BEFORE

Chapter 11

JESS

I'd taken enough photos to overload my cell in an effort to stop ogling Jack as he took us on an outback tour. But it was hopeless. I couldn't keep pretending like he didn't exist and if I didn't join in the conversation soon, Reid would think something was wrong. And it was. Majorly wrong. Because I couldn't stop thinking about the last time Jack had spoken to me, the way he'd touched me...

"How big is this place?" Reid shaded his eyes and peered through the windshield.

"About eighteen thousand hectares," Jack said, expertly steering the four-wheel-drive around potholes. "Equivalent to forty-five thousand acres."

"Shit. That's bigger than Craye Canyon."

I pretended to enjoy the geography lesson from the back seat. I preferred it back here. Much easier staring at the back of Jack's head than being next to him. Though the few times our gazes had locked in the rearview mirror? Bad enough.

I hadn't seen him much over the last week. He'd been avoiding me, which was just fine. I didn't want to see him, not after his parting comment the last time we'd seen each other.

He wanted me naked, in his bed, begging for more.

Combined with the visual I'd copped when he'd stepped out of that shower?

Sensory overload. Every time I closed my eyes, that's all I could see. We were in his bed, doing...things I wish I knew about.

I hated how inadequate he made me feel. Like he'd seen stuff and done stuff I could only dream about. It made me feel perpetually off-kilter and likely to do something crazy: as crazy as daring him to step out of that outdoor shower.

"The homestead's about one thousand feet above sea level, so that's why we get great views." Jack pointed to his right. "If you squint and take a look out there, you'll see the Great Barrier Reef."

I craned my neck, and could just glimpse a sliver of blue ocean.

"Careful you don't strain yourself rubbernecking," Jack said, his teasing drawl making me bristle.

Yep, even an offhand remark designed to make me laugh made me feel gauche instead.

Reid laughed. "Sis doesn't get to see ocean very often."

"Make that never, dufus," I said, wishing I could elbow my brother, hard. He wasn't helping me feel anything other than a small town girl way out of my depth.

"I'm guessing there isn't too much water in Nevada where you come from." This time, Jack's tone had softened, almost as if he sensed my discomfort and I flashed him a grateful grin when he glanced at me in the mirror.

"About the closest I've got in the last six months is a day trip to Hoover Dam with a couple of study buddies..." I trailed off, remembering Dave had been on that trip.

Dave, my friend. Who I'd trusted. Until he'd tried to put his penis inside me.

"What's wrong?"

Damn, trust Jack to pick up on that too. How did he do that when he hardly knew me?

"The bumpy roads are giving me bit of motion sickness."

Reid passed me a bottle. "Here, have some water."

"Do you want me to stop?" Jack's steady gaze bore into me. He didn't buy my lie for a second.

"No, I'll be fine."

As long as I blocked out Dave and didn't feel like hugging Jack one minute, slugging him the next.

"There's a cattle round-up happening ahead." Jack pulled the four-wheel-drive over and killed the engine. "Watch."

Grateful Jack had let me off the hook, I gawked as several highly trained kelpie dogs, along with station hands on horseback, rounded up a massive herd of cattle in what seemed like less time than it took me to get dressed in the morning.

"Wow, that was amazing," I said, practically bouncing up and down on the back seat in excitement.

"I'm just going to take a few long range photos," Reid said, opening the passenger door and stepping out.

Leaving me alone with Jack.

"Feeling better, I see." He rested his arm along the back of the seat and half turned to face me. "Just for the record? You may have your brother fooled but I want to know the story behind those study buddies."

I clamped my lips tight and eyeballed him.

He chuckled. "I've got a great technique for loosening lips."

"I just bet you have," I snapped, hating when he smirked. "Too bad I'm not interested."

"Pity." He stared at my mouth. "I would've had a great time getting you to talk."

Thankfully, Reid got back into the car, ensuring smart-assed Jack had to shut his big mouth.

A mouth I wanted to kiss as badly as he wanted to kiss mine apparently.

And as we drove through the open savannah forest back to Cooweer Homestead, all I could think about was the two of us left to our own devices for the week ahead.