A Farmer's Christmas Read online

  “Good idea you’re taking a break. You work so hard.”

  “I want this business to succeed, a lot is riding on it.” She realized that she’d thought if it didn’t work, then maybe things wouldn’t work out with Ben either. Fear had a way of being so irrational.

  “Less than you know. Ben will take very good care of you, always.”

  Raven wasn’t sure what to say to that. Her feelings were too mixed. Was this the life for her? Could she ever fit in?

  “Have you been out on the harvester yet?” asked Janette.

  “No.”

  “You should ask Ben to take you. Learning how to drive it will help to pass the time.”

  Raven gleaned at what Janette was doing. It was a good idea. It was long overdue that she was more involved on the farm. So far, there just hadn’t been any time to teach her. “I’ll do that when I see him next. On one condition.”

  Janette raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

  “That I cook one meal a week for us all.”

  Janette sighed as if she were grappling with her inner fears. “Fine.”

  Raven smiled. “I’ll cook Sunday night, then.” What she wasn’t sure of was would it only be for her and Janette, or would Ben be there too?

  Ben stopped the combine alongside the truck, lining it up carefully. He pulled a lever, and the auger swung out from the combine, stopping just where he’d planned over the bin of the truck. He pressed another lever, and grain started spilling out into the truck.

  It was getting on in the day, but there was still plenty of daylight hours left, which he hoped he could take full advantage of.

  His cell buzzed. He glanced at the screen. The message was from his mate, Jason.

  Jason: What the hell are you still reaping? It’s a fire ban now you idiot.

  Fuck it. Ben thought to himself. This wasn’t at all what he needed to be reminded of. Sure, there was no hard and fast rule if he kept harvesting in this extreme heat. But if there were a spark from his combine, it would start a fire, and there were unreaped paddocks of his neighbors that could end up burning, not just his. He didn’t want to be the idiot to cause a fire like that.

  Ben: Just stopping now.

  Fuck.

  Ben breathed out with frustration as the last of the grain transferred from the combine to the truck. This was it for the day. He was done working out here.

  He glanced at the weather outlook on his cell. There should be a slight cooling change tonight, so he could get back out here tomorrow. If he were lucky, the weather might be just a few degrees cooler by then and the fire ban lifted. He needed to keep working these long hours if he wanted to get the harvest finished and get the much-needed income.

  Ben let the engine of the combine idle for a little while, so it would cool, before turning it off. His mind shifted through the very long list of jobs that needed to be done on the farm, which weren’t getting done while he had the harvest to focus on. There was the section of fence that needed fixing in the north paddock. Then, he needed to get some more feed for the alpacas. The machinery could do with a bit of oiling. If the truck was full, then he could take the load to the silos, but it wasn’t.

  If only I could’ve got a few more rounds done, Ben thought wistfully. Then the truck would’ve been full, and at least I would’ve been able to deliver the load.

  That would also mean he was one step closer to being paid for the grain, which could still take months before that would happen. There was no point agonizing over what could’ve been, there was so much he could do right now.

  Then there was also the Christmas shopping he should go and do. Hell, he hated going into the shops. But this year, he needed to get something for Raven. It was her first Christmas with him and his family on the farm. He wanted to get her something special because, well, because he loved her. And she’d given up so much to come and live with him, to give them a chance of having a relationship and a future together. With the farm, there was no way he could’ve ever moved to the city. This was the way it had to be. So far, he was thinking things were working out very well between them.

  Maybe it’s not so bad having to stop now, he mused, recognizing the very big silver lining to this cloud of having to stop here. If he went back to the farm now, there was a good amount of time he could spend with Raven, and well, he knew exactly how that was going to go. He couldn’t wait to get her naked and familiarize himself with her curvy body, but another, more sobering thought stopped this fantasy.

  Ben didn’t want to think how bad he would look if he didn’t manage to get Raven a Christmas gift, even if it were hard with the long hours since the shops were usually closed when he finished for the day.

  The shops it is, he decided as he turned off the engine. If he were quick enough, then he could go back to the farm and spend some time with Raven. She’d been so patient with him working such long hours at this time of year, especially since she had no idea of what farm life was like.

  Ben jumped out and strode over to the ute. While he was in Keith, he’d pick up the feed he needed. This was working out better than he thought it would. Though the problem was, he had absolutely no idea what to get Raven. He’d never been very good at buying gifts. He wanted to give her something meaningful as this was a big deal having their first Christmas together, and he didn’t want to mess it up.

  It was all he could think about during the twenty-minute drive into Keith. What the hell was he going to buy Raven? He couldn’t even think what he’d get his mom or Anne. They were used to him being late with his gifts, or even opting for gift cards, over Christmas. He knew that Raven wouldn’t be satisfied with that.

  Not this year. Perhaps not any year.

  Ben slowed down as he approached the outskirts of Keith. Houses now lined either side of the road instead of the open spaces of land. He was already starting to feel penned in, and he hadn’t got to the center of town yet.

  With no idea of what sort of gift to buy Raven, Ben decided to get the feed loaded up for the alpacas first. He drove to the agricultural store in town, parked out the back, and then strode inside. It was so easy this time of year to forget it was Christmas on account of the harvest and the long hours he had to work.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw women’s work boots. An idea sparked in his head.

