Leading Hand (The Dusty Rider Series Book 2)

by Stella Knights

  “Not since I met you, Holly.” He pulls my chin up and our eyes connect. “And to think I’ve changed and fallen for an American city girl.” Leaning towards me, his full lips meet mine for a quick, gentle kiss.

  He stands, stretching his arm out towards me.

  I take his hand and joke with him. “I guess Toddy is going to be disappointed you can’t be his wingman.”

  “I’m not worried about what Toddy thinks. You should know you can’t trust a thing he says. He’s into bull riding and has taken far too many hits to the head.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  BEFORE DINNER, AIDEN finds me reading on the veranda. “Want to go for a walk?”

  Flashing a smile in his direction, I lay my book down on the chair. “Sure.”

  He grabs my hand and leads me down the steps through the line of willow trees and wattle bushes lining the homestead.

  Two reddish brown coloured kelpies sprint past us, eager to explore and sniff around.

  Watching them race against each other adds some comedy to the moment.

  One particularly spunky dog keeps leaping in the air, attempting to catch one of the insects fluttering around, but fails in its efforts.

  Pointing towards it, I ask, “What’s the name of that one?”

  “That’s Scout, the youngest of the group. The other one’s called Rusty.”

  “But isn’t Scout a girl?”

  Aiden tilts his head at me. “Yeah.”

  “Wouldn’t Scout be a better name for a boy?”

  He smirks. “I named her after a character in one of my favourite books.”

  Nodding, I remember seeing the classics on his bookshelf. “Of course. Good choice.”

  The sun hangs heavy above the horizon, tingeing everything in a golden amber while rays sparkle against translucent insects chaotically flying over the paddocks.

  I take a deep breath of the earthy outback scent of baked soil, eucalyptus and the intriguing popcorn-like smell of wattle.

  The air out here is like a secret I didn’t know existed, and now no other air will ever smell sweeter.

  Aiden’s strong hand holds mine. His thumb strokes my palm, softly circling my skin, every so often pressing a little harder. His touch can be soft or strong, depending on whether my thirst for love or lust needs to be quenched.

  He stares off towards the horizon, relaxed and content.

  The golden light reflects against his stubbled chin and dark hair.

  Does he know how stunning he is?

  I’m entranced, making it impossible to look away. It’s even more impossible to believe this beautiful man committed crimes that put him in prison.

  It’s the past. His past. None of that matters to me. All that matters is right now, this quiet minute, simply being together.

  Taking a moment to let our souls talk, our lips stay motionless.

  It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a solitary moment without feeling the urge to talk, to get something done, to search for something on the internet or to look at some social media post I have to ‘like’ in fear of missing out.

  How many countless hours did I spend getting lost online looking for things to fill the void I felt in my life? As if one more pair of shoes or some new designer dress could make a difference. If I had stopped and taken a moment to focus on what would really make me happy, I would have realised that all I needed was to experience life with someone who truly loves me as much as I love them.

  Aiden guides me in the direction of a large gumtree. Its thick, whitish-grey trunk extends high off the ground into branches that support an abundance of narrow silvery green leaves.

  “Here’s a good spot to sit.” He pulls me gently down to lay against him in the shade of this grand tree.

  We sit in silence, watching the sun gradually drop, slipping further and further towards the horizon.

  He nuzzles his nose into my unruly hair, kissing my head.

  I caress his arm, running my fingers across the smooth cotton of the sleeve covering his firm muscles underneath. My insides stir, but this time more from my heart.

  Across the paddock, Rusty leaps upwards but is unsuccessful again in trying to catch a cricket. Aggravated the insect flutters away from its resting spot in the long grass. Scout lies on the ground several feet away from us, keeping guard while we relax against the trunk of the gumtree.

  Aiden holds me tight as we get lost in the colours of the sunset and spellbinding sight of dragonflies around us.

  I never did anything like this with Tom. I never took a moment to stop and enjoy nature. And I never knew love could be like this. Many walls were built around my heart when I believed hurt was a natural part of love, but now with Aiden, I’m questioning everything I ever knew.

  The warmth and strength of Aiden’s body cloaks my own. The sound of his breathing relaxes me like a yoga mantra. A yawn escapes me as I begin drifting into that grey area between reality and sleep.

  He speaks in a low raspy voice. “Falling asleep on me, are you?”

  My words drag out garbled, almost indistinct. “Yeah, maybe.”

  He tightens his arms around me as he leans closer to my ear. “Do you want to go back?”

  I don’t want to move from this spot.

  I could sit with him wrapped around me forever.

  “No, let’s stay here a bit longer.” Stretching my back against him, I try to be more alert. “Tell me about Toddy. What’s his story?”

  “You really want to know?”

  “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”

  He lets out a laugh. “You’re a bit of a smart-ass sometimes, aren’t you?”

  “Of course, I am.” I smirk as I drop my hand and run my fingers along the top of his thigh. “I’m from Texas, remember? I’ll give you a run for your money any day of the week.”

  His hand rubs the side of my leg, across my hip, stopping as he gently squeezes onto my backside. “I’m glad you’re a smart-ass.”

