like that, Iâll never know.â
âI wasnât exactly planning on being out in the bush helping change a flat tyre when I dressed tonight,â I said tetchily.
âNo, you werenât, were you?â His white teeth shone through the darkness in a sudden grin. No doubt he was thinking Iâd dressed to impress Monsieur André. He would be right, but I didnât like him knowing it.
Deciding to ignore that last remark, I switched the torch on ,âLetâs just get on with changing this tyre, so we can get out of here,â I said.
âToo right. My thoughts exactly. Can you shine that torch on the tyre and not my face?â
We were just getting on like a house on fire, werenât we?
However, he was quick. In less than five minutes he had the old tyre off and the new one on. Flinging the old tyre in the back of the ute, he wiped his hands down the legs of his jeans. My eyes jerked back to his face. I didnât care how snugly those jeans fit his lean hips.
Maybe looking at him was a mistake altogether because his eyes locked with mine and he took a step closer to me. I thought for one crazy moment he was going to kiss me. Then, a beam of headlights washed over us as a car whizzed past on the road. I took a step back and wobbled again as my right heel sank into the gravel.
Zach put out a hand to steady me. âYou really ought to take those off. Thereâs no one out here to impress, unless of course itâs me.â There was that irritating grin again.
I jerked my arm away. âDream on.â I walked back to my side of the truck.
As we both got in, Zach said, âOh, Iâm not the one whoâs dreaming, Babe.â And before I could think of a reply, he started the engine and the truck rumbled into life.
It was obvious to me that while maybe four out of five girls might have liked Zach Mills, I was number five. He was arrogant, conceited and had an uncanny way of saying things that were guaranteed to annoy me. I couldnât wait until this night was over and I would never have to talk to him again, even in French class.
Thankfully, it wasnât long before he pulled into a gravel driveway that wound through the trees. We stopped in front of a low set brick house with a large shed beside it. Zach said. âIâll be back in a moment. No need for you to get out.â
As Zach disappeared into the shed, I looked around with faint interest. Aside from an outside light, the house itself was in darkness. Did that mean he lived alone? Not that I cared. From what I could see, the place looked well-kept, tidy and functional. I wondered what he did. Perhaps he was a tradie or a mechanic or ⦠well, something physical and something outdoorsy I was thinking. He was no university lecturer, thatâs for sure.
I leaned back against the headrest and closed my eyes for a few minutes. It had been a long day and I was starting to feel tired. I couldnât wait until my little car started again and I was on my way home. Then I realised there was another reason I really needed to get home. I needed to go to the bathroom. Surely I could wait? No, I really couldnât. Now I would have to ask Zach if I could use his facilities. Great.
I opened the door, slid out of the truck and headed for the shed. Then, I heard the click of claws on gravel and something the size of a small pony came bounding towards me. Deep-chested barks exploded in the night air. Screaming, I fended off the two enormous paws that tried to attach themselves to my shoulders.
Zach was out of the shed like a flash. âDown, Dave,â he called. Dave , my befuddled brain thought, whoever heard of a monster called Dave ? A slobbery tongue licked the side of my face, before I felt Zach pull him off me. âSit, Dave, behave yourself,â Zach said. The enormouscreature sat beside him, tail wagging, but looking at me as if it were ready for another full-scale attack.
âDonât
âI wasnât exactly planning on being out in the bush helping change a flat tyre when I dressed tonight,â I said tetchily.
âNo, you werenât, were you?â His white teeth shone through the darkness in a sudden grin. No doubt he was thinking Iâd dressed to impress Monsieur André. He would be right, but I didnât like him knowing it.
Deciding to ignore that last remark, I switched the torch on ,âLetâs just get on with changing this tyre, so we can get out of here,â I said.
âToo right. My thoughts exactly. Can you shine that torch on the tyre and not my face?â
We were just getting on like a house on fire, werenât we?
However, he was quick. In less than five minutes he had the old tyre off and the new one on. Flinging the old tyre in the back of the ute, he wiped his hands down the legs of his jeans. My eyes jerked back to his face. I didnât care how snugly those jeans fit his lean hips.
Maybe looking at him was a mistake altogether because his eyes locked with mine and he took a step closer to me. I thought for one crazy moment he was going to kiss me. Then, a beam of headlights washed over us as a car whizzed past on the road. I took a step back and wobbled again as my right heel sank into the gravel.
Zach put out a hand to steady me. âYou really ought to take those off. Thereâs no one out here to impress, unless of course itâs me.â There was that irritating grin again.
I jerked my arm away. âDream on.â I walked back to my side of the truck.
As we both got in, Zach said, âOh, Iâm not the one whoâs dreaming, Babe.â And before I could think of a reply, he started the engine and the truck rumbled into life.
It was obvious to me that while maybe four out of five girls might have liked Zach Mills, I was number five. He was arrogant, conceited and had an uncanny way of saying things that were guaranteed to annoy me. I couldnât wait until this night was over and I would never have to talk to him again, even in French class.
Thankfully, it wasnât long before he pulled into a gravel driveway that wound through the trees. We stopped in front of a low set brick house with a large shed beside it. Zach said. âIâll be back in a moment. No need for you to get out.â
As Zach disappeared into the shed, I looked around with faint interest. Aside from an outside light, the house itself was in darkness. Did that mean he lived alone? Not that I cared. From what I could see, the place looked well-kept, tidy and functional. I wondered what he did. Perhaps he was a tradie or a mechanic or ⦠well, something physical and something outdoorsy I was thinking. He was no university lecturer, thatâs for sure.
I leaned back against the headrest and closed my eyes for a few minutes. It had been a long day and I was starting to feel tired. I couldnât wait until my little car started again and I was on my way home. Then I realised there was another reason I really needed to get home. I needed to go to the bathroom. Surely I could wait? No, I really couldnât. Now I would have to ask Zach if I could use his facilities. Great.
I opened the door, slid out of the truck and headed for the shed. Then, I heard the click of claws on gravel and something the size of a small pony came bounding towards me. Deep-chested barks exploded in the night air. Screaming, I fended off the two enormous paws that tried to attach themselves to my shoulders.
Zach was out of the shed like a flash. âDown, Dave,â he called. Dave , my befuddled brain thought, whoever heard of a monster called Dave ? A slobbery tongue licked the side of my face, before I felt Zach pull him off me. âSit, Dave, behave yourself,â Zach said. The enormouscreature sat beside him, tail wagging, but looking at me as if it were ready for another full-scale attack.
âDonât