now oh-so-familiar raspy voice triggered a rush of heat through her veins. She leant her elbow on the table, and pressed her mobile tighter to her ear as if the action would bring them together.
‘Yes, I turned off at any interesting sign, and stopped at almost every town I went through. The autumn colours are incredible. I took lots of photos and bought a few presents.’ She was babbling, couldn’t seem to slow down.
‘Did you miss me?’ Deeper, hopeful tone.
‘If I say yes, you’ll claim an advantage. How did your meetings go?
‘Chicken. I missed you. Only had one. Where are you now?’
She clutched her stomach to quell the fluttering his confession created, steadied her breathing, and fought for her normal placid tone when she replied.
‘Nuriootpa for the night. Tomorrow, who knows?’
‘You will be back on Friday?’ The teasing note disappeared. He sounded serious, surprisingly uncertain.
‘That’s the plan. Is there a problem?’
‘Not from my end. You’ll be getting a call from Clair in the next hour or so. We’ve been invited to their home in the Hills for the weekend.’
‘We?’
‘As in you and me, Lauren. Duncan wants to discuss the company’s current position, and the business proposal I pitched to him a couple of weeks ago in a relaxed atmosphere. They want you to come with me.’
‘Why? I’m not part of your deal at all.’
‘They like you.’
Not exactly the answer she wanted to hear.
‘Lauren, I want you to come. You know them, said you liked them. If it’s our relationship worrying you, I promise nothing will happen between us unless you want it to.’
Of course she wanted it to; the location was irrelevant. Last night had been the most wonderful experience of her life. The dilemma was the when and where.
‘A whole weekend in someone’s home is a giant leap from having dinner with them.’ With added pressure if they believed she and Matt were involved.
He made an exasperated noise in his throat.
‘I wish I could see you, reassure you. Will you please consider it? Talk it out with Clair?’
She shared the same desire to be with him but she was also aware of how much he was counting on making a deal with Duncan Ford. Would it make a difference if she could see his expression? Moot point so far apart.
‘Okay. I’ll decide when I talk to Clair.’
‘Let me know. Now tell me where you went and what you did.’
* * *
Matt almost rolled off the lounge as he lunged for his mobile an hour or so later, failing to stifle a harsh groan as his elbow hit the side of the coffee table, and his mug fell off.
‘Lauren.’
‘What was that?’
Simultaneous voices, then silence.
‘Matt, are you there?’ He liked, more than liked, the concern in her tone.
‘I knocked my elbow on the table. You can kiss it better on Friday.’ He sat on the sofa’s edge, ramrod straight, stomach taut.
‘Try pawpaw ointment, it works quicker.’
‘Not as much fun. Clair phoned?’ He held his breath.
‘The two of you are very persuasive. She reminded me I offered to have a look at her computer some time, so I could hardly refuse. And she promised it’ll be a weekend to remember.’
His commitment as well. He rose to his feet, adrenaline surging, his free hand fisting and pumping the air. Couldn’t, didn’t want to stop the grin from forming but managed to keep his voice steady.
‘It will be. Are you tired?’
‘A little. I’m in the motel room ready for bed.’
A vivid image from his bedroom filled his head, he barely managed to stifle the zealous groan.
‘Too sleepy to talk? You’re a long way away, and I don’t want to say goodnight.’
‘What about?’
‘You and your family. Why you took the job in Sydney.’
He waited as she pondered his question, a habit he’d learnt to expect, professionally and personally.
‘What I went through might have been because I was so different, too shy and inhibited to join in boisterous games. My parents and brothers were all extroverts, loved any kind of physical sport and had no problems interacting with strangers.’
A decidedly male growl resonated in Lauren’s ear.
‘They didn’t allow for you being quiet and gentle, didn’t make time to understand who you were?’
She sensed Matt’s anger, found his defending their lack of sensitivity towards her exhilarating.
‘I’m beginning to see how I contributed to the problems. I wasn’t interested so I didn’t make any effort. I never complained or told them how I felt except to refuse to attend any more sporting events once I turned thirteen. To them I seemed happy to bury myself in books and homework. At least I always got good grades at school.’
Another growl so she quickly added, ‘If I hadn’t I might not be working with computers. Might not be here.’
‘Eighty odd kilometres away. Much too far.’
She snuggled into the pillow, striving to keep grounded. He made her feel warm and light-headed even along a phone line. With each word, her pulse had quickened, electric tingles danced over her skin, and the overwhelming desire to touch him, feel his strength surrounding her was almost frightening. He could make her feel strong, empowered. He could also hurt her more than anyone else in the world.
* * *
Lauren returned the hire car early Friday afternoon, and was given a sealed package Matt had left for her containing a key to his unit. Finding a round dining setting in the appropriate place and three large bright blue cushions on the settee left her speechless.
She texted him to say she’d arrived, found a tea towel in a kitchen drawer, and set it on the new table. It was the perfect place for the orchid arrangement he’d sent her. They were as fresh as when she’d received them, having suffered no ill effects from their journey to the Barossa.
A cup of tea, an open packet of chocolate biscuits, and she was ready to sort out her belongings in the lounge room. The items she chose for the Hills visit were packed into the new suitcase she’d purchased, everything else was wrapped and stored in her original one ready for the trip
