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  “Landscapes aren’t really my thing,” I said nervously.

  His lip quivered in a flicker of a smile, before he wrapped his arms around me and switched his gaze to the photos and sketches on the bed. I was still frozen, my paintbrush still poised in the air.

  “I’m better at people,” I hurriedly added, “And caricatures.”

  His head snapped back toward me and his eyes lit with amusement, before returning to my picture.

  “I like it,” he said firmly, holding up the photo I’d taken next to it, “It’s good.”

  I blushed and finally put my paintbrush down. “Thanks,” I murmured softly, “I took these pictures the last time I saw Logan. He took me out into the desert to get some great photos of the landmarks.”

  I felt Stone stiffen behind me at Logan’s name and turned my face away to roll my eyes. I opened my mouth to let him know Logan was a brother, but he spoke up before I had a chance.

  “Do you like photographing land?” he asked quickly.

  I took his cue and let the Logan subject drop. “Not especially,” I answered honestly, “I like photographing nature, but it has to be something special. Something that calls to me.”

  He stared at me, waiting for me to explain. I hesitated, trying to put it into words.

  “These pictures for example,” I said, holding up the photos, “I love the Outback. The colours are so different here than they are over the rest of Australia. The rest of the world even. Sure, it’s a desert, but it’s not just a blaring sun and hot, soft, white sand like you see in movies. It’s all shades of reds and oranges, sometimes black. The ground is hard and cracked in an array of interesting patterns. The rock formations rival landmarks like Stone Henge: huge, round, red rocks seeming to precariously pile on top of each other; massive, solid rocks that are split down the middle; Uluru, Kings Cannon, all the animals…and the sunsets!”

  I sighed and closed my eyes, my lips spreading into a dreamy smile. “There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the sunset over the desert. All those colours. And then, the stars. Pitch black everywhere, but for the sky. The whole thing lit up, every star clearly visible…it’s perfect.”

  I opened my eyes and flushed bright red when I saw the way Stone was concentrating on my face.

  “That’s the kind of thing I like to photograph,” I said hastily.

  “You’re wrong,” he said finally.

  “What?” I frowned at him in confusion.

  “There is something more beautiful,” his eyes never left mine and after a long pause, I scoffed.

  “That is so corny,” I started to say, but Stone’s lips captured mine and for the next hour, we didn’t talk at all.

  ***

  I received another surprise after dinner that night. When Alec stood with Mary, I presumed they were going up to bed early. But no, the rest of the band stood too and Stone tugged me to my feet.

  “Where are we going?” I asked as he linked his fingers with mine and pulled me after him.

  “Band practice,” Fredi said from beside me.

  I stopped in my tracks and stumbled when Stone kept walking. He stopped too and frowned at me.

  “Am I coming to watch?” I asked quietly, my brain working overtime as I tried to work out what was going on with Stone.

  He nodded once and gently tugged my hand, urging me forward as he slowly started to walk again. I forced my feet to follow and found the rest of the band had already entered a large, sound-proof room at the end of the hall. Briar caught up to us and sent me a wink, taking my hand when Stone dropped it to go set up his drums.

  “What’s going on?” I whispered to her as we took a seat on some chairs people had left out.

  “Mary wanted to come to a band practice, so the band decided they’d let people watch again as long as it was only girlfriends and well, me.”

  “But I’m not a girlfriend,” I hissed at her.

  Briar rolled her eyes and pinched me, “Well maybe Stone’s trying to make you one.”

  I shook my head at her. Nuh-uh.

  She sighed and sent me a strangely serious look. “Stone doesn’t do the stuff he’s done for you for just anyone.”

  “He invited Chloe to band practices,” I protested.

  Briar snorted. “No, he didn’t,” she said with an amused grin, “And she was his girlfriend anyway so your argument has no sway.”

  “What do you mean ‘he didn’t invite her’?”

  Briar lowered her voice even further and bent her head towards me. “Stone never asked Chloe out. She just…attached herself to him one day. Stone looked down at her for about a second, then shrugged and let her hang off him. So she kept doing it and Stone allowed it. Then she declared everywhere that she was his girlfriend and they started fuck-” Briar cut off, biting her lip.

  “So, um, anyway,” Briar continued, “Chloe just started coming to band practices and things. Then, when Stone wasn’t drooling all over her like a little puppy, she dumped him, with a long spiel about how he didn’t appreciate her and that she was going to find someone else. She expected him to crawl after her, but instead he just shrugged and walked away.”

  “Huh,” I said with a frown.

  The band started warming up and Mary found herself a seat, making goo-goo eyes at Alec. Briar leaned forward one last time and grinned.

  “Chloe didn’t hold Stone’s attention,” she whispered, “But you do.”

  I didn’t answer. Instead, I determinedly switched my attention back to the band.

