‘Is that a dam away there to the right?’ Zac’s voice interrupted her less than cheerful musings and her gaze fixed on his big arm as he pointed. Those arms. Good grief. She’d never had an arm fetish before, but then she’d sat beside Zac for nearly four hours. Every time she’d glanced sideways, his arms were right there. Big, sleekly solid, tanned and taut. And close to her. With him pointing, she couldn’t help following the sculpted musculature all the way to his long fingers.

She sighed for the loss. His fingers had been one of the things that had attracted her back on the flight from Sydney. So expressive and long, and capable of such gentle caresses. She really liked his hands. And his arms. And his chest and shoulders. And his eyes.

Seriously. Every barrier she’d erected to protect herself if this didn’t work out had fallen on the way home. His loss and guilt had made her want to hug him, and his Weipa story had slid under her guard. It had made him so human and had joined them on a flight of fancy that had made her want to sob for what they’d lost.

‘The dams?’ he repeated with a friendly poke at her shoulder.

Right. ‘Yes. My grandfather put the dams in and that makes us a little more durable when the drought hits. The last drought hurt badly though: we were handfeeding, carting water, battling to get the cattle shipped out before they died. That’s when Mum decided to try the ecotourism. She modelled the concept on a station in Queensland that includes experiences and not just bed and breakfast. Mum enjoys the cooking and Granny Mim will enjoy showing people what we do.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m a bit sceptical that people would want to see how to cut and dress a carcass, but Mim is impressive when she gets into it. Maybe it’s feasible.’

‘It must be expensive to build cottages?’

‘Mim decided she could design the small cottages for minimal cost if she did them herself and had Jock, my brother, and Poddy – that’s Hana’s brother who came out from New Zealand after her – put them together.’

‘Hasn’t it started yet?’

‘They’re still setting up. You’ll be the guinea pig. Once you’re well.’

‘I’ve never been called that before.’

She shook her head. ‘It’ll do you good. You’re too sure of yourself.’

He smiled at that but only said, ‘You mentioned your brother before.’