by Jenny Frame
Penny grabbed the pillow on the other side of the bed and put it over her face. She screamed her frustration into it. “Why does she have to be so bloody perfect!”
She threw the pillow away and found Princess looking at her strangely. “Well, she is perfect.”
Penny had never found the perfectly coiffed women she met at parties and events attractive. No, since she was a teenager, if she fantasized about her perfect woman, it was always a manual worker, always with tools, lots of tools, and usually a tool belt. Her hunky farmer definitely fit the bill—infuriatingly fit her bill.
No one had ever forced her to question if she really could get over her intimacy problems, but Quade was making her wish she was different. The thought of Quade’s calloused, hardworking hands touching her made her hot. She closed her eyes and thought about those hands running down the side of her neck, her chest, and gently grasping her breast.
Penny’s eyes sprang open. She was wet and aching with just the thought of Quade. What would it be like to be actually touched by her?
“Don’t go there, Penny. Don’t.”
She turned over on her side and tried to cool down. The chair that had felt strangely empty since Quade slept in it was looking at her. No one had ever gotten closer to her than Quade, and she had never felt as comfortable with someone. Maybe Quade could be the one to help her explore her sexual side. Could it be? Penny trusted her, even though they always seemed to argue, but did Quade like her that way?
Quade had been helpful and kind, even when she didn’t deserve it, but was she just like that with everyone? Tonight their conversation went downhill when Penny said she wanted to expand her business to different countries. Maybe Quade was disappointed that Penny had plans to leave, but then that was always the plan.
“Princess, I’m so confused.”
* * *
Harry’s eyes fluttered open and she looked at the time. Six o’clock. Annie was lying on her side, so Harry scooted up closer, spooned her, and wrapped her arm around her middle. She loved early morning, when there was no one but her and Annie.
She pressed her face into Annie’s neck and inhaled her scent. It was beautiful, but everything about Annie was beautiful. A few years ago she would never have believed that she would want one woman in her life, and would even share her bed every night with one woman, but Annie was the answer to the question she never knew had been asked of her.
Now Harry couldn’t do without her. Annie had cast her love spell over her heart and Axedale and brought them all back to life.
Annie’s neck was too tempting. Harry brushed her blond hair from her neck and gave her feather-light kisses. Annie shivered and moaned as she woke up. Harry was more than delighted that as much as Annie came across to the world as the perfect housewife, she also craved sex and was happy to keep up with Harry’s high sex drive.
Annie enjoyed what she called sleepy sex, and Harry was more than happy to oblige. She ran her hand under her silky nightdress, and her sex started to burn. Harry had the overwhelming urge to thrust into her wife. She grasped her hip and pulled her close, just to tease herself.
Annie reached back, grasped Harry’s hair, and pulled her closer. “Morning, sweetheart. Someone’s woken up frisky. What time is it?”
Harry smiled and kissed her shoulder. “Just after six.”
Annie took Harry’s hand from her hip and pushed it up onto her breast. “You know, when I worked for you, I was already up and starting my day of work.”
Harry squeezed her breast gently and laughed softly. “Now you’re Lady Annie, so you don’t have to, although I used to have fantasies when I heard you up and about back then.”
“What kind of fantasies?” Annie moaned as Harry trailed her fingers from her breasts down her stomach.
“Oh, I had all kinds of fantasies. You drove me wild because you were never interested in just sex. You drove me wild, frustrated me, and courted me until I fell in love.”
Annie was so wet. Harry barely had to look at her to turn her on, but to wake up to Harry touching and kissing her was enough to make her melt.
“Tell me some of them, and let me feel you,” Annie said.
Harry pulled off her T-shirt and boxers and was skin to skin with her wife. Annie took Harry’s hand and pushed it into her underwear.
Harry cupped her sex. “You’re wet.” Harry groaned.
“I’m always wet when you touch me. Tell me,” Annie said.
