Chapter Fifteen
It took Aidan two hours walking behind a team of plow horses to get the image of Maura's bed-tousled appearance out of his head.
He snapped the reins against the broad muscular backs of the pair of draft horses pulling the plow through the fields, dragging the tines through the soil to break up the big clods the tractors made in preparation for planting.
He had come close this morning to pushing Maura back against the sheets and stripping her of every stitch of clothing. The thought of being intimate with her again made him want her even more. It wasn't the first time either. In fact, every night he shared her bed made it harder and harder to resist. He swore if it wasn't for Tommy reminding him almost daily of their plan, he wasn't certain he could have abstained.
"Aidan, why don't you take over drivin’ tractor a spell. I'll drive the ponies." His dad called down to him from the high seat of one of the tractors.
"Nah, I'm good. I've got my rhythm going. Don't wanna mess it up."
His dad nodded and drove toward the east horizon. His dad and Harvey had been driving the pair of tractors for the last two weeks. They ripped at the vegetation roots, then he and Levi, one of the newest hands, drove a team of drafts pulling a harrow to bust up the bigger clods.
If today's schedule went according to plan, they could bring in the seeders tomorrow. By the end of this week, they would have their crop of wheat in the ground. That would be a huge relief since the fall growing season would be starting in another month.
Aidan snapped the reins again, urging the large horses forward. He walked behind them step for step, Willow following his every move. The monotonous nature of the work allowed his thoughts to wander back to this morning and the image of the woman he left in his bed.
It was as if his thoughts conjured her into existence. She appeared in the row ahead of him and waved.
He smiled, caught himself, then nodded. He didn't need to get friendly with the enemy. But was she? The enemy? He had no idea anymore.
She moved on over the rows and headed in the direction where their two dads worked driving the tractors.
Someone called out to him. He pulled the big draft horse to a stop.
“Hey, Tommy. You’re gonna get those fancy shoes of yours dirty out here. Why don’t you put on some work books when you head out across a plowed field?” Aidan teased his friend.
“Yeah, well why don’t you stop looking at her like that? You are fallin’ for her, aren’t you?
Aidan tied the reins to the brake handle and dug into the tool box for a fruit jar full of water.
Aidan looked across the field. Maura was handing his dad a jar of water. He had to admit Maura was a damned hard worker and nothing at all like he thought she would be being kin to that no good Harvey Jackson.
His dad climbed down off the tractor and gave her a fatherly hug. It was obvious his dad cared for his new daughter-in-law. Aidan wondered what would happen when he told his parents he and Maura might not stay married.
He was pretty sure his dad wasn’t going to like his idea one bit. He took another quick glance to Maura. And neither would his mom. Or Nola. He didn’t even want to think about what his sharp-tongued Nessa would say.
Maura must have sensed his eyes on her. She turned and smiled. Shy. Sweet. If he were totally honest with himself, he wasn’t one hundred percent he was gonna like it either. Maybe he needed to rethink this plan of his.
"You’ve let that Jackson girl get under your skin, haven’t you? Because if you have, Aidan, our plan is not gonna work."
Aidan glanced back in Maura’s direction. He watched her carry the jars of water in a basket looped over her arm to her father. The man took the jar, drank from it and gave it back to his daughter without a word. The man was a selfish bastard.
He was suddenly aware of Tommy talking to him. “I asked you a question? Is that daughter of Harvey Jackson getting under your skin?" Tommy stepped in front of him blocking his view of Maura.
Aidan and Tommy had been friends since they were in kindergarten. He loved Tommy like the brother he never knew, but at this moment, he was thinking about giving him a brotherly punch to the nose.
"She’s got a name, Tommy. It’s Maura. And, I don't answer to you, so don't push me." Aidan stood to his full six foot two and looked down on Tommy's shorter stature. He saw the anger on Tommy's face giving way to resignation.
"Look, Aidan. I thought we had a plan. You know, to keep you from being tied to that Jackson clan for the rest of your life. You said you didn't want to be married to Maura Jackson, and I am trying to help you out. But if you've changed your mind, tell me now."
"I don't know what I want at the moment, Tommy. Just sit tight and let's see where this takes us, okay?"
"Sure, Aidan. I'm here for you. That's all. By the way, any news on the baby front? I mean, do you know whether or not Maura is pregnant?"
Aidan didn't want to think about that. The only time he had sex with Maura was on their wedding night and the morning after. But he had to admit, it was getting harder and harder to resist his saucy wife. The only thing that was keeping him at arm’s length was the possibility Maura was pregnant with someone else's child.
"I haven't heard anything. I'm assuming there's no baby. But I guess that's one thing time will tell us."
"Yeah, time will tell. Here she comes. I think I'll head out." Tommy slapped him on the shoulder. "Think about the consequences of giving up on our plan, Aidan. You will be miserable for the rest of your life if you settle for Maura as your wife. She's not Beth. She's Harvey Jackson’s daughter, and everyone knows Jackson can't be trusted. It's a matter of time before she betrays you, and if you have a child with her, you are stuck in a life of misery. Think about it."
"I will." Aidan was less than convinced this was still a good idea, but he wasn’t ready to give up on Beth either. The truth was he was torn between his growing feelings for Maura and his simmering feelings for Beth. If only Beth would show a little interest in him.
Tommy turned and stepped gingerly across the turned-up rows of soil in his worn-out expensive shoes. Tommy was used to nice things, and the downturn in his family's economic situation was hard on him.
Aidan's family had been well off too. The difference between him and Tommy was Aidan liked the simple life. Tommy had lived on top of the world with the best of everything. It was a long fall to the bottom of the barrel, and Tommy didn't like rubbing elbows with people he thought inferior to his social status. It could be that was why Tommy had it in for Maura and her family.
"Hi, was that Tommy who just left?" Maura reached into her basket and handed him a jar of water. He shook his head and showed her his. She nodded and stood in awkward silence.
"Yeah, he just stopped by for a quick visit."
"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to say hello to him. He always seems to be avoiding me.” Maura turned her face to him in question.
"Nah, that's Tommy. Always mad at the world. Don't worry about it." He tried to dismiss her concerns, but he knew he wasn’t being honest.
Maura nodded her understanding, but he could tell she wasn't convinced. He changed the subject.
"What are your plans for today?"
"Momma, Nola, and I are working in the herb garden today. We’ll take inventory and weed. Then next week, we’ll cultivate whatever is ready and head into town to sell whatever we can to the grocery store. Maybe even sell a few on the street corner. Who knows?"
"You won't go by yourself, will you? I mean there are so many panhandlers going from door to door, begging for food. If they see ladies with money, their needs might overcome their senses. Someone might get hurt."
Maura nodded in agreement. "That's why we are going together. Your mom may even go. I doubt any one man would accost four ladies armed with heavy baskets, booted feet, and bony fists."
Aidan laughed at the vision Maura's words created. She laughed with him, and the sound of it made him want to reach for her.
She sobered, and the same sexual heat he felt in his southern region now showed in Maura's eyes.
He thought about what Tommy had just said to him about the plan, and he realized he needed to make a conscious decision to go one way or the other. If he didn't, it was obvious to a blind fool that the decision was going to be made for him when he lost his ability to resist his beautiful wife's charms and bedded her. Again.
"Well, I guess I’d better get back to work." Aidan knew it sounded lame, but it was the best he could come up with at the moment, considering his head was filled with lustful thoughts.
He saw the disappointment on Maura's face, but it couldn't be helped. At least not until he decided which crossroad he was going to take.