Page 46 of Jillaroo from Jacaranda

Something twisted inside her, and she barely stopped herself from planting a kiss on his devilish lips. ‘You know.’

‘Actually, no, I don’t.’ The muscles of Ty’s shoulders knotted as he casually rubbed the back of his neck.

‘Well, whatever it is, just stop it.’ Her gaze fleetingly lingered on the bulge of his biceps. ‘Because it’s making me want to do things I shouldn’t.’

‘Okay, I’ll stop whatever it is, even though I don’t know what it is, before you do whatever it is you shouldn’t do.’ He chuckled. ‘And you women wonder why us blokes seem so dumbfounded sometimes.’

She looked away, pretending something out the window held her attention more than he could. ‘For your information, you blokes are just as confusing as us women.’ Pulling herself together, she turned back to him.

‘I’ll take your word for it.’ The look in his eyes told her he was on the same wavelength as her.

‘Would you like a beer?’ She said it as casually as she could.

‘Is the pope Catholic?’

Chuckling, she grabbed two, handed him one then twisting the lid off her own. They clinked tops before they both took a long swig, eyeing each other as they did.

Leah was on the money. Ty was most certainly a man after her own heart. But it was a heart she needed to guard if she was to come out the other side of her break-up with Finley Cole whole and ready to love again. And Ty deserved to be loved wholeheartedly by a woman with the capacity to do so.

One brick after the other.

* * *

As he leaned up against the bar with the twang of a Garth Brooks tune in the background, Ty’s gaze travelled over the busy room. Having driven into town for some odds and ends, he’d decided on a whim to call in for a counter lunch. His mouth watered at the scent of grilled steak wafting from the kitchen, and the lunchtime chatter helped to ease the sense of unease lurking in his heart. Last night’s dinner with Rose, although lip-smackingly delicious, had been a little awkward. Their comfortable silences had felt more like tongue-tied moments, so much so that he’d cut the night short and bid his goodnight the minute they’d polished off dessert. It had felt like she was keeping something from him, which left him baffled and made him question what Leah might have said to her – the fact that his sister skipped dinner was odd. The easygoing nature of his and Rose’s blossoming friendship was now made tense by an undercurrent of apprehension, and not from his side of the boat. He didn’t like the shift, not one little bit. He wanted them to return to that comfortable place they’d found themselves in since meeting. But he didn’t have a clue how to get back there.

Ice cubes clinked as he took a sip from his glass of Coke. Exhausted by his train of thought, he drank in the goings-on of the pub. Blow-in cowboys were playing a game of pool, and a group of young women laughed from a table with a tower of helium balloons at the centre. As if sensing his attention in their general direction, all eyes at the girls’ table were suddenly upon him. Not wanting to give them the wrong impression, he quickly averted his gaze, but not quickly enough. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched a buxom brunette stand and stride towards him.

Shit.

‘Hey there, cowboy.’

Groaning beneath his breath, Ty swivelled and flashed her a smile. ‘G’day.’

She moved closer, clearly having no idea about personal space. ‘I hope you don’t mind me interrupting, but my friends dared me to come over here and ask you for your number.’

He looked to where six sets of eyes were watching them like hawks. ‘Did they now?’

‘Yes, no word of a lie.’ She ran her tongue over her top lip. ‘So … can I have it?’

He fidgeted with his belt buckle. ‘I’m not one for giving my number to strangers, sorry.’

‘It’s not like I’m going to stalk you.’ She pouted when he remained silent. ‘Oh, come on. Help a girl out, would you?’

He smirked at her flirtatious effort. ‘Sorry, but no can do.’

Frowning, she tipped her head. ‘Oh my god, you’re gay?’

This woman evidently wasn’t used to be told no. He waggled a finger in her direction. ‘You got me.’

Gasping, she covered her mouth. ‘Holy shit! I never would’ve thought a rough, tough man like you would be that way inclined.’ She gave his arm a squeeze. ‘Good for you, owning it.’

‘Ha, yeah, thanks.’ He turned to the barman, who was now looking at him like he’d lost his mind. ‘How about you get Marty’s number?’ He gestured to the shaggy-haired, handsome-in-a-surfer-dude-way bartender. ‘He’s single and ready to mingle.’

Marty looked keen as mustard.

Giving him the once-over, she, on the other hand, did not.

‘Thanks, but no thanks.’ The woman cleared her throat as she shifted from one high-heeled foot to the other. ‘No offence, but I like my men rugged.’ And off she strutted, her hips sashaying in time to the music playing from the jukebox.