The Royal Show Affair Read online

  Ben resisted the urge to rub his eyes. He was with some of the other farmers having a few drinks, exchanging notes, and simply talking shit. He was sure his eyes were bloodshot with the lack of sleep, the long day, and now the few beers that’d he’d drunk over the last few hours. He’d lost count which wasn’t what he was intending, and he didn’t want to be too tired and not up for another session with Raven tonight. But fuck, it was going to be a push. Maybe just a quickie tonight then.

  “Another?” Jason held up his empty glass.

  To hell with it. “Yep.” Ben put down his empty glass on the small, round table they’d been crowding around. They’d talked about his dad, that he’d be having a ball, and would’ve quietly accosted the judge even though they had won a major ribbon. Grand Champion was a great result for them and their stud, but his dad was ever competitive and always wanted more. That was a trait he’d passed to his son for sure. Ben had taken all his self-control not to challenge the decision where his alpaca missed out on a broad ribbon, even the reserve. At least it had got a first. Ben didn’t like to miss out, and definitely not leave the judging ring with the only animal not getting a big prize out of the three being judged. The thing with the alpacas was that there weren’t too many breeders here at the show, so the classes were small, the chance of winning high, and yet not a guarantee.

  “You’ll be back next year, then?” Jason asked as he handed him a fresh glass of cold beer.

  “Yeah, have to. It’s like an addiction coming down to the show. I wouldn’t get to see your ugly mug.”

  And I wouldn’t want to miss seeing Raven. That was something that was becoming clearer. He wanted to see her again—not just tonight, not just for this week but longer. He wasn’t sure how he was going to convince a city girl like Raven to come to live with him on his farm, especially when this was just a fling.

  “Ha, ha, very funny, mate.” Jason raised his glass. “Cheers.”

  “Cheers.”

  “Miss having your dad around. He was a great man, you know, the old sort that lived through a lot and wore it on his sleeve quietly but wouldn’t take no shit from anyone.”

  Ben swallowed hard, the motion going against the rising emotions that threatened to burst out at his mate’s comment. “Thanks.”

  Another part which was hard about all this was that he was close to his dad, though there were times they had butted heads like two bulls fighting over territory which they sort of were. The farm was going to be his, his sister had been paid out, and Ben had ideas of where to take the farm which had been very different from his dad’s perspective. Now, he could do just that, except he wasn’t. The confidence he had that he was right, that this had to be the way forward for the breeding of the alpacas and the wheat crops they planted each year had died when his father passed. So far, he hadn’t been able to manage to implement the changes. It had been a struggle enough just to keep on going with the way things were. Plus, there was his mom whose health had gone downhill. Then there was the estate settlement, the debt, the tax that had to be paid to transfer the farm into his name. It was meant to have been done before his dad had passed. They’d thought that there was going to be plenty of time. Then he had an accident with the tractor. And well, there was plenty to keep him worrying at night. Meeting up with Raven had been something that had kept him going during the worst nights, even the worst days as he battled on.

  “I reckon it must be time for something to eat,” one of the blokes, Dan, said after putting down his empty beer glass.

  At the thought of food, Ben’s stomach grumbled. He glanced at his watch. It was getting close to eight. He wanted to hang around here. Even though he was exhausted, he still wanted to meet up with Raven.

  “How about ordering something here at the bar,” he suggested quickly before someone mentioned going to the bistro out the back part of the hotel. “Will be cheaper.”

  “Of course, you’d be wanting to keep it cheap,” said Jason with a laugh.

  The comment stung a little more than his mate would’ve been aware of. The farm’s finances were tumbling close to crisis. The current drought situation wasn’t helping at all. “Well, I’m not going to splash out with you blokes, now am I?” Ben retorted quickly, surprised his mind was still working since it was distracted with thoughts of Raven. His body was starting to respond knowing that he’d see her in less than thirty minutes. Ben was counting down now.

