‘I’m not a backpacker.’
‘You have a backpack, because I carried it inside the house.And you’re passing through.What’s the difference?Besides, they understand the word.’
‘What about cleaning?I’m not your housemaid.’
‘I have a cleaner.Don’t stress.’
Crocodile wranglers must make a fortune for Stone to live in this impressive house with its elaborate five-star set-up.Compared to the ponds at the Saltscale crocodile farm, this place was like a luxurious private zoo.
‘Do you want to meet the boys?They could be the stars of your next documentary.’
‘What documentary?’Yet, she couldn’t help but follow Stone and his beautiful denim butt.
‘They’ll be good test models as your captive audience.Just nevereverput your hand over these glass panels.Even Finley knows that, eh, big fella?’Stone leaned down to scratch under Finley’s chin, and the turtle smiled.It almost reduced Romy into a puddle of feel-good-goo at how precious that little smile was.
‘The first contestant of who’s the hot croc in the pond is Bones.He’s the stunningly snappy 15-year-old freshwater crocodile.’Stone sounded like a gameshow host as he tossed the dried fish across the pool where it floated on top.Through the side glass panels, they watched the beast rise from the bottom of his crystal-clear pool, to circle the dried fish before taking it in its mouth.
‘Why Bones?’The way it swam was so graceful.
‘I found him in one of the side creeks, undernourished, and severely underweight with an old leg injury.He couldn’t effectively hunt anymore.Plus, the saltwater crocs had taken over his turf, leaving him a mud puddle, hoping to catch anything that wandered by.Poor Bones was mostly skin and bones when I brought him home.I didn’t think he’d make it, but he did.’
Stone moved to the next pen as a loud guttural groan rose.‘This is the flirt of the pack, Snag.He’s a 35-year-old mischievous saltwater crocodile who is trying to serenade you.’Stone’s smile was singing to her soul, too—when it shouldn’t.
At the next window, a large beast stretched out across the sandy beach area, as if working on his suntan.Snag, the saltwater crocodile was not only bigger, but he had a much wider head and a squarer snout than Bones, who seemed a lot daintier as the freshwater crocodile species.
‘Here, it’s your turn.’Stone grabbed her wrist, making her take a dried fish.
‘What do I do?’She was helpless to stop him, or that spark skating under her skin every time he touched her.
‘Toss it in the air.Snag will catch it.He could do with the cardio.’
She swung back.
‘Wait.’Stone held her hand back.‘Let Snag get into position first.Go on, Snag, this is your chance to dance, big boy.’
From the small beach area, the crocodile groaned as it slid across the sand and dove into the water.
‘Now throw it as high as you can.’
Suddenly feeling game, Romy flung the leathery fish towards the sky.It spun over, tail to nose, again and again.
When an almighty splash exploded from the pool as the crocodile lunged into the air, sending a huge wave of water to hit hard against the glass wall.Snag’s impressively wide jaws snapped shut like the crack of a shotgun, snapping the fish in half, as he rolled back into the pond creating another explosion of water, to then playfully tumble and roll with the fish underwater.
Hand to her chest, Romy was in awe of the mighty creature’s water dance that was as graceful as an underwater ballerina.‘I felt that bite.’It was like a stockwhip crack echoing through her chest.
‘It’s good.’Stone nodded with approval at Snag’s underwater acrobatics.
‘So, it’s true they have the power to crush our skulls with their jaws.’
‘They could crunch on concrete if they wanted to.’
‘What is Snag’s story?’
Stone sighed, watching the crocodile play.‘Snag has an underdeveloped jaw.It might have been a birth defect or an injury he copped when young, but it left him struggling to catch fish or larger prey.He’d been playing scavenger for a long time, barely surviving on prawns and baitfish when I found him.Do you see how he only chews on one side.’Stone tapped on the glass panel that gave them an underwater view of Snag’s outdoor aquarium.
Romy nodded.‘What if he can’t chew through that dried fish?’
‘He’ll leave it to soften in the water.’
