My Estranged Lover (Middlemarch Shifters Book 5) (13 page)

The outer door opened, and two of the employees entered, masculine laughter filling the air. Several men followed and the dining area of the large kitchen was soon awash with cheerful, hungry men.

“Something smells good,” one of the men said. He winked at her, his gaze a brilliant green. “I worried when someone said Maria wasn’t cooking. Dinner last night was tasty, and I can’t wait to see what you’ve made us today.”

“I can smell bacon,” an older man said as he whisked off his knitted beanie and hung it on the back of a wooden chair.

“Sausages. Eggs,” a tall and thin man, not long out of his teenage years added.

“Start with cereal,” Caroline ordered. “I’ll have something hot for you in ten minutes.”

Breakfast passed in a rush and flurry. She fed ten men and sent them on their way with packed lunches since Cam had told her the previous night the men would be out the entire day.

Cam appeared looking rumpled and worried.

“How is Maria?”

“Not so good. She’s complaining of nausea and pain in her lower abdominal. She has a fever.”

“Did she keep down the soup?”

“No. I’m going to fly her to Timaru,” Cam said.

“Anything you need me to do?”

“Just keep the men fed. They know what to do on the station.”

Cam rushed off and Caroline went back to her kitchen duties.

The morning seemed too short. Having no idea of what Maria had planned for meals, Caroline checked the pantry plus the walk-in freezer, and after assessing the ingredients, she planned menus for the next week.

“Mum! Mum!” A mother opened the door, and Ricky barreled inside, his face alive with excitement. “We played, and we drawed pictures and had a story.”

James arrived at a more sedate pace, a carry bag in his right hand and his attention on a girl his age.

“Hi, Caroline. I’m not sure if you got everyone’s names straight yesterday. I’m Dara. Jan asked me to deliver your sons since with Cam in Timaru, they were short a man. Your man got himself recruited to help with the dipping.”

“Thanks,” Caroline said.

“Looks as if you’re recruited too.”

“I don’t mind. I prefer to keep busy.”

“Why don’t I take your boys for you for the afternoon?”

“No, I couldn’t—”

“It’s no problem. James and my daughter are already firm friends. Chelsea loves to draw and I hear James does too. And your little one is yawning so much, I figure he’ll sleep part of the afternoon.”

“Are you sure? I’d like to get a head start on the cooking. I don’t want to dig into Maria’s stock of frozen meals too much.”

“Of course I’m sure.” She flapped a hand in unconcern. “We take turns with the kids, so we can get alone time. It’s a team effort if you live here on Glenshee.”

“I’m discovering that,” Caroline said. “James.” She squatted beside her son, trying to hide the wince from her protesting muscles. “You be good for Dara.” She tapped his nose. “Okay?”

James nodded. “We’re going for a walk to draw the mountains.”

Amused, she stood. “Sounds as if everyone is happy with this deal. Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“No prob. See you later.” Dara herded the children out of the kitchen. “I’ll deliver them back at dinner time.”

Caroline started the pies and with those in the oven, she moved on to chopping vegetables for a pot of soup.

The phone rang, and she wiped her hands on a nearby hand towel. “Hello?”

“It’s Cam. Maria has appendicitis. She’s in the operating room now. The doctors said if we’d left it any longer it might have ruptured.”

“But she will be okay?”

“Yes, I think so.”

“Book into a motel so you get a decent sleep,” Caroline said.

“I might do that, once I know Maria is in recovery. I appreciate you taking over the kitchen. It wasn’t the original plan.”

“It’s no problem.” The truth. For once, Caroline felt as if she was doing something useful, instead of being James and Ricky’s mother. Not that she didn’t love her two sons, but sometimes in Middlemarch her identity got buried.

Dara delivered the boys back at five. Caroline settled them in the kitchen with an early dinner since they were both drooping with tiredness.

“Did you have a good time?” she asked.

“We drew pictures, and we played soccer,” James said. “It’s fun playing here.”

Caroline nodded. “Ricky, did you have fun?”

“We played tag, and we ran and ran and ran.” He puffed out his chest. “I like running.”

Caroline smoothed his hair. “That’s good.”

The men started arriving for dinner just after six, their hair wet and slicked back after their quick showers. They’d changed into clean clothes and brought their appetites.

“Hey, kitten.” Marsh slipped his arm around her waist and hauled her close for a kiss, even with their audience.

“Hey,” someone shouted. “Don’t molest the cook. We might miss out on dinner, and it sure smells good.”

Marsh gave her another quick kiss and released her to greet their sons. “I have an in with this cook,” he tossed over his shoulder to his new workmates. “She’ll feed me, but you lot will need to mind your manners.”

Several of the men hooted, making Caroline laugh. A small part of her had worried how they’d fit in because they couldn’t leave the station if it didn’t work for them. This was their last chance, but now after only a day, she felt at home. The boys were happy, and she slid a glance at Marsh. He was joking with several of the men, and she hadn’t seen him look this content for a long time. She bustled around the kitchen and moved the boys, so she could set the table for the men.

This change had been good for the entire family.

“Why don’t you put the kids in the lounge in front of the TV?” one of the older men suggested. “They can go to sleep on the couch. Cam and Maria won’t mind.”

“Thanks,” Marsh said. “I’ll take them to the house once we’ve had dinner.”

Caroline served soup and produced a steak and kidney pie and platters of vegetables for their main course.

“Caroline, you need to eat too. You don’t need to run after us,” one of the men said.

They chorused an agreement, so she sat and ate a bowl of soup and a slice of fresh bread.

Marsh took her hand under the table, the physical contact thrilling her.

“I want to get a head start on tomorrow, so I don’t have to work as hard,” Caroline said.

