The Outback Cattleman's Hired Wife

by Natalia Elder

  ‘Awesome!’ Caleb said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ‘Can I help with the milking too?’

  ‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ he said, ‘you’ll have to ask Max.’

  Max nodded. ‘I noticed Harry Jenkins’s car is parked outside the homestead.’

  ‘Who’s he?’ Kirra interrupted, curiosity getting the better of her.

  ‘My Stock Agent,’ Jared said, matter-of-factly. ‘Come meet him if you like.’

  Kirra hesitated, suddenly bereft that their isolation hadn’t lasted. Jared had said that he’d wanted to talk with her and now she’d have to wait indefinitely. ‘What about making the necklaces?’ she asked, in an attempt to hide her frustration.

  ‘They’ll be time this afternoon,’ Jared said, then turned to Max. ‘I’ll come and get Caleb around three o’clock.’

  ‘Sure thing, Boss.’ Max tipped his hat and nodded to Kirra, as he made room for Caleb to sit in front of him. ‘Ma’am.’

  Kirra walked with Jared to the Land Cruiser. ‘Is Caleb safe with Max?’

  Jared laughed. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘It’s not like in the city. No need to be overprotective. Caleb knows his way around the farm and equipment.’

  Kirra sighed with relief.

  Jared caught her hand in his, brought it to his lips and kissed it. ‘Thanks for caring.’

  Once inside the Land Cruiser, Jared gripped one hand on the steering wheel and rested the other on his thigh. Slowly he turned his head towards her and muttered, ‘I’ve missed you, my love.’

  Kirra knew he spoke from the heart and she unconsciously leaned closer to him. Her eyes lit up with desire. ‘I’ve missed you too.’

  His eyes darkened and he cupped her face with his weathered hand.

  Without a conscious thought, her face turned towards him and she sought out his lips.

  His hand scooped back her hair and gently slid behind her head, his kiss deepening with the fiery passion.

  Desire quickened in her veins and her thighs turned to jelly, as her feminine core moistened.

  ‘Jared, I …’ she murmured against his lips. ‘I can’t. I gave you my word.’

  Jared groaned and pulled away from her, his length rock hard in his jeans. With supreme effort, he controlled his breathing and though it took a few moments, his heart rate returned to normal.

  Staring through the windscreen, he started the engine and slowly shifted his vehicle into gear. He was half-way back to the homestead before he trusted himself speak again.

  ‘Harry’s come to buy my young bulls. After we do business, I’ll make a pot of tea,’ he decided. ‘I have something I want to ask you.’

  ‘There’s something I want to ask you too,’ she said, determined not to get her hopes up.

  ‘Fire away!’

  ‘Did you know your cousin was engaged to Elise?’

  He glanced at her momentarily. ‘Mother said Gus became engaged recently,’ he said honestly. ‘But I didn’t ask for details. I thought I’d be introduced soon enough to the lucky lady at the next family get-together.’

  ‘It’s still bothering me who was behind that fake ad.’

  ‘Let it go, Kirra,’ he said on a heartfelt sigh. ‘It’s more important that we’ve met.’

  ‘True,’ she said and she began to wonder what he wanted to ask her.

  Before she could ask, Jared brought the Land Cruiser to a halt and immediately hopped out. He disappeared around the back of the vehicle, then before she knew it, he’d open the passenger door, bowed slightly and waved his hand towards the homestead.

  ‘Come meet Harry,’ Jared said. ‘He’s been my agent and friend for many years.’

  Kirra agreed and met Harry on the verandah. He looked in his early forties and was handsome. He was shorter than Jared and a little stockier and like Max, Kirra wasn’t the least bit attracted to him. But it didn’t stop her from noticing that he didn’t wear a wedding ring.

  ‘Come into the kitchen,’ Jared beckoned. ‘I was just about to put the kettle on.’

  As they followed him in, the phone in the study rang. Jared turned around and Kirra noticed a muscle in Jared’s jaw tense. ‘Go into the kitchen and make yourselves at home,’ he said on a short sigh and gave Harry a piercing stare, as if he was reluctant to leave Kirra alone with him. ‘I’ll be back shortly.’

