Page 89 of The Mechanics of Lust

Eventually, I couldn’t stand it any longer. “For Chrissakes, sit on one and put the other handunder my thigh before you cut off the blood supply to your fingers”

Zach started and his gaze jerked sideways to meet mine, the fear in them enough to break my heart.

“Come on. If I can’t hold your hand, that’s the next best thing. Friends, right?”

Zac said nothing, but after a few seconds a hand slid under my thigh and a sigh escaped his lips. “Thanks.” Then he faced forward again, peering through the windscreen to the mountains beyond.

“We’ll find them,” I reassured him softly.

He turned back to face me, misery turning those beautiful green eyes a muddy khaki. And when he spoke, his tone was bleak and unforgiving. “I might’ve sounded sure of myself back there, but I reckon I’ve got maybe an hour before those clouds completely engulf Yellow Tarn, making it a hellish climb. It’ll be dark not long after and that’s a big area to search, even with the dogs. There’s a network of ravines, and if Dad or Jules—” He swallowed hard and the mic caught the sound. “If either of them took a tumble down one of those scree slopes—” He didn’t finish, looking away to scan the hills as if his father and brother might suddenly materialise, but the thick grey cloak was creeping down fast and taking the temperature with it. “They could be anywhere.”

The headset fell quiet, and as the homestead came into view at the end of the valley, I thought about our options. Zach was right. I’d flown over that area enough to know how rugged and treacherous the terrain could be. In the low clouds, finding Paddy and Jules would be needle-in-a-haystack material. The best chance Zach had was to make the best use of whatever daylight we had left.

I sighed inwardly.Am I seriously thinking of doing this?

Dammit, yes. Yes, I am. The groan of resignationwasn’tmeant for Zach’s ears, but I’d forgotten the mic and he shot a questioning look. I held his worried gaze for a moment, then radioed Gary who was waiting for news back at the Wild Run hangar. It was his helicopter, after all.

I told him my idea and his response was, “Have you lost your damn mind, boyo?” Quickly followed by, “For fuck’s sake, Luke.” Which was then followed by, “Jaysus, you idiot. Okay, dammit. I’ll call Norma and tell the others.” And to finish up, “I’m adding the cost of therapy to the contract.” His laughter sounded a little strained and I didn’t blame him.

I signed off, aware of Zach’s eyes burning two holes in the side of my face. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Considering he’d heard everything said, there was no need to explain, and so I didn’t. “You want me to set down on the airstrip instead, just say the word. We can hoof it from there.” I arched a brow and waited.

Zach’s eyes held mine as his teeth worked the inside of his cheek until finally, he nodded. “Thank you, Luke.”

My cheeks blew hot, but not as hot as my heart at the sound of my name on his lips. He continued to watch me for a long moment, his eyes gleaming in the fading light, but my gaze didn’t linger.Gratitude isn’t love, dipshit.

I took the chopper on a wide sweep over the homestead before heading up toward Yellow Tarn. As we passed over the sprawling red iron roof of the single-storey homestead—or the big house, as the station called it—Paddy’s wife, Norma, and a couple of the station’s shepherds ran out onto the front lawn and gave us a wave. Norma had her phone to her ear, and I could only guess she was talking to Gary.

I sucked in a deep breath, blew it out slowly, and flew the chopper straight for the steep range on the western side of the homestead and began to climb. I knew Yellow Tarn. I’d set down there a couple of times on tourist runs as it offered one of the best views over the valley and the Havelock River. But it was a tricky approach even in good weather, the tarn taking up most of the flat space, leaving a narrow strip on the western side—big enough for a chopper to land if you positioned it just right to avoid some gnarly boulders that shared the space, but a tight fit nonetheless. If we didn’t get up there before the cloud swallowed the tarn completely, there was no way I’d risk a blind landing and Zach would just have to lump it.

As we drew closer, I breathed a sigh of relief. Ghostly wisps of cloud threaded across the murky surface of the pool, but I had a good enough view of the ground for a decent approach.

“I’m gonna need you to guide me on your side,” I told Zach. “Make sure that skid has plenty of clearance from the boggy edge of the tarn.”

“Got it.” Zach turned and slid sideways in his seat to get a better view. “Looking good so far.” He circled his hand and I started to bring the chopper down whilst keeping a sharp eye out my own window and the front.

“Slowly, slowly.” Zach pressed his cheek hard against the window to check behind. “Forward a little so you don’t clip that boulder with your tail.”

I did as he said—the view off the edge of the plateau both in front and beside me doing a number on my head.Jesus, that was a long way down. Big breath, Luke.

“Aaaaaand… okay, that’s it. You’re clear this side whenever you’re ready.”

Thank God.I was running out of room.

I eased her down the final few meters, and when the skids hit the ground and the chopper made a small groan, I let out the breath I’d been holding and shot Zach a grateful look.

He returned a quick smile. “Nice flying.”

I returned the smile a little shakily, my heart still pounding from the adrenaline rush. “More like great teamwork.”

Zach’s cheeks brightened, so I quickly added, “If we find them quickly and get them back down tonight, the chopper will at least offer us some shelter.”

He nodded, sending me another of those hard-to-read looks that I couldn’t hold.

I glanced at the clock. Five fifteen. We had ninety minutes or so of daylight left, although how much actual visibility was an entirely different thing. The mountain fog was already swirling more thickly around the tarn.

“Right, let’s get going.” I opened my door and slid out. “We need to secure the blades and rope the body down before we leave. If the wind gets up, I’d prefer not to have to explain to Gary how his expensive machine was spun like a frisbee into the next valley.”

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