Page 23 of The Chance
With his cheeks full of bread, he grinned. Slowly chewing, he nodded. "Yeah. I'll be back at it soon enough."
"Daddy was driving the tractor today, that’s why he's tired and sore," Sophia chirped as she scooped up a heap of mash and let it plop down onto her plate.
The fact Wayne was taking more of a role on the farm was bad news for me, even though everyone else around the table saw it as positive. They didn't realise the effort it took to swallow the tasty turkey, knowing the man beside me would return to his life in Dublin, severing the fragile ties I had tethered to my hopeful heart. At least I would have the chance to say goodbye and offer him friendship with the goal of kindling something long term.
Once all the plates were scraped clean, Sophia slid her ankles under her bottom and sat upright. "Let's play truth or dare." Her little face lit up. "We always play it, Lexi. Daddy dared me to eat squirty cream from the canister. It was funny."
Monica freed her russet curls from a low ponytail and ruffled it between her fingers. Her chin bobbed, and I noticed the subtle similarity between her and Seb. She was feminine and pretty, whereas he was handsome and rugged. "Right, I'll go first. Sophia. Truth or dare."
"DARE!" she squealed, her face beaming.
"Okay, I dare you to put three marshmallows in your mouth and say, 'Chubby Bunnies'!" Monica rose from the table when Sophia clapped her hands over her mouth.
"I love mallows!" Her shrill voice was muffled by chubby fingers.
"Here, sweetheart." Monica handed her two pale pink and one white marshmallows.
The little girl packed the soft sugary treats into her small mouth, so her cheeks were puffed out like a hamster. "Bubby Bubbies." Tears of laughter rolled down her rosy cheeks.
I know I should've focused on the silliness around me, but the thunderous laughter from Seb to my left was making me giddy, never mind the heavenly sensation of his fingers grazing my knuckles beneath the table.
Slimy mallows landed on a napkin and Sophia shouted, "My turn! Uncle Sebastian. Truth or dare."
His arm tensed and the stroking stopped. "Truth," he replied with a tight smile.
"Do you like Lexi, like Daddy likes Mummy?" The words flew out of her mouth and into the room like an out of tune orchestra. His hand slid away from mine, leaving it cold and lonely.
"Oh, honey. You can't ask that!" Monica chastised.
Yes! Yes, she can, I want to know. Turning to face his side profile, I waited for the reply.
"Okay. I'll ask another one. Am I your most favourite?" Her meek smile was sweet and cute, and she was utterly oblivious to the devastation that had just hit my gut with a silent jab causing mountains of mayhem in my mind. He didn't answer her first truth. Which meant he didn't feel the same way. This was just a formality, a means to end - sex.
"You're my most favourite niece in the whole world, Sophia."
"Right, who wants a glass of wine? Lexi?" Monica met my wide-eyed daze, obviously feeling sorry for me.
"Yeah, sure." And then I'm going to run for the hills, alone.
Seb’s shoulder nudged mine when he leaned into me. Warm puffs of air teased the hair draping my pinked cheeks. "I'm really sorry about that, Lexi. She's just a kid. To her everything is simple."
"It doesn't have to be difficult." I turned into him, meeting his gaze.
"I do like you, Lexi. A lot."
My heart skipped. "I like you too."
His eyes darkened to a shade of wickedness. "Forget the wine, Monica. I need to speak to Lexi outside."
* * *
The moon was pinned high in a clear navy sky, glittering pale light across the yard and helping me to see where he was leading me. Well, when I say leading, it was more like being dragged at haste by a hot and horny predator. The hay barn was a wall of intricately linked rectangular bales and the smell was sweet with a hint of mustiness. Leaving the fresh air, we hurried inside where shadows disguised the corrugated iron walls and the bales of hay towered over our heads.
"Hay buffers sound, so no one will hear us." He bumped into me with one purpose, and the look in his eyes gave it all away. "When I was growing up, my dad ordered me to move bales from one side of the barn to the other, when he caught me slacking on chores. I’d come in here as a hot-headed teen and leave physically exhausted. It gave me time to think. I'd imagine having a girl in here with me." He shunted his groin into my hip. “I had all sorts of ideas about what I’d do to that imaginary girl.” My head tipped back expectantly. “But I left the farm before I could make those fantasies a reality.”
In that moment he was the perfect blend of dominating city business owner and filthy hot country farmer. The two worlds collided, creating an irresistible combination.
"Show me what you wanted to do to her." I pressed my chest to his.