  “You telling me I don’t look as good as that chick you were with last night?” Dan had a very big grin as he spoke. “Though, I didn’t see you taking her out for food.”

  Fuck. It was starting. Ben figured he should be grateful he’d escaped the teasing from the blokes for this long. “You don’t look even close to being as hot as Raven.”

  “Oh, Raven, is it? First name basis.” Dan’s eyebrows raised.

  Dammit. He hadn’t meant to say her name.

  “Well, good to know you remembered her name. This must be serious, then.” Jason slapped him cheerfully on the back. “Should I be worried about you?”

  “Nah, mate, it’s all good.” He could feel the heat rising to his face. “Don’t have to worry about me at all. I know what I’m doing.” He was uncomfortable as hell with the banter from his mates. He felt like he had to be careful about what he said about her. He didn’t want to say a word against her, though it went deeper. He felt he needed to be protective of her. Where has this come from? This wasn’t the way to react about someone who was just an affair. Not that he would pay her out or reveal details to his mates, he was a private guy. He had never felt the need to brag. Things had changed with how he felt about her. He didn’t want to tell them anything.

  “So what does she do for a living, then?” asked Dan.

  “Design.” The question another reminder that he didn’t know much about her. And that the tightness in his chest suggested he ached to know more. Sure, he knew that Raven was hot, looked after herself, was confident, open-minded, but there was so much more he wanted to know about her. What food did she like to eat? Was she happy with her life? Did she ever want to get married? Could she see herself living on a farm? With him? Could I ask her tonight? He wasn’t sure if that was a good idea or not. It might frighten her off, make it look like he was looking for a relationship. Or worse, that he was desperate or something. He wasn’t that.

  It was best to talk about anything but farming. He could tell Jason and Dan were enjoying this. He picked up a menu.

  “I’m ordering fish and chips.” It was his go-to food dish. Again, he wondered what Raven’s go-to meal was. Ben’s mind flipped to thinking about Raven in more detail. The black lace dress she’d worn last night had been beautiful. If he’d managed to keep a little more self-control, then he would’ve enjoyed peeling it from her body instead of rushing because of the urgency that filled him. He promised that’s what he’d do tonight. Maybe. What would she be wearing? Something just as stunning he was sure. Something that he wouldn’t be able to peel off her gorgeously curvy body, muscles that showed signs of a decent gym workout. He shifted uneasily on his feet. His jeans were getting a little tighter, and he struggled to stop himself from thinking any more about Raven and removing clothing from her body.

  “Fine, there’s a booth over there we can sit and eat, and continue this chat about Raven.” Jason pointed to where people were leaving a booth in the corner.

  “Hey, what do you think of the judge? Bit green. Hear he’s into breeding the llapacas.” It was his poor attempt at trying to change the subject.

  “Bloody llapacas, always someone trying to breed hybrids, good luck to them, hasn’t taken off yet.” Jason laughed. He shrugged his shoulders as he sat down. “Last year’s judge was worse.”

  “He was all over the place with his decisions as if he didn’t even know what an alpaca was.”

  “Don’t remind me. Dad was having a fit over it all.” Ben let the others sit first so that he was positioned where he could just barely see one of the main entrances
to the bar area. The last thing Ben wanted was to miss seeing Raven.

  Jason raised his glass. “To your dad.”

  The three men raised their glasses and took a chug of beer. It was getting easier with the emotions concerning his dad, what had been kept under a tight lid was now losing, and he was glad he wasn’t a crying mess in the corner. He took a deep breath. This was just what he needed. This and some more time with Raven.

  “Maybe next year you can judge?” suggested Dan.

  It was Ben’s turn to laugh. “No way.”

  “You could.”