  “Hey, now. You getting fresh?”

  “Always.”

  I turn to face him. Our gaze is locked as I part my lips and taste his sweetness. My hand finds the back of his head, gently pulling him closer so I can devour his full lips. All thoughts of sleep disappear as my insides fill with butterflies.

  His fingers stroke through my hair as his tongue explores my mouth.

  Consumed in the moment, a soft breath escapes me.

  He pulls away from my lips and nuzzles my nose. “I could kiss you forever. You have the softest lips. It’s like biting into a juicy peach every single time.”

  Heat rises in my cheeks. I’m still not used to his compliments.

  His eyes light up. “I love that I have that effect on you.”

  I fall back against his body. “Tell me about this friend of yours.”

  Once again, he runs his fingers through my hair. “Sorry, but those lips of yours keep distracting me.”

  “Well, first off, tell me why you call him ‘Toddy’. Surely, that’s not the name his mother gave him. That’s seriously mean if it is.”

  “You’ve been in Australia long enough to know we love to shorten our words and give everyone a nickname.”

  “But ‘Toddy’?”

  “His real name is Todd. ‘Toddy’ is sort of what he’s been called since he was a young kid, or what we Australians would call an ankle-biter.”

  I laugh. “My, you guys have some funny slang. I heard some in the city, but nothing like the ones you’ve been teaching me lately. Luckily, I love listening to your sexy accent, even if I may not understand everything you say.”

  He grins, resting his stubbled chin against the side of my head. “Toddy and my family go way back. Our parents met each other years ago somewhere between cattle and contract harvesting, so we’ve known each other forever. We even went away to school together.”

  “You went to boarding school?”

  “Yup, we were both boarders at Toowoomba Grammar School. His mum was the one that suggested to my parent
s that Toowoomba would be a good place. I wanted to go to the same school my dad went to in Sydney, but my mother worried that it’d be too dangerous to let a teenager loose in a big city.” Aiden shakes his head and smiles. “If my parents only knew how much trouble we got up to in Toowoomba, they’d probably think Sydney was a better choice after all.”

  “I can only imagine.”

  “Ah, it wasn’t that bad. For me, at least. As for Toddy and what he got up to, well, that’s another story.” He leans in and kisses against my wild hair.

  “So, you were close then? I only ask because when he called the other day, you seemed a bit uncomfortable.”

  Aiden’s grip around me loosens as his shoulders slump. “It’s complicated. There’s a lot of history between us. Both good and bad.” He pauses for a moment. “After what I’ve been through the last few years, I don’t trust anyone, including him. I’ve had enough trouble, and I don’t need any more.”

  “You don’t want trouble, but you have me here. And we both know I’m all kinds of trouble.”

  His strong arms tighten around me again. “You, my sweet Holly, are not trouble.”

  “Oh, how I wish that were true.”

  “Well then, we have to find the way to make it true.”

  “People are going to start wondering why you have some strange woman staying with you. What are you going to say if someone asks?”

  “I’ll tell them that you’re helping me. Most people won’t care. People come and go on properties all the time, so it won’t seem strange. You should see the numbers of backpackers that work for a few months and then bugger off back home.”

  “But what about your family? You’re in a family business, so aren’t they going to notice you have someone living with you?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve decided to tell them that you’re the sister of a friend that I promised to look out for when I got out.”

  My eyebrows raise as I speak. “A friend? You mean like a friend from when you were in jail?”

  What are his family going to think of me if he tells them that?

  “Don’t sound so surprised. Once I say that they won’t ask questions. Talking about my time in prison is something they avoid at all costs.”

  I sigh, trying to release the stress that has crept into my body.

  I don’t want them thinking I’m a bad seed.

  His eyes narrow. “What are you worried about now?”

  Looking away, I grimace. “I don’t want them thinking the wrong thing about me.”

  He strokes my arm. “They won’t. In fact, I bet my mother loves meeting you. She’ll be glad I’m not out here alone.”

  I exhale wondering if this will work. “But if my picture has been posted in the news, then they may recognise me, and our story won’t work.”

  “True.” His expression goes tense. “But, if there aren’t, the story will work fine.”

  I nod. This may buy us some time while I decide what to do about the life I left behind. There are questions that need answers, but I don’t want to think about that now. I just want to be in this moment with Aiden. Taking a deep breath, I shake off my anxiety and change the subject. “Let’s talk about something else. Tell me more about Toddy.”

  Darkness flashes across Aiden’s eyes. “I wish his story were a happier one, but it’s not. His family has run into trouble with their property. Between droughts, floods and bad debts, the years have taken their toll. While I was away, his father killed himself.”

  My jaw drops. “My God. That’s awful.”

  Aiden kicks at a rock near his feet. “Sadly, this has happened to a lot of families. Like I told you one of the first times we met, agriculture can be a fickle industry.”

  “How’s he holding it together?”

  He shakes his head. “I don’t know. We’re buying some of his cattle, and I was thinking about giving him some work. I could use a leading hand to help me get things going. Plus, he’s always been good with running staff and cattle, so he may be all right to have working here.”

