The Royal Show Affair Read online

  The day had passed quickly. The baby alpaca was still a bit wobbly on his legs but was getting more confident every minute. Just how I feel. She hadn’t been sure about a relationship with Ben, but the more time she spent with him, the better she felt. There were, of course, the details that needed to be discussed. But she didn’t want to do that. Not right now. She didn’t want to ruin what was turning out to be one of the best days ever.

  “Is there anything else you need me to do?”

  “I’ll feed up for the night in a minute.” He paused. “You don’t have to do all this work, you know.”

  “I don’t mind. In fact, I’m enjoying it.”

  “Really?” She saw his grin. Her stomach twisted a little. It wasn’t a lie. She really was enjoying doing the work only because he was here with her.

  “Yes. But don’t tell anyone.”

  He laughed. “Course not, I’m keeping you all for myself.”

  He planted a kiss on her cheek. The sort that was quick but warm and full of potential.

  “I don’t think I’m doing it right, though.”

  “There’s not much you can do wrong. So consider yourself hired.”

  “Good rates?”

  “The best in town for you.” He winked at her. “You get me.”

  She giggled. “Then I’ll make sure I collect my payment later tonight.”

  “I’m all yours.” His smile faded. “Ummm… I might need to stay here for a while tonight, though.”

  “Oh, delay in payments already? That didn’t take long. You just wanted to snag me first.”

  “Not at all. I just need to make sure—”

  “I know. The alpacas come first.” It was a joke, but he didn’t smile. A shadow crossed his face. What am I missing? It was hard to change from a fling to something serious, Sure, there were feelings between them, real and reciprocated, but they lived such different lives. Will that be our undoing? She felt her knees wobble. So many emotions in such a short time.

  “You always come first. I want you to know that. It’s just well, you’re taking on a farm and the care of the animals as well when you’re with me. I don’t want to sugarcoat it or string you along.”

  “You’re not.” She appreciated his honesty. But how could they work out the details now when realistically, they were still getting to know each other. He just got a big tick for honesty and respect.

  She could see him struggling with her response. “How about I stay with you tonight? I mean, I’ll stay here with you. I’ll get my payments later, and trust me, I’ll be making sure I cash them in.”

  “If you insist. You don’t have to. This is my responsibility, and I don’t want to burden you.”

  “You said it yourself, you come with a farm and animals to care for. Best I get an idea of what that really means now.” And that she meant. “Besides, it will be fun staying here with you in the shed. Who knows what might happen?”

  “Anything could happen.” He raised an eyebrow in a suggestive motion.

  Anything could very well happen, indeed, and she had a few things in mind if the opportunity presented itself.

  Ben enjoyed the way Raven curled up next to him while they sat on the hay bales. They’d eaten a decent meal at the member’s dining room and now were back on watch duty. The little guy was doing very well, and so was Evie. He reckoned another hour or so, then they could leave. Though, for once, sex with Raven wasn’t so much on his mind. He was still in a bit of shock that they agreed to be in a relationship. Now that they were sitting and chilling, the day’s work done, the shed going quiet as the last of the public were ushered out for the day, a little doubt was creeping in. She’d helped him top up the water and feed the alpacas and didn’t blink an eye about doing the dirty work cleaning out the straw from Evie’s pen. Just the sort of woman who would fit in his life on the farm. And that was the issue. Would she want to move? She was a city girl. Did she want a life-change like this? He hated how as the day wore on, this thought bugged him more and more, and it was getting to the point where he couldn’t ignore it any longer.

  It was all very well admitting that there was something between them, that they essentially agreed to be in a relationship, but would the relationship work long distance? That wasn’t what he wanted. If it meant that was the only way he saw Raven, then maybe he would have to make it work because he didn’t want to think what it would be like to no longer see her.

  “Don’t you worry how this will go?” As soon as he said the words, he wished he hadn’t. “I mean, fuck.”

  Raven pushed away from him sitting up, her dark eyes cloudy as she looked at him.

  “I mean, you live here in the city, and I’m in the country.” He took her hands in his, they were soft and warm against his hardened and rough work hands.

  “So?”

  “I think too much.”

  “I’m realizing that.” She ran her thumb over his fingers. “We can work out the details later on an as-needed basis.”

