Dinner had passed, and she knew her mom would bring out more food, but only if she asked her to. Dusty didn’t want to bother her. Or Blaise. Heck, he would drive back from Wilkton to help if she asked. She assumed he would be back in town by now.
That was the thing.
She didn’t want to ask.
He was trying to set up his accounting business, and she wanted it to be a success for him. He’d given up enough to come here for them. Anyway, she needed to stand on her own two feet with the running of the farm, something she could do very well, even though it was tough at times.
Dusty made another turn around the paddock. She could see the other side of the crop, swaying in the breeze which was now picking up. Thank goodness the heat hadn’t peaked as high as predicted by the Bureau of Meteorology. She really wanted to get this paddock reaped and to move on to the last paddock, by the other side of the house. It was much easier working closer to the farmhouse, instead of miles away.
Their property was spread out in three sections, and the land didn’t join which made more work transporting heavy machinery along the dirt roads as well as moving flock of sheep during the year.
Three more rounds will do it.
The rounds were short, but it was beginning to drive her a bit batty having to go in circles like she did in the combine. This always happened late in the season when nearing the end, and she was worn out from the long hours of sitting on the tractor. It was more than simply sitting, there was a lot to concentrate on when driving something as huge as the combine harvester.
Dusty wondered if Blaise understood that. At least he wasn’t being over-demanding for her attention at the moment. She couldn’t deal with that. While she did miss him and wanted to spend more time with him, but the farm came first.
Would that be a deal-breaker for him?
She found it hard to imagine a future with him. Her gut churned. She did want a future with him, but her mind couldn’t get over the differences between them and the practical side of it. Would he really be satisfied in the long term living isolated on a farm when he was used to life in the city and hearing his neighbors coughing next door? That was the answer she really wasn’t sure of. So many times during the last year, he’d stepped up and helped and kept giving things a go. The fact he didn’t give up made her want him even more. He was willing to stand next to her, so much more than Aaron was ever able to do. All he ever wanted was to dominate her. No, there was no reason to think of Aaron anymore. Blaise was so much more of a man than he is, even if he had no idea how to farm and stood out like dog’s balls here in the country.
Was this the answer she needed so she and Blaise could go forward? Knowing that he was a better man than Aaron.
Dusty glanced outside checking the fading light at the header and moving blades.
Fuck.
She swerved the wheel to make sure she didn’t miss the crop. When her concentration broke like this, she knew it was time for a break.
Or more.
Time to stop.
Dusty wasn’t about to stop.
She kept harvesting on account of being so close to finishing.
Half an hour at most, and this paddock would be reaped. More so then, she could drive the combine back to the farmyard, ready to refuel in the morning before going on to the last paddock.
With a sigh of relief, Dusty completed the last round, which was more like a strip now, saving herself an extra turn around. Pleased she’d judged it well in the fading light and while being tired, she drove back to the truck to empty the combine bin.
Feeling satisfied with her efforts and with the last paddock a sure thing to be reaped before Christmas, Dusty drove the combine back to Acacia Plains.
Blaise shut the chook shed door with a firm bang, ensuring it was secure. The chooks quietly clucking to themselves as the lucky ones sat in the nesting boxes, and the others perched with the rooster on the thick, rusted horizontal piping Dusty’s dad had erected. He enjoyed hearing the stories about the history of the farm. Since it had only been a few years since Dusty’s dad had passed, he thought it brave she could be so open to him.
At least she’s open with me sometimes. The thought squeezed his heart.
The afternoon had been a long one for Blaise after the incident with Aaron. It was as if all the doubt he’d had about the relationship with Dusty was brought to mind, and he couldn’t shake it.
He’d driven the ute back to the farm and met Claire, who was about to go into town. Blaise thought it a little odd she wasn’t saying what for as she normally did. Sometimes it was grocery shopping, others for the craft group, then there was the coffee catch-up with friends, even doctor appointments. This time, she was keeping silent about what this trip was really about.
Blaise told her about the flat tire in the ute. He didn’t mention Aaron, though the thought of that man kept his blood running hot with anger.
Deciding to take the tire in now, he transferred it to the back of her Holden car, and Claire would take it in to be fixed. It meant one less job for Dusty to do. If she wasn’t about to let him help with the big jobs, then he would do the little ones. At least, he hoped it would help.
Claire invited him to stay for the afternoon. After the incident with Aaron, Blaise agreed. He figured it was better to hang around, instead of driving back to his place in Wilkton. By being at the farm he was more likely to catch up with Dusty later. This afternoon’s brief encounter had left him wanting to simply spend time with her, reconnect, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.
He’d set up his computer on the kitchen table, managing to work on some of his accountancy projects. The figures at least offered a distraction to the thoughts about him and Dusty and where they were heading. Together? Apart? He couldn’t tell what was in front and it was making him nervous.
