History Repeated Part 1: Hooked On a Feeling

"I'll race you home, Tess!" Charlotte called as she took off down one of Melbourne's busy streets, leaving her Aunty to carry the dozens of shopping bags which had been accumulated during the day.

"BOM!" Tess called as she saw her niece vanish around the corner. She wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore, she was 39. On days like today, she felt her age.

Whilst still running, Charlotte was looking back, trying to figure out what was taking Tess so long. She had only turned back for an instant, but that was all it took for her to collide with someone in the middle of the walkway.

She cursed under her breath. Looking up, ready to apologise, she gasped. A smile broke out across her face, "Uncle Nick!" She threw her arms around him, "What are you doing here?"

He smiled down at her, "I'm down here on business.... what are you doing running down the streets of Melbourne, Miss McLeod? Does Tess know where you are?"

Charlotte smiled, "I was actually racing her home. Talk about slow."

As if on cue, Tess rounded the corner. She was huffing and puffing.

"BOM!" Tess exclaimed as she hobbled down the busy walkway trying to keep up with her twelve year old niece. "How am I meant to race you home when I am carrying all these bags! Most of which belong to you..."

Tess trailed off before she could finish what she had intended to say. An Akubra hat wasn't a usual sight in the middle of Melbourne. She knew that the figure before her had to be from the country.

She knew instantly who it was. She hadn't looked into his face yet, she couldn't. She needed to let her emotions settle, after all, they had done their best to avoid each other since their divorce. They hadn't seen each other for years.

She took a deep breath as her eyes shifted from his Akubra, down to his face. Sure enough it was him, Nick Ryan.

"Nick," She gasped for air, not only because she had been trying to keep up with Charlotte, but because all the air had been drained out of her body when she had spotted her ex-husband.

Seeing her struggle with the bags, Nick moved forward to help her, "You need a hand?"

Tess took a step back as Nick got a little too close for comfort, "It's fine," She told him.

He smiled down at her, "If you say so, Tess."

"Charlotte will help, won't you Charlotte?" Tess continued, hoping her niece would do as she asked.

But Charlotte's attention was somewhere else.

"Charlotte?" Tess hoped to get through to her.

"Dale's over there," Charlotte said as she waved frantically at him and smiled.

"Well that's nice," Tess said, trying not to care. " Now help with these bags, please."

"I'm just going to go say hello, I need to ask him something about Starlight," And with that she bolted across the road to where Dale was sitting outside a café.

"Well you could've asked Nick" Tess mumbled, "He knows horses too ya know."

"Shit!" Tess growled as she watched Charlotte throw her arms around Dale, as he stood up to greet her.

"Friend of yours?" Nick asked as he watched the pair interact.

Tess sighed, "He's my ex actually. The bastard neglected to tell me he had a wife and a newborn. Lucky me, I got to bump into them in the middle of Coles. It was a lovely surprise." Sarcasm dripped from Tess' voice. "The curse of the McLeod's. It happened to Claire, then me. The only difference is that I didn't wind up pregnant."

Nick just nodded. He didn't really think it was his place to comment.

"Charlotte!" Tess called loudly. "Charlotte, we're going!"

"Hang on!" Charlotte hollered back.

"Who's that with Tess?" Dale asked

"Oh that's Uncle Nick," She explained.

"Nick? As in her ex husband?"

"Yeah, Uncle Nick," She grinned. "He's so cool. You know you and him would have a lot in common, he's into horses too, not as much as Uncle Alex though."

"I thought she didn't see him anymore?" Dale's eyes were fixed on Tess as he watched her talk awkwardly with Nick.

"Oh no she doesn't. She hasn't seen him since we moved here, we just bumped into him"

"You fancy coming out riding with me, Char?" Dale asked as he turned his attention back to the young girl.

"Now?"

"Yeah, now. I don't have anything else on"

"I'll have to ask... I don't know if she'll let me.... she's still upset that-"

"Leave it to me," Dale said as he took hold of Charlotte's hand and dashed across the road.

"Oh, for goodness sake," Tess said just loud enough for Nick to hear when she saw the pair arrive.

Charlotte stood silently beside Dale as he looked Tess up and down, "Nice hair cut."

Tess no longer had long golden locks, instead her wavy hair rested on her shoulders. It suited her, he thought.

Tess glared at him, "What do you want?"

"I want to take Charlotte riding, if it's okay with you," Dale told her, confidant that she would give in.

Tess shook her head, "You've got to be kidding"

"No, he's serious," Charlotte piped up.

