Remmy winked. “Of course.”
“Well, I better get going.” I took the bag of goods and offered her a twenty, which she refused to take. So, without a word, I walked around her side of the counter, opened the till, and slid the money inside. She rolled her eyes. I gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t want to be late.”
“Have fun tonight!” Remmy waved me off as I walked out the door. I put the bag of pastries in the Esky I had on the back of the ute. I’d put some fruit in earlier as well, not knowing what Lawson might want to eat today. I climbed into the driver’s seat and gave Rosemary a pat for being patient. “One more stop to make.”
I bought some takeaway coffees, enough for everyone in the office and one for Lawson too. I slid the two trays on the floor at the passenger side, where they wouldn’t spill onto Rosemary. “Don’t touch. They’re hot,” I told her, though I dunno why. It wasn’t like she knew what the word hot was. But she knew what don’t touch was, and like a good girl, she didn’t give the trays of coffee a second look. “You’ll have to wait until lunchtime for your cookies.” Her tongue lolled out in her doggy smile. I was pretty sure she knew what the word cookie was. After me, I think Remmy was her favourite human.
I drove to work, handed out coffees, and explained I’d be out doing field assessments again today. No one batted an eyelid, but when Lawson arrived right on eight thirty, there were a few knowing smiles. No one seemed surprised that Lawson knew Rosemary already, or they hadn’t realised that it meant he must have been to my house. But when I walked out the door with him and a tail-wagging Rosemary, Karen gave me a ridiculous smile and mouthed “good luck.” I cleared my throat, grateful Lawson hadn’t seen it.
The day was warm already. Well, warm for Tasmania. The morning summer sun made Lawson look angelic. He wore long pants again, good for getting through long grasses and bushes, and hiking boots, a polo shirt that matched the blue of his eyes, but the lack of bow tie was disappointing. We walked toward his Defender, and I pretended that I hadn’t checked him out already, focusing on the day ahead instead. “So, what’s the plan of attack this morning?” I asked.
Lawson sipped his coffee. “I’d like to investigate the areas where you have seen the Sweet Bursaria plant. The ones we marked on the maps last night. I have three locations marked as a priority, given the northerly aspect. So I thought we could start there.”
I had a bag with me today for my laptop and camera, a shovel and soil sample bags, and some data collating. As much as spending time with Lawson was more pleasure than business, I did actually have some work to do.
I put the Esky into the Defender, hooked up Rosemary’s harness to the backseat, and climbed in. “Is she all clicked in?” Lawson asked, scanning the rear-vision mirror.
“Yep.”
“Does she prefer the window up or down?”
Lawson asked the question so seriously, but all I could do was smile. He treated my dog like her well-being was important to him, and it made my chest all warm and tight. “Down, of course.”
Lawson found the right button on the driver’s side door and pressed it, and within no time, we were following GPS directions to his first destination. I could have told him where to go, but I liked that he used initiative and didn’t rely on anyone else.
As the rain-deprived highway scenery flew by and Rosemary had her nose out the window, I couldn’t help but look at Lawson and smile. “Sleep well?” I asked him.
“Yes, very. And you?”
“Very.”
“I think your colleagues at the office suspect there might be other reasons you’re accompanying me.”
“I think you might be right.”
He shot me a concerned glance. “Is that… Is that problematic?”
“Nope.”
“How do they know? Have you told them of me… and what we’re doing?” His cheeks reddened deliciously.
“No. But you called Rosemary by name, and the only place you could have met her already was at my house.”
He frowned. “Oh. Of course. I’m sorry. I hope that hasn’t put you in a difficult position.”
“Not at all. I am actually doing work today, and they won’t even know if I happen to sneak in a little make-out session with the sexy lepidopterist during my lunch break.”
He blushed properly this time, heat stains running from his cheeks down his neck in the most wonderful way. He dismissed my compliment with an eye roll. “If I ever find an attractive lepidopterist, I’ll be sure to pass on your number.”
I laughed. “Believe me, I’ve found one.”
“You’re absurd.”
“If you need me to do a full case-study on this new, exciting specimen of sexy lepidopterist, I’ll be only too happy to oblige.”
He squirmed in his seat. “And that would involve what, exactly?”
I was grinning, glad he was playing along. “I think the sexual habits need a full review. I’m enjoying the courting rituals so far. I’ve seen some sexual activity, but I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface yet. But I’m certain this particular specimen is like nothing I’ve ever known.”
Lawson’s eyes went from the road to me, then back to the road. He licked his lips and the colour on his cheeks deepened. He shifted in his seat again and cleared his throat. “Is that right?”
God, at this rate we’d be naked before morning teatime. Needing to pull back the tension a bit, I sighed. “Yep. I’m considering giving David Attenborough a call.”
Now he chuckled. “I met him once.”
“David Attenborough? Get out!”
“But we’re not there yet.”
I barked out a laugh. “Did you really?”
“Yes, I did. At a gala in Melbourne. He was most charming.”
And so we talked about things he’d done, the people he’d met, and the places he’d been until we arrived at our first destination. I really had no idea someone who studied butterflies could live such an interesting life. It was pretty evident that when he didn’t have his head in a book, he was out getting things done. Travelling, taking courses, hiking in far off places, all in search of elusive butterflies.
I had to admit, I admired him. Okay, I more than admired him. I was enamoured with, charmed by, and attracted to him.
I couldn’t deny it. If there was a list of things that needed to be included in my perfect guy, Lawson Gale ticked every single one. Hell, he even ticked boxes I didn’t know needed ticking.
“You getting out?” Lawson asked, his voice startling me from my thoughts. He didn’t wait for an answer. He just opened his door and got out. He had the back door open and was getting his gear out a second later. I unclipped Rosemary, and she climbed out and was soon sniffing her way around the clearing.
“Don’t go too far,” I told her.
“Do you always talk to her?” Lawson asked, putting two stacked plastic storage tubs into the centre of the clearing.