Required: Three Outback Brides: Cattle Rancher, Convenient Wife / In the Heart of the Outback... / Single Dad, Outback Wife

‘Why did you stop us?’ she wailed. ‘I wanted to take a swim.’

‘More likely bash your head against a rock,’ he told her sternly.’ The current is too strong.’

‘Still I enjoyed it, didn’t you?’ She stared into his glittering eyes. ‘I’ll remember it for always.’ The great thing was, she meant it. She raised her hand and very slowly caressed his bronze cheek, taking exquisite pleasure in the fine rasp of his beard on her skin. She fancied she saw little rays of light around his head. An energy that held her within his magnetic field?

‘So what are you trying to do to me?’ Rory stared down at her, equally bedazzled. ‘What a repertoire of alluring little spells you have!’

‘All called up with you in mind.’

‘Then there’s only one thing left to do.’ The last tight coils of his self-control broke free. He was so hungry for her he didn’t know how he was going to assuage it. He lowered his head, intent on capturing her mouth, only to see with a flame of wonder her lovely mouth ready itself to receive his.

What would he do to her if she let him?

He kissed her very slowly and gently at first until he had her whimpering and moving her head from side to side in agitation. Then his kisses strengthened in pressure and intensity as his passion for her surged. What a fool he was thinking he had schooled himself to restraint. The reality was he was so powerfully attracted to her he had lost the capacity for rational thought.

Time stopped. The whole world stopped. Pain and old grief were forgotten. His weight pinioned her body into the thick, verdant grasses.

‘Am I hurting you?’

‘Don’t go way.’ She loved the weight of him. Her eyelids fluttered shut and she caught the back of his neck with her hand.

He kissed her until both of them were gasping and out of breath. His hands were sliding slowly, sensuously, over her body as though learning it. Sometimes she led his touch, the delicate contours of her breasts swelling at his caress. Her heart felt like it was going to break out from behind her rib cage. Never before in her life had she felt such sensual excitement. Being with him had increased her every perception one hundredfold.

The breeze shook leaves from the trees. They flew down to them, golden-green, purple backed, landing gently in the glowing garnet coils of her hair. If ever a man could take a woman with his eyes he was guilty of taking her now Rory thought. In a minute she would lay her hand on his cheek again and tell him to stop.

Only she didn’t.

For a woman who had lived three years in a bad marriage, Allegra felt unbelievably ecstatic. She wasn’t unafraid of anything that was in him, because it was in her.

‘Allegra, do you trust me?’ His lips pressed against her throat.

‘Do you trust me?’

Did he trust her siren song? The monumental shift in his line of defence couldn’t have been more apparent. ‘Do I trust life itself,’ he murmured, continuing to trail passionate kisses across her face and throat. ‘You must know I want you badly.’ How could she not when she had been moving her hand over him as he moved his over her?

Allegra’s breathing came fast and shallow. She had to tell him before his body took total control of his mind. ‘It’s not a safe time for me right now, Rory.’ She tried to laugh, but couldn’t bring it off.

‘Oh my God!’ He stopped kissing her, his sigh deep and tortured. ‘Oh God, Allegra!’ Frustration whirled through him with the force of a tornado. ‘I’d better let go of you,’ he groaned.

‘Maybe you’d better.’ Her own burning desire was at war with all ideas of caution and common sense. She was panicked by the thought that desire for him could very well win if they didn’t move. ‘I didn’t know all this was going to happen so soon.’

‘Hell, don’t apologise,’ he said, his body racked by painful little stabs. ‘So you could fall pregnant?’ He helped her to sit up.

‘It’s a strong possibility.’ She held a hand over her heart, trying to quiet her breathing.

‘I wish to God I’d brought some protection.’ His handsome face was taut with frustration.

‘So do I.’ She laughed without humour, her creamy skin covered in a fine dew of heat.

‘I’m so desperate to get close to you,’ he admitted, teetering on the edge of saying a whole lot more.

‘Are you?’ She turned to stare into his eyes, conscious of a sudden joy.

‘You know I am. Damn, damn, damn,’ he groaned. ‘So what do we do? Let the flames die?’

‘It might be a good idea.’ She didn’t bother to hide her regret.

‘Would you want to have my baby?’ he asked very quietly.

‘Are you speaking seriously?’ It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she fell pregnant to him. It would be thrilling.

‘Yes,’ he said.

‘What’s going on in your mind, Rory?’ She was trying to read it from his expression.

‘You haven’t answered the question.’

‘I want children,’ she said. ‘I’ve told you that before.’

He took her hand, looking intently into her eyes. ‘Do you think we have enough going for us to consider marriage?’ He knew he was being carried to extremes, but maybe extremism was his natural bent? Either that or he had finally found his life’s focus.

‘Rory!’ Allegra began to laugh a little wildly. For a minute she felt like she was flying; caught up by a great wind. She who had come through a catastrophic relationship was being asked to consider marriage again. What was even more astounding was she knew right away what her decision would be. Something extraordinary had happened to her. She had to seize the day.

‘Well?’ He took her chin, sparkles of light in his eyes.

‘You don’t have to propose to me to get me into bed,’ she said, pierced by the look in his eyes. She was long used to men regarding her but this was something entirely different.

‘You think I don’t know that?’ he said gently. ‘I know this has come at an odd time, but can’t you see the beauty of it? I want a family. So do you. We’re much the same age. Neither of us is content to let things go on much longer. If I’ve shocked you with my audacity, perhaps you can think of it as a contract that could work extremely well for both of us as we both have the same aims. You wouldn’t have to leave the home you love. You’d gain a half share as my wife and partner. You’d be able to hold onto your own money. It’s important for a woman to feel financially independent.’

The words were business-like, but the warmth of real emotion was in the sound. ‘I should say you’re crazy!’ Allegra was still flying high. To share a dream! Isn’t that what she had always wanted?

‘You know I’m not.’

‘So what are you leading us into?’ she asked as calmly as she could.

‘Why a marriage of convenience for two people who just so happen to suit one another right down to the ground.’

‘We can’t have love, too?’

For answer, he turned her face to him and dropped a brief, ravishing kiss on her mouth. ‘Wouldn’t you say we’re more than halfway there?’

So there was one secret between them. She was already there. ‘Maybe we should slow down instead of full steam ahead?’ she suggested before binding him to her.

‘I’m going to leave that up to you, Allegra,’ he said. ‘I won’t change my mind. You’re the woman I want.’

She kept her eyes lowered. ‘You can’t have forgotten both of us have a lot of old issues to work through?’

‘We can work through them together.’ His response was swift and sure. ‘Have I dared too much too soon?’ He searched her eyes for any hint of misgiving. ‘I hadn’t planned any of it. It took a tumble down the hill to shake it out of me. Love is a big word. Maybe the biggest in the dictionary. I don’t think we’re going to have a problem getting into bed together, do you?’ he asked dryly.