Rachel popped some apples that they’d had in the farmhouse into the bag for good measure, and drove the quad along the lane to the field where they were working. She’d let Moss hop on the back too, as he’d been cooped up in his kennel most of the day.
Rachel pulled up on the grass verge just past the gate, knowing that Tom would see her at some point and stop when appropriate. He pulled the combine to a halt once the trailer beside him was filled with a heap of grain, and motioned to the next tractor driver that they were going to take a break.
‘Hi there,’ Rachel called across, as Tom came down out of the cab of the huge yellow combine harvester.
‘You okay? Everything all right?’ He looked a bit concerned, seeing her turn up out of the blue.
‘Yes fine, sorry to stop you, but I thought you might all want some supper to keep you going. It’s just some stuff we had spare at the Pantry.’
‘Great, you’re an angel. I’m starving.’
‘Thought you might be – there’re bacon rolls and more.’
‘Brilliant. Couldn’t have been better timing. Thank you.’ He looked in the bag and grinned. ‘We’ll take a few minutes out, but we do need to crack on,’ he explained.
‘It’s okay, I know that.’
He brushed his hand across her bare forearm, looking like he wanted to take her into a hug right there and then, but Jack, one of the tractor drivers, was already making his way over to them.
‘Look, when can I see you?’ he said hurriedly before Jack reached them. ‘Can you come across to mine as we finish? It might be late, mind. I’ll text.’
Now they were standing so close, that spark between them was so damned obvious.
‘Yes, okay.’ She’d sort something with Mum and Maisy. It sounded like it would likely be past Maisy’s bedtime anyhow.
‘Hey, Jack, see this. We’ve got a food delivery,’ Tom called across with a grin.
‘Ace, cheers Rachel,’ Jack replied, making a thumbs up sign.
‘Okay, well I’d better go and help Mum clear up back at the Pudding Pantry. Hope it all goes well with the combining this evening.’
‘Cheers.’ Tom didn’t add anything about seeing her later in front of Jack, but the sparkle in his eyes spoke volumes.
‘Come on then, Moss, we’re away boy.’ The pair of them leapt back on the vehicle and set off. Rachel’s heart was going like the clappers all the way back as she daydreamed about what might happen later.
It was past seven o’clock when Tom’s text finally came through.
Rachel had been trying and failing to concentrate on some farm documentation. She had already changed into her smarter jeans and a clean red T-shirt earlier, ready to head out. She grabbed a couple of bottles of cold lager from the fridge, said her goodbyes to Mum and Maisy, and jumped on the quad.
The sense of anticipation felt like bubbles through her veins as she sped towards Tom’s farm. Although, what if it was just her imagination? It wasn’t like they were going on a date or anything, she told herself. Tom would be tired, he’d had three long days harvesting – she’d heard the hum of the combine and tractors working away through the evening these past two nights, and seen the lights shifting over in the valley, well after dark.
As she turned into his farmyard, she spotted Tom at the tractor shed, where he was parking up the big yellow combine harvester, ready to secure it for the night.
‘Hey,’ she called out as she pulled up.
‘Hi.’ His smile was warm.
‘Thought you might be ready for one of these …’ She got down off the quad, pulled out a cold beer from her rucksack, and opened the lid with her penknife.
‘That is just perfect, you really are my kind of woman.’ He grinned. ‘It’s been stifling in the cab of the combine, I reckon the air con’s on the blink.’
‘Ah, no. Not what you need.’
Tom perched himself on a straw bale near the front of the shed, where the evening sun was streaming in. Rachel settled beside him.
He took a long slow drink. ‘Ah, that’s good. So good. You must be a mind reader.’
‘Hah, I can just imagine what it’s like working in one of those things all day. So, you got it all finished, then? That’s great.’
‘Yeah, we cracked on well this afternoon. Just in time too, mind. The weather forecast is dreadful for tomorrow. High winds and heavy rain coming in.’
‘Yes, I saw that.’
You’d never guess from the balmy evening they had tonight. It was evidently the calm before the storm, the sky azure with small puffs of cloud, swifts and swallows darting around. It was an evening to make the most of.
