Piping Her Tune Read online

  Victoria heard the words with surprise. She found herself continuing to gain a grudging respect for Abby. For all her own arguing to the contrary the night before, she valued keeping things fresh and inventive. It was one of the hardest things to achieve in a large organization like Orianis, as each section had to fit in with the overall plan of the company’s goals. Anyone going off on an independent tangent meant confusion down the track. Staff tended to follow practices which held little potential to disrupt the status quo. While conformity had its merits, it also discouraged innovation. She nodded her approval. “I’ll be interested to see what you can come up with. You’ll find seeing the mine will give you more of an idea how we build the infrastructure to fit into the contours of the land. You’ll have time on the plane to Perth to enter some of the figures.”

  Victoria was pleased to see Abby’s face brighten. She still remembered prickling disappointment when her first boss arbitrarily dismissed her ideas because she was too young. The rest of the trip passed quickly as they threw thoughts back and forth to challenge the orthodox methods in place. Before they knew it, they reached the turnoff to the airport.

  They walked through the terminal to where the company jet waited on the tarmac. Bruce waved a welcome as they approached. The flight attendant was silhouetted at the door of the plane and Victoria let out a heated, “Dammit! It’s Stephanie.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Abby caught the tone with surprise and glanced at her boss. Victoria looked angry. Marcia had been replaced by a slender, tawny-haired woman who eyed them with assertiveness. As Abby climbed the stairs, she struggled to contain her irritation. The way the woman watched Victoria was not quite decent. In the close quarters of the entryway, Stephanie yielded little, forcing Victoria to brush against her. Then Stephanie flicked her eyes over Abby when she reached the top and flashed a cocky grin. “Welcome, Ms Benton.”

  Abby offered a curt nod, miffed. Evidently she was dismissed as no threat for Victoria’s affections. She didn’t understand why it annoyed her so much. “Where’s Marcia?” she asked gruffly.

  A satisfied smile appeared on Stephanie’s face. “On her days off. I was lucky enough to jag this assignment. I’ve put a magazine on the seat next to Fiona for you.”

  “Up yours too,” Abby muttered as she crawled into the seat and jerked the seat belt around her waist. Beside Fiona, Abby suddenly saw the funny side of the situation. It would serve Victoria right to have to fight Stephanie off until they went overseas.

  Abby took the opportunity while they were in the air to ring her mother. She had organized daily home-help with the first payment from Orianis, and was reasonably happy now about leaving her for such a length of time. Her mum’s friend next-door, Joyce, would be a tower of strength, Abby knew. She had barely finished the call when the plane began to descend. The view out the window was mind-boggling—coal mining dominated the landscape. Huge draglines towered into the air and greyish mounds of overburden blotted the countryside like a foreign invasion. The piles circled open pits, gaping black holes in the earth. Mine after mine went on into the horizon. She had no idea a place like it existed. On landing, she could see the parking area of the airport was filled with multiple rows of four-wheel drives.

  Abby turned to Fiona. “Why are there so many vehicles here?”

  “They belong to the fly-in-fly-out miners. The newer companies tend to build camp accommodations as opposed to housing their workforces in the town.”

  “Really? Most people usually live where they work.”

  “Not in these mining towns,” said Fiona. “In the early seventies when the mining booms began, it was a governmental requirement for the big companies to build towns to house their workforces. Now there are mining corporations who will only employ staff from other areas. They fly or bus the crews out. Orianis Minerals is not one of them. Our policy is to support the local towns. It’s been a contentious issue for quite a while now in the industry.”

  Two men, in bright orange jackets with silver stripes slashed horizontally across the chests, waited at the small terminal to greet them. The elder of the two, a whiplash of a man with a long earnest face, shook Victoria’s hand with an appreciative look and led them to a Toyota. “I’ll take you out to the mine and Paul can drive the plane crew to the motel.”

