AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And then—
“Rachel,” Harriet called, the barn door squeaking open, and then, in true Yorkshire brogue, “Eh, by gum!” She backed out again quickly, but the moment was broken. Ben stepped back from her, raking a hand through his untidy hair while Rachel struggled not to slide to the floor, boneless and weak.
“Oh dear,” she said after a moment, and Ben frowned.
“Oh dear?” he repeated, a bit warily.
“I only meant Harriet saw us,” Rachel explained as she tried to straighten her clothes, her thoughts. “Don’t be paranoid.”
“Once bitten, twice shy,” he replied as he straightened his own clothes. Somehow his shirt had got untucked, even underneath the rubber apron—had she done that? She must have. She had a vague yet wonderful recollection of sliding her hand up the smooth muscles of his bare back.
“Don’t, please,” she said, shaking her head. She didn’t want to have any recriminations or rehashing of their past. Not now. “Can’t we just…let this be?”
Ben frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “Just…life is short. My dad’s situation has made me realise that more than ever. Can’t we just…enjoy this?”
“And what,” Ben asked, “is this?”
“I don’t know,” Rachel replied honestly. “Us, in some form, I suppose. Can we just see…how it goes?”
Ben stared at her for a moment. “I’m not really sure what you’re asking,” he said finally.
“I’m not, either.” She let out a shaky laugh, because she felt wonderful and alive but also incredibly vulnerable, admitting this much. “All I know is we got tied up in knots last time we had to think about the future, and who would be where, how it would work.” Although they’d never even got as far as discussing any of that. It had been the conversation they’d never had. “Can’t we do it differently now? Live day by day, enjoy each moment, and see what happens?”
“Are you asking to have afling?” Ben asked, with something like disbelief.
“Well, not necessarily,” Rachel said quickly. She wasn’t ready to commit—or not commit, as it happened—quite that much. “Don’t jump the gun! I just…I like it when you kiss me.”
A tiny smile tugged at his mouth and his eyes glinted whisky amber. “I like it, too,” he admitted, which thrilled her.
“Okay, then.”
“Okay?” He raised his eyebrows in query.
“You could, you know, kiss me again,” she suggested hesitantly. As ballsy as she’d just been, she still felt incredibly insecure about all this. “And then we should probably deal with these cows, and head into the house before Harriet has a conniption.”
“All right, then,” Ben replied. His smile was slow as he drew her towards him, and her head fell back before his mouth settled on hers. This kiss was as different from the last as was possible—leisurely, deliberate,tender. She felt as if he were kissing her soul, and at the same time as if he was both possessing and cherishing her.
After an endless moment, he broke the kiss and stepped back. His gaze was steady and warm and very sure. Rachel felt a silly, sloppy sort of smile spread across her face, and Ben gave a little chuckle. She felt, she thought, very, very happy.
“Right, then,” Ben said, pronouncing it the Yorkshire way,reyt. “You can handle the rest? I should be off.”
“Oh—” Rachel heard the pulse of disappointment in her voice.
“I’ll see you later?” he returned gently. “Maybe for tea?”
Tea, the Yorkshire word for supper. “All right, yes.” She nodded, the smile back on her face. “Yes.”
Ben leaned forward and gave her her third kiss of the morning, this one hard and fast, like a seal. “Bye, then,” he said, and then he was out the door, and Rachel was left alone with about sixty cows.
Chapter Eighteen
Harriet was stirringa pot of porridge, her back to her, as Rachel came into the kitchen.
“The milking’s done,” she said as she took off her coat. “And Ray’s loading up the deliveries.”
“Is that all you have to say?” Harriet turned around, eyebrows raised, a knowing and rather devilish smile on her face.
