She leaned toward me, and I helped her down, but the moment her feet touched the ground, her legs buckled.
"Easy." I tightened my grip on her waist, holding her steady. "Your feet still hurting?"
"A little." She swayed against me, trembling from exhaustion or the adrenaline crash, probably both. Stepping back from me, she rolled her head from side to side and winced. "Actually, everything is hurting, but nothing a cool swim won't fix." She glanced at the billabong, then back at me. "You're absolutely sure it's safe?"
"Positive."
"No crocs? Because I've had enough of wild animals trying to eat me today."
I chuckled. "No crocs. The water comes from a natural underground spring and flows down from the ranges. The flow is too fast, and the water too cool for them. You're safe here, I promise."
That seemed to relax her. She walked beside me as I led Zeus to the billabong. At the water's edge, I dropped to my knees and plunged my hands into the cool water. The first mouthful hit my parched throat like heaven. I gulped handful after handful, water running down my chin.
Charlie fell to her knees beside me, scooping the water with shaking hands. "Oh, God." She gasped between swallows. "I've never tasted anything so divine."
"I know." Finally satisfying my thirst, I stood and ran my hand along Zeus's rump as he drank deeply. "Good boy."
Charlie stood beside me, stroking Zeus's neck. "How old is he?"
"Twelve."
"Twelve." She nodded, as if she was filing that information away, trying to piece together her next question.
"How about you have a swim while I get this gear off him and get a fire going?"
She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Oh, here." She dug into the pocket of those tiny shorts, pulled out my lighter, and pressed it into my palm. "Lucky you gave me this. I wouldn't have survived without that fire."
I closed my hand around the lighter, then looked at her. "It wasn't the fire that saved you, Charlie. You fought like hell out there."
"Yeah, well, the idea of getting eaten by dingoes is pretty motivating." She shrugged it off, acting as though it was nothing. Her battle had been far from nothing. Many people couldn’t have done what she had.
I wanted to reach for her hand and tell her how brave she was. How beautiful. How I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. But I just stood there like an idiot, holding my lighter.
"Want my help with the fire?” she asked. “I'm getting good at it."
"No. I’ll get it sorted. Go have a swim."
She hesitated, then nodded and headed toward the billabong. I watched her go, those long legs, that perfect curve of her ass in those ridiculously short shorts.
God damn it. I was in trouble here.
I led Zeus back to a sturdy gum tree and tied him up. Then, I pulled off his saddle and the rest of his tack, setting everything in a neat pile on a patch of flat ground.
The moon hung low and full, casting silver light across the billabong. Charlie had wandered to the far side, standing on a massive boulder, moonlight catching the skin of her arms as she stared at the water, hugging herself tight. Maybe she didn't trust my word about the crocs. Poor woman was probably traumatized for life after those damn dingoes. Couldn't blame her one bit.
I gathered some dry wood and kindling, building a small fire near the saddle blanket I'd spread out on a flat patch of grass. The flames caught quickly, casting warm light across the clearing.
When I looked toward Charlie, I froze.
She stood at the water's edge with my tattered shirt pooled at her feet. Her fingers worked the buttons on her own shirt, then she peeled it off and let it fall. Her black bra stood out against her olive skin.
She didn't look at me, but she knew I was watching. Had to know.
Then she reached behind her back, unclasped her bra, and let it slide down her arms.
Her breasts were full and round. Natural. Real. They would fill my hands perfectly.
My mouth went dry.