  I can’t get that for Raven. Or can I?

  He went over to the range of work boots. They were what she needed when out on the farm. He’d been meaning to invite her to come with him on the harvester, but she’d always seemed too busy on her computer. He didn’t want to interrupt the work she was doing for her graphic design business.

  He picked up a pair. In a way, he thought it might be safer to stick to chocolates and maybe a necklace, but the work boots felt right to give her. Things had been slow, it had been a fling, but then Raven moving in, things had progressed very quickly. It was time to tread a little water and just see how things were going to go. Even though Ben was certain it was going well between them.

  “Can I help you, Ben?” asked John, one of the owners of the agricultural store.

  “I’ll take these.” Ben had to guess at the size of Raven’s feet.

  “You sure on the size?”

  “You’ll do an exchange if I’m wrong?” Ben handed the box to John.

  “For you. Now, do you want it gift wrapped?”

  Ben raised his eyebrow. “You do gift wrapping now, do you?”

  John chuckled, “No, but these are a gift for your new girl, so things are getting serious?”

  Were they? Raven had moved in with him, and hell, that was very serious.

  “I’ll grab a box of chocolates.”

  “We don’t have chocolates.”

  “I’m sure they’d be a best seller with the guys coming in here needing to smooth things over with their missus.”

  “I think you might be on to something.”

  “I’ll get the feed, too, while I’m here.”

  “Okay, I’ll
get Dave to help me load them up on your ute. Two dozen?”

  “Yep, that’ll get us into the new year until you open up again.”

  “Right-o. Give me a minute to gift wrap this, and I’ll put it all on your account.”

  Ben grinned at John’s sense of humor. It would certainly be helpful if he could gift wrap the boots. A glance at his cell and all Ben wanted to do now was to get home and have a bit of time with Raven. Wrapping paper and card could wait. At least he managed to get a gift. With any luck, Raven would like it.

  Raven leaned on the old wooden railing and looked out into the paddock of alpacas. There were a few blades of green grass, but mainly it was brown, burned by the summer sun, even though it was only December and summer was only beginning. She shaded her eyes with her hand, wishing she’d grabbed her sunglasses on the way out of the house. This was a view she could look at for hours.

  Evie stood nearly as tall as her mother, head down nibbling at the hay Ben had spread around early this morning. She was a beautiful tan color, big eyes, and long ears. Ben thought he would keep her for breeding instead of selling her, much to Raven’s delight. There was a special connection she had for Evie after seeing her born at the Royal Show only a few months ago. It was also the start of the relationship with Ben being more than a yearly fling. Raven didn’t think she could bear to see Evie sold. She was even looking forward to when Evie would be a mother herself next year. Raven surprised herself with her thoughts.

  Wow, I have learned things about the farm. The emotion of feeling lonely bubbled under the surface, but she ignored it. That was the biggest issue she had here, and it could be enough to break the connection with Ben. She still had to wait for the group meetings to start up again after the festive holidays, and who knew how well her cooking for Janette would really go. She hoped these changes were going to be enough to stave off the feeling of isolation here.

  Raven was nervous about cooking for Janette and Ben. That was if Ben even made it to the dinner table Sunday night. In all likelihood, he would be on the harvester. She had no idea what to cook. Her best dish was a honey-soy stir fry, but somehow, she didn’t think that was quite what Janette was used to.

  Could I do meat and three vegetables?

  That simple dish didn’t inspire her. Then there was an Indian lamb korma curry she could cook, but again, would that be something Janette or even Ben would enjoy? Cooking wasn’t her strong point—Janette had years of experience and was a very good cook.

  Maybe I should’ve just offered to always be on clean up, she mused as Evie lifted her head and looked at her, chewing a mouthful of hay before putting her head back down, her lips moving to nibble at more. A few of the alpacas had settled in the shade of the trees and had nestled down resting the afternoon away.

  The heat from the sun radiated, and sweat began to bead on her forehead, but Raven didn’t mind so much. The warmth of the day seemed to give her a bit of comfort that she needed right now. That, and watching Evie in the paddock with the other alpacas.

  Feeling that things had somewhat been smoothed over with Janette, Raven had come out to clear her head in the fresh air—air that smelled of an animal earthiness. A gentle breeze moved the excess material of her loose pants. She remembered how alone she was out here and how she was disconnected with her old life and not yet connected with this new life. Another warm tickle from the wind moved over her body. A swim would be good right about now. The beach was too far away to bother driving to, and there was no pool on the farm. When she’d asked Ben what he’d done as a kid to cool down, he’d muttered something about running through the garden sprinklers. Right now, she considered that could be an option if it meant it helped her to cool down.

  As much as she didn’t mind the extremely hot weather, right now, it was starting to get a little uncomfortable, so she considered going back into the house. But there was no air conditioning, and in an attempt to keep it cool, Janette had closed all the windows and shut the blinds and curtains to keep it dark. It helped to keep the temperature down inside, but it also made Raven feel a little claustrophobic.

