Leading Hand (The Dusty Rider Series Book 2) Read online

  I flash him a solicitous look, hoping he can read the erotic thoughts going through my mind.

  Throwing his Akubra onto a nearby chair, he wipes sweat and dirt from his brow. “Hey, gorgeous. Can I join you?”

  “I’d love that.”

  He strips down, taking off his soaked T-shirt that clings to his shapely pecs. His biceps coil and release as he throws it next to his Akubra in a dramatic display reminiscent of a male peacock shaking his tail feathers.

  Still breathing heavily from my laps, I resist the urge to climb out and run my fingers over the delicious muscles outlining his six-pack all the way down to the V-shape of his Adonis belt.

  He bends over near the edge of the pool, rolling down his well-worn jeans and leaving them crumpled near his feet. His underwear clings to him like a second skin as he dives into the water in one swift, slick motion.

  I turn around and watch him while the water laps against my chin.

  He swims closer and kisses me, water droplets sliding down his forehead and cheeks. “You ready for this afternoon?”

  Why must he bring that up now?

  I let myself slip deeper into the water. “I hope so. When do we need to leave?”

  “We’ll leave around three o’clock. Their place is just about an hour from here.”

  My stomach starts to churn as the importance of meeting his parents weighs on my mind. “I guess I better take a shower and get ready.”

  Aiden tilts his head in my direction. “You’ve got plenty of time. Are you nervous?”

  “A bit.”

  “Don’t be. My mom has a thing for old American western movies, so I think she’ll love that you’re from Texas. As for my dad, well, he’s always been hard to please, so there’s no point in trying. Besides, all that matters is what I think.”

  I sigh, hoping to dispel some of my nervous energy. “I want everything to be perfect, so I need some extra time to make sure I look right.”

  He leans in and gives me another kiss. “I don’t think you need extra time. You’re already perfect.”

  Embarrassed, I break from his gaze. “I’m far from it.”

  He lifts my chin. “Why don’t you think you’re good enough?”

  “I just don’t.”

  He stares at me, unwavering as he pulls me close.

  I attempt to back away from his grip, but he holds me in place.

  He’s not going to let me escape his question.

  Glancing at the water, I give him an answer I hope is good enough. “Things in my past, the fact that I’m still married...” I shrug and look back into his eyes. “I’m not the woman I once was.”

  He moves a damp strand of hair off my neck. “You are an incredible woman. There is no shame in trying to make a marriage work and giving up when it doesn’t. It’s clear that whatever Tom was doing took away your self-confidence when really it was probably some issue he had about himself, not you.”

  I swallow, hoping to get rid of the tightness in my throat.

  Aiden continues, “It sounds like he had bad self-esteem and projected his frustrations onto you.”

  I grin and shake my head. “What are you, my psychologist?”

  He pulls me closer, forcing me to have nowhere to look but into his eyes. “Holly, I would do anything to get you to see yourself through my eyes. You, my love, are a treasure. Tom was an idiot, but I’m glad he was. If he had half a brain, he would have treated you well and then I wouldn’t have found you. And I can’t imagine not meeting you and having this chance to show you how you should be loved.”

  I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling his body close under the cool water. “Thanks, Aiden.”

  My lips find his and we kiss. Letting my lips linger against his, my hand runs down his back and teases against his waistband.

  He stops and lets his nose brush against mine. “You probably shouldn’t start something you can’t finish.”

  “Oh, don’t you worry. I’m sure I can finish, Aiden.”

  “But Toddy hasn’t left yet.”

  I groan. “Then I better go take a cold shower, as I don’t want him walking in on something again. He’ll think all we do around here is each other.”

  Aiden looks at me and licks his lips, making it difficult for me to leave.

  I summon my self-discipline, swim away from temptation and exit the pool. Wrapping a cotton towel around my waist, I walk towards the house. Turning to look at him over my shoulder, I bat my eyes, willing him to follow me.

  Aiden puts his hands on his hips. “Save that look for later, because as much as I want to follow you, I’m not going to because I know we’ll never get to my parents’.”