  “Does he live close enough that he won’t have far to commute?”

  “I was thinking he could stay in the workers’ quarters and keep an eye on any of the jackaroos or jillaroos that we get working here.”

  “Okay, now you have totally lost me. You’re bringing in jackaroos and jillaroos? And you have workers’ quarters? Where?”

  Aiden lets out a small laugh under his breath. “Holly, this is a cattle property. It’s not a small place. Did you expect I’d be running it by myself?”

  I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know what I expected.”

  “You’re going to be getting an education like no other, my gorgeous girl.”

  “If you say so.” My brow furrows in defeat. “I’m a fish out of water here. Totally clueless.”

  “Don’t worry. You’ll learn. And I bet you’ll pass muster and love it all in the end.” He kisses near my ear, letting his breath tease against my skin.

  “Pass muster?”

  “I didn’t think you’d know that word either.” He laughs and squeezes my shoulders closer to his chest. “It means to be seen as good enough in the eyes of all the other stockmen out here.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, where are these worker’s quarters? I never saw them when we went out for a ride?”

  “We never went in that direction. This is not some little suburban property. It’s big, and we have to hire people to help get the work done. And since we’re too far from town for people to commute, we need to give them a place to live, sleep and eat.”

  “And what do jackaroos and jillaroos do exactly?”

  “They’re like apprentice stockmen, usually young and willing to work hard. Toddy would teach and watch over them. Having him take care of that will give me time to focus on other things.” He lowers his chin and smiles suggestively at me.

  “Wouldn’t Toddy need to work on his own place?”

  “Yes, but I think he needs the money right now.”

  “It’s admirable that you want to help him.”

  He exhales loudly. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass.” He leans in and nibbles on my ear.

  I squirm from the sensation, turning around so our lips can meet. We kiss as the sun drops faster against the horizon.

  The sounds of frogs and crickets take over the surrounding paddocks.

  Aiden’s muscles tighten. “Let’s go get some dinner.”

  I groan as we get up because I don’t want to move. But he’s right. We should get home before it’s too dark to find our way.

  He whistles to the kelpies as we start to make our way back home.

  ONCE INSIDE THE house, Aiden retrieves his laptop from his office. Returning to the kitchen, he sits next to me and turns it on.

  He keys in his password without trying to hide it from me. Opening a web browser, he types my name into a search.

  I hold my breath as he hits enter and we wait for the results.

  Nothing comes up.

  Breathe, Holly.

  Aiden looks at me, his expression tense. “Maybe we try searching a few ways to be sure. Check missing person reports and also, check the local news from the last week.”

  A heaviness constricts my chest.

  Please don’t let my name be mentioned anywhere.

  We search everything but nothing about me comes up.

  I sigh in relief. Yet, an odd feeling still sits in my stomach.

  Can people go missing without anyone noticing? Is it possible Tom still has no idea? Surely work would be concerned, and Lisa would definitely be alarmed.

  Our gaze breaks and I look towards the ground, my feet shuffling against the legs of the chair.

  Is it possible Tom cared so little for me that he hasn’t even bothered to try to find me?

  Aiden studies my expression. “You, all right?”

  I close my eyes and attempt to hold back the disillusionment flooding inside me. “I’m just surprised
nothing came up. Even if I don’t care about the life I left behind, it would have been nice to know I meant something to someone.”

  Aiden caresses my cheek. “Holly, maybe it’s not that simple. It’s possible that they just don’t think the story is newsworthy. And if you’re bothered by Tom not making a bigger deal of this, just stop thinking about it. He’s an absolute fool. He’s not worth your time or your tears. Focus on you and what you want.”

  I nod, opening my eyes and finding those sultry blue eyes staring back at me. Those eyes have the ability to make me forget everything from my previous life with one glance.

  Aiden strokes his fingers against my forearm. “Let me make a few calls. It’s possible that without any evidence of foul play, they aren’t actively looking for you.”

  “How would we know if they have any evidence?”

  Aiden breaks our gaze and stares at the computer screen. “Holly, I’m not sure how this is going to sound, but I was careful. I didn’t leave anything behind that would look suspicious.”

  Without any sign of a struggle would police bother trying to look for someone? And if they are looking, what will they do to Aiden if they find me here? Aiden could go back to jail. All because of me.

  The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a chill runs down my spine, leaving me feeling faint. I’m frozen by my thoughts.

  Aiden studies my expression. “You’ve gone pale. What is it?”

  I shake my head and close my eyes. “I can’t handle you going back to jail because of me.” I open my eyes and stare at the face I’ve fallen in love with.

  “Well, if that happens, just know it was completely worth it for the chance to spend this time with you.”

  Tears build in my eyes. “Aiden, I can’t lose you.” My body heaves as I choke back a sob.

  “You won’t. Trust me. Let me deal with this.” His fingers wipe away the tears falling down my face.

  Shutting the laptop, he carries it back to his office. When he returns, he walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my shoulders. Leaning in, he kisses my neck before whispering, “How about I make dinner while you go and take a shower? Then after dinner let me give you a surprise?”

  I turn to look at him. “A surprise?”