‘I’m sure you are.’ They had hit a straight and the grey eyes briefly left the road. They ran from her cheeky expression down over the firm, bouncy outline of her breasts against the tight sweatshirt to the curvaceous thighs encased in black leather.
‘Do you like what you see?’ she said, provocatively.
‘I see a little girl, playing at being adult,’ he said dampeningly and she grinned at the stern profile. The mix of innocent face and deliciously adult curves always got to the disapproving ones.
‘Good game, though,’ she agreed. ‘Plenty of scope for advancement. What do you do?’ She wanted to confirm her theory that he was something solidly professional and eminently respectable, banker or accountant, or maybe even a doctor.
‘I work,’ he said, the implication clear.
‘So do I,’ Julia told him. ‘I’m not on the dole, you know. Though I am … er … in between jobs at the moment.’ Literally.
‘What do you do?’ Heavens, another question! He must be cracking under the conversational strain.
‘Domestic work,’ she deliberately downgraded herself. ‘I like it but my employers keep making improper suggestions.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me, if you go around dressed like that.’
‘Oh, I never wear a bra,’ Julia revealed wickedly, guessing the direction of his thoughts. ‘They’re so confining!’
‘Well then, you can hardly be shocked when the master reacts accordingly.’
‘Oh, I don’t mind really, if they’re nice,’ the blush-making sentiment came out unblushingly. It seemed that he was as gullible as she looked!
‘And what do your parents think of all this?’
‘I don’t tell them, they’d just get uptight about it. They’re a bit old-fashioned.’ Like myself, thought Julia, tired of baiting the poor man. Her mouth had run away with her as usual. She was just about to tell him her real age and profession when he said, with undisguised boredom:
‘Interesting as I find this discussion of modern morality, would you mind if we listened to some music?’ He didn’t wait for a reply but
reached forward and snapped a tape into the sophisticated radio-cassette player. Music instantly poured forth from the door mounted speakers, classical and lyrically beautiful, even to Julia’s untutored ears.
‘What is it?’ she asked, raising her voice slightly.
‘Mahler’s First Symphony,’ she was told, tersely. ‘Listen.’
And shut up, added Julia silently. Oh well, so be it. She settled back in the seat and closed her eyes, letting the music flow over her. She didn’t understand it but, surprisingly, liked it.
She didn’t open her eyes again until she felt the car slow down and come smoothly to a halt a quarter of an hour later. They were at a petrol station which had a small panel-beating yard attached. The Hulk swung himself out of the car with an ease that belied his size and Julia too scrambled out. As though he thought she was incapable, her companion calmly took charge, explaining her predicament to the friendly blue overalled owner. Annoyed, Julia elbowed her way into the conversation.
‘Do you mind? I can handle this myself. Why don’t you get my bags out of the car while you’re waiting?’ To her satisfaction she was obeyed with a shrug. He was obviously glad to get rid of her.
Julia arranged for a tow and a quote on repairing the car and then wondered what to do next. Craemar was about twenty kilometres away. Perhaps she could ring Richard and ask him to pick her up, she didn’t want to ask any more favours of her erstwhile chauffeur.
An ear-shattering sound came from behind her as she stood on the forecourt pondering. She turned to see a huge Mack truck turning off the road and as it came closer she could see the driver, perched high up behind the wheel. It was a university friend of Ben’s, John Seymour.
‘Hi Julia, long time no see.’ He grinned as she ran over to the cab of the truck. He cut the engine and leaned out of the open window. ‘What are you doing in this god-forsaken spot?’
Julia explained and John made appropriate noises of sympathy. ‘Why don’t you come with me?’ he suggested. ‘I’m doing a delivery to Whitianga and picking up a new load tomorrow. I can do a slight detour and drop you off.’
‘Could you? You won’t get into trouble will you?’ asked Julia anxiously. She knew how few and far between jobs for students were.
John gave her a wink. ‘Perk of working for the family firm. You sling your stuff into the cab, there’s plenty of room, I’ll just go over and get some cigarettes and a snack.’
He jumped down from the truck and Julia gave him a hug of gratitude. She raced back to where the big man was standing with her bags.
‘Thanks for the lift,’ she panted. ‘I’ve got another one from here.’
‘Is that wise?’ he asked drily.