“I can stay.”

Caroline searched his expression and softened inside. He was a good man. Nothing like his parents. A miracle, which made her curious about his older brother and how things had been before his death. “Take the boys home once you’ve eaten. They’ll sleep better in their own beds. I’ll be an hour tops.”

“I still owe you a massage,” Marsh said.

“One hour,” she promised.

Once Marsh left, she had the kitchen to herself. The men had loaded their dishes into the dishwasher and there wasn’t much left to clean up. She put on the crockpot and prepared a steak and vegetable stew. With that underway, she made a batch of cookie dough—one she could freeze and take out as needed. The more items she could add to the freezer, the easier it would be in the future.

An hour and a half later, she switched off the kitchen lights and made her way home. The moon hung low on the inky-black horizon but the stars filled the sky, so many twinkly lights it was difficult to know where to look. Beautiful. She stopped and did a slow twirl, appreciating the enormity of the sight and how most people never got the chance to see this natural beauty.

With a happy sigh, she began walking, knowing Marsh was waiting for her. She could see their house, the porch light burning like a welcoming beacon.

A torch bounced in her pocket with each step, but the dark didn’t seem so forbidding this evening. This morning—well, she felt embarrassed of her girlish behavior and was glad no one had witnessed her city-girl panic.

No sooner had she finished this thought than a growl came from her right. She froze, her pulse jumping into flight-mode. She strained to listen, but silence greeted her, the only audible sound her own choppy breathing.

“You’re being silly.” Caroline forced her legs to move again, walking faster, faster. She flew across the gravel road and darted into their driveway. Her sweaty hands grasped the door handle, and it turned. As she opened the door, she glanced over her shoulder and swore she saw a big black cat staring at her. She blinked and when she focused again, it had disappeared. Either that or her mind was playing tricks on her.

James had drawn black cats this afternoon, and Ricky had run around madly doing cat growls. Her imagination had taken the obvious road and was now having a joke at her expense.

“Caroline. You’re home.” Marsh prowled toward her, stalking like a cat, his smile toothy. Were those…no! God, this physical work had tired her. She blinked several times, and everything in her world righted when she looked at her husband again.

“I enjoyed today, but I’m not used to the physical work. The pots and cooking trays are huge.”

Concern shone in Marsh’s eyes. “If it’s too much for you, you need to say. One of the other wives will come and help.”

“No, it’s fine. I enjoyed myself. The last few years—I haven’t felt useful. Whenever I cooked for the shearers on your parents’ farm, your mother made out it was her who did the hard work.”

“I wish you’d told me,” Marsh said. “She had no right to treat you that way.”

“Forget it. I didn’t want to worry you.” And she was ashamed of folding so easily. She should have stood up to Marsh’s mother.

“This move is good for both of us. I enjoyed working with the men today. They’re a close-knit group yet they were very welcoming. Felix said I’d appreciate Glenshee’s benefits.”

“That’s great, because the boys are happy too, and I loved my day, even though it was busy.”

“Come and sit with me. I’ll make you a cup of your milo and run you a bath.”

“Sounds like heaven.”

Marsh coddled her, and ten minutes later he started on the promised massage. The scent of lavender oil filled the air, and she lay on her stomach on top of their bed. His hands glided over her shoulders and back, digging into sore muscles and loosening kinks.

She moaned at the sheer decadent pleasure of it, and his chuckle filled the air.

“Not too loud. You’ll wake the boys.”

“Don’t think so,” she retorted. “I checked on them while you were running the bath. They were both sound asleep.”

“Well, in that case.” He turned her over, and his expression had her licking her lips.

“Oh.”

“Oh, indeed.” With great deliberation, he unfastened the buttons of the shirt he’d worn for dinner. He tugged it off his broad shoulders and set it on a chair. His jeans were next.

“No underwear,” she murmured, her avid gaze enjoying the scenery.

“I’ve missed this playful side of you.”

“I’ve missed us.”

“Me too,” he whispered, and then he kissed her, hands scented by lavender oil caressing her shoulders, her neck, cupping her breasts.

She sighed against his mouth, wrapping her hands around his shoulders. Already, aroused from his touches during the massage, she writhed against him, desiring a deeper contact.

“Now,” she gasped. “Please.”

He guided his cock to her and pushed inside in slow increments. This loving…it felt new and special, so special.

“I love you, Marsh.”

“A man never tires of hearing his sexy wife say that.”

A week ago she’d have second-guessed his words, but the change in scenery, a new confidence left her doubts lingering in the dust.

He thrust at speed, driving them both higher, then nibbled on a spot at the base of her neck. He’d bitten her there the previous night. It had hurt, then the pleasure of her orgasm had swamped her and she’d forgotten the brief pain. This morning she’d expected a bloody mess, but there was only a raised mark. When she’d fingered it while in the shower, sparks of enjoyment had coalesced in her pussy. Weird, but every time Marsh touched that spot she lit up like a vibrant firework.

This time was no exception. She gasped and tumbled into intense bliss. The sex between them had always been good, but last night and now—exceptional.

Marsh shuddered above her, his head thrown back, his pretty green eyes shrouded as he climaxed. His face always looked so fierce and primal during their lovemaking. Lucky, she knew and trusted him because that face could scare a woman.

She stared at him, watched for his expression to soften and his eyes to open. There. Intense love for her blazed from him, and she smiled in return.

Lazily, they rearranged their bodies and Marsh snapped off the lamp on his side of the bed. She snuggled into his warmth and thought she’d never been this happy.

Caroline woke the next morning, a few minutes before the alarm was due to chime. She reached over to slap the off button.

“You’re awake,” Marsh whispered next to her ear.