  Jared ducked into the study, closed the door and snatched up the phone. Jared Glengarry - Veterinarian. How may I be of service?’

  ‘Hi honey, it’s Mum,’ his mother said in her usual direct manner. ‘Did Caleb get home alright?’

  ‘He’s here,’ he replied. ‘Kirra knew Gus. What’s the story?’ He could be just as direct. In fact, he knew that was from where he’d inherited his frankness.

  His mother sighed. ‘He rang me and said you and Kirra were getting along famously.’

  ‘Mother,’ he reprimanded sternly. ‘Did you lie to me about the ad the other day?’

  ‘Ooh, look, honey,’ she said. ‘I can’t keep it a secret any longer. I’ve met someone.’

  Jared was taken aback. ‘You felt you couldn’t tell me until now?’

  ‘Jared, you needed me to take care of Heather and Caleb,’ she explained plainly. ‘The nanny idea didn’t work. You’d become a workaholic, but you needed someone to love you.’

  ‘You and Caleb love me. Well, I hope you do.’

  ‘Of course, but you know what I mean. You’re a young man. You need sex.’

  ‘Thanks, Mum!’

  ‘Don’t get smart. Look, Gus’s new fiancé did an astrological compatibility chart on you and her friend, Kirra. You were perfect for each other.’

  ‘I don’t need help finding someone,’ he said with indignation, ‘let alone by some mumbo-jumbo.’

  ‘Why haven’t you then?’

  ‘Heather -’

  ‘It’s been two years Jared! Trust your instincts. Follow your heart,’ she pleaded. ‘Look, I took Caleb with me so you could have some time alone to get to know each other.’

  ‘So Auntie’s Arthritis didn’t flare up?’

  ‘Yeah, sort of.’

  ‘Mother.’ He hated it when he had to get tough with her, after all the help she’d given him with Heather. But he never liked anyone lying to him, good intentions or not!

  ‘Isn’t Kirra wonderful?’ his mother’s voice softened.

  Jared fell silent, then admitted, ‘Yes.’

  ‘Yes!’

  He envisioned his mother pulling a fist to her chest, as if she’d achieved the ultimate success. ‘The bridge was flooded. She had to stay,’ he said belligerently.

  ‘When the water subsided, did she leave?’ his mother asked, deadpan.

  ‘No,’ Jared reluctantly admitted.

  ‘I rest my case.’

  His mother hung up and Jared slowly put the receiver down, a profound change coming over him. Oddly, the realisation of being manipulated dissipated quickly. He knew his mother had his best interests at heart. And she’d fallen in love …

  How had he missed that? Was he really a hopeless workaholic?

  His heart swelled with so much love it hurt. He knew then he was deeply in love with Kirra. What a fool he was to say he couldn’t commit to her when she’d declared her love. Caleb’s welfare was important, but it had been a long time since he’d put himself first. Children knew instinctively when people were genuine. Caleb had warmed to Kirra immediately, as he had.

  Suddenly he wanted to be alone with Kirra and sort things out with her.

  When he returned to the kitchen, he could see Harry was chatting her up. For the first time in his life, a pang of jealousy pierced his heart like a flaming arrow demanding immediate attention. At that moment, he knew he’d have to make a commitment, sooner than he’d expected or his heart would burn to a crisp.

  ‘Harry,’ he said, taking the chair opposite him at the table. ‘Did I tell you that Kirra is my fiancée?’

  Harry scratched his head. ‘I don’t see a ring on that gorgeous finger of h
ers.’

  ‘It’s coming.’ His eyes darted to Kirra’s face.

  Was she delighted or annoyed by his announcement without asking her officially? He couldn’t tell.

  ‘I thought as much,’ Harry looked from one to the other. ‘You’re a lucky man, Jared,’ he said, ‘Kirra makes me want to settle down myself.’

  Kirra smiled at the compliment and the tension between her shoulder blades eased a little. She knew Jared had made a commitment in his heart and if it took her receiving the attentions of another bachelor so be it.

  She remembered then, an old friend from the university had landed her first job in Charter’s Towers in Queensland’s outback. She’d written long emails about her life in the country.

  When she’d hopped off the bus, she’d been surrounded by two dozen single men, young and old, vying for her attention. She’d thought it was strange that the first man to reach her asked her to marry her straight away.