  After leaving the town centre behind, they drove fifteen kilometres to the mine turn-off and entered the site through a guarded boom gate. The rest of the day was spent discussing business with the various division managers and touring the open-cut mine. Abby was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of things. The pit was so deep the huge trucks looked like cars at the bottom. The dragline that moved the overburden was as high as a four-story building. Its boom was as long as a football field and the bucket as big as a backyard swimming pool. Fascinated, she could have stood all day watching the bucket swinging back and forth, scooping and dumping its load. It reminded her of a prehistoric monster the way the steel teeth bit into the rubble.

  * * *

  Dinner certainly smelled appealing after the dirty sojourn to the mine. A long shower had been needed to rid Abby of the coal dust that seemed to infiltrate every pore on her skin. In a private room at the motel, the staff had prepared a feast fit for hungry travellers: pork tenderloin, steamed artichokes, garlic mashed potatoes and slices of fresh melon.

  Victoria sat with the general manager and his wife, and in the predictable pecking order, Abby had been relegated to the far end of the table. She sat with three engineers: Bob, boyishly round-faced, with sandy hair and an engaging grin; Adrian, with a lined, tanned face and a killer dry wit; and Frank, Italian swarthy and ruggedly handsome. They proved great company. It was liberating to be the centre of attention from these genuinely fun people, making her feel happier as the weight of the recent past months slipped away. At one stage, Abby laughed loudly at one of the jokes and glanced up to catch Victoria’s frown. She continued in defiance. Blow you. I’m on my own time.

  After the meal, Frank began to flirt. Abby was flattered, especially as the other two seemed enamoured with her boss. They glanced at Victoria periodically with cow eyes. Not that it didn’t happen all the time—every man who met Victoria seemed to suck in his stomach and thrust out his chest.

  By the time she wove her way back to the room it was after midnight. Frank had persuaded her to stay for a nightcap after the others retired to their rooms, and insisted that he walk her back to her room. From the way he kneaded her hand, Abby was grateful she was sharing her quarters with Victoria. She opened the door and he looked at her with expectation.

  “I’m sorry I can’t ask you in, Frank. I’ve got a roommate.”

  He moaned his disappointment. “Just my luck.” With a quick movement, he pulled her into his arms and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “That’s to remember me by.” He took a card out of his pocket and pressed it into her hand. “Give me a ring. I’d like to see you again one day.”

  Abby deftly avoided a second kiss, and tapped him on the cheek before she walked in. “Maybe.”

  After closing the door as quietly as she could, she felt her way in the dark to the bathroom to change. She hoped Victoria was asleep. At last under the covers, she let out a relieved breath. No sound had come from the other side of the room.

  Victoria’s bed was empty when Abby woke. She felt seedy, her mouth dry and a persistent throb drummed behind her eyes. Even though the thought of breakfast turned her stomach, she knew it would be sensible to have something. The plane trip to Perth would take five hours. She took some juice and toast from the buffet.

  Stephanie stared at her. “You look like death warmed up. Heavy night?”

  Abby sniffed. The damn woman didn’t sound sympathetic at all. “A little too much to drink. I’ll be all right shortly.”

  “You sure were having a good time,” said Fiona. “They looked like nice young men, especially Frank.”

  “Um…yes, they were great fun.”

  Bruce jumped up with a
grin. “I’ll get you a small brandy. Hair of the dog, that’ll fix you.”

  She dutifully drank it and gagged as the fiery alcohol hit her stomach. Five minutes later, a flush of calm spread through her body and the nausea receded. She smiled at the pilot. “I feel much better, thanks. I must remember that remedy.”

  Victoria, who had ignored her so far, raised her eyes. “It won’t be happening again for you to have to remember it.”

  Abby bit the toast with a snap, chewed it thoroughly and swallowed before she said, “Whatever.”

  Victoria scowled at her for another moment before she turned to Bruce. “We’ll get going as soon as we’ve finished breakfast. The car will be here to pick us up in half an hour.”

  Abby ignored a bout of dizziness as she packed. She still felt light-headed, though at least her stomach was no longer turning somersaults. After popping two painkillers, she folded her clothes into the suitcase before she lay down to close her eyes. Victoria hadn’t said a word since Abby entered the room, which was starting to ping her off. Just because Victoria had had staid company, didn’t mean Abby shouldn’t have enjoyed herself.