  “But come Saturday, I’m packing up and going back to the farm.” He didn’t want to. Not that he wanted to stay in the city, but the idea of having to leave Raven was cutting him up inside. All that bit worse as while he was making a total mess of this conversation, she was now the one being calm and collected. “I don’t want to leave you.”

  “I know.”

  Was that disappointment he detected in her voice?

  Raven took a deep breath. “I can come and visit you the following weekend.”

  “How long will this last?”

  “Who knows? That’s all part of starting a relationship, right?”

  “Now, who’s the one all calm and collected?” He reached up and ran his finger gently down her cheek. “You are, of course, right.”

  “Of course, I’m right, and you should remember that. Now, I’ve got a good idea of how we can get our minds off of trying to work out the details of a future that’s too far out of our reach.” She straddled him, pushing her hips into his groin. His body responded immediately. He groaned with pleasure. “Not here.” He didn’t think he would be able to hold back. He glanced over her shoulder noticing the shed was empty except for the animals.

  “You sure on that?” She kissed him, running her hands down his chest, pushing her hips harder into his.

  “No.” He gave in. He put his hands around her waist sliding them up her back, feeling the tingle from touching her bare skin. Fuck, she felt so good.

  “Good. Now that we’ve got that sorted…” She reached down and unbuckled his jeans, slipping her hand down his pants. There was no going back now. She worked her hand along the length of his cock as it thickened and hardened. Everything felt so different than the other times they’d been together. It was better. More intense.

  She partly stood, pushing down her jeans. He glimpsed her pussy and shaven and smooth before she sat back on his lap, tilting her hips to slip his cock inside. They groaned softly together. She was wet and ready, and the slow movement she made with her hips heightened both their pleasure gradually.

  He kissed her, moving his lips with hers, enjoying every time he touched her. It was like this was the first time together, everything felt new.

  She increased the movement of her hips, slipping back and forth over his cock, moving deeper inside of her. He could feel her muscles contracting around him. He held his breath, trying to hold back.

  “I can’t…” He went to pull out.

  “I’m on the pill. And we’re together now, right?”

  He groaned a yes and nuzzled into her neck relaxing into the pleasure that was building between them. Her breath shallowed, her muscles contracted tighter, and then he felt himself tipping over with pleasure, gasping as her muscles spasmed around his cock.

  She relaxed into his arms. He held her tight as they enjoyed the last few orgasmic contractions from both their bodies.

  “Raven, you’re so hot, and fuck, I’m glad you’re mine because I don’t want this ever to end.”

&n
bsp; “Even if we live hundreds of miles from each other?” She kissed the side of his neck, leaving a trail of heat that tingled his skin.

  “I’ll find a way.”

  “Now that’s more like it. I knew I could convince you.”

  Raven strode into work the next day feeling like she was on cloud nine. Sure, there was a lot still to work out with Ben, but yesterday had been an amazing day. Night as well. She’d gone back to his hotel room, and they had more pleasure, and it was even better than previously with Ben. More intense. More real. Then she decided to act like an adult and get home to make sure she would get to work today. Besides, she was going to meet him at the Show after work.

  “You’re fired.”

  Raven froze. That wasn’t what she was expecting to hear when she walked into work.

  “Like hell, I am.” Raven stood staring down Sarina. She’d gotten here well and truly on time.

  “You weren’t sick yesterday.”

  “I was.”

  Sarina threw down the paper. There on the front page of the Advertiser was a picture of the baby alpaca. Fuck. She was in the background as clear as day. When the fuck did that happen? Yesterday had been a blur on so many levels. She now had a boyfriend, saw a baby alpaca born for the first time, and her future might end up in the country, but she wasn’t so sure about that even though she’d been confident with Ben. When she wasn’t with him, the doubt crept in, her mind kept thinking about details that were out of her control.

  She swallowed hard.

  “Get your things.” Sarina’s voice cut through her thoughts.

  It was done. She was now fired from her dream job. Fuck. All her future plans were falling to pieces around her. She kept her chin high as she strode to her desk, grabbed the few things that were hers, throwing them into her handbag. She avoided Jax’s gaze, turned on her heels, and walked from the office for the last time. What the fuck am I going to do now?

  “You’re here early.” Ben looked up from spreading fresh straw around Evie’s pen.

