Dermot rolled onto his back and threw his arm over his eyes. A pleasant exhaustion settled over him and he let his thoughts drift. Hed spent last night on a bus somewhere in the Dakotas. Hed jumped off the bus and almost immediately loaded a pallet of feed into Rachels truck. Then hed dried dishes, milked a herd of goats and prepared a salad, all the while trying to stop thinking about grabbing Rachel and carrying her to the bedroom. No wonder he was tired.
The next thing he knew, she was beside him again. The room was dark. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body against his.
You fell asleep, she whispered.
I didnt, Dermot said. Did you save the pie?
Its pretty much inedible. But Ill make another tomorrow.
Sorry. I didnt think to look inside the oven before I turned it on.
Close your eyes, she murmured. You need your sleep. We have to get up in six hours.
Dermot turned his face into her soft hair and inhaled the scent of her. Making love to her would wait. It was enough to lie next to her, to run his hands over her body and kiss her silken skin.
When his grandfather had sent him off, hed expected to find a little bit of himself along the way. Hed never thought that hed find a woman, as well. Rachel needed him, and for the next six weeks, hed do what he could to make her life easier. And if the compensation included sharing her bed, hed consider the job a success.
3
RACHEL OPENED HER EYES and looked around her bedroom. Frowning, she glanced down to see that she was still wearing her clothes. How had she
Memories of the night before came rushing into her head. Dermot. Theyd fallen asleep in her bed. She rolled over to find his half of the mattress empty. A sick feeling came into her stomach as she considered the possibilities.
Had he left sometime before dawn to return to the stone cottage? Had he gathered his belongings and sneaked away in the dark of night, finished with farm work and the woman who pretended to be his boss? Or maybe he was just an early riser, she mused.
Pushing up on her elbow, she picked up the alarm clock and squinted at the time. Six-fifteen? With a cry, Rachel bolted upright and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. Shed overslept! How had she overslept? The alarm was set for four-thirty. She always woke up before it rang.
She tugged her dress over her head and pulled on the first work clothes she could find. Slipping her feet into her shoes, she stumbled to the bathroom and grabbed a band to tie up her hair.
The sun was already well above the horizon as she raced across the yard. It was crucial that she keep a regular milking schedule to maximize yield. After eleven months, shed never missed milking timeexcept for today.
This is exactly what you deserve, she muttered to herself. A man comes into your life and you forget about all your responsibilities.
With a soft curse, she yanked open the door to the milking parlor. To her shock, a row of goats was lined up on the platform in the midst of being milked. She found Dermot nearby, scattering clean straw on the floor. Eddie and Benny stood to the side, watching him. Dermot glanced up and gave her a little wave as she approached.
What are you doing? she demanded.
My job, he said. Dermot lowered his voice. You looked so relaxed, I didnt want to wake you. I figured Id give it a go on my own this morning.
You cant do this by yourself, she said.
Sure I can. You taught me what to do last night. It didnt seem too complicated. Eddies been here to help me along. I mixed and fed them their corn and pellets. I figure Ill just be another hour. You can go back to bed if you like.
Rachel frowned. She could do the whole herd in four hours. How was it possible that he could best her speed after only one lesson? You must be missing something, she said.
He held out his hands. Check it out. Im pretty sure Im doing it right.
Rachel walked through the parlor, checking all the settings on the machines and going over her regular list of tasks. After a thorough inspection, she was forced to admit that Dermot was right. Hed done his job well.
All right, she said. Im impressed.
His expression of concern was broken by a wide grin. Yeah. I know what Im doing.
She glanced over at Eddie and he gave her a wink and a reluctant smile, then walked out of the barn, Benny scampering after him. Was her uncle aware of what was going on between them? How long had Dermot stayed in her bed last night?
Rachel kept her questions to herself as they finished with the last of the goats, washed up in the sinks in the pump room and then walked the herd to the pasture. Rachel stood on the gate as she watched the goats graze, smiling to herself. It was nice to know that she had someone to count on, someone who could take the pressure off her, even if it was just for a few hours.
Theres a kind of comfort in the routine, Dermot said as he stood next to her. I can understand why people would like this life. And theyre so smart. That little Benny is a riot. He jumped up on the ledge in the barn and was leaping around like a circus animal.
Eddie treats him like a dog. But I draw the line at letting him live in the house.
Why would you ever want to leave this place? Dermot asked.
Rachel leaned back, gripping the top rail of the fence. Sometimes I can see myself staying here. It would be the perfect spot to raise a family. She drew a deep breath. And then there are moments when Im so tired I feel like crying. When I feel like there has to be more than milking goats for the rest of my life.