Harry slipped her fingers into Annie’s sex and felt how wet she really was. “Oh God, I love you.”
“Tell me,” Annie repeated.
Harry could hardly think. All she wanted to do was make her wife come, and thrust till she came herself.
“Well, there was the one where you brought me breakfast in bed and gave me a lot more than breakfast, but my favourite was coming down to the kitchen, where you were baking, rolling dough at the kitchen table, with your apron on—”
Annie laughed. “I knew you had a fetish for my apron.”
Harry split her fingers around Annie’s hard clit and rubbed in soft almost barely touching strokes, just the way Annie liked.
Annie’s hips started to thrust, and Harry couldn’t help but join in. “Yes, you know I do. There’s something that turns me on about that kind of domestic scene. I’d kiss your neck, and you’d pull my hands on your breasts and ask me to make you come. I’d lift up your skirt and make love to you on the table.”
“You have a thing about the kitchen table too.” Annie groaned as her orgasm started to build.
“I have a fetish with anything and you. You are everything to me.” Harry hastened her touches, as she could tell Annie was close. Annie reached back and grasped Harry’s hair.
“I love you, my darling Annie,” Harry whispered.
It was enough to tip Annie’s orgasm over the edge. She went rigid and grasped Harry’s hair tightly.
“Oh God. You’re so good at that,” Annie said, trying to get her breath back.
“I’m glad you think so, my lady.” Harry’s hands went back to squeezing Annie’s breasts. She was so turned on and wet and was desperate to come.
Annie reached back to Harry’s hip and pushed her bottom into her groin. “Come, sweetheart.”
Harry didn’t need to be asked twice. She positioned herself against Annie’s buttock and started to thrust, all the while keeping her hand on Annie’s breast. Before she was ready, Harry was thrusting erratically and pressing her face into the curve of Annie’s neck.
“Fuck.” Harry groaned, then fell back onto the bed.
Annie rolled into Harry’s arms, while Harry caught her breath. “I love sleepy sex with you, your ladyship.”
Harry laughed. “I know you do, and so do I, my darling.”
“I bet Bridge doesn’t have sleepy sex,” Annie joked.
Harry laughed. “No, I think one has to be very awake for what she has in mind.”
Annie squeezed Harry tighter. She thought about how happy she was, but what was going round and around in her mind was consuming her every thought. Did she really want to spoil this moment by bringing up the thoughts that just wouldn’t leave her head? What if Harry’s attitude changed? What if she pushed her too far?
But she had to say it or she would go insane. She took a breath to speak but Harry cut her off.
“Can I ask you something, Annie?” Harry tensed up as she asked the question. Harry was never tense.
“Of course, anything.” Annie had no idea what this was about.
“I know you had Riley a long time ago, and maybe one is enough for you, but I wondered if you ever thought about having another baby—with me, I mean.”
Annie was stunned. The subject that she had been frightened to bring up had just come from Harry’s mouth. She rolled on top of Harry and looked down at her in shock. “You want to have a baby with me?”
“Yes, it was what you said about this estate being really big for Riley on her own. I grew up alone in this place, and I ha
ted it. My grandfather always said these big houses were meant to be filled with children. I thought it would be nice to give Riley a little brother or sister.”
Annie was so astonished and filled with joy that she started laughing.
Harry looked at her with confusion. “What did I say? You don’t like the idea?”
Annie calmed her laughter and caressed Harry’s handsome face. “Like the idea? I’ve been trying to find a way to bring it up. I’ve wanted another baby with you since we got married, but I was frightened I’d be pushing you too far.”
Harry shook her head. “Don’t ever keep things like that to yourself. There is nothing you could want that would push me too far. I’m not the old Harry with a foot out the door. I have two feet under your kitchen table, and all of me is invested in our family. Promise me you’ll never keep anything you want to yourself again?”
“There is one more thing,” Annie said.
Harry smiled and ran her hands through her hair. “What?”
“I’d like your baby.” Annie waited for the penny to drop.
