Dirty Farmer (The Dirty Suburbs Book 6)

by Cassie-Ann L. Miller

  He sits back, throwing his powerful arm across the back of the chair next to him and gives me an incredulous look. “Is that so?”

  I nod, trying to keep a straight face.

  A sigh bursts past his lips. “I’m assuming you've never administered insulin?"

  "Insulin? Your grandmother's diabetic?"

  His eyes brighten with amusement. "No reason to go all pale on me. She's not dying. She just has ‘a little sugar’, as she'd say." But his words do nothing to alleviate my tension. "Don't worry, I'll show you everything you need to know. Come on, let's go meet the old lady."

  With hesitancy in my movements, I stand from the table. I know I'm not imagining it when his gaze falls to my breasts. The feminist in me wants to tell him to bug off with his oogling, but the woman in me — the part that longs to be touched by a man, worshipped by a man — is thrilled. Until he opens his mouth...

  "Maybe next time, don't wear a shirt like that."

  I glance down at the white v-neck, barely visible under the black zip-up hoodie that I'm wearing. I borrowed it from Grace. "What's wrong with my shirt?"

  “It's...it's..." His tongue runs quickly over his lips.

  Spit it out, Jakob. It's hot. My tits are hot.

  Don't hate my tits for being hot.

  A knock-out rack is the one of the major perks of being knocked up. It almost makes up for the non-stop puking, the stretch marks and the overactive bladder. Almost.

  I hear the laughter in his voice when he says, "Never mind. Let me introduce you to Mini."

  Chapter 12

  Lily

  Mini is everything I always imagined a grandmother would be. A tiny, little lady with round cheeks and pouffy silver hair cropped right above her collar. She’s kind, funny and has a penchant for gossip. She has a nickname for me —Tiger Lily, she calls me. She even snuck me chocolate chip cookies. She said that some guy named Tommy bought them for her. Apparently, Grumps (a.k.a. Jakob) fired him about a week ago. Anyway, I’m absolutely enjoying my time with Mini over the past few days.

  Once she goes down for her daily afternoon nap, I find myself with idle time. It's warm and sunny today and for once, I don't feel tired or nauseous so I head outside and wander around the land, enjoying the green surroundings and the fresh air. The city doesn't smell like this, clean and invigorating. I might as well take advantage.

  Bored and looking for trouble, I seek out Jakob and find him in the stable brushing the horses. My heart beats a little faster watching how tender he is with the animals. I see genuine care and affection in the way he treats them.

  "Hey!" I sidle up beside him leaning against a wooden beam.

  He turns and gives me a brief glance. His gruff demeanor returns as soon as he realizes that he's not alone with the animals. "Hey." And now I’m thinking that his mean exterior is just a shield. Against what? I'm not sure.

  "Need a hand with anything?" I cross my arms over my chest, still subconsciously trying to hide my bump. I've paired an oversized denim button-up with leggings today. It obscures my belly without looking suspicious. But this baby won't keep himself a secret for much longer.

  He grunts at me. "Nope."

  "Oh come on," I prod, slapping him playfully on the shoulder.

  A jolt of energy flashes through me at the contact and I know Jakob feels it, too. His pupils dilate, his breathing halts. Shaken by the intensity of his stare, I take a brusque step back.

  A second later, his guard is back up. He gives me a cold look. "I don't need any help."

  I try to pretend I'm not affected at all but my voice comes out weaker, less stable this time. "There's got to be something I can do. I'm dying of boredom."

  He eyes me impatiently, thrusting the horse brush my way. "Here."

  A vision of getting stomped in the belly by a rearing mare comes to mind. I flinch at the thought. "Maybe something that doesn't involve horses?"

  Jakob looks at me and pushes a harsh breath past his lips. I hold his gaze without backing down. I won’t let him intimidate me or push me away with his crankiness. He really finds me annoying but still, I like being near him. It's weird. "Come with me," he mumbles.

  Chapter 13

  Jakob

  "Oh my god!" Lily's gleeful shriek causes most of the rabbits to scatter. But not Jiggy. The greedy old buck just continues to nibble away at the apple that Lily holds into his cage. "This is the cutest thing I've ever seen."

  She looks at me with big blue eyes that cause my heart to flutter and the stiffness at the base of my spine to melt. At least a little bit.

  I should be finishing up with the horses. And I have crops to water but here I am lingering in the background, watching her fall in love with the rabbits. I tell myself that I'm just standing by to make sure she doesn't get her fingers chewed off by Jiggy but inside, I know that's not the truth. I like being near her. She's so alive, so vibrant. Life fascinates her. I should hold myself away but there's something magnetic about her that keeps pulling me in.

  And the curve of her ass in those black leggings doesn't hurt, either.

  Anyway, I shouldn't have accepted her help. I knew that having her wandering around out here would only slow me down. But for some reason, I don't really mind.

