Trouble in Nirvana by Elisabeth Rose Read Free Book Online Page A

you. Good bye.” She disconnected.
    “Okay?”
    “Ten o’clock tomorrow in Moruya. The Braidwood doctor suggested we go there instead because of the better maternity facilities. What do I owe you for the calls?”
    “I’ve no idea. Don’t worry about it.”
    Primrose opened her purse. “Two dollars should cover it.”
    “I said don’t bother.”
    She clinked the coin on the bench. “I don’t want to be a freeloader—or cheat you out of anything.” She met his eye with fearless directness. The stolen shower hovered between them. He almost laughed. Her grim expression wasn’t within cooee of laughing. No sexy overtones now.
    “Like to use the facilities while you’re here?”
    Her jaw tightened. “No, thanks. I’ll be going.” She started for the front door.
    “The paint’s in the car.” He followed her rapidly striding figure. Boy, she had an exceptional rear view. He curled and uncurled his tempted fingers. “Clean up in water.”
    “Thanks.”
    “If you need any help, give me a yell.”
    “I won’t, but thanks.”
    “No worries.” He walked across to the car with her. “Early in the morning’s best to start painting otherwise the fumes'll knock you flat.”
    She grimaced. “Another night with the tribe.”
    “Last one. Then you’ll only have possums, mozzies, and the lumpy mattress.”
    “And Kurt.” She paused, obviously considering her next words. “He throws some wild accusations around.”
    “Most of them are about me.”
    “Why does he have it in for you?”
    The switch from defiance to intimacy threw him for a moment. “I told you. He’s mad.”
    “But I thought you were joking.” A little frown appeared. Her teeth tugged at her lower lip. “He’s not dangerously mad, is he?”
    “He hasn’t hurt anyone yet.”
    She shuddered. “Yet?”
    Didn’t look like she’d be lasting the week. Especially if she stirred things up the way she was going. Pity. She was entertaining and decorative to have around. Given time she might relax and drop the aggressive attitude. He said, “That’s what these communal places are about, aren’t they? What you’re after? Equality. Everybody welcome.”
    She glanced at him suspiciously. “Yes. Sort of.”
    He kept a straight face and said with deliberate casualness, “You’ll have to learn to be more tolerant.”
    “I’m very tolerant.” Squeezed out through gritted teeth. About as tolerant as a cat in a sack.
    “I couldn’t stand it. I like doing things my way, not by committee.”
    “Is that why you live alone? By choice?”
    He’d asked for that. Served him right. He stared out across the paddocks toward the river. Alison’s face swam before his eyes momentarily—short blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes. Tell her? Might as well.
    “I had a girlfriend but she couldn’t take farm life. Too isolated, too hard.”
    Her mouth drooped. Sympathetic. “When did you break up?”
    “Ages ago. It was mutual and amicable.”
    “My fiancé did a bunk two months ago.” She met his eye and tilted her head, accompanied by a small shrug.
    Startled by the personal frankness of her admission he said, “That’s tough. How close to the wedding was it?” No wonder she was prickly.
    “April.”
    “Better before than after.”
    “So everyone tells me.”
    “Doesn’t help much?”
    Primrose shook her head and looked away. “Thanks for the paint.” She jammed sunglasses on, all business again. “How much do I owe you?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Sure? I don’t want to. . .”
    He interrupted. “Positive. It was left over.”
    “Thank you. I’ll be off then.”
    “See you later.”
    Tom watched the car disappear between the trees. Dumped by a fiancé. Tough. Explained a lot. Maybe if she was still here on Friday he’d invite her out to the pub. An evening with feisty, sexy Primrose would be very enjoyable. And safe. No complications would ensue because she clearly wasn’t in the relationship market and although he was, in a general