  As she drifted off, Victoria spoke. “No use going to sleep. We’re going in a minute.”

  “I’ll get up when the car comes. I’m packed and ready. What’s your problem anyway?”

  “I’m not the one who got drunk.”

  Abby propped herself up on her elbows and glowered at her. Victoria was starting to sound like her mother. “For frig sake, I was not drunk, just pleasantly primed.”

  Victoria slammed down her case and towered over the bed. “Rubbish. You were giggling like a teenager at dinner and allowed Frank to slobber all over you at the door.”

  “Oh, please. All he did was give me a kiss, which, might I add, I didn’t see coming.”

  “What did you expect? You batted your eyelashes at him all night.”

  “It’s none of your goddamn business whom I flirt with. What’s it to do with you anyhow? You’re so prim and proper, in fact an opinionated prude who’s dull as dishwater.”

  “I’d like …” The tirade was interrupted by a call outside the door to tell them their ride had arrived. Without another word, Victoria hauled her case off the floor and stalked out.

  As soon they boarded the plane, Abby sank into the seat next to Fiona. “Can I have a half an hour nap before we go over the figures?”

  The Scot patted her arm. “Go ahead. I’ve got plenty to do on the laptop for a while. I’m researching my Scottish ancestors who immigrated to Australia.”

  “Are you really?” Abby leant over to look at the screen. “How long have you been doing that for?”

  “A few months. It’s really fascinating…I found some cousins in Melbourne and an aunt in the Barossa Valley.”

  “You’ll have to tell me all about it when I’m not so tired. Now I really must get some shut-eye or I’ll be good for nothing when we get to Perth.”

  It seemed she’d only just closed her lids when Abby felt a hand on her arm. “Wake up. Victoria gave me a message for you on her way to the toilet,” said Fiona and handed her a note with the words, do your job.

  Abby stared at it, puzzled. “What does she mean?” she whispered.

  Fiona looked down the aisle at her boss, who was in the front seat with Stephanie beside her. She had her arm draped over Victoria’s shoulder. “I think she wants ye to get Stephanie away from her.”

  “Why doesn’t she just tell her to buzz off?”

  “That hasn’t worked in the past. She’s very persistent.”

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake.” Abby jerked off her seat belt and stormed down the aisle. She reached the front seats to see Stephanie stroking Victoria’s knee. A stab of anger shot through Abby. How dare she touch her like that? Without a thought, she leant down, and grasped Stephanie’s wrist.

  “Would you mind not touching my girlfriend?”

  Stephanie jerked her wrist from Abby’s hand. “Excuse me?”

  “Oh, there you are,” stammered Victoria. “I thought you had nodded off…”

  “That, darling,” Abby said gently, “was your fault entirely…” She leaned down and took Victoria’s face in her hands and kissed her. The shock of the soft lips against hers made Abby’s senses reel. Oh my, oh my, so this is what it feels like. Instead of the chaste peck she had intended, the kiss blossomed into something so arousing she let her mouth linger. She slid her tongue lightly along the bottom lip and then over the top one.

  All restraint vanished as an exquisite sensation spread through her body. With a breathy moan, she pushed her tongue firmly against the mouth to demand permission to enter. It opened and she slipped it inside. Their tongues began to duel, twirling in a heated dance. Abby was on fire as the slow sweet burning built into a flame. A loud hiss from Stephanie broke the spell and she pulled away. She raised her eyes to look at Stephanie. “Have I made myself clear?” Abby asked evenly.

  Stephanie paled, rose quickly and hurried behind the curtain at the top of the cabin. Not daring to look at Victoria, Abby plopped into the seat beside her. “Satisfied?” she whispered. No reply came. When she heard footsteps, she reached over to take Victoria’s hand and laced their fingers together. “Just in case she didn’t get the message. Now I’m going to get some sleep.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  As the plane banked over the sea to begin its approach into the Perth airport, it was well into the afternoon. Victoria looked down at the blond head pressed against her shoulder and decided to let her sleep until they were on the ground. She trailed a curl through her fingers and itched to massage the scalp. That would be so…not sensible. The kiss had not only unsettled her, it had twisted her in knots. Was Abby simply playing the part she was being paid to do? If so, she was a damned good actress.

