by Jodi Thomas
Hannah moved toward him. Without hesitation, she reached for the bandanna in his hand and began tying it around his neck. He smelled of soap and shaving tonic. She liked the way he stood motionless and allowed her to touch him. She was doing a task wives must do all the time for their husbands. The small intimacy made her fingers tremble. Her hands’ slid over the clean cotton of his shirt and began buttoning.
“You didn’t finish dressing,” she whispered as she watched his eyes darken.
“I was afraid I’d be late for breakfast.” He showed no sign of caring that there was food on the table.
“How’s your lip?” Hannah moved her fingers over the corner of his mouth. “All healed?” She couldn’t resist trailing her fingers across it as she asked.
“I’m not sure,” he whispered, closing his eyes as he enjoyed her touch. “Maybe you’d better test it.”
He didn’t move as she stood on her toes and lightly tasted the corner of his mouth. Her breasts pressed against his folded arms, making every muscle in his arms tighten.
“I truly do enjoy kissing you,” she whispered as she lightly repeated her actions.
“Is this an attraction you’ve had with many men?” he teased.
“No,” she answered. “I’ve only developed the weakness lately. I think I must have caught the illness in a hotel room in Dallas.”
“What happened there?” he mumbled as she continued to tease his mouth with her light kisses.
“I met a man who kissed as if it weren’t a game or a war, but a gift.” She leaned closer, pushing him against the door frame with gentle force.
All his restraint shattered. Ford unfolded his arms and lifted her off the floor. With all thought of breakfast forgotten, he carried her to the couch and dropped her among the cushions. A moment later he spread out beside her.
“I’m through pretending I don’t want this as much as you do. If you want to kiss me, then I’ll kiss you until you’ve had your fill of it. And if you like feeling me next to you, then I plan on getting as close as I can.” He shoved back her hair and placed his hands on either side of her face. “I don’t want to frighten you, Hannah, I only want to drink a little deeper of this pleasure we’ve both found.”
“I’m not frightened,” she answered. “And I’ve been thirsty for more since that first night.”
Ford wrapped his arms around her and pressed against her, letting his weight cover her like a warm blanket. He kissed her deeply and fully as he’d dreamed of doing all night.
“Had enough?” he asked as he shifted and moved her atop him.
“No,” she answered as she wiggled above him, driving him slowly mad. “I never had a man offer to just kiss me and hold me.”
“Never?” He found it hard to believe that she hadn’t been kissed a great deal.
Hannah laughed. “Oh, I had offers, but they were always for more, much more. I just need to be held, because for me there can be nothing else. If I allowed something between us, I’d only end up hurting us both when I leave. This way all we’ll have is a few kisses to remember…or regret.” She tasted the corner of his mouth again. “A few wonderful kisses.”
“Quite a few, I hope.” Ford pulled the collar of her nightshirt down and kissed her throat.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Hannah asked, laughing against his shoulder.
“No,” he whispered as he rubbed his cheek against her hair.
“Well, I am!” came a voice from behind the couch.
“Yeah, when are we gonna get to eat that breakfast we passed in the kitchen?”
Ford bolted up so fast he almost tumbled Hannah to the floor. They both leaned over the back of the cushions and discovered three children staring back at them from the shadows.
Hannah looked at Ford. “Smith children.” She nodded her head once.
“Oh? That explains everything.” Ford forced down a few comments he’d like to add. He knew they were Smith children; anyone could spot the red hair a mile away. The question was, what were they doing in his house? And how long did they plan to stay?
Chapter 16
“SO PA SENT us over to go to school with you,” Travis Smith mumbled between bites of biscuits. “Pa said he already has a passel of kids, and if there’s gonna be room for one more to come into this world, we’ve all got to scoot over.”
“Is your mother doing all right?” Hannah put her uneaten biscuit back on the empty platter and passed it to Sarah Smith.
“She was yelling when we left,” Sarah whispered as she hesitantly took the last piece of bread.
“In pain!” Hannah had never been around a woman who was with child, but she’d heard stories and knew birthing killed more women than anything else.
“No,” Travis answered. “She was yelling for us to mind you while we stayed here and keep out of Mr. Colston’s way.”
“Stayed here!” Ford frowned. “You can’t…”
“Of course they can, Ford. Their mother’s having a baby.”
Hannah stared at him with hundred-proof challenge in her eyes. Though he knew the children would be staying, he didn’t want to give in too easily. Ford tried to think of something clever to say, but all he could think about was that she’d called him by his first name. “I don’t know,” he mumbled. “Maybe I’ll stop by the Smiths’ after I drop you all at school and make sure it’s all right. It doesn’t make sense that Smith would send the kids out this far to board when his cabin is on the other side of town. There must have been ten families you could have stayed with on the road to here.”
“Oh, it weren’t far,” Sarah said. “Jinx brought us here in the mail wagon. Miss Hannah’s uncle Zachery said it would be just fine with you for us to stay. He said his niece’s husband has got plenty of food to feed a few more.”
“Jinx!” both Hannah and Ford said at once. “Zachery?”
Travis’s head bobbed. “Sure. She’s been at our house all night. Her and Dr. Zach.”