  I laugh because I know he’s right. If I had my way right now, we wouldn’t go anywhere except upstairs to the bedroom.

  DRIVING ONTO HIS parents’ property, we are surrounded by rows of thick green plants and grazing cattle. The grounds appear to be more fertile than Aiden’s, almost as if the drought has completely skipped over this place.

  “It’s so green everywhere.”

  Aiden keeps his focus on the road ahead. “It’s the oats my parents have planted.”

  “I never knew what oats looked like.” I continue to stare out at the paddocks as we drive closer to his parents’ home.

  Aiden shakes his head and smiles. “Of course not. You probably ate your muesli granola every day without a clue.”

  I reach over and playfully slap his shoulder. “Very funny.”

  He turns and blows me an air kiss.

  I look back out of the window. “I can’t believe you grew up here.”

  “I didn’t really grow up here. When I was little, I spent a lot of time at the property in New South Wales. It wasn’t until my brothers were in high school that we spent more time at this place. And that was mainly during holidays since the rest of the year we were all off at school.”

  We continue to follow along a driveway that veers to the left. Soon enough, a large Queenslander with well-manicured gardens comes into view. The white paint and corrugated iron are flanked by a large veranda purposely designed to capture the prevailing breeze on a hot summer day. Rows of potted plants with white flowers line the walkway as if to greet you before you even get to the front door.

  Everything looks so perfect here. They must spend hours gardening.

  My stomach somersaults.

  I’m about to meet Aiden’s parents. Will they like me?

  Stopping in front of the house, we hop out of the pickup.

  Aiden takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze as we walk towards the front door.

  I stop and adjust my hair for the thousandth time.

  Aiden rings the doorbell while I take a long breath, gathering my wits.

  Will I make a good impression?

  Aiden’s mother opens the door, grinning from ear to ear. “Hello, darling.” She gives him a hug.

  “Hi, Mum.” Aiden steps back. “Mum, this is Holly. Holly, this is my mum, Victoria.”

  Dressed conservatively in tan slacks paired with a blue dress shirt and gold jewellery, she gives me a warm smile before extending her arm for a handshake. “So nice to meet you, Holly. And please, call me Vicki.”

  Our hands join in a quick, timid handshake.

  “Nice to meet you, Vicki.”

  A tall, broad-shouldered man walks up behind her. His dark hair and distinctive features make it obvious that this is Aiden’s father. “Hello, son.”

  “Hi, Dad.” Reticent, Aiden gives his father an awkward hug.

  Stepping back, he studies Aiden and grimaces. “Your hair’s getting a bit long. Might be time for a haircut.”

  Aiden shakes his head. “Nah, it’s fine, Dad.” Turning his attention to me, he says, “This is Holly. Holly, this is my dad, Graham.”

  I extend my hand for another handshake. “Nice to meet you.”

  Graham’s grip is firm, almost pulling me forward as he takes my hand. “We’re glad you could join us for dinner. Come inside and l
et’s catch up before we eat.” His tone is louder than I’m used to, considering I’ve become accustomed to Aiden’s quiet nature.

  We walk across the dark wood floors of the foyer, straight into a lavishly decorated living room filled with Victorian style furniture. Heavy red drapes hang from the windows while a matching area rug rests under our feet.

  Walking towards a burgundy chesterfield couch, I catch the delicious scent of rosemary wafting through the air. As I sit, I glance around the room.

  It’s a stark contrast to Aiden’s sparsely decorated home. Here there are shelves in every direction stacked with books and collectibles. Each book is lined impeccably straight, not a single one appears to be out of line. Scanning further around the room, it seems everything is in perfect, military-like order, including the furniture. And there isn’t a speck of dust on anything.

  Aiden motions for me to sit next to him on the couch while Graham and Vicki sit across from us on chairs.

  Behind Aiden’s parents, a painting of an old farmhouse catches my eye.

  “That’s a gorgeous painting.”

  Glancing over her shoulder, Vicki smiles. “Thank you. It’s been in the family for years. It’s the family property in New South Wales and was painted a long time ago…”

  Interrupting, Graham asks, “What can I get you two to drink?”

