Her skin prickled with the tone he spoke in.Was that what she was doing?Losing patience. He kissed her again and her thoughts tangled. For now, she only cared that they were together. Details could sort themselves out later. Right?
Max pulled away then stroked her cheek. “Come on, let’s get back home. I’m hungry.” He put the ute into gear, and with a sharp jerk they skidded.
Zoe muffled a scream, grabbed hold of the armrest to stop herself from crashing into the door.
Max laughed.
She frowned at him, but it was apparent he thought his actions were rather funny. Max continued to grin broadly as he drove back toward home, making a beeline to the nearest road. “Bastard.”
Zoe knew damn well he’d done that deliberately. “I thought you were worried about keeping the baby and me safe?” Her heartbeat raced from the scare he’d given her.Cheeky bastard.
“What can I say, I like giving you a thrill.”
The muscles between her legs clenched tight. Heat flared on her cheeks. He was good at doing just that too. But she wasn’t about to tell him.
Max slowed as they approached the gate. “I do, don’t I?” He winked at her before getting out and opening the gate.
“You know this is the passenger’s job,” said Max, humor thick in his voice as he got back into the ute and edged forward out of the paddock.
“You should’ve told me… I’ll close the gate.” Zoe quickly got out as soon as Max stopped the ute. A big gust of wind came along and blew up her skirt.
Max wolf-whistled with a big smirk. “I think you may have converted me to this new dress-wearing style on the farm.”
Zoe’s felt herself blush as she tried to keep her skirt down. At least it was only Max who was around to see her doing a Marilyn Munroe. She pulled the gate, remembering how to lock it securely based on a previous lesson from Max, then went back to the ute, holding her skirt down.
“Thanks,” he relayed as she slipped back into the passenger’s seat and closed the door.
“What, for giving you a thrill this time?” She looked at him cheekily.
“That, and for closing the gate. You shut it properly?”
“Go and check.” She tilted her chin up in a challenge. “Or, don’t you trust me.”
“I trust you.” To prove it, he put the ute back into gear and turned onto the dirt road.
“Good, so you should.” She raised her eyebrow at him, then settled back into the seat, arm on the edge of the open window, enjoying the wind in her hair. This had been a fun outing with Max, and she wasn’t just thinking about them having sex. She enjoyed how they interacted. How he didn’t shy away from her sharp comments. It almost felt like a date, even though he’d gotten work done.
They were nearly back at the farm when they spotted a car up ahead, coming toward them.
Max slowed. Zoe thought she recognized the steel gray Mazda CX5, but it wasn’t until both vehicles stopped side by side when she realized it was his sister Kate, and his mom.
“Hey stranger, about time you came over for dinner,” called out his mom, who sat in the passenger seat.
“Just busy.”
“We need to sort out Christmas soon, you know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
It amused Zoe that Max did what he was told when it came to his mom.
“On your way into town?” asked Kate.
“What makes you say that?” questioned Max.
“Nice outfit, Zoe,” said Kate.
Zoe shifted uneasily. She was grateful right now that the material of her skirt was not see-through.