“You mean—you don’t want me to—”
Annie laughed. “No, sweetheart. I’d like to use your eggs, and we could have a little baby Harry.”
It was Harry’s turn to laugh. “I thought you wanted me to—Of course we can do that. I’d love you to carry my baby.”
Annie hovered inches from Harry’s lips and whispered, “Don’t worry. I’m the mummy in this family.”
Just as they were about to kiss, they heard Caesar’s low bark coming from Riley’s room.
“Riley’s awake. Get your clothes on, Harry,” Annie said in panic.
Harry grabbed her boxers and pulled them on quickly, as the sound of paws and feet thumped down the hall.
They both sat up in bed against the headboard, just in time for the door to burst open and the Great Dane and Riley to come bouncing into the room and jump on the bed.
“Harry, Harry, we need to go and check on the alpacas before school!”
“Okay, we will. Just hang on a second,” Harry said.
Harry disappeared into the en suite bathroom to clean up, and Riley cuddled in beside her mum, while Caesar lay across Annie’s lap, enjoying her attention.
Annie put her hand around Riley. “Did you have a good sleep, sweetie?”
“Yeah, but I’m so excited to see how the alpacas are,” Riley said.
It gave Annie such satisfaction to see how happy Riley was here at Axedale. She loved Harry so much, and Harry gave her such a rich and varied life. They were living the dream.
Harry came back into the room and smiled. “Where’s my space gone?”
Annie grinned back at her and said, “And you’re sure about what we talked about earlier?”
Harry plonked herself down on the bed and pulled Riley onto her lap. “I couldn’t be surer.”
Riley looked at her strangely. “Surer about what?”
“Nothing for you to worry about, sweetie. Go and take Caesar out to do his business, and Harry will get dressed,” Annie said.
“Okay, Mum,” Riley said. She and Caesar ran away down the hall leaving Annie and Harry alone.
Just then Annie’s phone beeped with a text message.
“Who is it?” Harry asked.
“Bridge. She says she hears that Penny and Quade may be getting closer and thinks we need to give them a little push.”
“I don’t think you should interfere. If it happens, it happens,” Harry said.
“Harry,” Annie raised an eyebrow. “Remember hot choco surprise?”
“Yes. The magic elixir that finally melted my heart?”
Annie leaned her head on Harry’s shoulder. “That along with fudgie-wudgies. Sometimes love just needs a little push—a little sprinkling of magic dust.”
“I forgot you were the witch who made all the love potions in this village. Well, it certainly worked on me.” Harry kissed the top of her head. “Speaking of fudgie-wudgies, is it baking day soon?”
“For you, yes.” Annie kissed her cheek.
Chapter Thirteen
Penny woke up the next morning ready to try to break some boundaries. Quade was the first person in her life who’d threatened to melt the ice that froze her body when anyone got close. She had to explore it and push herself.
Quade had texted her earlier and said she would drop by for Princess earlier than usual, so Penny got ready to go with her.
Her mobile rang. It was her business partner, Olivia. “Hello?”
“Pen, darling, how are you?”
Penny walked to the fireplace and checked her hair in the mirror. “Fabulous as ever.”
“Wonderful. I love the new videos. Who’s this new hunk you’ve found?”
“A local farmer who’s been really kind to me, that’s all,” Penny said.
She didn’t like the idea of giving too much information about Quade. She felt protective of her friendship with her.
“Your social media people say everyone is going mad for Sexy Farmer. Like an are-they-or-aren’t-they sort of thing. Your last book has shot back into the top ten in the book charts. Try to get her in more of your videos and posts, Pen.”
Penny felt angry. They never normally argued, because Olivia was driven by business, as she was, but now Penny’s priorities were changing.
“I’m not using her for business, Olivia. She’s—” Penny struggled to describe what Quade was to her.
“She’s what? Pen, you don’t have relationships, but this friendship is good for business, so it would be in your interest to give the impression of romance.”
