In the Australian's Bed. Miranda Lee

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      ‘What does he want you to do?’

      ‘Stay at his place when I go to Sydney for the expo next weekend.’

      ‘Wow. He’s a fast mover all right. It took Kevin two years to ask me out, then two months to get me in the sack.’

      ‘It took Jake about two minutes the first time,’ Angelina said drily.

      ‘Ooooh. That good, eh?’

      ‘His kisses were. The sex itself was not great. I froze, and he just went ahead.’

      ‘But you wouldn’t freeze this time,’ Wilomena said intuitively.

      Angelina stiffened. ‘I have no intention of finding out if I would or I wouldn’t. And I have no intention of staying at his place next weekend.’

      ‘But why not? I wouldn’t be able to resist, if it were me. The guy’s a hunk of the first order.’

      Angelina didn’t need to be told that. Jake, the man, had even more sex appeal than Jake, the bad boy. And he’d had oodles.

      ‘If it was anyone other than Alex’s father, I would.’

      ‘If it was anyone other than Alex’s father, you wouldn’t want to,’ Wilomena said. ‘I’ve known girls like you before, Angelina. You’re a one-man woman. And he’s the man.’

      ‘That’s romantic nonsense!’

      ‘Is it?’ Wilomena probed softly.

      ‘Yes,’ Angelina said stubbornly whilst secretly thinking that Wilomena could be right. Why else hadn’t she accepted dates with other men? It wasn’t as though she hadn’t been asked. She couldn’t even claim to be protecting Alex any more, now that he was at boarding school most of the time.

      Wilomena shrugged. ‘Have it your way. So, you’re really not going to see Jake next weekend? Not at all?’

      ‘I…I might go to lunch with him.’

      The look on Wilomena’s face was telling.

      ‘Just lunch!’ Angelina insisted. ‘As you yourself said, I need to find out some more about him.’

      ‘Sounds like an excuse to gaze at him some more.’

      ‘I didn’t gaze at him today. I was just shocked at how much he looks like Alex.’

      ‘Who do you think you’re kidding?’

      Angelina groaned. ‘I did stare, didn’t I?’

      ‘Don’t beat yourself up over it. The man was worth a stare. I ogled myself. So did every other woman in the place.’

      ‘Which is why I can’t risk being alone with him again. The man’s a right devil where women are concerned. He always was.’

      ‘Mmm. But aren’t you curious over what it would be like with him now? I mean, he’s sure to be very good in the sack. If what you say about him is true, he’s had plenty of practice.’

      ‘Too much practice. No, I’m not curious about his lovemaking abilities,’ she lied. ‘Only about his character and whether he’s going to be good for Alex.’

      ‘You know, Angelina, you’re a woman as well as a mother. Do you ever think of your own needs?’

      ‘Yes, of course I do.’

      ‘But I’ve never known you to go out on a date. Not during the time I’ve worked here, anyway.’

      ‘Dating is seriously overrated. And so is sex.’

      ‘Don’t knock it till you try it.’

      Angelina flushed. ‘Who says I haven’t?’

      ‘I have eyes, honey. And ears. If you’d slept with someone around here, I’d know about it. Look, your father’s gone now and Alex is almost grown up. Time for you to live a little.’

      ‘Maybe. But not with Jake.’ I’d probably fall in love with him again and then where would I be?

      ‘Yeah, perhaps you’re right. If you slept with him, it could be awkward once he finds out about Alex. He might think you were trying to trap him into marriage.’

      ‘I’d be more concerned over what Alex thought.’

      ‘I dare say you would. You’re a very good mother, Angelina. You put me to shame sometimes.’

      ‘Nonsense. You’re a great mother.’

      ‘I try to be. Talking of kids, I have to go and ring mine. See what the little devils are up to.’

      ‘And I have to ring Alex and see how he did at cricket today.’

      ‘Being a mother just never stops, does it?’ And with a parting grin, Wilomena hurried off.

      Angelina sighed and made her way down the rest of the path and through the covered archway that provided protection for arriving guests. A green Jaguar was parked there, with a middle-aged couple inside booking in. Angelina slipped through a side-gate just past Reception that led into a private courtyard attached to the manager’s quarters, a spacious two-bedroomed unit with an en suite to the main.

      She and Alex had moved in there two years ago after Angelina had started doing night shifts at the reception desk. The excuse she’d used for the move was that the old farmhouse where they’d been living, and where she’d been born and brought up, was a couple of hundred metres away, far too long a walk for her at night. Or so she had told her father. Papa had not been happy with their move at first, but he’d got used to it. Besides, when Alex came home on holiday, he’d often stayed with his grandfather in his old room.

      Angelina rarely ventured back there, the house not having all that many good memories for her. She’d been a lonely child living there, and an even lonelier single mother. She much preferred her memoryless apartment with its fresh cream walls, cream floor coverings and all mod cons. She liked the modern furniture too, having never been fond of the heavy and ornate furniture her father had preferred. Now that her father was gone, Arnold was living in the old farmhouse, free accommodation being part of his contract as Ambrosia’s wine-maker.

      Of course, Alex hadn’t liked that at all, having someone else living in his grandfather’s house. But that was just too bad.

      Another sigh escaped Angelina’s lips as she let herself in the front door. What a day it had been so far. And it wasn’t over yet.

      She moved straight across the cream carpet to the side-table where she kept the phone, sitting down on the green and cream checked sofa and calling Alex on his cellphone. He should have finished playing cricket by now.

      ‘Yes, Mum,’ he answered after the second ring.

      ‘You lost,’ she said, knowing that tone of voice.

      ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ he grumped.

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