  She glances at me. "Sorry if I'm overreacting," she says, giggling. "I just always wanted a pet. But growing up, my mom said that we couldn't afford one. And then when I moved in with Trevor, he claimed that he was allergic but I think he was just making excuses..." Her smile dims a bit as she turns back to feeding the rabbits. With her back turned to me, I hear Lily mutter, "asshat," under her breath.

  Now I'm wondering about this Trevor and what he did to her. Is he the reason she left the big city to hide out in Reyfield?

  I don't ask her any of those questions of course. It's not related to my business so I won't make it any of my concern. Lily is my employee and I won't stick my nose into her personal life.

  "You're really lucky," she says wistfully reaching for another apple from the bucket at her feet. "You have all these cute, furry, cuddly friends.” Jiggy's doe and his kits have now returned and they feast on the apples Lily offers them.

  I chuckle shortly. "I don't sit around cuddling with my animals, Lily. These rabbits are a source of revenue." The buck and dam are safe I guess but as soon as their kits are mature enough, I'll sell them to the local butcher.

  She sighs. "How are you able to stay so cranky when you're surrounded by all this cuteness everyday, Grumps?” She tickles on of the bunnies behind the ears.

  I gave in to the cuteness once. I left myself vulnerable to a woman. But she stomped all over me and left, taking all my hope, all my love and much more. I don't make the same mistakes twice.

  "Come on," I say in a grating tone as I pivot toward the door. "Let's head back. It’s almost dinner time."

  Chapter 14

  Lily

  I lean in to the mirror and push the steam away with my palm. I step back and take in my reflection in the wet glass. My cheeks are puffy and my breasts look like they're inflated with helium. As for my stomach, it's beginning to round out now. I won't be able to hide it for much longer. I don't know why I'm trying to hide it to begin with.

  I've been working with Mini for over a week now and we've been having a royal good time. She wouldn't mind that I'm pregnant. I actually think she'd be excited for me. And I don't think that she would let Grumps fire me even if he wanted to. So why do I keep hiding my pregnancy? It isn't because of Jakob, is it? Do I actually think that I have a chance with him? I am completely delusional.

  I wrap an old towel around my chest, securing it tightly and tiptoe toward the door. I forgot my change of clothes in my bedroom again. I do that every morning. It's usually not a problem. Mini sleeps late and Jakob leaves the house before the crack of dawn to go tend to the animals. So my quick jaunt from the shower to my bedroom in nothing but my towel always goes unnoticed.

  With my gaze down at my swollen ankles, I swing the door open a
nd walk straight into a shirtless wall of muscles.

  I gasp and look up just as Jakob's big hands clasp the sides of my waist. His fingers move across my torso as he takes a step back.

  "Jakob..." His name falls past my lips.

  "Hey. Careful," he chides softly.

  We both stand there, frozen, staring at each other. The desire in his eyes seems to mirror the feeling tightening my chest. His body is so close. His bare skin so warm. And his hands are on me. His lusty gaze takes a trip down my body, scanning my face before settling on my breasts and then continuing their descent. When his eyes move to my belly, I quickly move out of his reach.

  There's no way to hide it under the threadbare bath towel.

  I register the look of shock on his face. His eyes are wide. His lips hang open. “You're..."

  "I'm sorry," I say as I loop around him and hurry into my room. My windpipe constricts and my heart kicks against my ribs.

  He knows. Shit. He knows.

  Chapter 15

  Jakob

  I'm pacing at the foot of my bed. Lily is pregnant. Lily is pregnant. I'm in shock. But I'm also irrationally angry. I feel betrayed. I feel like she should have told me.

  Why, asshole? Why do you think you had a right to know?

  My mind struggles for a response.

  Because I couldn't accommodate her. What if I had insisted that she brush the horses yesterday and she'd gotten hit in the stomach? What if she'd fallen off the ladder when Mini asked her to change the living room curtains the other day? What if what if what if..?

  I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I walk by. "Stop bullshitting. Be honest with yourself, asshole," I mutter.

  The truth is I feel protective of her now. I want to know who's the bastard that knocked this beautiful woman up and then removed himself from the picture. Is it that Trevor guy? Or is it someone else? All I know is I want to find the guy and send a fist through his teeth for not taking care of his girl.

  If she was my girl, if she was carrying my kid, I'd be there. No doubt.

  What kind of man would allow a woman like Lily to walk away, especially when his child is growing inside of her? Even though I don't know the details of their break up, I can't help but conclude that he must be weak and coward because Lily is the kind of woman you keep, no matter the circumstances.

  This situation is bringing up all sorts of issues for me. It fucks with me how indifferent some people are about the gift of conceiving a child and bringing him into the world. Brittany Delaney was that way. She was carrying a child that may have been mine but she didn't give a fuck. She put her own selfish goals above all else. She never considered my feelings, my opinion.

  This isn't about you, Jakob...

  I can't let myself personalize this. Lily is an employee. I have to keep her at arm's length. So why do I have this territorial urge rooted deep in my belly, driving me to step up, to protect her, to take care of her?

