“And you know next year will be better. You’ve got a solid breeding program planned out.”
“Well, it’s going to be hard to top. Five firsts, and a grand champion.” His mom went silent. “Mom? You still there?”
“Your dad…”
He steeled himself against the rising emotions. “He would be. And I don’t know that next year I could do any better.”
“Oh, don’t be silly. Of course, you can.”
That sounded more like his mom. “Hey, tell Anne hi, and I wish you were both down here with me.”
“Maybe another year.”
“Yes.” His gut twisted. His mom wasn’t doing so well. Not since his dad passed. She was frailer every day. “Love you, Mom.”
“Love you, dear. Bye.”
He put his phone back in his pocket. Now that the day’s events were over, he couldn’t help think of Raven. He had been off and on during the day. What made him uneasy was that his mind wasn’t thinking of her naked and with him. Instead, he couldn’t help but think about what she was doing today. How did her meeting go? Did she think this could be any more than just a yearly fling? And considering how city she was, would she even consider life on a farm? With him?
His thoughts tangled tighter as he finished up topping the water containers for his alpacas. He yawned. Will I get through another all-nighter with Raven? Maybe he might have to settle for one round of pleasure and then call it a night. They could always do more tomorrow night and the following night. Even Friday night. Saturday he was packing up and going back home to the farm.
“Looks like you need a rest, mate.” Jason came up as Ben was suppressing another yawn.
“I’ll be right after another coffee.”
“You did well today.”
“Thanks.”
“I know it meant a lot to your family that you did well. Your dad knew his stuff.”
There was that emotion again. He needed to get out of here. Get back to his hotel room. Freshen up, eat, and then go to the bar once more to wait for Raven to show up. It amused him that he wasn’t worried whether or not she would, but now whether or not what was between them could be something more.
“Drink before you go back to the Goody? My shout at the Jumbuck.”
“Sure.” Ben pushed aside the anxiety of wanting to leave. That wasn’t what this week was about. He needed to spend time with the other alpaca breeders. There was industry news he needed to keep on top of, and that was best done over a beer or two. Plus, he was in the world of the living. And he was going to live well and keep on with the family tradition of breeding alpacas.
“And we’re going to start with you telling me about that woman you were with last night, and if she’s got a best friend who’s single.”
“Nothing to say.” It gnawed at him that that was the truth. He actually knew nothing about her other than she worked in the graphic design field at a thriving business in the city. She was a bit younger than him, a couple of years, and even that he wasn’t sure of.
“I reckon a couple of beers, and you’ll open up.”
Ben laughed. Maybe this was just what he needed. Go and have a few beers and talk with people who knew his dad. “Second round is on me.”
Raven poured herself another coffee. Her stomach flipped. She didn’t think she could drink another cup. And she didn’t think she could keep awake. Her eyes were red and dry from looking at the screen all day. Jax had gone to the meeting with Clive and Sarina, and she had been spending the day working on other projects. She didn’t like how she’d been shunted off the project, but she’d soldier on. It was her long-term goal of making it as a graphic designer and getting the experience so that one day she could have her own business that kept her going. She’d managed to finish one of the projects Jax had been working on. But there was no way she was going to send it to Sarina. Her confidence wasn’t ready to be shot down again. Raven was sure no matter what she sent to her boss, it wasn’t going to be good enough. Sarina had been grumpy all day and wasn’t letting up until she’d met with Clive, turning on a sugar smile to impress him. He’d loved the design changes, which were minimal. She hated that Jax was going to be the one taking the credit for what was essentially her work.
Raven grimaced as she sipped the coffee. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly six o’clock. She wanted to go home, finally shower, and get ready to see Ben, though she wasn’t sure how that would go after the hellish day she was having.
Nothing a bit of sleep won’t fix. That can happen later. She didn’t want to miss an opportunity with Ben.
She shifted uneasily on the fit ball she was sitting on at her desk. There were a few things that were niggling at her mind. The kiss she’d given him when she left. It wasn’t the sort of kiss you give someone you were having a fling with. Then there was the sleeping next to him last night. It was the first time she’d stayed the entire night. It was an accident that she’d fallen asleep, and she was bloody glad that she had. It felt so good to be in his arms, spent from the multiple orgasms. Then to have a cheeky quickie before starting the day even though she was now in a world of pain with work.
I wonder how his day was?Had to be better than mine. There were details about him that she didn’t know and wanted to.What’s different?She hadn’t felt like this about him last year or the year before.Why the change now?Could absence really make the heart grow fonder? Surely, you had to know a person first for that to happen, and she didn’t really know Ben. Sure, she knew him intimately and how to turn him on, that he had a cute smile, hot body, and she felt safe around him. He treated her with respect. She enjoyed his sense of humor. She wanted to spend more time with him and not just in bed.
Maybe I shouldn’t see him tonight?She couldn’t believe that she was even having that thought. But these thoughts cycling through her mind were making her uncomfortable. She didn’t mind trying new things. Hell, that’s why she’d ended up in this affair-type situation with Ben. One thing she wasn’t sure about was living on a farm. She was a city girl. She was born in the city, grew up in the city, and she planned to live in the city until she died. Well, maybe she might’ve moved to a bigger city, either Sydney or Melbourne, but she was still going to live in the city. That’s all she knew. She’d never contemplated living anywhere like on a farm.Hang on. She was getting too far ahead of herself. Raven glanced around the office. Jax was talking with Sarina. Thoughts about a future with Ben were much more palatable than her current situation with her work. She sighed heavily. Was this a hole she was going to get out of? Should she leave? But where to? There weren’t a lot of jobs for graphic designers in her hometown.
She glanced at the clock. It was now six o’clock. There was no way she was leaving before Sarina today. She couldn’t. Not after what had happened this morning. It was going to be a stretch to make it on time to see Ben.
