Bella's Run by Margareta Osborn

disappeared.
    ‘Look,’ said Bella, grabbing his arm. ‘A satellite. It’s humping along, east to west.’
    ‘Don’t talk about humping anymore,’ said Will with a mock grumpy face.
    Bella gave the satellite one last look before lifting her upper body to lean on her elbow and rest her head in her hand. Looking down into Will’s face, she put out a tentative finger to trace the strong, square jawline. They’d spent most of the night laughing, flirting, talking. And she’d never had anyone focus on her words, her thoughts and ideas like this man. Most blokes her age were focused on themselves. But not Will O’Hara. His interest in what counted to her was absolute.
    His eyes crinkled with laughter. He tried one last time. ‘Don’t you females always reserve the right to change your mind?’
    Bella smiled and shook her head.
    Will sighed. ‘Well, I reckon I’ll just work on getting you into my swag and leave it at that for now. If I can’t have the cup full, I’ll have to settle for half.’
    ‘Huh?’
    Will’s body shook as laughter rumbled through him. He sat up and downed the remains of the can of Bundy rum sitting at his side. ‘If I can’t bonk you senseless, I’ll just have to cuddle you instead. Want another drink, cowgirl?’
    Bella nodded and watched as he jumped to his feet and strode his tightly muscled Wrangler-covered butt towards the bar.
    ‘Bella!’ Wrenching her eyes from the view of Will’s backside, Bella looked towards the bull-riding ring where the rodeo was in full swing.
    Patty’s arms were waving in the air, trying to get her attention.
    ‘Want to dance?’ Patty yelled from her place at the top of the viewing stands. Bella could see Macca beside her, head bent in a solid conversation with Rodney and his mate Sandy.
    ‘It’s Sara Storer!’ Patty yelled again, trying to be heard over the loudspeaker calling the bull ride.
    All Bella heard was the word ‘Storer’, but it was enough for her to tune into the music coming from the stage.
    ‘Cry don’t cry
    Better things are in store and I just can’t explain it yet

    High up high
    Oh I see you both dancing through tumbleweeds’
    Sara Storer in Gundolin – Bella whooped with joy, punching the air as she jumped to her feet.
    ‘C’mon, let’s go dance through tumbleweeds!’ she yelled to Patty.
    At that moment Will arrived back clutching two cans of Bundy-and-coke. Grabbing one from his hand, she spluttered, ‘Sara Storer. Here. Gundolin. Gotta go dance. You go to Macca,’ and she pushed him in her cousin’s direction.
    Patty pulled up beside them and snatched the other rum from Will’s grasp, leaving him empty-handed. ‘Thanks, bro. Didn’t know you cared.’ Grabbing Bella’s hand, she took off at a run, heading towards the music, both girls dancing as they went.
    Will heard shrieking, as they spilt the full cans down their shirts. He closed his eyes imagining that black, sticky liquid dripping through Bella’s full cleavage. He could still hear their high whoops of delight as he made his way back to the bar.
    Now he really needed a rum.

    It wasn’t until the sun was reflecting her first yellow-orange glow in the sky that Bella found herself stumbling back towards the stables with Will. Patty and Macca had long since disappeared. As they reached the pair of utes, Bella could see Patty’s swag still sitting up beside her own, whereas Macca’s had disappeared.
    So much for Pat Me Tuffet keeping her side of the bet! But then again, Bella couldn’t be sure . . .
    Will hauled his swag down from the ute tray and grabbed Bella by the hand.
    ‘But—’
    ‘I know, I know . . . a bet’s a bet, but there’s nothing to say I can’t just cuddle you.’ Will pulled both swag and Bella into a pen under the stables’ skillion roof.
    ‘Are you sure you can keep your hands to yourself?’
    ‘No, I’m not sure, but I can try.’ He dumped the swag on the ground, unsnapped the ockey strap holding it together and gave