(Set in Queensland, Australia)
Walking along the main street late Saturday morning and carrying a shopping bag in each hand, lanky blond Australian Pete Rutter pushed his sunglasses back over his curls with his right wrist.
That gave clearer vision of the approaching nubile woman in white shorts and wearing an eye-catching multi-colour top knotted above the waist to display a band of flat and tanned tummy.
Her tits were dancing under that loose and light fabric.
Pete fell helplessly, his face about to slam into the pavement of the North Queensland town. He'd tripped over a black and white cattle dog that he glimpsed scurrying away.
Someone's firm arms caught him and he thought great catch.
The impact of arresting his fall had bent the woman over.
As she straightened and released him, Pete recognised the tits of that same female, aged around thirty.
"Hi we must stop meeting like this," she smiled with the wide mouth revealing great teeth.
"You saved me," he blurted inadequately.
She looked at him with interest and teased, "Yes and I assume you're not naturally clumsy."
Pete pointed but the dog had disappeared.
"The dog..."
"I know, I saw you trip over it. You were gaping at me."
He spoke before thinking: "I'm a bit of a tit man from way back and yours hit me between the eyes."
"God I hope not; I'm large but not that big and shouldn't you be referring to them as breasts?"
Pete back-pedalled to extricate himself and said softly that he had started off badly with her.
"Yes and perhaps no."
Encouraged he said, "Good morning miss, I'm Pete Rutter, new in town."
"Hi I'm Lana Simpson and live in this community. When did you arrive at Airlie Beach?"
"I came into town about an hour ago. I left Isa yesterday after my shift finished and stopped for a kip on the way."
She gasped.
"What you drove 700 miles after finishing your shift?"
"Yeah but I had that sleep of about three hours."
"What was the rush?"
"To meet you Lana."
She proved to be up to the challenge.
"Omigod is that wit or lust speaking Pete? I heard about you miners rushing off on a break from a mainly male environment with only one thing in mind."
"Yeah perhaps you have Lana but alas I'm one of the Priests at the mining community."
"Stop lying to me Pete," she smiled. "I didn't come down in the last shower. I'm on my way for early lunch. Come with me as my guest. Some of us in this resort town, the gateway to the fabulous Whitsunday Islands, are known for our hospitality."
"Great."
She said, "Great what? Don't you mean great and you promise not to hit on me?"
"Yeah and all that too."
"Oh Pete you've been so long in mostly-male company you've forgotten how to socialize verbally."
Lana's mouth fell slack when he said gravely, "I thank you enormously from saving me from that nasty fall. It was Providence that you were so close and eyeing me. But please pass on because you cannot be seen with unshaven me, dishevelled after such a long road trip and I've yet to shower. Thank you Lana and have a beautiful day."
She retrieved his fallen shopping bags, took his arm and turned him toward a nearby café.
"God I'm picking you up and knowing I'm doing it."
"You must be between boyfriends."
Pete's new friend sighed and said, "How did you know that?"
"It was a guess; you're an interesting lady Lana."
He said that flatly, continuing to look straight ahead, anticipating she'd be nonplussed.
"God I'm blushing. I can't recall ever been dubbed a lady."
As they entered the café he rocked her again.
"You're obviously a bright personality Lana, great-looking and a bit of a tease and exude friendliness. What's more you gallantly saved me and in my book that makes you a lady."
Lara muttered, "Oh god."
He pulled out a chair for her, pushed it back in and patted her shoulder briefly and that appeared to impress her.
"Obviously you grew up in a good home. What does your mother do?"
"She flies an eight-seat twin-engine aircraft for a charter company that also offers scenic flights."
"My goodness; and your father?"
"He's a partner in a small law firm."
"And you Pete are not just a coalface miner are you?"
He laughed and said the mine produced ore, not coal.
Lana giggled without attempting to explain her use of the term coalface.
He beckoned to a waitress and said, "I'm an engineer and head a small team responsible for ensuring the integrity of underground structure."
"Like cave-ins and spotting wall weaknesses?"
.Pete looked at her sharply and claimed such things weren't allowed to happen on their patch.
The waitress greeted them and Lana ordered a glass of Italian light sparkling wine and Pete named his larger beer.
Eyeing his host, Pete said he was glad they'd met and she held his gaze and said likewise.
"What happened to the last boyfriend?"
She stiffened and Pete knew he'd blundered.
"Sorry."
"No it's okay or rather that was like a left hook I wasn't expecting. He now lives with my former best girlfriend."
Pete reached for her hand and she cooperated and after the light squeeze made no effort to pull away from his sympathetic grasp.
"Sometimes life sucks."
She nodded and he looked away when seeing the frown.