  It was too early to collect the afternoon eggs from the dozen or so chooks they had on the farm, so she’d decided to visit Evie. A few of the galahs squawked in the surrounding trees, then settled—it was too hot for them to cause a ruckus.

  Raven could hear the chooks clucking. A few had ventured near her, scratching at the ground and pecking as if the heat was no problem for them. Even Rex, the cat, hadn’t come down with her like he often did. She was beginning to think that maybe an afternoon rest would be a good way to pass the last of the hot afternoon before it hopefully started to cool down again. Janette had mentioned that there should be a bit of a cooling change. Raven hoped so.

  The sound of a vehicle engine rattling down the driveway caused Raven to look behind her, wondering who would be visiting. She still wasn’t used to how neighbors dropped in at random times with no warning.

  It was Ben’s ute, and it was loaded high with bags of alpaca feed. She frowned. Why had he gone into town? And why wasn’t he on the harvester?

  A knot formed in her gut, and a shiver went down her spine. Had something gone wrong?

  She exhaled slowly, realizing how quickly she was jumping to conclusions.

  Was this what it was like to be a farmer’s wife? she suddenly thought. Raven didn’t much like how she was feeling right now, simply seeing Ben drive here with his ute, knowing that he should be out harvesting the crop.

  Ben smiled to himself as he saw Raven standing by the alpacas. She wore her city clothes—long loose pants and tight top—instead of the usual jeans and shirt that no matter the weather the locals wore. Her style looked a little out of place, but also at the same time, it was perfect, a breath of fresh air. A change. Something new and fun, but also strong, reliable, and sassy. That’s what drew him to her. He enjoyed driving into his home and seeing her. His pulse increased, and his body started to respond with the primal desires he’d been denying.

  He glanced at the package on the passenger seat next to him. Would she like it? Would this be the gift to mark their first Christmas together?

  Ben drove the ute to the shed where he stored the alpaca feed and parked the ute. He needed to unload it now, but there was something way more important he needed to do. As he got out, Snipper came up to him, excited that he was home. The dog jumped up and down, wagging his tail madly.

  “Hey, boy.” Ben paused to give Snipper a scratch behind his ears before making his way down to the alpacas to Raven.

  She turned and smiled as he walked up to her. His heart skipped so many beats he was sure it was out of control from just seeing her, standing relaxed watching the alpacas as if it were the most natural thing for her to do, despite being a city girl.

  “Keeping an eye on them for me?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her narrow waist and pulling her to him. He could feel her easing into his embrace as if their souls were melding with each other.

  “Well, I don’t really know what to keep an eye on.”

  “You’d surprise yourself. Sometimes you just know when something is wrong.” He nuzzled into her neck. She smelled divine—a mix of floral perfume with her pheromones. Desire flooded his body.

  She looked up at him. A serious expression took hold over her face, cute lines formed on her forehead and in the corners of her eyes. He didn’t let her talk. Instead, he planted his lips on hers. Her salty flavor exploded in his mouth, and he gently danced his tongue over hers, savoring. It had been too long. He moved his hands over her backside, grabbing them and squeezing playfully, enjoying hearing her gasp from his touch.

  She gently pulled away from the kiss, nestling her back into his chest and resting her head so that he could nuzzle the side of her neck.

  It might have been a while since they had their sexy fun time, but the way he felt with Raven in his arms, was natural. She wrapped her arms over his.

  “Why aren’t you out on the tractor?” she
asked. She leaned into his body, and he easily took her weight.

  “Harvester, you mean?”

  “Same thing.”

  He chuckled. “Not even close.”

  Ben held her to him tighter, enjoying feeling all of her body against his, pushing his hardness into her, moving his hips in a subtle grinding fashion. She sighed with pleasure, and he felt her body relax further. Pleasure shot through his body, and he fought the temptation to rush things.

  He moved his hands over her belly, then down the front of her hips, and over the top of her thighs. Fuck, she felt good to touch like this. He wanted more, to feel all of her. He pressed his hands firmly into her body, moving them back up over her curves. Her body arched into him. His hands cupped around her breasts, and he massaged his fingers into her soft flesh, feeling her nipples harden through the material.

  Forcing himself to take his time, he released his grip on her breasts, slipping his hands once more down her body. His fingers found the top of the waistband of her pants, and he pushed under the material. Her hips moved forward as if guiding him where to go. He knew exactly where to touch her. He brushed a hand over the lacy material of her panties in a teasing motion. She reached up, wrapping her hands behind his head. He kissed the side of her neck, running his tongue along her salty skin to the base of her collarbone.

  His fingers found the top of her panties, dove under the material, and moved through her pubes to her slit. She moaned as he moved his hand further between her legs, enjoying the slipperiness of her juices that had pooled quickly. He rested one hand low on her abdomen as the other worked between her intimate folds. Her hips rocked to increase the pressure of his touch, and the sounds of pleasure escaping her lips encouraged him to keep drawing the pleasure from her body.

  He moved his thumb to the top of her slit, finding the nub of nerves to massage, and systematically increased the pressure, taking her to a peak. Her orgasm blossomed, bursting through her body in a sweet series of convulsions in time with her gasps.