Page 84 of Lost In Kakadu

Mackenzie sliced open one of the inner tubes from the plane’s wheels and cut a piece of rubber large enough to cover the hole with an additional two inches overlapping. Working fast, Mackenzie glued it into place.

He glanced at the graves, several metres away. “Hey Charlie, I think it’s going to work.” Charlie would know what it meant to have to prove himself. He’d spent his whole life trying to show his family. Mackenzie shook his head, saddened by the type of life Charlie had led. When they got home, he’d make sure Charlie’s heroic efforts out here were recognised.

Mackenzie dug a shallow pit in the ground that was only just deep enough to hold the fiberglass steady but wouldn’t be any support for the sides. He hoped the sides were strong enough to hold their shape. With immense satisfaction, the fiberglass shell slotted into the hole like it was meant to be there.

The sun had already passed overhead, and the searing midday heat had begun to cool, but his body still throbbed with heat and exhaustion. He grabbed the toilet cistern and headed for the lagoon.

The stream had dwindled to a third of the volume it was when he first discovered it. Fortunately, the water continued to flow, ensuring it remained fresh. Stagnant water would’ve created a whole gamut of problems he didn’t want to think about. The cool water beckoned, and he placed the cistern aside and dived in. His skin tingled as if releasing tiny bubbles of heat and tension.

His mind flashed back to that moment with the cake and Mackenzie decided that today’s creation would be made in his mum’s honour. He lay back, floated on top and closed his eyes trying to push those sad memories from his mind.

He decided he’d better get moving. It was going to take many trips from the lagoon to fill the bath. He stepped onto the rock pontoon and pushed the cistern under the water; it filled readily, then straining to lift it onto his shoulder, he adjusted it for comfort and powered up the steep slope.

With each addition to the bath, the water rose just two inches. A pink-coloured sunlight filtered through the trees, and he had only a fewhours before the blackness of night consumed them, so he picked up his pace. It wasn’t until late in the afternoon that he was satisfied with the water depth.

Earlier in the day he’d placed large rocks in the fire and now using the axe he rolled them from the coals to the bath. With a couple of sticks he juggled them into the water and with a harsh sizzle they dropped to the bottom. Twenty-two rocks were needed to heat the water and satisfied the temperature was perfect, he removed the rocks.

It was time to show Abi.

He stripped naked.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Abi deliberately avoided Mackenzie as much as possible during the day. He seemed distant and focused, and it was important for each of them to be alone occasionally. His construction phases were his time. She’d also decided not to bring up the cake again. It obviously hurt him to talk about it, and it was Mackenzie’s choice whether he told her about it or not. She knew though, by the way he touched it, that the scar on his chin had something to do with it.

Her day had been filled with swimming, reading, and writing in her diary and she was plucking feathers from the carcass of a yellow bird when Mackenzie called her.

“Abi, come look.” His voice was packed with excitement.

This was it. She knew from previous experience that he thrived on her initial reaction. Placing the half bald bird onto a metal plate, she wrapped it with a T-shirt and placed it into a cockpit compartment.

She walked around the wreck and her heart jumped into her throat at the sight of him.

He stood completely naked in front of his construction. His teeth were brilliant white against his thick beard, and he looked majestic, like a tribal warrior standing proud and confident alongside his conquest.

“Get your gear off. It’s bath time.” He waved her forward. “Come on, whileit’s hot.”

She wiped her hands on her pants—a pair of cargo pants she’d borrowed from Toni’s luggage—as she walked toward him. Her heart pounded louder with each step and the moisture in her mouth evaporated. She couldn’t speak. Stopping before him she chewed on her bottom lip and willed herself to look into his honey-coloured eyes, searching for his thoughts and confused by her own.

“Feel it.” His smile grew even bigger.

Her mind raced, but then she realised he was talking about the bath and swallowed hard.

Control yourself, girl.

She dipped her fingers into the water. “It’s warm.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d relished warm water on her body; it was a slice of heaven.

He reached toward her. “Shirt off then.”

She held her arms above her head, allowing him to remove her top and she proudly stood bare breasted before him. A tantalising shiver covered her body with goose pimples as she watched Mackenzie’s eyes, eager to see if he peeked at her. But he flung her shirt aside as if this was something they did every day, barely even glancing at her.

She chided herself. Her desires were deluded.

Mackenzie wouldn’t be interested in a woman ten years older than him.

“I’ll get in first, okay?” Mackenzie held her shoulder as he climbed into the bath then he turned and shuffled to one end. Abi was mesmerised by the movement of his bottom. Cheeky and muscular. She couldn’t drag her eyes away.

When he turned, she soaked up every inch of his stunning body. His skin radiated a healthy tan, his abs rippled and the line of hair below his neatly sculpted navel drew her eyes. Heat burned within her, and it took all her might not to look any lower.

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