The Outback Cattleman's Hired Wife (18 page)

‘
Maybe, if Jared and Caleb are going?
’

‘
Will you save a dance for me?
’

‘
Sure.
’

Jared appeared at her side.
‘
Max,
’
he said in a
congenial, but deeper tone.
‘
Come for more hay?
’

‘
Yeah, Boss. We
’
re out at
the bottom paddock,
’
Max replied, winking at Caleb.

‘
Caleb,
’
Jared said,
turning his gaze to his son,
‘
how would you like
to help Max load up some hay for the cows?
’

‘
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.