Before he knew it, the sun was setting, and Claire was back from Wilkton telling him to stay for dinner. What could he do? There was no way he was about to decline a home-cooked meal from Claire, especially since she was going to put together a roast meal. He did wish that he had some clean clothes to change into. If he could leave some clothes here, that would help. So far, Dusty hadn’t made him feel welcome enough to do that. Besides, with Claire here all the time, Dusty was reluctant to let anything happen, and he spent more time in town at his place. He got it. He would feel the same. But still, it felt like they were at the crossroads in their relationship with both of them needing to make the decision of which direction to take.
To make himself useful, he insisted he did the evening jobs. With Ted and Molly’s help, he’d penned the show team, the merino ewes and rams that Dusty would give extra care for sale in the on-property auction next year and for exhibiting in the country shows. The community’s focus around the country shows was another new experience for him. He had no idea that it was a thing with Dusty busy entering the sheep and Claire cooking up a storm with her entries for the Wilkton show had been a lot of fun in August.
Am I really settling into this life? He hated how Aaron too easily made him feel uneasy about this.
I am, he told himself firmly.
Bucket in hand full of a dozen brown eggs laid during the day, he walked back to the house using the light of his phone to help guide him.
The pine trees swayed in the evening breeze, the heat of the day still lingering heavily in the air. The smell of the animals was not something he detested after being around them anymore. When he’d first moved here, he’d found the odors difficult to ignore. He smiled to himself. It was all now quite normal to him.
What a change for a city boy, he thought to himself.
Here he was doing the daily chores as if he’d been doing them all his life.
Blaise walked past Ted and Molly’s pens. They were happily chewing on a bone he’d given them. He grinned thinking that all they needed for Christmas was a bone, and they’d be happy.
That reminded him, he had no idea what he was going to get Dusty. That decision pale
d in comparison to the one needing to be made, at what exactly the Christmas plans were going to be for the two of them. His parents were wanting to see him, which of course was fine, but what he wanted was to spend Christmas with Dusty.
The question was, where was Christmas going to be this year?
Here at Acacia Plains or back in Adelaide?
On the day, or will it need to be delayed?
Blaise hated not being able to make these decisions, and to be left in limbo for what was going to be their first Christmas together concerned him. He was worried that the harvest might just make this not the special time together of bonding that he was yearning for.
He approached the backyard. Light streaming from the back door helped to guide him in the dark.
A rumbling engine and bright light caught his attention. He turned to his left and saw the combine bumping slowly past the shearing shed.
Blaise grinned to himself, his pulse increased. The combine here in the yard hopefully meant that Dusty was finished for the night, and that by hanging around, he was going to be rewarded by spending some time with her. He left the bucket of eggs by the back gate, hanging on a post, and walked toward the combine. He had to know if she’d finished for the day or not. For selfish reasons, he hoped she had.
Keeping close to the shed in case Dusty didn’t see him in the darkness, Blaise waited for the combine to stop. He was clutching to the slither of hope that they could share a meal together tonight, even if Claire was there. He didn’t mind Dusty’s mom, in fact, he found her a lot of fun.
Bang!
The combine jerked and came to a stop near the fuel tanks.
Blaise jumped. What the fuck was that?
He rushed over to the combine hoping Dusty was all right. His mind raced. The engine was still running. There was no smell of fire, which he took as a good thing. There was a bit of a greasy metal smell, but he wasn’t sure if that was normal or not.
The door of the cab swung open. Dusty clambered down, her feet barely touching the ground.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She rushed around to the back.
“You sure?” Blaise followed her.
“Fuck. Not now,” cursed Dusty.
“What?”
“Bloody bearing broke.”
He pressed his lips together to stop himself from asking what a bearing was. Based on Dusty’s reaction, it meant it was obviously a very bad thing to break.
“I’m sure Bluey will come out in the morning and fix it.” Dusty sighed heavily.
Blaise wanted to go up to her and put his hand around her waist to pull her into an embrace. He didn’t dare. He wasn’t sure if right now she was about to explode or not. Instead, he tried to think of something to say that would calm her down.
“You’ll be out in the paddock in no time, I’m sure.”
Dusty ran her hand through her hair. “This is bad.”
“How bad?”
“Bad. I don’t know if I’ll finish before Christmas now.”
Blaise thought she was jumping to the wrong conclusion, but he kept quiet. “Can you ring Bluey now?”
“I want to.” She inhaled slowly, looking at the combine.
Blaise wasn’t exactly sure what at. “But…?”
“Too late tonight.”
“In the morning then.”
She let out a frustrated sigh. “A breakdown like this is going to be a big cost, not just money, but time, too. I can’t afford either right now.”
“Dusty, I’m sure he’ll fix it, and you’ll be back on the combine before you know it.”
“Sometimes machinery isn’t so easily fixed.” She put her hands on her hips.
“How about you finish up here, come inside, and we can talk about it over dinner.”
She glared at him, and Blaise immediately knew he’d said the wrong thing.
“Don’t you want to spend time with me?” The words were said before he could filter them in his mind.
“No… I mean, yes.”