  Somehow the idea that Abby may have been acting depressed her. Hell, it seemed so real. If it had gone on any longer, Victoria would have reached under the shirt to stroke the nipples that pressed against her chest like two small bullets. She had never experienced anything so erotic.

  She pinched her lips together. She could never lose control again. Anxiety swept over her. How on earth was she going to keep her distance? Abby was employed to be her partner for the trip, which meant they had to look like they were in a loving relationship. They definitely had to stop fighting, for it only seemed to magnify their awareness of each other. And she must turn a blind eye if Abby flirted with anyone, for as long as it was discreet, she had no hold over the younger woman. Her face tightened. She remembered the moment that she had seen the engineer take her in his arms. It had taken all of Victoria’s willpower not to leap out of the bed to hit him.

  And Chantal. Had Abby kissed her too? Hell, the way Abby kissed, the Frenchwoman would never give up. How could she hope to compete with such a stunning creature? Abby raved about Chantal being charming and considerate while she called her dull and boring.

  The thud of wheels on the runway thankfully blunted her panic. She couldn’t comprehend why it mattered what Abby thought of her, but it did. It did a lot. The plane rolled to a stop, Victoria gently shook her shoulder. The blue eyes slowly opened and gazed into hers. Desire clouded them like a soft haze for a brief moment before the lids fluttered and the pupils focused. Abby pulled away and offered a shy smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable by sleeping on your shoulder. Are we here?”

  Victoria looked at her in anguish, her emotions in turmoil. She was totally confused by the feelings. One part of her wanted to kiss Abby senseless and the other screamed caution. She thinks you’re a dull, boring prig, you twit, so get a grip. She’s only here for the money. You’ll become a joke she’ll be able to tell her friends about after she gets home. She swallowed and said in a rough voice, “We’ve just touched down. You’d better get back to give Fiona a hand with the gear. She probably wanted you to help her enter the data on the trip so you’ll have a lot of catching up to do.”

  For a fleeting mom
ent, hurt suffused Abby’s face before her demeanour changed to disdain. “Of course. I’ve got a job to do. I don’t want you thinking I’m a shirker.” And without another word she walked off down the aisle, leaving Victoria with an awful feeling she’d washed something very precious down the drain.

  * * *

  Abby fought an overwhelming desire to cry as she pulled her carry bag from the overhead compartment. How stupid she’d been to think Victoria had found the kiss as arousing as she had. She squeezed her eyes shut. God, what had she done? She’d tongue-kissed her boss. Waves of self-loathing ebbed and flowed as she berated herself for not having more self-control. One thing was sure; she wouldn’t let it happen again. The thought of never kissing Victoria again made her even more dejected. They would see each other every day in the coming months; how could she turn off her emotions like a leaky tap?

  “Are you all right?” said Fiona.

  The assistant’s homely face looked at her with concern; the presence of the sensible woman brought everything back into perspective. Things weren’t as bad as she imagined. She’d done her job well with Stephanie; there’d be no more unwanted advances.

  And as for the kiss—Victoria had kissed her back, hadn’t she? And she’d even pulled Abby in closer when she’d pressed against her, which meant she wasn’t too repulsed. So what if it hadn’t turned her on? So be it. Abby knew where she stood. Why did she ever think such a gorgeous woman would be remotely attracted to a nondescript thing like her anyway? The best thing to do would be to carry on as if nothing had happened.

  She gave Fiona a bright smile. “I’m fine. I completed my task successfully. Sorry about not helping you.”

  “Don’t worry about it, lass. I had a sleep myself so we’ll both be fresh tomorrow to start. We’re staying a week in Perth because Vic has some meetings.”