Bob blanched, stumbled back a few more steps. ‘I’ll get you for this.’ Then he ran to his car parked on the verge across from Prita’s house, hopped in and sped away.
There was a shocked silence and then Prita burst into laughter.
He blinked, stunned. How could she be laughing? That whole scene had been violent and horrible. He’d lost his temper when Bob had manhandled and yelled at her and because of that loss of control, he was going to have to pay. Bob might be a coward, but he would make a complaint to the police, no doubt. Flynn groaned. Shit.
It wasn’t funny.
Yet she was sitting on the ground rocking back and forth, laughing.
‘This isn’t funny.’
‘No.’ She waved her hand, pushing herself up from her position on the ground, gulping in air around the chuckles of mirth. Too late, he realised he should have helped her up.
She looked at him, shoulders still shaking, those dimples on full display. She took a couple of deep breaths, waving her hands in front of her. ‘Sorry, I know it’s not funny. It’s just he said, “I’ll get you for this” and I couldn’t help picturing him on a broom with a green face and witch’s hat, screeching, “I’ll get you for this, my pretties” as he took off, beer gut spilling out of his pants.’ She burst into peals of laughter again.
Flynn’s lips twitched, the image she painted suddenly large in his mind. ‘It was pretty full on.’
She dragged in a couple of deep breaths and swiped at her eyes. ‘Full on. Always one for the understatement, aren’t you, Flynn?’
He shrugged one shoulder as she looked up at him, her lips pressed together as if trying to hold in her mirth, eyes dancing.
Christ, she was gorgeous. He lifted his hand without thinking, to touch a finger to those dimples. ‘Fucking holy hell.’ Spikes of pain jabbed through his hand and up his arm. He clutched it and swore again, cradling it against his chest, turning from her to look at it. His knuckles were covered in blood, the skin torn and already swelling. Damn it! How was he going to handle saddling up twenty horses for the ride tomorrow? Reid couldn’t do it all himself. John was away for the week. Ah crap. He’d have to ask Mac to come in, even though he’d given the older man some time off to spend time with his son, Ben, while he was still here, to do some work in the bush around his house to create a better fire break.
Hell. The man was going to give him hell. As was his mum. She would lecture him about the stupidity of losing his temper and she’d be right. And how was he going to hide this from Aaron? Hadn’t he just told him the other day that physical violence was not the way to solve anything? No, it just caused problems. And often hurt you as much as the other person. He touched his bleeding and swelling knuckles, flinched.
‘Flynn. What have you done?’ Prita was suddenly in front of him, her fluid grace making him feel like a clumsy giant as he stood there, cradling his hand and wondering what the hell had come over him. ‘Flynn.’ Her snapped out use of his name brought his attention back to her as she tried to loosen his tight grip on his injured hand. ‘Stop scowling at me and let me see.’
‘I’m fine.’
Her brow lifted—a perfect arch—and she pursed those full lips of hers, the dent in the bottom one becoming more evident. He so wanted to run his thumb over that dent. Then his tongue.
No! What the hell was he thinking?
‘Flynn. I can see you’ve injured your hand badly. You’ve got blood all over your shirt. Now let me look at it before you make it worse.’
He couldn’t say no to her when she was looking at him like that. He held out his hand and she examined it quickly, prodding gently. He winced.
‘This is bad. Come on.’ She turned and headed to the front door of her new clinic, obviously expecting him to follow. And god help him, he did, unable to stop trailing behind her like some love sick puppy. Pathetic.
Chapter 3
Prita opened the door into the reception area and held it open for Flynn to go in. She was about to follow when her name was called. She turned to see Max Smith hurrying towards her down the street.
She turned to Flynn. ‘Go sit on the bed in the treatment room. I’ll be right in.’
‘Who’s that?’ Flynn tried to look past her out the door, but she let it swing partially closed.
‘Just a new neighbour. I’m surprised you didn’t meet him today. He was at the party.’
‘What’s he want?’
She smiled sweetly at him. ‘I don’t know. I thought I’d take the bold step and, I don’t know, ask him.’
‘Do you need help?’
She shot him a sarcastic look. ‘Certainly not the kind of help you’re offering today. Besides, Max Smith is a softy. I won’t be a moment. Go on.’
Flynn hesitated a moment but she took the decision out of his hands, stepped back out on the front verandah and shut the door in his face.
Max was slightly out of breath as he came up to her. ‘Doctor Prita, are you okay?’
‘I’m fine, why?’
‘I saw what happened. I was heading back to my shop when I heard yelling and turned back to see if I could help. I could see Bob Thompson hassling you. I was about to call the police when that other bloke came out. I’m … I’m afraid I kind of froze when he hit Bob. I don’t like violence.’
‘Neither do I.’
‘Did he hurt you?’
‘No, I’m fine, although, I can’t say the same for Flynn.’
‘Flynn?’
‘Findlay. From CoalCliff.’
‘Oh, Reid Stratton’s uncle?’
‘Yes.’ Prita stopped