  …And why do I feel this sense of excitement in the marrow of my bones?

  Chapter 16

  Lily

  I take my time getting dressed in some loose jogging pants with a tank top and a big button-up shirt on top. I look like a complete fashion 'don't' right now. But it doesn't matter.

  Jakob knows I'm pregnant. And he's going to fire me.

  I feel a dozen different emotions right now. Anxiousness. Relief. Anger. But most of all shame. I hid my baby. I know what it's like to feel unwanted, like I was a mistake. I never want to make my child feel that way, too.

  I pull in a steeling breath and pad quietly into the kitchen. When I see him at the stove, his broad back rippling as he stirs a pot, I briefly consider retreating into my room and hiding out under my sheets. But the squeaky floorboards betray my presence. He turns around with rage darkening his eyes. His biceps strain against the dark fabric of the t-shirt stretched snugly across his sculpted torso. He folds his arms across his chest and stares at me.

  Why is he still here?

  Usually, he'd be out in the fields by now, toiling away in the sun, planting and weeding and fertilizing. But today, he’s here. To fire me.

  "Sit down. I'll fix you a plate," he says finally.

  I shake my head, making another attempt to retreat. "Look, Jakob. I don't know what you think you just figured out, but if you want to fire me, just fire me. Okay? You don't have to give me a speech, too."

  His eyes darken further. "Sit. Down."

  His expression is firm enough to cause a chill to skitter up my spine. Usually, I like to challenge him and give him a hard time, but now isn't the time for joking around. I see it in his face.

  Pouting and huffing, I drop into a chair, my hands knotting in my lap as he prepares the food. He drops a heaping plate of bacon, eggs and toast in front of me and the ceramic rattles as it hits the table.

  "Eat this," he growls.

  "I'm really not that hungry."

  He leans over me, his eyes locking on mine with so much force that I recoil even as arousal ignites in my blood. "You have been running around here, skipping meals and overexerting yourself. That won't happen anymore. I won't have you under this roof, weak and hungry. Now, eat."

  "Fucking caveman," I grumble under my breath. With a shaky hand, I shovel into the eggs with my fork.

  He shoots me a look, his lips pressed into a flat line. A prickling silence slips over us as I eat. He shoves his hand roughly through his hair and paces the floor.

  "Have you been to the doctor?" he asks breaking the silence.

  The question takes me by surprise. This is not how I expected this conversation to go. I look up at him. "Yes. Grace booked an appointment with her family doctor the other day. Faith went with me.”

  He's quiet for a moment before asking, "Did he prescribe you any medicine? Vitamins, maybe?”

  I nod. "He did but I haven't gone to the pharmacy yet. I didn't have any money and I didn't want to burden my sisters any more than I already have.”

  "Making sure your baby is healthy isn't a burden on anyone, Lily," he growls. "It's a basic human need.”

  I flinch. He makes it seem so simple but my life is anything but simple these days. Everything is a mess and I'm just trying to put it back together piece by piece.

  "That's easy for you to say," I mutter.

  He ignores my snarky comment. "I'm going into town this afternoon to discuss some things with the bank manager. I'm gonna need you to give me the name of that medication the doctor wants you to take.”

  "I can wait until pay day, Jakob. It's only a few days away.”

  He pulls in a deep breath. "You'll give me the name of your medication. Today." His voice remains calm despite the anger bubbling beneath.

  “Fine."

  "And you'll eat properly. I don’t want you on some city girl diet. Not when you’re pregnant. You won't put any strain on yourself. If Mini needs any help moving around, you'll ask for my help. Understood?”

  "You don't have to do all this for me. I'm the one whose supposed to be working for you."

  He ignores my protest. "Understood?" he demands.

  I nod, feeling a tear spilling down my face. Gosh, these pregnancy hormones have me so emotional. Or maybe it's simply the fact that no one's ever treated me like this. No one's ever gone out of their way to make sure I was okay.

  Jakob exhales a heavy breath then leans down over the table. The calloused pad of his thumb swipes my tear away. The rough touch resonates all the way to the apex of my thighs. I can't help but shiver.

  "I will take care of anything you need," he growls in a low tone. "Just say the word. You hear me?”

  I look up into his eyes. They're warmer than I've ever seen them, filled with an emotion that I don't understand. "Yes," I whisper past the tightness in my chest.

  "Good." He straightens and marches to the back door. He slips into his work boots and throws one last glance at me before he walks out.

  Chapter 17

  Jakob

  The sound of
laughter floats through the air as I round the side of the farmhouse. When I come into view, Lily and Mini both glance my way, eyes twinkling happily. Seeing them like this makes me want to break out smiling too but I pin down the urge.

  "What are you two hens clucking about?" I climb the stairs and find a pitcher of lemonade sitting on the wicker table between them as they enjoy the afternoon breeze.

  Lily's mouth quirks playfully. "First of all, if we're hens, do you know what that makes you?" She takes an empty glass and pours me a drink. She hands it off to me.