  Aiden touches my hand. “A glass of red all right? Or do you want something else?”

  “Water is fine for now, but I’ll have a wine with dinner.”

  Graham appears relieved as he walks to the kitchen.

  His strange look has me puzzled, but I don’t dare question it.

  Vicki hones her gaze onto me. “So, tell me how do you two know each other?”

  Aiden answers as though he has rehearsed it several times already. “Holly is the sister of a friend I made while I was doing my time. He said she was looking for some work and I offered to help when I got out.”

  Vicki nods, keeping her lips tightly pressed together as she listens. She looks unfazed so I’m not able to gauge if she believes Aiden.

  Graham walks into the room with our drinks, handing me a glass.

  I take a sip, letting the water refresh my dry throat. “Thank you.”

  Graham sits as Vicki quizzes me. “Holly, I detect an accent, but I can’t quite place it. Are you from America or Canada?”

  “I’m from Texas.”

  An enthusiastic smile crosses her face. “Oh, I’ve always wanted to visit there. I absolutely adore the old Hollywood westerns, and as a kid, I used to dream of going to Texas. Graham once visited Dallas years ago, but I wasn’t able to join him. Are you from that area?”

  “I grew up in Houston, which is south of Dallas, near the Gulf coast.”

  After taking a sip of wine, Graham says, “Being from Texas, you’ll fit right in here. One thing you should know is that we like to raise our cattle more wild than Americans do.”

  I glance at Aiden with an uncomfortable smile.

  What would they think if they knew I’ve never lived in the country and have no clue of what to do with cattle?

  Aiden shifts his legs and leans towards me. “Dad, I’m sure there are more interesting things to talk about besides business.”

  I notice a piano in the corner of the room. “That’s a lovely piano. Do you play, Vicki?”

  “Oh yes, I’ve played for years. I love it and always wanted my boys to learn, especially Aiden. When he was born, I thought right away he should be a pianist with the long fingers God blessed him with.”

  My eyes peer down at Aiden’s hand resting on his thigh. I agree his fingers are long and lovely. Perfectly shaped for playing the keys of my body.

  Vicki sighs. “But none of my boys were interested in any musical instruments. I guess all I can hope for is a grandchild that wants to learn.”

  Graham sits up tall and looks at Aiden. “Are you ready for bringing in the cattle yet? You need to get a few thousand head going straight away.”

  His tone once again surprises me. It’s almost imposing, as though he’s forgotten that he’s speaking to his son, and not someone who works for him.

  Aiden runs his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to go big too quick, Dad. I’d rather bring a few hundred in and see how they go first before overdoing it.”

  “You’ve got about fifteen thousand acres of grass, so a few thousand is what you need.”

  Aiden’s body tenses.

  Vicki breaks into their conversation. “Darling, let him work out what he wants to do. Remember it’s his property and his decisions.”

  “Yeah, Dad, let’s not talk business tonight. There’s plenty of time to do that.”

  Ding, Dong!

  Graham gets up to answer the door while the three of us remain sitting.

  Another guest for dinner? I thought this was a dinner with just the four of us?

  Graham’s loud, deep voice echoes through the house. “Hello, Jess. So glad you could come for dinner.”

  Jess?

  Aiden stands and rushes to the door. “Jess! It’s great to see you.”

  Glancing across the foyer, I see Aiden embrace a young blonde woman wearing grey R.M. Williams boots, tight jeans and a pink and white checkered shirt.

  Breaking their hug, Aiden, says, “Wow, Jess. You’ve changed since I last saw you. You’re all grown up.”

  Jess beams. “Yeah, it’s been a long time, Aiden.”

  The three of them walk into the living room.

  Jess stares at Aiden the entire time.

  Aiden gestures towards me. “Jess, I want you to meet Holly.”

  She breaks her gaze from Aiden and looks in my direction. Her smile falters as she stretches her arm to shake my hand.