Olivia was so cold about it. Was that what she had been like? Until she came to Axedale, her life had been this picture-perfect image, about being seen with the right people, and her every thought was whether something was good for business. Her thoughts were changing.
There was a knock at the door and Princess ran to it, barking and spinning. “I have to go, Olivia. There’s someone at the door.”
“Okay, darling. I’ve got you a book signing, since your last cookbook is hot again. I’ll email you the details. Keep up the good work.”
“Bye,” Penny said.
The whole conversation had annoyed her, maybe because it reminded her of who she was, and how she behaved.
She walked to the door and tried to calm Princess, so she could open the door. Princess had never been so happy as she was since she’d been here, Penny thought. She was like a different dog.
Quade was right. She had been looking at life through a lens for so long, she had forgotten to live it.
Penny opened the door, and her heart thudded. Quade looked adorably unsure of herself.
“Hi.”
Dougal jumped up to give her a hug. Penny ruffled his ears and kissed his snout. “Hi, Dougal.”
“I need to take the dogs out earlier than usual. It’s the pub quiz night—we have a team.”
“I know. Bridge invited me. She says you’re one down with Finn being away,” Penny said.
Quade sighed. “I’m sorry. I should have asked you. I just didn’t know if, after last night, it—”
“It’s all right. Let’s just forget about that. I was hoping I could come walking with you today.”
Quade appeared surprised. “Yeah, of course. If you’d like.”
“Give me a second and I’ll get my things.”
Penny came back to the door wearing a pink poncho with ladybirds on it, over her little denim miniskirt, and matching ladybird wellington boots. Quade had the urge to hug Penny for being so sweet, and at the same time make love to her for being so sexy. How could someone be so sweet and sexy at the same time?
“Ready?” Penny said.
“Yes, okay.” Quade had never expected this when she arrived at Penny’s, after last night.
She thought she would get an icy reception from a closed-off Penny, but it was the complete opposite. As they started to walk, Quade realized that Penny didn’t have her camera equipment wi
th her.
“Where’s your camera? Don’t you want to take some video and pictures of the walk?” Quade said.
Penny smiled and said, “No, I just want to enjoy the walk with you and me.”
Wow. Penny was really different today. What had happened?
When they came to the end of Penny’s driveway, Penny tried to put on Princess’s lead.
“It’s okay, Penny, they walk without the lead,” Quade said.
“But there’s a road. I know Dougal is well trained but—”
Quade brought her fingers to her mouth and whistled. Both dogs stopped dead and sat by the edge of the road. Then when Quade checked the road was clear, she made a clicking sound in her mouth. “Go.” The dogs darted across the road and onto the forest path.
“You see? I’ve trained her while I’ve been walking her. She’s a good dog.”
Penny looked at her dreamily. “That’s amazing.”
Quade felt a surge of excitement run through her body. Penny was looking at her the way she had dreamed of.
* * *
Penny could feel the ice in her veins slowly melting away, drip by drip, as she walked with Quade. The way she handled the dogs, the way she took care of her as they made their way over some difficult paths, everything. Quade was her dream.
They reached the river and walked down to a little sandy area. Dougal and Princess ran to the edge of the water and barked excitedly.
“What do they want?” Penny asked.
Quade took a ball from her pocket and threw it into the water. Both dogs ran in to catch it. Penny hurried down to the shore after Princess.
“That’s too dangerous for her, Sammy. She’s only small.”
Quade smiled at her. “Don’t panic. She’ll be fine. I’m here.”
I’m here. Those few words made Penny’s heart soar. Princess was safe when Quade was around, and Penny felt safe. Penny remembered waking from her fit in Quade’s arms and feeling safe because Quade was there, and all the nights since Quade had stayed with her, she hadn’t felt so safe.
Quade was strong, and solidly reassuring. The safety that she had been craving her whole life. What would it feel like to be held and loved in those strong reassuring arms? For the first time in her life, she wanted to find out.