  Is that why Jared committed? Was it only to be first in line?

  Did he actually think Harry had a chance with her after the intimacies they’d shared?

  Her friend had also written that everyone knows each other’s business and that she often had to drive a few hours to buy specialty items in Townsville, the closest city.

  But later, when she’d married the older brother of the first man who asked her to marry him and she’d bore four children, she’d appreciated the close-knit community. Everyone helped each other out in times of need and she’d always looked forward to the regular social events. Her friend had settled there and was very content with country living.

  Could she be as well? She began to wonder.

  After all, the nearest city to Glengarry Homestead was Toowoomba, only an hour or so away. Queensland’s Capital City, Brisbane was another three hours after that, so she could still see her friends and catch the occasional football match on the Gold Coast.

  Kirra’s thoughts swam around in her head like fish darting to and fro with an ocean’s undercurrents. If she was truly honest with herself, it wouldn’t have mattered if Jared lived in Antarctica or Zimbabwe, she’d still want to live there with him. Coming to that realisation, she knew that she had to let Jared know as soon as possible.

  She excused herself then. ‘I’ll leave you two gentlemen to your business,’ she said. She needed time to mull over what had just happened and although she knew the packaged veal at the supermarket was the meat from young bulls, she didn’t want a hand in the negotiations.

  Kirra caught Jared’s eye when she strode out of the room. He looked worried as if he thought she was going to pack her bags and leave. Good, she thought but when he didn’t come after her, she wondered if she’d done the right thing. Harry was Jared’s friend after all.

  Jared rocked back on the chair, his fingers raking urgently through his hair. ‘I’ve stuffed it up, haven’t I?’

  Harry gave him a knowing look. ‘Let her be, mate,’ he said. ‘She’ll come around. Buy her the biggest diamond you can find.’

  Jared shook his head. ‘That would be the worst thing I could do. Love can’t be bought, Harry. Least of all, Kirra’s.’

  ‘You know her pretty well, then.’

  Kirra walked into the en suite and stared into the mirror.

  Let him sweat, she thought, as she had, when she’d declared her love. And he still hadn’t said he loved her, she realised. He hadn’t even asked her to marry him properly.

  A few minutes later, she heard a car leave and she came out to investigate.

  As she turned the door knob on her granny flat door, the sound of boiling water distracted her. She padded into the kitchen instead.

  To her surprise, Jared had a knife in one hand and was peeling onions at the sink. He turned and gave her that heart-warming, crooked smile of his. ‘Hello, Kirra.’

  Her heartbeat accelerated and a flare of desire fired in her belly. ‘Jared, I -’

  ‘Are you okay?’ he said, concerned. ‘You look pale.’

  ‘No, I‘m fine, she said. She’d expected either an apology or confirmation that he wanted to marry her, not a query about her health.

  Tears fell from his eyes that were screwed up tightly.

  ‘If you peel those under running water, your eyes will be grateful for it,’ she pointed out, ripping off a soft paper towel from the wall dispenser. She handed it to him.

  ‘Thanks.’ He took the paper towel in one hand and wiped his eyes.

  ‘What are you making anyway?’ She checked the large pot on the stove. It was filled with a conglomeration of water, vegetables and meat. ‘It smells like bacon.’

  ‘Ha! I’ll have you know, this is an old pea and ham soup recipe handed down the Glengarry clan for generations. The ingredients are tattooed on my heart.’

  Kirra pulled a spoon from the cutlery drawer and had a little taste. ’Oh, what’s that flavouring? It’s wonderful.’

  ‘An ancient ingredient that only we Glengarries know.’

  ‘Won’t you tell me?’

  ‘Sorry, I’m under blood oath.’

  Her lips curved slowly into a mischievous smile. ‘I’ll ask Caleb when he gets back then,’ she said.

  ‘No use,’ he replied, smiling smugly, as he deftly chopped the onions on a cutting board. ‘He won’t tell.’

  ‘Even if I tickle him?’

  ‘Might work.’ He scraped the onions into the pot and stirred them in. ‘How about trying me first?’ He washed his hands, then faced her. Fisting his hands on his hips, he left his arm-pits open to the challenge he’d laid down.