‘Well, I’ve been cooped up all day, so how do you fancy a walk? Stretch our legs, and take a wander up the top of Kirk Mount?’ It was the nearest hill, lying behind their two farms in the foothills of the Cheviots.
‘Yeah, why not. That sounds nice.’ Despite being outside a lot of the time, Rachel hardly ever went out for a walk as such. It was such a lovely evening too, it’d be a shame to have to go in already.
‘Great, I’ll just get the padlock on the shed here and then I’m ready to roll.’
It was a gorgeous leisurely half hour, Rachel and Tom strolling with the evening sun on them, and it felt a world away from the worries and responsibilities of farming life.
They were soon at the top of Kirk Mount. A rocky rise marked the high point, and around it were patches of mauve heather and stubbly grass that had been nibbled down by the moorland sheep. The sun was setting earlier now with the August summer nights, and it had already started to dip behind the Cheviot Hills, with the sky towards the coast turning into a blush of pink, pewter and peach. It really was beautiful.
It was so special, taking a little time out, chatting away on their ascent, but there was no hand-holding like on their walk home to Primrose Farm on the night of the barbecue. In fact, Tom seemed shy of any physicality today, like he might be afraid of doing the wrong thing.
At one point on the way up, Rachel had made a move, reaching tentatively for Tom’s hand, almost brushing fingertips, but then she wondered, had she got this all wrong? She felt suddenly unsure of herself.
Did Tom want to keep it as friends, after all? Was that why he’d brought her up here, to say that they ought to leave the kisses as a moment in time, and go back to how things were before? Would it be better that way? She turned her gaze from the view and found that he was looking at her. Her heart missed a beat. But what were those dark eyes really saying?
If he had doubts too, then they had to leave this right here, right now. But, could this be something so much more? She was at the edge of feelings so new, so raw, so unknown, yet powerful. Her heart seemed to ache for him.
‘Rachel?’ The word was clear, yet softly spoken. A question. Permission?
She turned towards him as their eyes locked meaningfully. He reached to run a hand gently through her dark wavy hair, and then moved in closer. Their eyes were still locked together as their lips met; tender, warm and loving. Oh, yes. His tongue now teasing, tempting, stirring so much longing within Rachel.
They pulled apart briefly, and smiled at each other, his caring, sexy, dark eyes intent on hers. From the stirring inside, she knew that this had gone way beyond the realm of friendship, but it didn’t seem to be just about lust either. It felt like the whole damn gorgeous caboodle … Every nerve ending tingling, and something deeper filling up a hole in her heart.
With Jake, it had been a massive teenage crush, and yes, she’d fancied the pants off him. But she had been so young and naïve; it had been sexual and sensual but it hadn’t ever reached a deeper level. She never felt that Jake really ‘knew’ her. This with Tom, it felt like coming home – a very sexy, passionate, to-the-core-of-you home.
‘Tom,’ was her answer. His name strong and sure on her lips.
She lost herself to his kiss once more. Then, she pulled him gently with her towards the ground, where the grass was cushion-like beneath them. Kissin
g, and touching, and tasting, setting free everything she’d held back on for so long. This man was beautiful and loving and caring, and she’d already glimpsed his rather gorgeous body. She shifted onto his lap, where she felt the heat and firmness through his jeans that was so sensual, so life-affirming. It was good to know how much she turned him on, it gave her confidence, fuelling her own desires.
She knew where this might be going, needed to check if this was right for them both, and if so, was Tom prepared? She hadn’t had to think about contraception in such a long time.
‘Tom, I … um, do you have something, you know, protection?’
He nodded, and couldn’t hold back a daft grin. ‘I was a Boy Scout once. Always prepared.’
‘Okay, okay. Just checking.’
She took a slow breath, then undid the buttons of his blue cotton shirt one by one, revealing his leanly muscled torso. He was strong and healthy – a man in his beautiful prime. She traced a fingertip over his ribs, down to his abs, where the muscles tensed then quivered with a sexy shudder. She took off his shirt, tossed it aside, and made a flutter of kisses across his chest.