"You saw her at Pony Club this morning, Dale-"

"Yeah, and I need to show her a few things, her jumps aren't quite up to scratch. I'll have her back at your place by 6," Dale said cutting her off.

"Please Tess?" Charlotte whined, giving her aunty the puppy dog eyes that she always found hard to say no to.

"Alright," Tess shot a dirty look at Dale, "But don't think you can win me back by making my niece happy. There are plenty of other people I know that know horses. There's no reason why they couldn't teach her."

Dale smiled a smile of satisfaction. It was clear that he had gotten under her skin. "Maybe the distance might be a problem. It's a long way to Drovers Run from here... I suspect that you won't be able to get there every weekend."

Tess cringed as she heard his sarcasm filled voice state the obvious, "If you don't go right now, I might change my mind."

On cue, he took Charlotte's hand and bolted across the road towards his car. Tess saw Charlotte wave as the car drove off.

"He's right," Nick said looking down at a pissed off Tess. "Drovers is a bit far."

Tess glared at him "Oh, I really hadn't noticed, Nick!"

Nick sighed. He knew not to push her when she got like this. "Do you want a lift home?"

"It's just around the corner, I'll be okay," She told him. She was calmer now.

Nick reached down at took some bags from her hand, their hands brushing against each other in the process. "Tess don't be stupid, let me drive you."

And so she let him. She was in his ute, that same ute from years ago, and he was driving her home.

Tess found herself staring at Nick as he watched the road in front of them. She was certain that he knew she was doing it, but she couldn't help herself. She was still attracted to him, even after every harsh word that had passed between them when they had divorced.

She found herself wondering what it would be like to be with him again, to touch him again. She could almost imagine his skin against hers.

She turned and made herself look out the window whilst reminded herself that he was a married man. He was off limits. She wanted nothing more to do with married men.

She could have kicked herself for having such ludicrous thoughts about Nick Ryan. Her and Nick were over a long time ago. She needed to remember that.

"Just there, Nick," She said pointing to a block of apartments on his right, "The blue building."

Nick pulled over by the building and got out. He began taking some of Tess' shopping bags from the back of the ute.

It wasn't long before Tess was reaching in for some bags as well. She was finding it hard being so close to Nick. She had just spent five intense minutes with him in the car, and now he was going to follow her up to her apartment. She wondered if it was such a good idea.

As she reached for another bunch of bags, her hand brushed against Nick's.

They both snapped their hands away as if they'd been hit by an electric shock. Their eyes met for the first time.

"Sorry," Tess said as she felt her stomach fill with butterflies.

Nick nodded and reached in to take the remaining bags. He could see it, she was feeling all the things that he was. It was as though she had a sign above her head saying "I want you," in huge letters. He wondered if he had that same sign above his head.

Tess dumped her lot of bags on the couch and told Nick to do the same thing. She kicked off her shoes soon after. Her feet were killing.

"Um," She struggled for something to say as she wondered into the kitchen. Finally she did what she always did when there was an awkward moment. She brought out the coffee "Do you want a coffee?"

She needed a gun. A gun to shoot herself with! She was an idiot, and she knew it! If he accepted the coffee it would ultimately mean him staying longer. Could she risk it? What would they talk about, her perverted fantasies about getting him into her bed? She almost laughed out loud at the thought of them discussing it.

"I'd love one actually," He said as he came to stand behind her. He wasn't directly behind her, but she could still feel his warm breath blowing against her.

"Actually," Tess turned to face him. "No offence, Nick... I'm really grateful for the lift and everything, but I think you should go"

"Go?" Nick repeated. He hadn't even had his coffee yet.

"Yes. I ah... I'm a bit... uncomfortable," She told him. "You should go."

Nick nodded as he caught onto what she was saying, "okay."

As Tess opened the door for him, he turned and looked down at her.

"It was good seeing you again," He whispered.

She nodded, "Yeah, you too."

He bent down and brushed his lips against her cheek. Something he knew would only make things worse, and it did. Inside he felt something snap. At that moment he knew that if he didn't leave, he would end up kissing her everywhere she would let him. And she would, he could feel her desire for him.

Slowly he slipped out the door. Tess closed it behind him. She rested up against it trying to forget him.

Before she could even push him out of her mind, she heard and felt the knock on the door.

As soon as she pulled it open, Nick moved towards her. He took her in his arms and murmured, "If I don't kiss you now, I'll go crazy."

Tess said nothing. She just met his lips with the same passion and hunger that he met hers with.