  ***

  Band practice wasn’t what I expected. For one thing, Fredi and Donny left all their animosity at the door and goofed off together, singing playful duets and messing about on Fredi’s keyboard. Alec lounged in a chair, looking relaxed as he strummed his electric guitar, the amp unplugged as he casually glanced at the music scale in front of him. Jamie and Stone huddled by the drums, their expressions serious as Stone sat on his stool and played Jamie’s base, showing him something, and then giving it back to Jamie, who copied Stone’s actions, but then changed them slightly, earning a brisk nod from Stone as he scribbled some changes in a notebook.

  They were much more organised than my brother Paul’s old band and Stone seemed the main composer. He actually bothered to write notes down – though, I suppose, as they all studied Music, they probably had to for assignments. Whilst seeing how they operated was interesting, I started to get a little bored and irritated by the choppy bits of music starting and stopping. I glanced over at Briar and discovered she’d pulled out a notebook and started to sketch some designs. Not wanting to disturb her, I switched my gaze to Mary.

  Mary was picking at her bright red nails and pouting, an expression of pure boredom on her face. She huffed impatiently and then, catching my eye, smirked a little. She stood from her chair with a flourish and sauntered towards Alec, her tiny hips swaying as she smiled at him. He lifted his head slowly and favoured her with that panty-dropping grin he was famous for. He shifted his guitar out of the way and Mary practically melted into his lap. He bundled her close, bussed the top of her head, and moved the guitar back into place as he continued to nonchalantly play the notes in front of him, murmuring the words in Mary’s ear. Her smile was pure satisfaction and triumph as she stared back at me. No, not at me. At Briar, whose head had snapped up and was watching the pair with a weird expression on her face.

  “God I hate her,” Briar muttered to me as she turned her attention back to her sketch book.

  “Why?” I whispered, knowing full well the reason.

  Briar lifted her head and leaned closer to me, her blue eyes flashing with ire.

  “You should have heard her in Digital Design!” she hissed, “She was bragging left right and centre about dating a member of the band. Acting like she was better than everyone else! She’s looking down her nose at everyone and she’s treating me like a groupie! Like I’m some sad, slutty, love-sick, hanger-on!”

  I blinked.

  Oh.

  I lo
oked back at Mary’s innocent, sweet features and noticed that she looked as far from innocent as possible as she wriggled her butt closer to Alec’s groin and stroked her nails down one of his toned forearms. Her eyebrow rose in challenge, this time including me in her smug stare.

  I wrinkled my nose, imagining just how much worse Chloe had probably been. I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t as if the band was famous or anything…not yet. Though, I had to admit, they did hold a considerable amount of power at the university.

  “Right,” Briar snapped, sitting up straight and ditching her book, “I’m not going to let her have him.”

  I grabbed her hand, halting her. “You’re not a home-wrecker,” I murmured quietly.

  She paused and her lips firmed. “They’re hardly making a ‘home’,” she said finally, “It’s been what, two weeks?”

  She shook her head and lifted her chin, “All’s fair in love and war and this is one battle I’m determined to win.”

  As she walked away from me, I heard her mutter, “And Alec’s just way too nice for a bitch like that.”

  I had to agree.

  Briar didn’t approach Alec and Mary like I’d suspected. Instead, she joined Stone and Jamie, prodding them into starting the practice part of the practice. Mary had to leave Alec’s lap as the band settled in and began to play. They played a few well-known songs to warm up, taking a request from each of us girls (mine was for Love Song – Korn) and then playing a few of their own songs. Briar and I ditched our chairs and lay down on the floor, laughing with the band whenever someone messed up.

  It was a great night and I hoped I’d be invited back again…

  ***

  The next day, Briar started her pursuit of Alec. She started to smile more at him, touch his arm, lean close to him as she murmured comments about this and that. It didn’t take Alec long to know something was up. By dinnertime, he was shooting Briar piercing looks, as if trying to work out what she was after. He sat with one arm around Mary, but it was Briar he paid attention to. It went on like this for the rest of the week. Briar kept her attentions subtle to the casual observer, but Donny Fredi and Stone had worked it out quickly. Jamie was still blind to it, but Mary had become even more possessive and pushy, throwing her weight around and acting like a diva. Alec seemed casual about Mary’s actions, but I caught him frowning at her from time to time, growing increasingly annoyed with her behaviour.

  Things came to a head on the Sunday night, when Mary actually dared to badmouth Briar in front of the band. We’d been sitting at a large table in the Uni Club after a performance, Mary in Alec’s lap and me in Stone’s, when Mary had started making snide remarks about Briar. At first, she merely hinted that she thought Briar was an easy, air-headed blonde who spread her legs for the band, but her comments became increasingly more implicit, until Briar confronted her and her restraint snapped, telling everyone exactly what she thought of Briar.

  Stone had growled ferociously at Alec, but Alec had already stood, pushing Mary gently from his lap and leading her away with a gentle, but steady grip.

