Page 9 of Reaper

“Yeah, I should look into it.”

“Good!” he says, his tone rising. “I should start giving you rewards for making positive moves.”

I giggle. “Like, a secret bike ride if I sign up for college?”

He smiles and glances at me. “Exactly.”

“What about something bigger? What if I take a test for my license? What prizes have you got for me then?” My tone is playful and upbeat. I don’t actually expect a prize for doing things I should be doing, but this game is fun, and anything that gets me closer to Reaper is a win in my book.

“Well, that’s a big one. You should get an equal prize for that.” He brushes his hand over his beard and stares out the front window in thought. “What about… a day trip. You get your license, and we’ll take a trip out to Whiskey Falls. We can check out the casino and camp under the stars. You still like camping, right?”

I nod and grin ear to ear. “That does sound like a good incentive. Now I just have to figure out how I’ll get all this done without my father noticing.”

“You can study and make your appointment online. I’ll drive you out to the DMV for your test whenever you book it. I’ll even help you practice.”

I’ve been driving farm vehicles most of my life, so I don’t expect there to be too much of a learning curve, but I’ll always take a moment alone with Reaper.

“Yeah. Sounds fun.” I try not to let myself slam face first into a fantasy of Reaper and I alone in a tent, but it’s inevitable, and without notice, my mind has gone to places where his thick cock is spreading me wide. I imagine his big, rough hands all over me, that low growl in his throat, the sound of his voice as he barks out demands.

Heat washes over my face as stones pop beneath the tires. It’s the signal that we’re back on the farm. I don’t know how long I’ve been out in La La Land, but it doesn’t matter because the sight of Dad’s tractor parked in front of the house with him leaning against it is enough to ruin everything.

My stomach tightens. He never parks up here, so he’s got something to say. He can’t possibly know I kissed his friend, right?

How would he know that? He can’t know that. That moment was private, off the farm. No. It’s our secret.

I glance toward Reaper and we both suck in a deep breath.

“He’s probably waiting for the feed.”

I shake my head. “No, the feed bin is still full. This was extra.”

I swallow hard and pop open my door. Maybe this is about the bike ride. He could’ve glanced over and seen us tearing out of the driveway, or back up it. He’s near sighted, but it’s not that bad.

“Hey, Dad!” My tone is light and chipper. Maybe he’ll remember how much he loves me, and he’ll hold back on whatever ridicule he has planned. “We got the feed, and look at all the chicks we picked up. I’m gonna get them all situated. Reaper is just heading out too.” I tip up onto my toes and kiss my father’s cheek, hoping he’ll get the hint and leave everyone alone.

He doesn’t seem amused, and my stomach turns.

He knows something. He’s pissed.

Reaper nods and holds out his hand. You can tell he knows something is up too.

What’s wrong with me? This whole thing is my fault. I went and ruined their relationship. They were getting on just fine until I got in the middle.

“Everything okay, Dad?” I tilt my head to the side as I ask, hoping that once the bomb explodes it misses my eyes.

“Baby girl, we’ll talk privately in a minute… after I say goodbye to Reaper.”

Reaper stands tall, his arms crossed, his feet spread apart. I realize now he stands like a warrior. I wonder if that’s an alpha thing. All I know is it makes me want to slide behind him and disappear against his frame.

He glances toward me and then my father.

“What’s goin’ on, Danny? Everything okay, man?” There’s an edge to his tone as though maybe he wants to be defensive of me, but he’s being careful of the line between us.

Dad looks toward me, his tone low as he says, “Well, what would you say to your daughter if you found out she was looking at colleges out of state?”

My shoulders relax. This is about college, not the kiss, not the bike ride.

“I went out to get the mail today, thinkin’ I was going to see some catalogs and a bill from the electric company, and I see a pamphlet from Washington State University. Do you know how many states away that is?”