about it.”
He kissed her again, fuller this time, longer. When he pulled away she was breathless. “Are you ready for dessert, Mrs. Stone?”
“What?” she managed in a weak voice.
He grinned, pleased with himself. “Shall I make us some tea and we can sit in the parlor a while?”
Fina looked at him in shock. “Tea? You want to make tea at a time like this?”
He laughed. “At a time like what, beautiful?”
“I… Ohhhh, buggeration! How do you manage to do this to me? I can't go on like this!”
“Like what, beautiful?”
“Oh… will you shut up!” she exclaimed as she put her hands in his hair and pulled his face to hers. Fina, much to her own surprise, then took the lead and kissed him. It was then that she realized this was the dessert he was talking about.
Ten
Fina lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Last night had been heaven, and Levi stayed true to his word. Of course, that didn't mean he hadn't kissed her, or held her, or whispered in her ear, among other things. But what he also did was respect her, and let her know he could reduce her to a blithering puddle of jelly if he so chose. And even though he had reduced her to such a state, he at least kept her from blithering like an idiot by kissing her into silence.
He'd made tea, just as he’d said he would, and they sat in companionable silence on the sofa, each with their cups. But then he began to work his magic and gave her that look. The one that meant he desired her. What else could it mean? After he looked at her like that, he would get as close as possible, hold her, and then kiss her. But last night, he not only kissed her lips but her mind and heart as well. When he spoke to her, it was as if they’d known each other all their lives, but only Levi remembered it. He told her things about herself that deep down in her heart she knew, but how could he know such things? Was he truly that perceptive?
There was a knock on the bedroom door. Fina sat up. “Yes?”
“You gonna lay around in there all day, Mrs. Stone?” Levi called through the door.
She smiled and remembered the kiss he gave her, before retiring to the barn for the night. When she asked why he wasn't going to sleep in the other bedroom, he said nothing. Instead, he looked at her with a hunger she could not fathom, bowed, and left the house. She swore she heard him dump water on himself in front of the barn, but by the time she looked, he was gone.
“Let me get dressed,” she shouted at the door. “And then I shall be more than happy to burn your breakfast for you!” Deep male laughter erupted from the hall, and then slowly faded as he descended the stairs to the kitchen.
She let out a contented sigh, drew her legs up, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She looked out the window and recalled every last endearment he’d said the night before
beautiful, darling, my rose of Sharon, wife.
Fina took a deep breath. “And to think I still have seven days to go. However shall I make it?” It was only a matter of time before he wore her down and she knew it, just as he did. Well, he had another think coming! She’d busy herself with her painting and not think about last night. Besides, there was one thing about her new husband that puzzled her.
She got out of bed and went to the trunk. “Where could he have gotten such a thing?” she asked aloud then quickly glanced at the door. Had he heard? Did he know that she'd seen what was in the jewelry box? But how could he? She did admit to looking in the trunk, so wouldn't he conclude that she'd sorted through its contents?
Her eyes glued themselves to the trunk again. If she looked now, she'd be late starting breakfast and he might get suspicious. But when would she have another chance? If she'd been smart, she’d have looked at the jewelry box last night when she went to bed and would have, if her husband hadn’t had her so besotted. But maybe that was his game; to keep her off balance and make
He kissed her again, fuller this time, longer. When he pulled away she was breathless. “Are you ready for dessert, Mrs. Stone?”
“What?” she managed in a weak voice.
He grinned, pleased with himself. “Shall I make us some tea and we can sit in the parlor a while?”
Fina looked at him in shock. “Tea? You want to make tea at a time like this?”
He laughed. “At a time like what, beautiful?”
“I… Ohhhh, buggeration! How do you manage to do this to me? I can't go on like this!”
“Like what, beautiful?”
“Oh… will you shut up!” she exclaimed as she put her hands in his hair and pulled his face to hers. Fina, much to her own surprise, then took the lead and kissed him. It was then that she realized this was the dessert he was talking about.
Ten
Fina lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. Last night had been heaven, and Levi stayed true to his word. Of course, that didn't mean he hadn't kissed her, or held her, or whispered in her ear, among other things. But what he also did was respect her, and let her know he could reduce her to a blithering puddle of jelly if he so chose. And even though he had reduced her to such a state, he at least kept her from blithering like an idiot by kissing her into silence.
He'd made tea, just as he’d said he would, and they sat in companionable silence on the sofa, each with their cups. But then he began to work his magic and gave her that look. The one that meant he desired her. What else could it mean? After he looked at her like that, he would get as close as possible, hold her, and then kiss her. But last night, he not only kissed her lips but her mind and heart as well. When he spoke to her, it was as if they’d known each other all their lives, but only Levi remembered it. He told her things about herself that deep down in her heart she knew, but how could he know such things? Was he truly that perceptive?
There was a knock on the bedroom door. Fina sat up. “Yes?”
“You gonna lay around in there all day, Mrs. Stone?” Levi called through the door.
She smiled and remembered the kiss he gave her, before retiring to the barn for the night. When she asked why he wasn't going to sleep in the other bedroom, he said nothing. Instead, he looked at her with a hunger she could not fathom, bowed, and left the house. She swore she heard him dump water on himself in front of the barn, but by the time she looked, he was gone.
“Let me get dressed,” she shouted at the door. “And then I shall be more than happy to burn your breakfast for you!” Deep male laughter erupted from the hall, and then slowly faded as he descended the stairs to the kitchen.
She let out a contented sigh, drew her legs up, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She looked out the window and recalled every last endearment he’d said the night before
beautiful, darling, my rose of Sharon, wife.
Fina took a deep breath. “And to think I still have seven days to go. However shall I make it?” It was only a matter of time before he wore her down and she knew it, just as he did. Well, he had another think coming! She’d busy herself with her painting and not think about last night. Besides, there was one thing about her new husband that puzzled her.
She got out of bed and went to the trunk. “Where could he have gotten such a thing?” she asked aloud then quickly glanced at the door. Had he heard? Did he know that she'd seen what was in the jewelry box? But how could he? She did admit to looking in the trunk, so wouldn't he conclude that she'd sorted through its contents?
Her eyes glued themselves to the trunk again. If she looked now, she'd be late starting breakfast and he might get suspicious. But when would she have another chance? If she'd been smart, she’d have looked at the jewelry box last night when she went to bed and would have, if her husband hadn’t had her so besotted. But maybe that was his game; to keep her off balance and make
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