  ‘Alright, you’re on!’ Kirra charged at him, slipping her hands down, then up, scoring a hit on the target.

  He laughed. ‘I see you’re very experienced at this,’ he said and wrapped her in a light embrace.

  Kirra stilled, all her senses coming alive. It felt so good to be in his arms again, to touch him, to feel her body molded against his, firm and strong. She registered the desire in his eyes, as they darkened to midnight and the firm length of his manhood pressed against her belly. It had only been a day since her self-imposed abstinence, but she missed him terribly.

  Would it always be like this? She wondered.

  A delicious heat stirred in her loins and she leaned into him.

  Jared’s lips found hers and ground out an urgent need to be one with her again. It was a primitive need, as old as time itself. Like his caveman DNA had reawakened, an all-encompassing need embraced him to carry her off to his cave to make mad, passionate love to her.

  Get a grip! He told himself. What was happening to him? He was far from being a prehistoric Neanderthal man. He was a professional, a civilised man. What was it about Kirra that erased all knowledge of decorum from his mind?

  Kirra came up for air and breathed against his mouth. With an urgency that she couldn’t control, she ran splayed fingers through his long hair. ‘Make love to me on the kitchen table.’

  He groaned and leaned against the sink, sealing her mouth with a potent, drugging kiss. The heat in her loins drove him wild, as the softness of her thighs slipped either side of his leg. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew Caleb was in the milking shed and though he’d be there for another hour or so, there was an off-chance that he might see them through the window.

  ‘Not here,’ he murmured against her lips, feeling himself losing control.

  Their lips still locked, he picked her up and carried her towards the stove. He tore his lips away. He could hear her panting for air, as he quickly turned the knob down to simmer the soup and popped a vented lid on top.

  ‘Your room or mine?’ he said, nipping at her lower lip.

  ‘Mine,’ she said on a sigh and he kissed her again, as he carried her out of the kitchen and into the granny flat.

  He set her down and locked the door. They stripped hurriedly and Kirra drew him into the shower.

  ‘In here?’ he asked, excitement and fire pulsing through his blood.

  ‘Uh - ha,’ she said, turni
ng on the water and bending down on her knees.

  ‘What are you doing?’ he muttered, the warm water jetting on his back, as the warm, moistness of her mouth sucked on his length. He groaned and her hands cupped and felt the weight of his seed sacs and it almost undid him.

  Taking her mouth away for a moment, she said, ‘I’m pleasuring you.’

  He groaned several times. This was a new experience for him and his blood zinged through his body with the thrill of it.

  After a few moments, he muttered and massaged his fingers through her hair. ‘If you keep that up, I’ll be done before you’re even started.’

  He pulled her up and lifted her off her feet.

  Her coltish legs wrapped instinctively around him. ‘I’m ready for you,’ she breathed and kissed him long and hard. The tip of her tongue darted in and out of his mouth.

  So much for her conviction? But where Jared was concerned, she couldn’t seem to keep her hands off him!

  In every cell of her body, she wanted to believe that he was committed to her.

  Hands on her hips, he eased her down. Her passage was moist and hot, and they rode together in a wild frenzy of passion until their panting became louder, faster and all was lost in the ecstasy of the moment of simultaneous orgasm. I’m a goner! He realised. No question about it!

  He lifted her off him and onto her feet, then kissed her forehead. ‘Thank you, my love,’ he said. ‘Marry me? I need you in my life.’ He’d even move to the city to be with her! He thought in a moment of wild abandon.

  Kirra’s heart sang. He wanted to marry her.

  But could it be that he just needed her for sex? That wasn’t the same as loving her. She looked at him through golden eyelashes. ‘No,’ she said, ‘not unless Caleb gives us his blessing.’

  ‘You’re right, of course,’ he replied, ‘I can’t have you all to myself.’

  Jared turned off the shower. They stepped out onto a soft mat and he reached for a towel. Their gaze locked, as he rubbed her hair dry with a fluffy towel.

  She ran her hands over the moist, soft hairs on his pectoral muscles. ‘You’re so beautiful.’

  He gave her a heart-warming smile and wrapped the towel around her back and drew her into him. ‘So are you?’