Dudes Down Under by Suzannah Burke Read Free Book Online Page A

in the fast lane, the fastest lane. I just don’t want her getting herself into any trouble, that’s all.”
    Skeet put his arm loosely around Lucy’s shoulders, “Well, chooky, she’s gotta learn to be a big girl sometime, ain’t she?”
    “ Yeah, Skeet. I’ll try not to worry, all right?”
    “ Gotcha, chooky, and that Pope fella’s gonna try not to be Catholic as well.” Skeet grinned and took off at a good pace before Lucy could slug him.
    She was a little weary; perhaps a swim and a sauna would help her relax. The tug-of-war tomorrow might end up being more war than tug.
    *   *  *
     
    The guests had split off in a multitude of directions after Orientation, many of them wearing the recommended sun hats and Gothic sunscreen. For those guests who did not wish to explore on foot, solar powered buggies were available, two to each bungalow. These little things were whisper-quiet and had a bright canopy overhead with the bungalow number clearly visible on top to make it identifiable from the air. They had a top speed of twenty miles-per-hour, more than adequate to get out of the way of anything dangerous.
    The twilight of day one ushered in a glittering overhead spectacle of stars. Many guests availed themselves of an outdoor dinner in one of the many small intimate restaurants scattered throughout the complex.
    The guests had a multitude of choices of how they could spend their first full night in paradise. Most chose to explore, dine and then walk along the long palm-fringed stretches of beach. Croc patrols were on duty 24/7. The screened outdoor movie enclosure attracted a few - mostly the guests' staff members - all able to enjoy the same luxury as their employers at no expense to themselves. They were a happy group of campers, noisy and appreciative of the comfortable deck chairs and full waiter service with selections of drinks in the ice-tubs alongside each deck chair.
    Lucy returned to her bungalow and fixed herself a Sundowner. She kicked off her shoes, pulled her long hair loose and wandered out to the large balcony that afforded her the most spectacular views of her island home. She wondered what was going on behind the closed doors of the bungalows scattered around the complex.
     
    *  *  *
     
    Lana Peters sat with her legs stretched out in front of her, sipping chilled champagne and looking up at the night sky. She made a note to herself to ask Skeet to point out the Southern Cross. It felt a little strange not to look up and see the northern hemisphere’s ceiling above her.
    She was lonely, dammit. However, no one could compete with her drive, her need to be in control. Just once she would like to meet a man who could help her relax, who could talk to her comfortably as an equal, and not just see dollar signs when he looked into her eyes.
    She had already decided her young male companion should return Stateside. His youth, and the fact that she had paid him to accompany her, bothered her now. She didn’t want complications in her life, so it had seemed a wise decision at that time. Now, however, he simply made her feel older, and more alone than ever.
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    Kylie Andrews was drunk, very, very drunk. She sat at the wheel of her buggy, facing the lagoon.
    “ I don’t care. You hearing me, God? I don’t care no more. I don’t love him, I just hate her.” She was screaming the words aloud, ranting at the sky. “She’s got to pay, God. Yeah, she has got to pay.
    Tony Brown was walking along the edge of the lagoon, enjoying a cigarette out of sight of anyone that knew that smoking was against his stringent belief system. He heard someone cry out. He didn’t recognize the voice but the sadness in it drew him. He was surprised to find Kylie slumped against the steering wheel of her little buggy, crying.
    Oh, hell. What do I do now? I can’t just leave her here like this. What if one of the crocodiles gets her? Shit! I do not need this. Poor little thing. She just hasn’t got