Outback Living

Chapter Two

The heat is unbearable, the smell atrocious, but nothing or no one has gotten under my skin as much as Stiles Stilinski has. I've spoken to him a total of two times, both times at the dinner table and I've been here a week. I'm not to sure what is happening with me, but whenever he is around my mind goes blank, my eyes wander to places they shouldn't and my voice miraculously disappears.

It's not to say he's not at fault, with his golden eyes, messy hair and his stupidly perfect nose. I mean seriously who gushes over a nose? I find myself staring at his lips quite often, so full, slightly chapped and just begging to be kissed. Oh and his fingers, yes, you heard me right, his fingers! Long and elegant as if they're more suited to playing the piano in a concert hall, than working on a cattle station in the middle of nowhere.

But wait there's more. Let's not forget about the way his jeans hug his ass and how the muscles in his arms strain against the sleeves of his too tight tee shirt. Or the way his shirt clings to him after a day in the heat, revealing every single toned ripple of his abdomen. But the one thing that catches me out every damn time is his laugh. Warm, hearty, infectious and kind of melodious to my ears. I get lost in that laugh, it takes me far away from the daily grind of the station.

My aunt had pretty much put me to work straight away. Nothing to arduous, mainly tending the horses, helping to feed the work hands and other daily chores. I struggled terribly with the heat. Being from New York we don't experience these high temperatures. I'm still nursing my first Australian sunburn, my pale skin is not liking it one bit. But it's not just the heat, it's the humidity that has me exhausted at the end of everyday.

Today is no different as I hang out some laundry. The sun is high in the sky, beating down on me like I'm being branded, and I'm dripping with sweat. The tank top is the only saving grace from this sweltering heat. I've learned with the work I do here, I'm best suited to wearing jeans and boots to deter any nasty occurrences. But because I'm melting out here, I have wet patches on my ass and my crotch and I swear I can feel a bit of chaffing happening.

There's no pool or ocean anywhere close by, and everyone is off doing their thing, so I resort to stripping down to my panties and tank top and turn on the hose. That's how Stiles finds me. Practically naked and wet from head to toe. My feiry hair has darkened and my blue tank top is now see through, revealing my white bra underneath. I scream blue murder, when he clears his throat behind me and cover all my private parts the best I can.

"What the hell are you doing here? You're meant to be out with the others, doing whatever it is you do."

It's the most I've said to him in my full week of being here, and I'm quite surprised I managed to add a hint of anger to my tone, considering my knees are weak and my skin is flush. Not that he would see the flush, considering how sunburnt I am, but still, it doesn't stop me from grabbing at my jeans on the ground, in the most dignified way I can, and placing them in front of me. When I stand back upright he has turned his back to me.

"Sorry. Came in early. There's a fence that needs mending on the otherside of the paddock and I volunteered. Sorry." He replies.

Is that a hint of nervousness I hear there? I quickly pull my jeans up over my wet legs, groaning at the effort it took. I've still got my hands over my chest when I tell him he can turn around.

"So why aren't you mending it?"

One hand goes to his hat and he pulls it off only to run the other hand through his hair. His eyes are looking everywhere but where I'm standing, and he is shuffling from foot to foot. With a gesture of his hat, he points behind me. I turn confused at what he's getting at.

"Need tools....they....they're in there."

I turn again, only to be surprised that the place I decided to take an impromptu shower at, is right in front of the big red shed. I move slightly out of the way, my head is lowered and my body is scorching, and it's definitely not from the sun. Through my eyelashes I watch, as his hat goes back on to his head and he starts to move towards me. He stops just before he passes me, tips his hat and bids me g'day.