The Dairy Farmer’s Daughter (Heart of the Hinterland #1)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

J ustin and Freya had finished unpacking the groceries, and putting things away in the kitchen, when there was a knock on the door.

Justin turned to see Fred waiting for him. "Afternoon."

"Sorry to bother you." Fred looked from Justin to Freya but didn't make a comment. “We've got an orphaned calf down in the shed."

Freya moved beside him. "Is it a newborn?"

Fred nodded. "A big one too. Looks like there was some problems birthing and the mother didn't make it."

"Is the calf okay?" Justin asked.

"Should be fine. She's in a nice, dry pen."

Freya touched his shoulder. "You must be tired. We'll look after her tonight; you head home."

Fred gave her a weary smile, and Justin realised he must have been on the job for more than twelve hours. "That's right. We'll look after the calf."

"I appreciate it. She'll need a feed in a little bit."

"Don't you worry about anything. Go home and get a good night’s sleep.” Freya waved him home before turning back to Justin. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a poddy calf.”

“A what?”

“An orphaned calf is called a ‘poddy calf’. Now let’s go and find a bottle and give her a feed.”

They put on their boots and walked down to the milking shed, where Freya hunted around for a bottle and teat.

After finding them, she filled the bottle up from a tanker and secured the teat on top. The calf was alone in a pen, bleating hungrily when they found her.

Freya murmured softly and offered the calf the bottle. It was apprehensive at first then, with a little coaxing, took the teat in its mouth and sucked hungrily.

"Your turn." She offered Justin the upturned bottle.

Justin shook his head and stepped back. "I've never done it before."

"There's nothing to it. Just take the bottle and hold it at this level.

He took the bottle from her and held on as the calf pushed and pulled on the teat until the bottle was empty.

"Does she need more? How do you know that's enough?"

"She's a newborn so we just fed her colostrum and that's all she needs today. Soon she'll go on the milk feeder with the other calves."

Justin took in the size of the black and white calf. “ She's a newborn? She's huge."

"Usually they're born at around 30 kilograms. This one's a lot bigger though. I'm not surprised the mother didn't make it," Freya said as she cleaned the bottle, and left it to dry on the sink.

He shouldn't have been surprised. This was a working farm—animals were born and died every day. It was part of the life cycle. Fundamentally he knew this, but being here, seeing it in person, made it really sink in.

He watched Freya as she dried her hands on a towel. Her hair was swept up in a top knot and she looked sexy as hell, even in her muddy black gumboots.

It wasn’t just the farm.

She made him more aware of life, of love than he ever had been before.

Justin was bone-cold and shivering as he finished spraying the antiseptic on the last of the cups and put the spray away for the following morning.

Freya had slept over last night and woken him early, insisting they help with the morning milking, despite the cold rain that had pelted down consistently overnight.

The sound of rain hitting the iron roof drowned out all sounds as the last of the animals left the stalls with full bellies and empty udders.

"You look like you could use a warm shower," Freya said, a healthy blush on her cheeks, and a satisfied grin on her face.

He nodded. "A shower would be great."

They let Fred know they were going, before turning up the collars on their jackets and facing the wet, grey day.

"Want to make a run for it?" Freya asked.

"Do you think it will ease?" He looked towards the clouds, dark and thick.

"The alternative is to stay down here."

He glanced around. "I don't think I can get any colder than I already am."

She took his hand in hers, and they started running. Freya's boot got caught halfway to the house and she slipped forward, causing Justin to lose his balance as well, until they both fell flat on their backs in the mud. The cold rain sluiced down their faces. He rolled over and looked at Freya. She was laughing, despite the rain soaking her.

He chuckled, and stood and wiped his muddy hands on his jeans, before offering one to her. She grabbed his hand and let him help her up, still laughing as the rain soaked her hair and clothes further.

“What’s so funny?” He wiped mud from her cheek.

“This is,” she replied. “You and me out here while it's raining. Don't you love the rain?" She leaned back and opened her mouth.

He couldn’t help but watch in awe, admiring her free spirit and nature-loving attitude. So instead of being smart, and running up to the house, he pulled her closer to him and kissed the smile right off her face. The passion built between them. Freya turned serious and took his hands in hers. Together, they sprinted the final distance back to the house.

They discarded their dirty boots and jackets at the door. He leaned in and claimed her mouth with a searing kiss. It was slow, and hot, and deep; his body pressed her back against the wall, so she could feel every solid, taut, inch of him.

He felt like a man possessed, and nothing in the world could have kept him from her. He carried her to the bathroom and flicked the heater on. He ran one hand down her curves and felt her tremble at his touch, and lord, he loved how responsive she was, how he could see the effect he had on her, her desire just as wild as the fire burning in his own veins. She felt so good in his arms, her curves moulding against him eagerly as she pressed ever closer.

While the water heated up, he lovingly undressed her, memorising every inch of her skin. Then she helped him out of his own clothes before they stepped into the shower together.

He soaped his hands and glided them up and down her arms and legs, across her back and belly, and over her breasts. Then he sank to his knees and tasted her core. She writhed in pleasure, pushing herself into his mouth and hands, as he worked his own kind of magic.

She pulled him up and wrapped her legs around him as he pushed himself into her. He watched her face—her eyes closed, and she appeared to be savouring every single sensation.

God, she was beautiful. And his, all his.

He cupped her chin with one hand and leaned in close. His kiss was hot and fierce, his body hard and tense, as if he could show her without words how he felt about her.

She cried out his name as they came together, a hot mess of limbs and satisfaction.

They had dried off after their shower and retreated to the warmth of the bed. Contented and happy, Justin lay on his back with Freya's body cradled against his side, her head on his chest.

"I wish we could stay here all day." Her voice was wistful.

"Me too." He drew lazy circles on her back with his fingertips.

She rested her chin on him, and she looked at his face. "I have to get up though. I have to prepare for the ag show this weekend."

He frowned. "What ag show?”

“The Maleny Agricultural Show is on this Friday and Saturday.”

“Is that like the Brisbane Ekka, with rides and show bags?"

She giggled. "Yes, but on a much smaller scale. This is just a country show with more of an emphasis on the animals and machinery than sideshow alley and fairy floss."

He smiled at her as he said teasingly, "But just so I've got this correct, there will be dagwood dogs, right?"

"Yes, there will be dagwood dogs." She climbed on top of him, straddling his hips. "I can't believe you like them. They're just a sausage on a stick, covered in batter and fried."

In between kisses, he murmured back at her, "Not all of us were raised with chefs in the family."

She started nibbling his neck, kissing down his chest.

"What else can I expect from this show?"

"Dad is one of the cattle judges"—she licked, and nibbled, and sucked—"and Greer is entering the cake-decorating competition.”

He groaned as she teased one of his nipples. “Are you entering anything?”

“No, but I'm running a stall for Emerald Hills. We'll have samples and kids’ activities."

"Will you be busy the whole time?” His mind was starting to cloud over with desire, and he didn't know how much more he could take.

"I'm sure I'll be able to get away for a little while and show you some of the show highlights." Her hand headed south, and he gasped as she clenched him.

"There's a rodeo on Saturday night and fireworks," she said casually. “It’ll be fun.”

Justin was breathing deeply, practically gasping, as she moved her hand up and down. “I know something else that’s fun.”

“Umm …" She exhaled as she wriggled her way down his body and took him between her teeth.

He sank back onto the bed and thanked his lucky stars he had stayed in town.