Beneath The Surface

Chapter Eleven

The sun was dipping below the horizon as they walked along the dirt road. Travis had suggested they walk as Danny and Kate only lived a little over a kilometre away.

By now Olivia had mastered the art of walking on gravel in her Louboutin's. She could smell the citrus in Travis's aftershave and had noticed the way his jeans fit snug to his thighs and backside.

She cleared her mind. She had a to-do list to check off.

"Would you ever move back to the city?" She tried to sound casual.

"Nope."

That didn't leave much leeway.

"Would you ever consider down-sizing your property?"

"What for?" Travis asked and shot her a glance.

Olivia shrugged. "It's an awfully big property for one man to look after."

"I'm not on my own. I have Kevin and Danny, and then lots of help during the muster."

"Well what if someone wanted to purchase some of your land?"

"You interested?" He grinned.

She swatted at the fly that had been trying to land on her face for the last thirty-seconds. "No, I'm just curious."

"It depends who it was. There's plenty of land elsewhere. I can't see why someone would specifically want my land."

"Didn't your mother teach you to share?" Olivia smirked.

Travis chuckled. "I'm not greedy, I'd share it with someone if I felt they were worthy."

The way his gaze lingered made her pulse quicken.

"What about if, for example, a mining company wanted to purchase your land. What if they offered you a considerable amount of money in exchange for something tiny—like an acre or two?"

Travis narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to see what my buckling point is?"

Olivia laughed. "Can't a girl just ask questions without motive?"

"I'd tell that mining company that my land is not for sale."

"What about a coal seam mining company. I hear they're purchasing plots of land all over the northern half of Australia." She kept her eyes on the road and controlled her breathing.

"You mean fracking companies?"

"Not all coal seam's necessarily need to be fractured. That's only when the gas doesn't flow freely."

"Then I would tell them no amount of money in the world could make me contribute to the destruction of our planet."

Olivia looked at him and saw that he was serious. His brows were straight and he was staring at her. "Can I just say that there has never actually been a single confirmed case of water contamination as a result of fracking."

He stopped walking. "Why are you asking me this, Olivia?"

Olivia stopped and licked her lips. "I was just curious."

"Curious? That's an odd question to be 'just curious' about. You seem to know a lot about fracking."

She shrugged and her eyes darted around in the fading light. He kept her pinned under his eyes.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" He asked.

Olivia shook her head and swallowed. She forced a smile. "No. But can I ask why you're so adamant you wouldn't sell to a coal seam mining company."