“About what?”
“What did your parents say when you told them about Tan?”
She flinched and glanced down at her hands, playing with her fingers.
“Tess?” He kept his tone gentle although his gut tightened.
Finally she looked at him. “I didn’t call them.”
“Why not?”
Fear filled her eyes. “Because I’m scared. What if Dot is right? What if they’re involved with Tan in some way? I’d never heard of him before I came to Australia, and he’s controlling and scary.” She hugged herself. “I didn’t want to talk to them and risk them asking me to do something awful to you or your family.” She sighed. “I’m sorry for lying. But I promise you, Ed, if they are involved, I know nothing about it.”
God help him if Brandon was right, and he was being sucked in by her good looks and sweet personality. He shifted to sit next to her and wrapped his arm around her. “I believe you.” She leaned into him. “We can call Dot tomorrow and ask her the best way to go about it.”
“I don’t want my parents to be in trouble.”
He needed to remember this wasn’t just about his family, her family could be victimised too. “I know. We’ll sort something out.” He kissed her forehead. “Let’s go look at the stars. We can work out a plan of action tomorrow.”
“All right.”
The stars shone brilliantly as they stepped outside. They drove the short distance to the base of the sand dunes not far behind the house. When he switched off the headlights, they were plunged into darkness.
Tess gasped. “It’s so dark.”
“It’s perfect,” Ed assured her. He flicked on a torch and handed it to her. “You can be my light.” He took the telescope out of the back, setting it up on a wooden board he’d put out there specifically to give him a flat surface.
Tess was silent while he calibrated the equipment, choosing the best star to show her first. When he was satisfied, he said, “Take a look.”
She stepped next to him and bent to look into the eye piece. He caught a whiff of the frangipani body wash she’d used in the shower. “What is it?” Her voice was soft, as if not wanting to disturb the peace.
“Alpha Centauri,” he said. “It’s one of the pointer stars for the Southern Cross and actually part of the Centaurus constellation. The Southern Cross can be used to find the south pole.”
“You know a lot about it,” she commented.
“It fascinates me,” he admitted. “When Sheridan invited me to go on a tour of the Perth Observatory with him, I was hooked. There’s so much space out there, so much we don’t know.”
She shifted closer. “You don’t find the immensity of it overwhelming?”
“No, it’s exhilarating.” He turned to her. “The possibilities of what’s there are almost limitless.”
“It’s a beautiful way to look at it.” Her voice carried with it a longing. “It would be lovely to have those kinds of possibilities.”
He understood what it was like to feel confined by expectations. He slipped his arm around her waist to comfort himself, as well as her. She leaned into him, warm and right.
“Thank you for showing me this.” She gazed up at him. Though it was dark, her warm breath was so close to him.
Almost without conscious thought, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers. She gasped and pressed her lips more firmly to his, kissing him, and all his doubts fled as he drew her closer. Her eager kisses shot straight through him, and he slowed them before they drove him insane, slipping his tongue into her mouth to tease her. Her quiet moan of delight was enough to make him rock hard, and he shifted so she couldn’t feel him pressing against her.
He slid his hand across her back, lower to caress her backside, and she sighed against his mouth. Hell. He wanted to drag her down to the sand right here.
Cursing his sense of chivalry, he eased away. She followed him, and he bit back a curse and placed a hand between them. “Tess.” He kissed her again before stepping back. “Maybe we should take this inside.” Except, damn it, their room was next to Lara’s. The shearers’ quarters weren’t any better because the walls were thin.
“Oh. I, ah, don’t know…” She sighed. “I’m not… experienced.” She stepped closer, running her hand up his chest. “But I want to touch you and kiss you.”
He swallowed a curse and pulled her back into his arms. “I’m resisting the urge to drag you down to the sand.” He kissed both cheeks and then her mouth.
“Wasn’t there a rug in the back of the ute?”
