So I’m confused. And more than little terrified.
And I really don’t like being either.
Callie suspected that Clem would understand.
Callie sighed her relief as she saw Finn walking towards them, a Two B butler two steps behind. She gathered her wits and made the introductions. ‘Finn Banning—meet Clem. She and her husband own and run the Baobab and Buffalo.’
Clem’s eyes narrowed slightly and her smile was a little cool. ‘You’re the journalist doing an article on us?’
Hmm, it seemed that the fiery redhead wasn’t fond of journalists—then again, with her history with the profession Callie couldn’t blame her.
‘I am,’ Finn said easily, his hand resting low on Callie’s back, his fingers just above her butt cheek. It was a very possessive, familiar gesture—one perfectly suited to a newly married man.
‘We don’t normally allow reporters to write about the Two B; we’re booked for years in advance and don’t need the publicity. We’re doing this as a favour to the owner of Go Travel who’s a regular visitor.’
Clem kept the smile on her face but there was a note of protectiveness in her voice that was unmistakable. Finn’s fingers flexed on Callie’s back and Callie knew that he’d heard Clem’s warning too.
Finn sent her an easy smile. ‘I’m morally bound to write on my personal experiences and I already know that my experience here will be utterly fantastic. We’re so lucky to start off our honeymoon here.’
Clem relaxed and Callie released her pent-up breath. Finn casually sipped from the glass of champagne he’d been handed on walking through the front door.
Clem nodded at the papers in his hand. ‘I’ve tweaked your itinerary to showcase the best of what we can offer honeymooners—which is an utterly unique and memorable experience.’ Clem pulled a face, humour back in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, it doesn’t leave much time for long, lazy mornings spent in bed, but it will be exciting and amazing.’
Wow. If all the lodges were going to pull out the stops the way Clem was doing then Callie was in for one hell of a holiday.
‘We’re grateful for your personal touch,’ said Mr Charmer at her side.
‘Then Sarah, your personal butler, will take it from here. Enjoy your stay,’ Clem said, before turning away to walk towards her husband.
Nick immediately opened his arms and Clem snuggled up into his side. Callie briefly wondered what it would feel like to love a man like that—to be loved like that. To feel so absolutely, utterly secure in yourself and in his love that you could slide into a conversation and into his arms without either of you missing a beat, as if it was the most natural action in the world.
Love, it seemed, could work for some. But Callie knew that she wasn’t one of the lucky few. No, she was better off on her own, walking her own path.
That way she could be in control and could stop her heart from walking off the side of a cliff and splattering on the rocks below.
INSTEAD OF WALKING them to their room, as he’d expected, Sarah led Finn and Callie to an open game-viewing vehicle and invited them to climb inside. As he hoisted himself up into the vehicle he noticed that their luggage was neatly stowed in the back of the vehicle, just behind the second row of bench seats.
Finn settled himself next to Callie, conscious that the sun was starting to set and the temperature was falling; the day’s heat was giving way to the chill of the first, unexpectedly early cold front, suggesting that autumn was just around the corner. Callie pulled out a shawl from her bag and wound it around her shoulders as Sarah accelerated away.
When they drove back through the impressive entrance Finn realised that they were leaving the security of the electric fenced estate and were heading into the reserve itself—wild and beautiful.
This is more like it, he thought, his eyes scanning the bush for signs of wildlife.
Within five hundred yards of the gate they saw a herd of springbok and a female warthog with her piglets. Then they saw a fish eagle in a tree, and Sarah pointed out a reclusive eland bull in a thicket of acacias.
This is Africa, he thought, breathing deeply. The sounds and sights of the bush.
A part of him wished that Sarah would dump them in a clearing and pull out a tent. He needed the solitude and peace of nature. After this crazy couple of weeks he wanted to wind down, and he couldn’t think of a better way to do it than being alone in the bush. But because this was the Buffalo and Baobab he suspected that their idea of getting up close and personal with nature would be much better.
He’d barely finished that thought when Sarah veered off the dirt road onto a grassy track. Within a hundred metres she’d stopped in a clearing and Finn looked around.
They were on the edge of a cliff, and he could hear the muted sound of a river smacking on rocks below them. In one of the huge wild fig trees overlooking the river he could see a tree house, nestled into its strong branches. Except that it was less house and more platforms—three of them in all, staggered up the tree. The bottom platform looked to be a bathroom, complete with shower, the second held couches and a table, and the highest one, he presumed, would hold a bed. A bed that was open to the African sky and the elements.
Finn hopped out and slapped his hands on his hips, grinning wildly. ‘Oh, this is so cool! But what happens if it rains?’ he asked Sarah, taking a moment to be practical.
‘Retractable roofs and screens. We monitor the weather pretty closely, and if there’s a chance of rain we come down and secure the platforms. Tonight is clear, though,’ Sarah said. ‘Cool, but no rain.’
‘Excellent,’ Finn replied. He turned to look at Callie, who was looking at the tree house in horror. ‘Callie …?’
‘My room is up there?’ she whispered, staring at the huge tree.
Oh, so this wasn’t what she was expecting. Finn hoped that she wouldn’t make a scene—not on their first night. Besides, thousands of people all over the world would give their right arm and a considerable portion of their bank account to sleep under the stars in a luxury tree house on an African game reserve.
‘Problem, honey?’
Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sarah stiffening, her welcoming face turning wary. Please don’t turn out to be a city girl diva, Callie, he silently begged her.
‘Look, I think the idea of sleeping in a tree house is seriously wonderful, but—well, this is a game reserve, right? And game reserves have wild animals. And some of those animals—like leopards—like to climb trees! I do not want to be a leopard’s breakfast!’ Callie stated, with a touch of hysteria in her voice.
Sarah bit the inside of her lip to keep from smiling. ‘The tree house is completely animal-proof, Mrs Banning.’
Whoah—Mrs Banning. That sounded weird.
But Callie didn’t seem particularly fazed about what she was being called. She was still fixating on ending up on the local leopard’s menu. ‘You’re sure?’
‘Very. We would never put our guests at risk,’ Sarah assured her. ‘Obviously we ask you to confine your movements