. Probably the most boisterous of the bunch was particularly vying for his consideration with flirtatious glances, however Jarrah saved his gaze wholly and solely on her, making her really feel like the one lady within the room. They sang the lyrics on the tops of their lungs, as did the remainder of the throng. It gave rise to goosebumps throughout her, simply feeling a part of this completely happy mob. It felt so good to let issues be for a short while, to belong for now. She wanted to do that extra, let her hair down and permit her caged spirit to be free.

Boogying and bootscooting, jiving and rock-and-rolling, two upbeat songs handed them by in a flurry of singing and laughing. However then the tempo slowed, and earlier than she had time to get out of his attain and off the dance flooring, Jarrah had grabbed her, and she or he was now pressed up towards him, his arms resting within the curve of her again and her lashes flickering towards the place his chest peeked out of his button-up shirt. And for as soon as, simply this as soon as, she didn’t need to combat their intense connection. For the whole thing of ‘Stand By Me’, she wished to do exactly that. She wished to be with him, to carry him, to be embraced by him. Peace filtered by her as they swayed in time to the nostalgic Ben E. King tune. Sighing softly towards his chest, she felt protected, cared for, cherished. A lot in order that when the tune got here to an finish and Jarrah’s arms left the curve of her again, she nearly cried. Along with his fingers entwined with hers, he led her from the dance flooring and again in direction of the bar, the place he let her go and ordered them each a beer.

She gratefully grabbed hers from him. ‘Thanks.’ They clinked bottle tops and she or he took a thirsty guzzle. ‘I feel you simply went and broke hearts in right here, selecting me for that dance.’

He merely shrugged, supplied her his mischievous smile, and with a lingering look, took a swig from his beer. She couldn’t assist however enjoy his undivided consideration, when different girls have been clearly attempting, extraordinarily laborious, to win it. If solely she didn’t need to return to actuality tomorrow. If solely she may permit herself to fall for this majestic man. If solely she may very well be the one to find the place the scar on his cheek got here from. And be taught why he was so guarded about his life and his previous. If solely she didn’t have to stay tight-lipped about who she was, and why she’d arrived at Riverside Acres. A part of her felt as if she may belief him – no, knew that she may belief him. Together with her life, if it ever got here to that. However there was means an excessive amount of at stake if she opened as much as him. She knew, deep down, that falling for him could be an enormous danger. And for the sake of discovering the reality, she wasn’t ready to take a big gamble on him, as a result of understanding her luck she’d be the one to throw the cube and lose all of it.

***

Tapping his boot in time to Luke Combs’ tune ‘Beer By no means Broke My Coronary heart’, Jarrah was combating the battle of his life – the urge to attract Millie again into his arms, tip up the brim of his hat and plant his lips upon hers, so he may let her know simply how a lot he preferred her, was overwhelming. Each second he obtained to spend along with her, he discovered one other high quality that he was powerless to not fall for. She was sturdy, good and so extremely attractive, and she or he was stirring one thing deep and primal inside him, one thing he preferred the sensation of, one hell of so much. And she or he didn’t even understand it. Or if she did, she wasn’t one to flaunt her energy, or data of it. And he preferred that – no, truly, he cherished that about her. Resting on the sting of his barstool, bearing witness to the best way she was taking a look at him beneath these lengthy darkish lashes – her smile as candy as sugar, her cheeks flushed from the drinks they’d loved, and her eyes crammed with all-consuming spicy hearth – his thoughts, coronary heart and physique have been at odds with each other. If he’d thought himself fuelled with adrenaline when he’d been pacing behind the chutes just a few hours earlier, or whereas he was spinning her across the dance flooring, it had been nothing on what he was feeling now. Proper this very second. Possibly he shouldn’t have had that second shot of tequila.

Too late now, King …

He ached to make lengthy, sluggish, deep like to her, all evening lengthy after which some. He wished to be taught what made her completely happy, uncover the secrets and techniques he knew she was holding below lock and key, and make her really feel the most secure she’d ever been.

‘So, Mills.’ He gave her a bit of nudge. ‘Are you glad you stayed now?’

‘Mm-hmm.’ The lips he was dying to kiss beamed his means and there was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. ‘I can’t imagine I’m nonetheless out, seeing it’s nearly two am.’ She glanced round on the occasion that was nonetheless in full swing. ‘However I don’t care as a result of that is essentially the most enjoyable I’ve had in endlessly.’

‘I’m glad to listen to it.’ He felt somebody bump his facet, and a buxom blonde pressed between him and the girl he craved with each fibre of his being, earlier than he may say anymore. ‘Can I assist you?’ It irritated him, how this stranger thought it was her proper to invade his and Millie’s area, and in flip, insult Millie.

Fully oblivious to the uninterested vibe he was now exuding, the early-twenties buckle-bunny leant into him, her arms going towards his chest as she pressed her lips up towards his ear. ‘How about I assist get these denims off you, cowboy.’

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