he small plane landed in the idyllic stillness of the Kimberley afternoon and Grace stood a little taller. The client had chosen the perfect time of year to visit. Not that he was a client per se, but a friend of the King family who owned Kings Reach—one of the largest cattle stations in the country.
‘I appreciate you helping me out like this, Grace,’ Fitz said, comfortably slouched beside her. Fitz was the youngest of the four King brothers—all of whom would inherit Kings Reach one day.
At the end of the runway, the plane turned and taxied towards them. ‘If you need to thank anyone, thank Perry for releasing me from station duties for the week.’ Grace was employed at the station as a stockwoman—to help muster and manage the cattle. This week, though, at Fitz’s request, she’d be acting as a personal tour guide. A little fizz of excitement lit inside her.
‘He wasn’t happy about it. Said if this tummy flu hits the station workers, he’ll be hauling me in to help with the muster.’
She grinned, imagining the gruff station manager saying exactly that. She could also see Fitz helping out if necessary even though he had his hands full with Hideaway Haven, the ecotourism business he’d created from scratch. While she was sorry so many of his staff had come down with the flu, she couldn’t deny her excitement at the chance it had provided her. She needed to prove a thing or two to herself and this provided her with the perfect opportunity.
His words when he’d offered her the job ran through her mind again. JC is a friend of the family who needs a timeout. Hideaway Haven is fully booked, but I want him out and about and being active. For that, though, he needs a guide, and I thought of you. She hitched up her chin. ‘I’m the one who’s grateful. I promise to make JC’s week here perfect.’
‘I’m counting on it.’
The plane’s steps were let down. A muscular denim-clad leg emerged followed by its partner. Her eyes widened. The denim caressed those hips and thighs with a crushingly loving enthusiasm, as if it couldn’t imagine anywhere else it wanted to be, and she didn’t blame it. Not for a single solitary second.
The rest of him emerged and she blinked. He wore a Hawaiian shirt in eyewatering shades of orange and yellow and printed with hibiscus blossoms, setting suns and ukuleles. She bit her lip to stop from snorting, then pushed her sunglasses further up her nose.
The mirth faded a moment later. Beneath the open Hawaiian shirt, a T-shirt clung to a tautly muscled abdomen. Her fingers curled into her palms. The pulse in her throat fluttered. Her knees shook. They shook!
Beside her, Fitz barked out a laugh and moved towards him, hand outstretched. ‘Tom dared you, huh?’
‘And the challenge has been accepted.’ The two men shook hands. ‘You need to snap a pic to send to him.’
She froze at the voice, lifted her gaze to the man’s face. And the ground beneath her feet dropped away. ‘Jamie?’ The name choked from her throat. JC was Jamie?
Dark eyes swung in her direction. The strong square jaw dropped. ‘Grace?’
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