Beneath The Surface

Chapter Ten

Olivia stepped out onto the verandah as she rubbed her hair with the towel. Her hair smelled like conditioner and she had scrubbed every last bit of dirt from her skin.

Travis didn't go back to work. His car was still parked near the sheds. She hung the towel on the back of the chair and stretched her arms above her head. Her muscles were aching in places she didn't even know she had muscles.

"Tired?" Travis appeared from the side of his house, carrying a bale of hay. His damp hair glistened in the fading sunlight.

"Sore." She kneaded her forearm.

"A few more days here and I'll have you whipped into shape."

Olivia pressed her lips into a thin line. "I work out, thank you very much."

"Pfft." Travis grinned. "Jogging on a treadmill is nothing compared to the amount of physical work you have to do out here."

"Oh, so this is about who's stronger is it?" Olivia placed her hands on her hips.

Travis shrugged one shoulder. "Come on. I don't think that's even a question is it?"

She was attracted to him, but he could be so cocky sometimes.

"I've got to go to Denham tomorrow to load up some more feed. How about the person who loads the most bales wins—and the loser buys lunch?"

Olivia laughed. "I have about less than four dollars in my handbag."

"Well then, you'd better not lose." He flashed his teeth.

Olivia pursed her lips and tapped her foot on the timber. "You're on. And just so you know—I like lobster." She winked and spun on her heel. She smiled as she strode into her house, well aware that Travis watched her strut away.

Olivia wore her pencil skirt and silk blouse again. How could she have known to pack more suitable clothing? The floral dress she had worn yesterday was now in the bin.

She pulled her hair up into a loose pony-tail and was just touching up her rose lip gloss when she heard Travis knock on the door.

He smiled and looked her up and down, then laughed.

"What?"

"You're making this too easy," he said. "You ready?"

"Mmm hmm." She held her head high and pretended not to notice her heels sinking into the ground as she walked toward his dusty car.

"So where exactly is Denham?" Olivia asked once they were on the dirt road headed toward town.

"About an hour and a half east. It's on the coast."

Olivia pulled her Ray Ban's out of her handbag and put them on. It was going to be another scorcher. She wished she had received that universal gift card, she could really use a pair of flat's and some more practical clothing.

They barely spoke as they drove to Denham. Occasionally Olivia would catch sight of some native wildlife and stare in wonder. Emu's, kangaroo's, and wallabies foraged in the dense bushland right beside the road. They passed only a handful of cars the entire time. As they neared the city, Olivia gawked at the massive road-trains transporting live stock.

Olivia stayed inside the car as Travis went inside the stock supplies store. He came out a few minutes later and drove through the large doors to the supply shed.

"Alright Princess," Travis said with an undertone of humour. "I need twenty bales loaded on. You do ten, I'll do ten and whoever finishes first gets shouted to lunch."