She paused for a second, there’d be no going back if she stayed any longer. Yet, every nerve end in her body was telling her to stay. Oh damn it, she needed to know this man, all of him. She pulled her own top off. Tom reached around to unhook her bra, which snagged for a second, making them both smile nervously, before its glorious release. Her breasts were full, and he gazed at them with a look of awe before moving in to delicately lick and suck each nipple in turn. A blissful groan escaped her lips. She kissed the top of his head, then began to lose herself to that building pleasure.
They pulled off their jeans in a fumble, just underwear between them now. Another kiss, prolonging the bliss. Then he moved her so that she was lying on her back on the grassy hillside, and slipped her white lacy pants down over her thighs. Oh my, this was really going to happen.
He traced her breasts once more with the lightest of touches, and then trailed a fingertip down over her navel, tracing the line to her thighs, and there, yes there, he lingered rhythmically at the sweetest spot. She felt herself arch towards his touch, and he looked at her with his soulful dark eyes; it was a look that seemed to be full of love. Just the slightest of nods said the biggest of ‘Yes’es. She didn’t want words here now. They had gone beyond words.
And he was there ready with a sexy nudge, and then he was deep within her.
Oh God, yes, Tom.
‘Rachel,’ he whispered, finding himself lost to her, and then to the pulsing rhythm.
The feeling was delicious and sexy and so damned intense. The push and pull into waves of pleasure, until she felt that exquisite release as she pulsed around him.
Oh God, she hadn’t known making love could be like that.
He was in no rush to pull away, just shifted his weight slightly as they smiled at each other. Then, he moved to lie down beside her, cuddling her as she nestled back against his chest. She felt totally blissed out, lying there close to him, rather like the feral cat who would occasionally get a dish of cream down at the farm and stretch out, utterly content, in a patch of sunlight. The air was starting to cool but Tom’s arm was warm and protective around her.
Rachel had a sudden thought, wondering if anyone might be out rambling this evening, or if one of their farmhands was out doing their checks, and might find them there. They’d certainly get more of a view than they’d bargained for, if so. She couldn’t help but giggle.
‘What’s up with you? Surely my performance wasn’t that hilarious.’ Tom tried to sound annoyed, but his voice was laced with laughter too.
‘It certainly was not. Pretty damned good, actually.’ She turned her head to see him give a proud beam, which made her giggle all the more. ‘No, I was just picturing some hikers or one of our farmhands appearing on the quad, or something.’
‘Hah, that’d give them a bit of a shock.’
‘Do you think we should move, then?’ But it was so cosy there, lying together in the afterglow.
‘Nah, not yet.’
They stayed lying close for a while longer, chatting whilst Tom made little circles with his fingertips on her arms, then down over the rise of her naked hip to her outer thigh, but the air began to cool dramatically with the evening drawing in.
‘Rachel, would you come back to mine? Can you stay the night?’ Tom asked hopefully, yet aware that things might not be that easy for her with a young child to consider. Also, they were at such a fragile point in this blossoming relationship, neither really knew the rules.
She took a slow breath, thinking of all the implications, but she knew what she wanted. ‘Yes, I’ll send Mum a text. That’s going to be a bit awkward, I have to admit. It’s pretty obvious what we’re up to. Hah, I’ll feel like I’ve reverted to being seventeen or something.’
Mind you, at seventeen she had so fallen for the wrong guy. Was she sure now this was absolutely right? Wow, it had felt so right, she needed to give it a try at least. After her pep talk with Eve, she needed to be brave, live for the moment, and dive right in with a hopeful eye on the future. She couldn’t lose this chance of happiness now. She couldn’t lose Tom.
She gave a little shiver.
‘Come on, let’s get you back somewhere warm.’
‘I suppose we’d better get our clothes back on then,’ Rachel said wryly, Tom having stood up in his full naked glory at that point.