  “Slight mishap at work.” By the time it had taken her to get to the showgrounds, she had decided that this was the time to start her business. It wasn’t like she had a choice. If it didn’t work out in three months, how much time she had based on her savings, then she would look for more work. Though she wasn’t sure how she would get a job, she was sure Sarina would spread the work in the graphic design circles that she wasn’t worth employing.

  “No, what happened?” The concern spread across Ben’s face was endearing.

  “Sacked.”

  “What?”

  “You haven’t seen the newspaper today?”

  “Not a bad photo of you.”

  “Yeah, well, my boss saw it.”

  “Oh, that’s bad.”

  “Yep. So now, no job.”

  “That smarts. What are you going to do?”

  Raven rested her arms on the pen and looked to see the baby alpaca. “Wow, he’s all clean and strong now.”

  “Survival of the fittest in the animal kingdom.”

  “No shit.” She felt his arms around her waist. It was a good comfort. She rested back into his chest. His hands folded over her belly, and she placed hers over the top. “I’m going to start my own design business.”

  “Sounds like a good plan.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t have any clients.”

  “Hmmm.” He nuzzled her neck. “I might be able to help with that.”

  “What, don’t tell me you need a design or something for the farm?”

  “No. But I’m the new president, and at the meeting, it was decided we needed a new logo for the Alpaca Breeders Association of South Australia.”

  “I doubt that they would let you give the job to your girlfriend. That’s nepotism.”

  “They won’t care because my girlfriend will do it at a great rate and do a great job which will blow their socks off.”

  She laughed softly. “I can’t afford to give mates rates.”

  “No?”

  She turned around to face him. “Okay, just this once.” She rested her hands on his chest. He felt so good.

  “I’m sure I can rustle up more work.”

  She looked up to see a glint in his eyes. “I get the feeling you might have a cunning plan in mind here.”

  “Well, you know, the rent is cheaper in the country.” He squeezed his arms around her waist, keeping her close to him. She liked it.

  “Oh, I see where this is going.”

  “And I’ve got a great internet connection, believe it or not.”

  “So what you’re saying is that I can work at your farm.”

  “Not exactly.”

  “No?” She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “It sounded like that.”

  “I don’t want to rush things. No, that’s not true, I do, but I’m trying not to. While I’d love you to move to the farm, how about you rent in Keith? The farm is only twenty minutes away which isn’t as far as Adelaide.”

  “It might work.” It was a hell of a risk. But so was starting her business now with no client base. It was going to be bloody tough and with a new relationship thrown in the mix.

  “It might.” He pushed a wayward piece of her hair behind her ear sending an electrifying bolt from his touch through her body.

  “I’m not sure when I fell in love with you.” The words were out before she realized. “I mean… Oh fuck it, that’s exactly what I mean.”

  “Good, because I feel the same way.” He brushed his nose over hers, then kissed her gently.

  “So, will you give us a go?”

  “You’re asking a lot.”

  “I know. And I’ll do anything to make it work. And I’ll respect whatever decision you make.”

  “You know I think it must be the feeling of love that’s messing with my mind. I’m going to do this.”

  “You are?” His eyes widened with surprise.

  “Yes.”

  “Fuck, I think I love you even more.”

  “Good, because you’re about to see me more often.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  Raven smiled, reached up and kissed him, the sort of kiss that seals a promise between two people. “Neither can I.”

  Continue the journey with Raven and Ben in a Christmas novella,

  A Farmer’s Christmas

  Can what started as a once off end up as forever more?

  Out December 2019

  Thank you Kaylene for editing and formatting, and always having time to offer support and advice. Thanks to Nicki for also editing this novella and picking up all things which are very much Aussie slang!

  Thanks to Mary Ruth for a sexy, hot cover design.

  Thanks to my sisters for their support of their crazy sister who is a writer, and my toddler boy for being well-behaved so I can still have time to write and nurture my soul.

  Thanks to my dog, Kimba, for reminding me when it’s time to eat and go to bed, and for simply just lying there next to me or at my feet, being that extra life in the room, so the writing journey isn’t so lonely.

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  Lilliana Rose has poems, short stories, and novels with various Indie presses in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. She enjoys world building and creating characters for these unusual worlds. Check out more of her work at www.lillianarose.com and as an Amazon Author and her blog on creative inspiration and wellbeing, Café Pondering www.cafepondering.com

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