Page 99 of Dove
I’d been waiting for this to happen. Despite the many differences between me and my father growing up, I’d somehow managed to follow in his footsteps, at least where the farm was concerned. Back before I left, I’d been pretty decent at repair work, just like Gareth. I knew it was only a matter of time before there were knocks on my door. With my father no longer around to help his local farmer friends, his son was the next best thing.
“No promises,” I cautioned him. “I haven’t exactly been keeping up with that kind of work since I left, but I’ll give it a shot.”
“Good enough for me.” Mitch pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward where his truck was likely parked outside in the driveway. God, the fact neither of us had heard him coming down the gravel drive, too consumed with each other to notice, was worrisome. We’d have to be more careful. “Want to hitch a ride with me?”
Needing to see how badly Dove wanted to kill me now that I was planning on leaving, I risked a quick, assessing look toward her. We’d been in the middle of something, but it wasn’t like I couldsaythat to Mitch. There was also the fact I wasn’t likely to be back home for a while, leaving her to contend with the evening chores by herself.
Dove, who’d been mostly quiet through our exchange, nodded encouragingly toward the doorway. “Go. I can handle the rest of the day by myself, considering you covered for me this morning.” Then, more deliberately, she added, “It’s not like I haven’t taken care of the farm by myself before. I have for a while now.”
Ouch.Arrow met heart once again. A jab at me, likely because she was upset I was leaving and couldn’t actually say so. Dove always knew where to hit where it hurt, especially if we were fighting.
I really hoped we weren’t fighting.
I tried to portray with my eyes that I’d make it up to her later, but she was focused on saying goodbye to Mitch, who was stalking back toward the door, assuming I was right behind him.
I opened my mouth to say something, but she shook her head and waved me on with her hands.
“I’m sorry,”I mouthed before turning to follow Mitch out.
The toe of my boot had barely touched gravel when she called, “Josh?”
My head whipped around so fast my neck twinged in protest.
“We’re continuing what we weretalkingabout when you get back.” Although her words were vague, the tone of her voice held no mistake of just what she meant.
Not fighting, then,I thought,trying and failing to wipe the eager smile off my face as I walked over to Mitch’s truck and hopped inside.
This had better not take too long. I had something much more important than a broken combine waiting for me back home.
23
DOVE
Istood in the middle of the empty garage, the faint smell of grease and gasoline wafting around me, while a popular country tune played through the radio speakers. For a moment, I could almost trick myself into believing it was another regular day on the farm.
Nothing was different, yeteverythingwas.
It felt almost surreal, what had taken place just a handful of minutes ago. What Josh and I had done together here, in this garage. Whathe’ddone tome,there, on the hood of his truck.
What I’d been planning to do to him before Mitch interrupted.
I could still feel the phantom press of his fingers deep inside me, a throb that wasn’t about to leave anytime soon. There was also an uncomfortable slickness between my thighs that called for a bathroom break to freshen up. A breeze drifted in through the garage doors, cooling my heated skin and ruffling my disheveled hair, bringing with it the thought of just how close we’d come to being caught.
It was exhilarating… andterrifying.
Which pretty much summed up my feelings being with Josh altogether.
Under his touch was the most I’d ever come alive, but I was so, so scared of having it ripped away. I had so much more to lose this time, and I was sick of experiencing loss. Despite Josh’s reassurance, what we were doing was like handling fire. How did we expect not to get burned?
Stepping out into the sunshine, I inhaled deep, waited a beat, then released it, allowing the panic that laid just beneath my skin to subside. I continued breathing in the fresh air in steady gulps until my head was clearer, and I could push the remaining worry about the future—aboutourfuture—away and focus on the now. And right now? I wanted Josh to hurry up and get home because I had plans for him. I’d told him we needed to finish talking when he got back, but that was the last thing I planned on doing.
He’d had his turn, twice over.
Now it was mine.
The rest of the day passed by excruciatingly slow as I ticked off tasks on my mental to-do list around the farm, simultaneously creating a whole new list altogether. This one a far more fun and enjoyable list. I just needed Josh back in order to get started on it, but as the day crept into evening, he remained gone.
Rocking on the porch swing, work done for the day, I overlooked the sunset in all its glory as I sipped a beer I snagged from the fridge. A leftover of Gareth’s, a lager of some sort I typically wouldn’t drink, but, well, needs must and all that. There was a butterfly in my gut that wouldn’t settle down, nerves that needed calming the longer Josh took to get home.