Blaise felt his chest tighten. “What way is it, Dusty?” He was fast losing his patience.
“You’re right. Dinner with you tonight will be good. I need a break.”
His breathing eased.
“I need to do the jobs first.”
“Done.” Blaise squared his shoulders proudly.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I was heading back from shutting up the chooks when I saw you coming into the yard.”
“Thank you.”
“You can thank me later.” He winked.
“Or now.”
Before he could answer, her lips were on his, hot and salty, her tongue dancing over his, her hands around his neck. She was finally in his arms, and he didn’t want to let go.
Dusty felt the tension in her body begin to ease as her lips moved with his. Blaise wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. It was as if his strength enveloped her, and his heat melted away the worry of harvest. She could feel his hardness pressing into her. Her intimate muscles clenched with desire.
Why have I been so stupid to deny him? He was here. Supporting her. Wanting her.
It was a lot more than any countryman she’d previously dated.
The walls around her heart melted a little more as she pushed her hands up under his shirt, feeling his strong back. He moaned with desire. Their kiss deepened. She could feel her moisture thickening, dampening her panties, the desire to be with him flaming hot with need.
The engine of the combine hummed loudly behind them.
“Should you turn it off?” he asked.
“Needs to cool down for a few minutes.”
“Then we have some time?”
“We have more than some time.” Dusty let herself give in to her desires. Her mind dizzied pleasantly.
“Here?”
She took his hand and walked him over to the shed. She opened the ute, grabbed the picnic blanket she kept behind the seat, and spread it out over the hay in the corner.
She turned to him. “Where were we?”
His hands traced up her bare arms, sending her wild with sparks of desire. “About here.” He ran his hand along her jawline, down her neck, his lips finding hers once more. His hands continued down her chest, over her breast, leaving a trail of heat that woke her body sexually, and she shivered heavily.
“Too much for you?” he asked cheekily.
“Fuck, no. Keep going or I’ll have to kick your butt.”
“I have no intention of stopping,” he whispered, his breath hot in her ear. “Or getting my butt kicked.”
He cupped his hand over her breast and squeezed until she gasped with the perfect mix of delight and discomfort. She pushed her body into his, wanting to feel all of him. She tugged at the buttons of his shirt, expertly undoing them, then pushing the material off his shoulders, letting it fall away.
She let her hands roam over his taut chest muscles enjoying his smooth skin. The tips of her fingers finding the soft hair which led down under his jeans.
He brushed her fingers away. “I’m enjoying you first,” he mumbled as he pushed up her T-shirt, exposing her stomach. He kissed her skin, his mouth moist and hot on her soft belly. She moaned with encouragement, wanting more, but trying to hold back to enjoy the journey of reaching her peak.
She grabbed the bottom of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head, dropping it casually as her hands longed to keep touching his body.
His hands traced the bottom of her lacy bra, slipping over her breasts before stretching the material to expose her hardening nipples. She arched her chest out, giving him full access to pleasure her. His mouth cupped a nipple, tongue flicking hard against it. A bolt of desire sent a wave of fresh moisture pooling in her panties. She lifted her leg, wrapping it around his waist, bringing his hard groin closer to her. Her hips ground into his.
“I want you in me.” She breathed heavily, fighting against the fast-approaching peak she was moving toward.
>
“In good time.” He unbuttoned her jeans, then pushed the denim over her hips. She kicked off her boots and slipped out of her jeans.
He pulled her into him, her breasts crushing pleasantly against his bare chest. His hands moved over her buttocks, gripping and pulling them up, tightening her pussy with the motion.
He slipped his hand over the front of her hip, brushing against the lace of her panties, over her mound, before pushing the material away to dip his fingers into her fleshy folds.
Her body jerked from the pleasure of his touch between her legs and the stroking motion of her pussy, as he built the tension within her. She could feel a mini orgasm taking hold, and her body convulsed as it burst, sending pleasure pulsating through her. Her breath quickened from the bliss flooding through her.
He pushed down her panties, his mouth pressed into her mound, tongue flicked along her length, sending her mind back into the dizzying heights of ecstasy. She put her hands on his head to keep her balance as he worked her back toward losing control. With a long gasp, she felt the orgasm take over fully this time, opening a flood of desire.
He moved away, stood, and helped her to the ground.
She breathed heavily. The moisture thick between her legs from the pleasure he’d teased from her body.
He stood and took off his jeans and jocks. She looked up seeing his cock, hard and pulsing as he kneeled over, positioning himself at her entrance. She could feel his hot tip pushing into her opening while her hips arched, wanting him to fill her. He pushed in, her muscles contracting wildly around his cock. He groaned, paused for a moment, then slowly slid back out before entering her again.
Noises of pleasure came from her as he moved himself in and out. This time the orgasm ripped through them both as they clutched onto each other.
He eased himself from her and settled next to her. She wrapped her arms around him, enjoying feeling his naked body next to hers in the afterglow they’d created.
A Dusty Christmas Page 4