  Did I just imagine a change in her look? Or am I being a bit too sensitive at the sight of a doe-eyed beauty eyeing my man? This is silly! Aiden is not the sleaze Tom is. It must just be that the whole Beth situation has wrecked my confidence when it comes to women trying to steal my man. Or maybe it made me wiser?

  With a syrupy sweetness, Jess says, “Great to meet you, Holly.”

  “Nice meeting you, too.” When I look at Aiden, he winks at me. Nothing about his demeanour suggests his connection to Jess was anything more than old friends.

  See, Holly! This girl is nothing to worry about.

  We sit back down while Jess sits on a chair next to Aiden.

  Graham offers Jess a drink. “White wine for you?”

  “Of course. You obviously know me well, Graham.” She pauses, takes a deep breath and looks at Vicki. “The roast smells amazing.”

  Vicki shifts in her seat, fiddling with the gold bracelet on her wrist. “Thank you, Jess. It will be ready to eat soon.”

  Jess reaches out and strokes Aiden’s forearm. “How are you? I’ve been meaning to stop by your place, but I’ve been at the coast visiting family.”

  Aiden shifts his arm away from her. “That’s okay. I’ve been quite busy myself.”

  Jess leans towards Aiden, speaking as though there is no one else is in the room but them. “I spoke to Toddy the other day, and he said he was helping you.”

  Nodding, he replies, “Yeah, I’ve had him around a bit.”

  Vicki cuts into the conversation with a hasty fervour. “That’s nice you’re giving him some work, darling.”

  Looking at his mother, Aiden furrows his brow. “How has Toddy’s family been? He doesn’t say much, and I get the feeling he doesn’t want to be at home.”

  Vicki’s gaze moves downward as she picks at a piece of lint on her slacks. “Things aren’t good.”

  Jess glances at Vicki then back at Aiden. “My mum visited them a few weeks ago and said that Shirley is a mess.”

  Aiden looks at me. “Shirley is Toddy’s mum.”

  Graham returns, and hands Jess a glass. “Did I hear you talking about Shirley?”

  Sipping her drink, Vicki sighs. “Yes, dear.”

  Graham sits down. “It’s most unfort
unate what’s going on.” He turns and looks towards Aiden. “Son, you need to give Toddy a job right away.”

  Aiden sighs and runs his fingers along his stubbled cheek. “I’ve been giving him work the last few days, and I might give him some permanent work as a leading hand. But I’m not sure if he’s the right person for the job.”

  Graham sits up tall, pointing his finger as he speaks. “Aiden, you must give him work to help them out.”

  Aiden relaxes back on the couch, squinting. “Is it really that bad for them?”

  “They’re going to lose the property.”

  “What?” His jaw drops.

  “Yes, son. Bad drought, bad decisions and Shirley’s mental state isn’t right. I think she’s been pretty much drinking herself to death over there.” Graham shakes his head. “It mustn’t be easy losing a property that’s been in the family for generations.”

  Aiden stares at his father intently. “That’s awful. Can anything be done to save it?”

  Graham leans back against the couch. “I’m considering giving them a loan or maybe just buying the place and letting them stay on it to run it. But for now, it would help if Toddy had some work to keep him out of trouble.”

  Vicki peers down at her glass with an expression that screams disagreement with what Graham said.

  Aiden sighs. “I guess I’ll have to offer Toddy the job.”

  “Son, I think that’s a good decision.”

  Rubbing the back of his neck, Aiden seems anxious. “Dad, I’m just not so sure about it. I don’t like having friends as employees. It’s always been trouble in the end.”

  Graham retorts, “Toddy won’t be any trouble, son. You shouldn’t worry so much. Just hire him and give him a crack at the job.”

  Aiden’s expression tenses.

  There’s something between Aiden and Toddy that I don’t understand. And I guess Graham doesn’t understand either?

  AS WE SIT for dinner, Graham carries in a tray of roast lamb. He stands at the end of the table and carves the meat before placing it between two lit candelabras.

  Vicki looks at me. “You know, Holly, I completely forgot to ask if you are vegetarian?”

  “I’m not. I love a good lamb roast.”