A thousand thoughts and worries slotted into place in an instant and she smiled. “Yeah, yeah, I do,” she said. “Look, Will, whatever happens, I just want you to be happy, okay? Both of you.”

“Thanks, Jules.”

“And I promise I’ll call Lucy.” Matt appeared at the end of the hallway, his arm in a sling and an abashed smile on his face. He raised his good arm in a greeting. Jules’s heartstrings abandoned the mess she’d created in Colorado and landed with a thud in the hallway of an emergency room in Australia.

“Will, I have to go. I love you. Tell Lucy I’ll call her later.” Without waiting for a reply, she pressed her thumb on the red button and rushed down the hall to Matt. She stopped a couple of feet away. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Is it broken?”

“Nah, just a sprain.”

Relief flooded through her and she threw her arms around Matt’s neck and hugged him, careful not to press against his sprained wrist. “It’s all good, Jules. Just a silly fall, that’s all,” he said softly.

Jules leant back leaving her arms where they were. She felt the warmth and strength of Matt’s hand against her back as her eyes roved over his face, taking in his chocolatey brown eyes, heavy arched brows, broad nose, stubbled chin, and full lips which curled up in a gentle smile. “I was worried,” she whispered.

“And all the way here you were telling me there was nothing to worry about,” he teased, his smile widening and those gorgeous dimples making an appearance.

“It was an act. A broken wrist takes a long time to heal and you’re a winemaker and how are you supposed to make wine with a broken wrist? Let alone drive yourself anywhere … And what if …” It was no wonder she was getting worked up. While she’d remained calm on the outside, she’d been replaying the awful scene in her mind since they’d got into the SUV with Jonno. What if he’d been bitten by that snake? Weren’t all snakes in Australia deadly?

What if something had happened to him, something serious, and she’d lost him?

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I’m good.” Jules dropped her head and rested it against his chest. She felt the soft caress of his thumb through her top and it sent a shot of warmth through her. All she wanted was to curl up in bed with him and …

And what?

It wasn’t just sex she wanted. She wanted to hold him and kiss him and just lie next to him, just be with him. I’ve fallen for the hot Aussie winemaker, she realised, surprising herself.

Matt brought her back to reality when he said he needed to sort out some stuff at the front desk. “Would you mind calling a taxi for us? Here, use my phone. I’ve got a number saved in my contacts.” He unlocked his phone and handed it to her.

“Oh sure, or I can get us an Uber?”