  “But then I couldn’t exhibit my stock.” And that’s what he wanted to do. He had his eye on a stud alpaca, a new male to buy that would help increase the quality of the wool. So he hoped, though the next generation wouldn’t be ready for shearing until the following year. His herd of females needed a new stud male to keep things fresh. His dad had hung on to the breeding males too long. Not a bad idea, and it saved money, but it didn’t improve the next generation in any way. It was more like sticking with what you knew. He needed some cash flow for that first.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the door open and he quickly looked to see if it was Raven coming in. His heart sunk. Just a young couple coming in for drinks and dinner. Based on what they wore, he could tell they were from the country wearing jeans and Wrangler shirts. They looked happy. His heart tightened in his chest.

  Will I ever have that? He didn’t realize that the longing was so intense and how it caused him to think of Raven.

  “Right, hit me up with your orders, and tonight’s meal is on me.” Dan motioned for the waitress to come over. It wasn’t table service here, but they’d gotten to know the staff since they spent so much time here during the week.

  “Don’t go blowing all your prize money,” joked Ben. Dan had taken out two of the major prizes and was the Most Successful Exhibitor this year. Ben hoped to get that title next year. His competitive nature always close to the surface even when he was with his mates.

  “Good thing you blokes are worth it.”

  Ben found it harder to concentrate on the conversation after he’d ordered his food. He couldn’t help looking at the door every time it opened. So far, there was no sign of Raven. And now it was nearly eight thirty. She’d never been late before. A twist of his gut made him worry that she wasn’t going to come this time.

  It was good while it lasted. The thought empty and caused an ache inside of him. He just had to see her again.

  Raven was over an hour late. She glanced at the clock in her little Mazda 3, which was old and had about three previous owners, but it was what she could afford. It ran well, and that was all that mattered to her. Knock on wood it hadn’t caused her any mechanical issues so far, and she hoped it stayed that way. Things had been tense in the office, a weird vibe that she’d never felt before, and she was feeling out of sorts because of it.

  Do I even bother?

  It had been about an hour before her boss had left, then she’d rushed home, showered, and grabbed something to eat before getting into her car and driving the half-hour trip to the Goody Hotel. She was running on adrenaline. And deep breaths. At least there was no peak- hour traffic to deal with, and she wasn’t hitting too many red lights.

  The thought of seeing Ben again perked her up. A bit more than that. She squeezed her thighs together. Fuck, she couldn’t wait until they were in his hotel room alone together. If he wasn’t there, well, she only had herself to blame. More like her boss. If she had gumption, perhaps she would’ve walked out earlier and be damned what her boss said. But then she wasn’t ready to lose a job right now. She needed to at least check out what other jobs were available, suss them out, before burning the bridge with Sarina. Luckily, she’d been saving a chunk of her wage since she’d been working. Even though that was going to be for a deposit to start up her business, if she had to, then she could use it to live off while she found another job. Bloody hell. She couldn’t believe that she was already thinking of needing to get another job.

  Raven tuned into the Goody parking lot, turned off her car, got out, then grabbed her oversized handbag. This time she’d packed a change of clothes knowing well enough not to push Sarina by being late two mornings in a row. It also helped to make her feel somewhat prepared despite running so late. She took out a fresh mint from her bag and popped it into her mouth, the flavor giving her a little burst of energy that she really needed right now.

  She took a deep breath, locked her car, and then tried to walk casually into the Goody. Rushing to get ready, she dressed more casual than in the past when meeting Ben. In a hurry to get dressed without wasting too much time, she’d put on jeans, a loose, flowy top that was see-through despite the dark color, and heels. Her hair was styled in loose curls, something she was good at doing quickly, and she wore light makeup. After all, she needed to cover up the dark shadows under her eyes from a lack of sleep. It was her more casual look, not the ‘I’m dressing to get laid’ clothes she usually wore when seeing Ben. It was all part of the fun, dressing sexy, seeing him enjoy her. This time it was different. It was like she was simply keen to see him, and because she was so late, it might not happen.