‘For now, yes,’ he replied, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
She’d never known it could feel like this. So bloody beautiful, giving, sensual. They were lying in Tom’s bed. Making love the second time had been just as good as the first, in fact better as they were learning to know each other’s bodies, to trust each other. There was something so much more than sex going on here. It was like they knew each other, really knew each other, and yet everything was all brand new too. She wanted to explore every centimetre, no, every millimetre, of his body.
Was this what falling in love felt like? Wonderfully, Tom seemed to be feeling it all too. Was this how Mum felt for Dad? In those early falling-for-each-other days? Oh God, poor Mum, losing that, losing him, after all those years together. She suddenly had a glimpse of a different kind of pain. The loss of a partner. She knew all too well the loss of a father. Her emotions were suddenly all over the place as she lay in the dark in Tom’s bedroom. She could hear his steady sleeping breath beside her, and it was wonderful yet a bit surreal.
This evening, tonight. All these crazy, beautiful feelings. It was amazing.
And shit, did it scare her.
Chapter 36
DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART
Rachel woke. Dark brown hair was splayed out on the pillow beside her in short bed-head tufts. The lashes were thick on his closed eyelids. The curve of his top lip defined – it was crazy to think she could kiss those lips again if she wanted.
So, it was real. Not a dream. Tom Watson was lying in bed beside her, and she felt all warm and fuzzy about that.
He stirred, cuddled her closer, then opened one eye, as if checking exactly the same thing himself.
‘Morning,’ he said with a smile.
‘Hi … hello you.’ Rachel grinned.
‘You okay?’
‘Yes, very cosy in fact.’ It felt warm and safe here in Tom’s bed. She had slept so well – hah, no doubt something to do with all that energetic sex. It had been so, so long since she’d woken up in someone’s arms, and it was rather special.
‘I’ll fetch us a cup of tea then, shall I? Bring it back to bed?’ Tom offered.
‘In a minute …’ There was no rush. A glance at her watch told Rachel that it was only ten to seven. Her farm chores could wait just a little longer.
They made slow, like-there-was-no-need-to-get-out-of-bed-yet, morning love. Rachel was worried her breath might be fusty, but it didn’t seem to put Tom off at all. His kisses were warm and tender.
Lying back on th
e pillows, Tom said, ‘I can still hardly believe this … us.’
‘Yes, I know. It’s rather wonderful, isn’t it.’ She still felt like the farm cat, who’d now just eaten three bowls of cream.
Tom gently pushed away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. ‘I watched you grow up. We were just kids back then. Then you turned into this amazing young woman.’
‘Aw … Hah, remember that day when you let me climb up into the tractor when you were ploughing? I begged you to let me drive.’
‘Yes, you were only six or something. You were quite determined back then too.’ He raised his eyebrows.
‘Anyway, you let me sit on your lap just for a minute or so and steer. I loved that.’
‘Yeah, and both our dads would have killed us, if they’d seen.’
‘Definitely … oh …’ she sighed at the mention of her dad. Their shared past entwined with so much pain as well as joy. ‘Dad.’
‘You’ve been so strong, Rachel. Keeping everything together on the farm. Being brave enough to try this new pudding venture. But you don’t have to hold it all in, you know. I know the pressures, I know what you’ve all been through too …’
‘Thanks.’ She’d been so used to keeping it all to herself and, well, just getting on with life, it wasn’t going to be shared lightly. But it was lovely that Tom wanted to give that support.
‘Your dad …’ Tom was looking up at the ceiling now as he remembered. ‘He spoke with me the night before he died.’
‘He did?’ Rachel flashed her face towards him. He’d never mentioned this before. ‘What did he say?’
‘Oh, that it was getting to him, trying to keep the farm going, the pressures we were all under these days. That there were some problems. He didn’t seem to want to elaborate, it was over in a minute. It was just a comment, you know, farmer to farmer.’
‘You saw him … the day before? You knew something and you said nothing. You didn’t think to warn me and Mum …?’
‘It was just a normal conversation, Rach. There really didn’t seem anything to warn you about. He seemed fed up, maybe a bit down. But nothing at all that made me think that … God, I mean, if I’d had even an inkling …’ the words trailed, he paused. ‘Well, we were chatting in confidence, farmer to farmer, that was all.’
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