  He returned to the table alone.

  THIRTY

  Mary’s absence from the dinner table Monday night confirmed our suspicions: Alec had ended the relationship. Briar was overjoyed, but her flirtations with Alec eased and became more subtle, in deference to the still very recent split. Alec was playing it casual as well, as if they’d silently come to an agreement to let the gossip settle down first. All the subtlety in the world though, couldn’t hide the sexual tension that now zinged whenever both of them were in the same room.

  Mary had been kicked from her high horse…and thus, was lying low – probably to avoid all the people she’d looked down her nose at.

  I looked up as Candy and Mason approached our table – Candy skipping towards us ecstatically, whilst Mason dawdled behind with the kind of smug look a guy wears when he knows he’s done something incredibly sweet for his girlfriend…and is about to get Oh. So. Lucky. Briar giggled into her hand beside me and Jamie slipped Mason a low five (obviously in on the secret for once).

  “Are you using the room tonight?” Candy practically squealed into my ear as she threw her arms around me.

  “Er…yes,” I answered softly. It was the beginning of the week and I had a mountain of work to do.

  Beside me, Stone shook his head.

  I frowned at him, wondering what he meant.

  He shook his head again and placed two tickets in front of me, pushing back from his chair and checking his watch as he stood. My mouth dropped open as I glanced down at the tickets. They were to some event at an art gallery…

  For tonight.

  I glanced around the table as people got up to get in the dinner line. I hadn’t even eaten yet and Stone was motioning that it was time to get ready. I looked to my left to find Candy still waiting, trying to peek at my tickets.

  “Sure,” I mumbled to her, “You can use it. Just let me get changed first.” By the look of the tickets, my jeans and comfy Tee weren’t going to be suitable.

  “Thanks!” Candy said, kissing my cheek and dashing off with Mason in tow.

  “I put an outfit on your bed,” Briar called out to me as Stone took my elbow and led me towards my room.

  I scowled. People really needed to stop organising my life for me. Hungry, I quickly changed into the little black dress Briar had left me and spun my hair up into a French Twist. I applied minimal makeup and rushed out the door, nearly colliding with Candy as she and Mason barged in.

  “You and I are going to go to a spa this weekend!” Candy told me, shoving an all-expense-paid spa package at me, before closing the door in my face.

  I raised my fist to pound on the door and demand she explain, but Stone arrived and commandeered my arm, leading me to the stairs.

  “Have fun on your date!” Briar called as we passed her room.

  I blinked back at her, my face paling as comprehension dawned. Oh God.

  I hadn’t been on a date in over a year – not since Ben. I began to sweat slightly and nibbled on my bottom lip. If Stone was taking me on a date, did that mean he wanted us to be a serious couple?

  Stone opened the passenger side of his car for me and I slid in without looking at him. My stomach rumbled loudly as Stone started the car and he smiled.

  “We’ll go to dinner after,” he announced and pulled out of his park.

  I breathed slowly and deeply, trying to relax and enjoy this date, despite the fact I was being yanked around and dictated to like a doll. If Stone was showing me what it was like to date him…then I’d have to pass. Fantastic sex wasn’t quite enough incentive to put up with another controlling and manipulative boyfriend.

  Maybe.

  I wasn’t ready to give up on the great sex just yet…

  But if I had to…I sighed. Maybe.

  ***

  The car stopped outside the new Alice Art Gallery and Stone quickly got out to open my door for me. I blushed at the unexpected chivalry and though it was nice of him, I couldn’t quite stop a small frown of annoyance. It deepened a fraction more as he took my arm and guided me to the entrance, but as soon as I took in the interior, my bad mood dissipated.

  With wide eyes, I turned my head to glance up at Stone. He bent his mouth to my ear, “Good choice?” he asked softly.

  I nodded mutely and this time felt no irritation as he started to steer me about the room. I absently caressed his strong arm through the black silk of his shirt and focussed all of my attention on the displays we stopped at.

  The showing was of two indigenous artists, sisters who employed both traditional and modern techniques. From the looks of it, these sisters were lucky enough to be talented in all facets of visual art: painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, tapestry…the list went on. Every piece of art work had a story attached to it. I lingered at each station, reading the story and studying each piece with rapt attention, trying to identify each material or tool used in the process, or what digital editing o
r camera settings had been used on the photos.

  Looking around at the other people in the room, I identified several prominent figures in the art world. I glanced at the expensive canapés and the champagne served by fancy waiters and wondered how much these tickets had cost Stone. These artists weren’t small fry and this showing had to be pretty exclusive.

  “How long have you been planning this?” I asked tentatively.

  Stone shrugged. “After I saw your painting I called Billy and asked if he knew of anything,” he said, grabbing two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handing one to me.

  He shrugged again, “He sent me some information and I chose this. Billy happened to have two tickets.”