  How will I feel if I see him? That was going to be her test to whether or not to suggest changing what was going on between them into more of a relationship. She knew it wasn’t going to work now. If she saw him, she was going to be relieved, then excited, and then ready to drag him up to his room. This wasn’t going to be the test that she was hoping for. As she pushed open the door to the front bar area, she tried to remind herself that test or not, it didn’t matter because this was all about some fun, great sexy fun at that.

  It was busy for a weeknight, but she knew it was because of the show. There were a lot of men and women who were dressed in jeans and shirts showing their country roots. A quick glance at the bar, and she could see he wasn’t there. Raven pushed in deeper through the crowd, squeezing between people, and looking around trying to find Ben. Her heart raced, and her mind flipped between hope that she’d see him and dread that it was all too late.

  Raven made it to the bar and paused to catch her breath that she’d been holding. It wasn’t looking good. I’ll just go even though she knew she hadn’t really had a good look around. Standing here in a busy bar, alone, incredibly late, she was losing the little bit of her nerve that she had left.

  She turned around and leaned on the bar. There he was. And at that moment, he looked up, and their eyes locked. Despite the distance between them, she could feel a connection, that there was something drawing her to him. A warm feeling thundered through her body as he winked and grinned. She could see the relief in his facial expression.

  He was clean-shaven, his shirt ironed to perfection, and he radiated a strength that she wanted to be wrapped around her. While looking at him, it was as if the noise of the chatter in the pub faded away along with all the people surrounding them. It was just them for a moment.

  Then the guy sitting next to him in the booth elbowed him, and he looked away. The connection broke. She wasn’t sure if she should go to him. As if he were reading her mind, he looked toward her and mouthed, ‘I’ll come to you.’

  Before she could even smile back, he’d turned back to the guys he was talking with. She wasn’t sure if she should move to a more discreet distance away. But then, he’d said he’d come to her. The few seconds it took for him to excuse himself felt like minutes. She couldn’t take her eyes from him, especially as he stood. She enjoyed seeing his body again even though it was clothed. Despite the shirt covering his torso, she could still tell he was toned, though she knew that from running her hands over his body last night. His tight jeans emphasized more of his body that she’d like to enjoy. He moved between people she didn’t notice until now as she watched him come closer. Her heart increased in speed. Moisture pooled with anticipation dampening her panties. There might be more of a connection between them, that’s what she felt before, and it wa
s still there, but right now she wanted him in hot, primal sex.

  He put a hand on her elbow, reached toward her, and kissed her on the lips. His heat thundered through her right down to her toes, and she swayed slightly from the tension that his touch caused within her.

  “Let’s go to my room.”

  Ben couldn’t wait to get her to his room to take off her clothes and familiarize himself with her body once again. Walking out of the front bar to the elevator, going up to the second floor, then to his room seemed to take forever. For the last hour, he’d been desperately trying not to think about Raven because she hadn’t shown up. Now, he was trying to control himself, so he didn’t take her right here and now. And he also had questions. Why was she so late? And did she mean to be late? But then he sort of didn’t care. All that mattered to him now was that she was here and was going willingly with him back to his room. She was fucking hot in her casual jeans and top. Seeing her bra through the dark material was causing his body to respond, his jeans getting a little tighter. He wanted to slip his hands under the material and feel her skin, but he didn’t. This time he was going to take it slow and enjoy every bit of being with her, especially now that she’d turned up. Did she do this deliberately? He looked sideways at her. He didn’t think so. Even if she had, it was well-played because now he was even more nuts for her. Not just for sex either.

  He kept his arm around her waist holding her close, enjoying the feel of her body heat. He didn’t trust himself to move his hands over her body, and they weren’t the only ones in the elevator, so he couldn’t kiss her. It was driving him nuts having to wait. He had his swipe card out before they got to the door of his room so as not to waste any time.

  The door closed behind them, and he took her in his arms. “I thought you weren’t going to come, and I’d never see you again.”