The Proxy Bride by Zoe Boccabella

Author:Zoe Boccabella
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQ Fiction
Published: 2022-08-01T00:00:00+00:00

By the creek, a protective curve of a granite outcrop and dense brush almost enclosed us, though I still felt myself baulking at any shadow and the slightest rustle. But the whispers were merely the breeze stirring. Tim tossed back his hair with a flick of his head. Dry grass needled my back but my legs looked perfectly brown in the shade. Above me trailed the languid shifting of a cloud, though removed, distant. I wasn’t really looking closely enough to see anything in its shape.

‘Are you ticklish?’ Tim ran his fingertips along the outside of my leg to my shorts.

I flinched slightly. ‘A little.’ But I didn’t want him to stop. Not yet.

‘I bet you are here …’ He continued up my bare arm. ‘You’re only just bearing it—’

‘Okay, stop.’ I smiled and turned my mouth to his.

The air was hot with that sweet, dry, grassy smell. I could feel grass in my hair and knew I’d have to get every last blade out before I faced Nonna Gia back at home. But then, maybe she’d understand. For she’d loved someone she shouldn’t have – and being with Tim wasn’t anywhere near like that, and neither of us were married. Perhaps that’s why she didn’t disown Mum when she’d got pregnant while unmarried. Other parents certainly did, and it didn’t matter if they were Italian or Australian.

Tim looked at his watch. ‘Shit. I have to go.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ I sat up into the sun and started skimming grass out of my hair.

He helped me. ‘I love your curls.’

‘Really? So does my nonna. I usually straighten them when I’m at home.’

‘Don’t. They’re sexy.’ He lifted them and kissed the back of my neck. ‘Lucky for you I had better get back to the pub.’

I smiled and picked another piece of grass from my hair. Did he really mean what I thought? Being almost two years older, he’d likely slept with girls before but must suspect I’d never been with a guy, like truly, in that way. In that moment, what had happened with Mum getting pregnant loomed large. I just knew I couldn’t, wouldn’t, let that history repeat with me.

‘You okay?’ In the hot sunlight, his eyes shone a brighter blue.

‘Course.’ I stood up and brushed down my clothes.

‘Sof …’ He caught my hand and gave me a look as if to say he wouldn’t ever hurt me. However, just because I was inexperienced in some ways didn’t mean I hadn’t had any experience with boys at all and so I wasn’t silly enough to fall for that one.

‘Have you … been with many other girls?’ I even hated the sound of myself asking.

He gave a self-conscious groan and smirked. ‘What? Where did that come from?’

Of course, he must have, with his looks, especially those eyes. ‘Any Italian ones?’

Not that I considered myself just Italian, I was Australian too. But I needed to know.

‘Well, there were a few Italian girls at my high school since there’re lots of Italian families around Stanthorpe, and yes, don’t worry, I know they can have stricter dads.

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