Ford and Hannah exchanged glances with one another, then he leaned closer to the child and slowly asked, “Who is Dr. Zach?”
Travis shrugged. “I know he ain’t a human doctor, but he was all Pa could find when Ma sent him to town yesterday. Dr. Stocking was over at the JA Ranch sewing up a cowhand who danced with one too many longhorns.”
Sarah giggled. “You ain’t supposed to dance with them longhorns.”
Travis straightened, trying to look taller in the chair. “I know that,” he said to his sister, then turned back to Hannah. “Your uncle told Pa birthing a horse and birthing a human couldn’t be all that different so he’d try to help. But when he came out of Ma’s room after a few hours, he sure looked like he was going through something different.”
Ford stood. “Get dressed, Hannah. I’ll have the buggy ready in ten minutes. We need to find a few answers.”
Hannah lifted a plate, but Sarah’s tiny hand touched her arm. “You go ahead, Miss Hannah. Me and Travis can clean up. We do it ever’ morning.”
Smiling her thank-you, Hannah rushed to dress. Within half an hour the five of them were snuggled into the buggy. She wanted to go with Ford to the Smiths’ cabin, but children were already arriving at the school when they pulled into the yard.
As he helped her down, she whispered, “Tell Uncle Zachery I plan to kill him when this is over.”
Ford chuckled. “I figured that. But you’ll have to stand in line. I can’t believe the man volunteered my house.” Ford laughed, taking away any threat he was issuing. “Zachery had you worried when he disappeared, didn’t he, darlin’?”
“Panicky is more like it. I kept picturing him and Jinx dead on the road somewhere. Now that I know he’s safe, I plan to murder him for worrying me.” Putting her hand against Ford’s cheek, she added, “I don’t know why you left Saturday night, but I’m glad you’re back.”
“So am I,” he said without offering any reason for his leaving. “I’ll pick you up as soon as school is done. Then maybe we can have a talk.”
T
here was nothing more to say. She wanted to kiss him good-bye, but she knew there were probably a dozen faces pressed against the window watching. The expression in his eyes told her he was thinking the same thing.
Awkwardly, as if he’d never tried such a foolhardy gesture, he lifted her hand to his lips. He turned her glove over, palm up, and pulled down the leather far enough to press his mouth against her wrist where her pulse beat strongest.
Hannah’s heart moved all the way to her throat and pounded so wildly she was sure he could not only feel it in his kiss, but hear every beat. His lips were velvet against her skin, his breath warm. When his tongue slid lightly across her wrist, Hannah felt all the air leave her lungs at once. She looked up in his eyes and saw something she’d never seen before. Passion.
His grip on her hand was tight, steadying her as he slowly replaced the leather over the skin he’d tasted.
“I have to go,” she managed to mumble. The kiss had been polite to anyone watching, but Hannah could still feel the tickle of his tongue against her wrist. In a moment’s time, he’d sliced through all the pretenses they played and told her of a need deep within him. A need only she could fill.
“Until tonight, darlin’.”
His eyes seemed to be telling her so much more than his words. For an instant, she thought he was going to pull her into his arms and kiss her again. If he did, even with everyone watching, she wouldn’t try to stop him. The touch of his tongue had stirred a hunger for more deep within her.
“Until tonight.” She slowly pulled her hand from his, brushing her fingers along his palm, silently telling him she didn’t want to let go.
He cupped his hand as if not wanting to end the touching. Then without another word he turned and climbed back into the buggy.
Hannah stood on the steps of the porch and watched him disappear around the corner of White and Rosenfield’s store. He sat so straight, so strong, his shoulders wide, his powerful legs propped against the side frame of the buggy. She wasn’t sure what she’d silently promised for tonight, but she’d made up her mind to allow him closer, if only to prove to herself that all men’s advances weren’t harsh and cruel.
As she approached the school, she realized she’d been right earlier. All the students’ faces were flattened against the windows, watching.
She ignored their smiles and jabs at one another as she started the second day of her second week of school. Within minutes the whirl of activity made her completely forget everything except trying to stay ahead of the race learning and its distractions waged.
At lunchtime she walked over to White’s and charged another box of soft charcoal pencils, knowing that Ford wouldn’t mind the only expense she’d ever indulged in for herself. If he said anything about it, she’d offer to pay him out of her wages. When she stopped by the students’ homes after school, the children would always tell their parents about her drawings, and sometimes she’d leave them a sketch to keep. So she was always in need of more pencils.
Several people came into the store while she took a little time to look around. They were talking of the weather and complaining about the lack of mail service while they looked over the new merchandise. Their general consensus was that anyone who went out to the Smith cabin never returned. Mrs. Smith must be keeping everyone busy out there.
The Burns brothers came in to buy candy sticks. They both nodded toward Hannah as they passed her. The Burnses were one of only a few families who sometimes sent extra money with their children to school. The brothers giggled and shoved one another in some childhood secret as they stood before the counter and waited for White to have time to wait on them.
Hannah thought of correcting them, but remembered that she was no longer in the classroom.
