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Connor hesitated, obviously thought better of arguing, and then replied. ‘Okay, I’ll let Ryan know he doesn’t have to book a flight.’
‘He has a family he needs to get home to,’ Sandra said. ‘You all have your families, and I’m honoured to be a part of it, but you have your own lives to live. I’ll see you all in a day or so.’
Graysen squeezed her hand, and she ran her thumb lightly across the back of his warm skin. She thought back to the conversation she’d had with Frank, her investment adviser, and the reason she’d first decided to trek the Larapinta Trail.
It had been time to make some changes and make a life for herself. The future beckoned now. Who knew what this relationship with Graysen would develop into?
All Sandra knew was that she had achieved her goal. She had found herself, and the bonus of a new friendship along the way.
‘Despite the horrid events of the past few days, I have no regrets.’ Graysen held her eyes.
‘No regrets at all,’ she said quietly.
Crowne Plaza
Graysen was as nervous as a teenage boy on his first date. Sandra had shocked him when they checked in at the Crowne Plaza. As they’d walked across to the reception desk together, after parking the hire car that Ryan had left with them, she had looked up at him.
‘Just book one room, Graysen. I don’t want to be myself yet.’
He’d swallowed and wondered what to do as they approached the desk. To his relief, he was able to get a two-bedroom suite. He didn’t want to presume, and he didn’t want Sandra to feel insulted, but that way he’d covered all bases.
She was quiet as they travelled up in the elevator with the suitcase Sandra had left in storage at the hotel before the trek, and Graysen’s pack and camera bags. Sandra carried the small pack she’d used on the trek.
Graysen used the security card to open the door and she crossed the room to the window and let out a sigh. ‘Luxury!’
‘Air conditioning,’ he said with a smile.
‘And a bathroom with a bath. Which is where I am going to spend the next two hours.’
‘And then I’d like to take you downstairs for that special dinner I promised you. What do you think of that?’
‘Dinner sounds lovely, but could we maybe do room service on the balcony? I think I’d like to be more private.’
‘That sounds like a better idea. And I promise we’ll have a better meal than jubes and apples and water.’
‘Don’t think that was bad, Graysen. It was the company that made the night for me.’
He held himself still as she walked over and put her arms around his neck.
‘One thing this trek taught me’—her lips quivered—‘especially Maggie, and Paul and Cecily, is that life is precious, but so uncertain and there’s no point wasting time. Do you remember what you said to me this morning as we set off?’
‘I do, and your response made me blush.’
She moved in closer to him, and her breasts pressed against his shirt. ‘Tell me what you were worried about, Danny.’ Her voice lowered to a whisper.
‘I was worried about leading you astray, Sandy.’
‘And I said?’
‘Maybe not today, but being led astray does sound tempting.’
‘Whoever would have thought it would be today?’ she said.
Graysen bent and leaned in to her lips, but Sandra stepped back.
‘No, we are going to do this properly. I’m going to run a neck-deep bubble bath, and you’re going to open a bottle of champagne, and bring me a glass.’
She turned and twirled with a sexy smile, and he thought he had never seen anything so beautiful as this woman in a khaki shirt, dusty shorts and trekking boots.