Turning to leave, she almost ran into Gavrila, who was rushing in. As always, she was overdressed in her layers of wool. A heavy wool dress, a coat, and a full-length cape seemed too much protection for a day that had warmed enough so that the children had elected to eat their lunches outside.
“Hannah!” Gavrila looked truly surprised to see her sister-in-law. “I thought you’d be at the school. Is something wrong? Do you need me to go over and take charge?”
“No,” Hannah answered calmly. “I just walked over to get some charcoal pencils.” She resented Gavrila’s constant need to check up on the school’s progress.
“Oh,” Gavrila answered. “Well, I probably wouldn’t have time anyway. You wouldn’t believe my day.” She passed Hannah and directed her words to everyone within ten feet. “I’ve just run in to pick up a few things. Talk at the sewing circle today was that we’re in for our first spring storm. Nothing’s worse than early thunderstorms when it’s still winter weather.” She glanced around to ensure that everyone in the store had stopped his or her conversation and was listening to her. “I hate this weather. A lady can never plan even her clothing. One minute it’s sunny and an hour later a norther blows in all the way from Canada, with nothing to stop it but a few rows of barbed wire.”
No one said anything, so Gavrila continued. “It’s as unpredictable as that brother of mine.”
“The Ford I know has always been a kind gentleman,” Hannah said, stanching her desire to ask Gavrila if she really thought of herself as taller because she cut Ford down. Her lines were too polished not to have been practiced since childhood. Hannah could almost see a brother and sister fighting over too little love and attention. Gavrila had turned outward, needing everyone’s attention and approval, whereas Ford had turned into himself.
Gavrila leaned close and whispered in a voice still loud enough for everyone to hear, “Well, I hope you never find anything different.”
Hannah moved out of the store before she said anything in answer. She couldn’t change Gavrila’s mind about Ford, but she didn’t have to listen. She hurried back to the school and rang the bell for lunch to end. Most of the students were still chewing as they ran back in, but none complained, because right after lunch was everyone’s favorite hour. Story time. One of the older girls would read and Hannah would open her sketch pad and draw.
Today’s story was Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea.” Several of the children commented that Hannah drew the princess to look like Gavrila. Then they all laughed at how such a silly prince in the story would want a woman who turned black-and-blue from sleeping on a pea tucked beneath twenty mattresses. Since most of them slept on corn cob bedding or in bedrolls brought out by the fire after supper, they couldn’t imagine anyone, except maybe Gavrila, complaining about a pea.
Hannah hung the drawing up with pride among the others. If she stayed the full month, the walls would be covered with her drawings and she’d have a wealth of stories dancing in her head.
When she dismissed school, cleaned all the boards, and banked the fire, she was starting to feel the exhaustion of two nights with little sleep. Two more of the Smith children had made it to school, and all of them seemed to have plans of going home with her.
“Is everyone ready?” she asked as she moved toward the door.
They all fell into line like ducklings as she walked out. She could see Ford’s buggy parked beside White’s store, but he wasn’t in sight. Glancing across the street, she noticed Lewis’s store and post office was still closed. Trying not to let her disappointment show, she walked into White’s.
Ford almost collided with her. He was loaded to chin level with supplies.
“Evening,” she bowed as she held the door for him.
He didn’t speak as he passed her.
Hannah motioned for the children to follow. “Is something wrong?” she asked as she helped the children into the buggy while he loaded the back.
“No,” he answered, but his words were almost a snap.
Watching him closely, she commented, “I didn’t think we needed any more supplies.” Even with the extra children to feed, Ford already had enough stocked to last several months.
“I just wanted to make certain. I thought I’d get
everything so you wouldn’t have to worry about going into White’s again.”
“I don’t mind going in.” Hannah couldn’t make the pieces fit together, no matter how she turned his words. “I went in at lunch today.”
Ford climbed in beside her and sat Sammy Smith on his knee to make a little extra room. “I know; Gavrila told me.”
Another piece, but no sense what the puzzle was, Hannah thought. Why should Ford be angry that she’d used her lunchtime to buy pencils? Or was he mad that she’d talked to his sister? Or had his sister told him something? Hannah was too tired to try and make sense of any of it. She leaned back against the side of the wagon and tried not to think about how tired she was. With the children, there was still much to do before bedtime.
“Did you see Zachery?” she finally gathered the energy to ask.
“Yes,” Ford answered, his voice still laced with a formal flavor. “He said to tell you he’s real sorry to have worried you. It seems he and Jinx were in the middle of a checker game when Smith ran up asking for help. Zachery didn’t want to go, since he’s only delivered cows and horses, but Jinx pulled him along.”
“How is Mrs. Smith?” Hannah couldn’t help but think that Zachery would probably be the last person she’d want around if she was in labor. She suspected most of his personal stories were picked up from another in a bar and were not true-life experiences.
“The woman’s having a hard time, but Smith told me none of her young ones pop out in less than two days. He wouldn’t consider them worth raising if they didn’t take a while to deliver.”
“Should I go help?”
“Have you ever played midwife?”
“No.”
“Then maybe Jinx and Zachery should handle it. I know I was no help while I was there this morning. We can do our share by taking care of these children. Smith kept the oldest one at home to help with the chores and cooking.”
