by Gordon, Rose
Ella moved her leg an inch forward, allowing him to roll it down more easily. He’d noticed when she’d first dropped her gown that she hadn’t worn her pantalets today. Now that he was positioned between her parted legs, he almost wished she had. Almost. He tore his eyes away from where they’d strayed and rolled down her second stocking, taking care to go slow over where she’d been bitten.
“How does your leg feel?” He gently guided his hand along her calf.
“A little tender.”
“Sorry.” He removed his hand and stood. “I’ll pour that water in now.” Two pails weren’t enough to fill the tub, not by half, but it would offer enough water for a comfortable bath. He offered Ella his hand and interlaced their fingers for the three steps it took them to reach the tub. “Why don’t you put your left leg in?”
She gave him a queer look.
“That way, you don’t take the scab off your other.”
Her eyes widened as if she’d forgotten, and then she bit her lip. “Maybe I shouldn’t bathe yet.”
“Nonsense. You can prop your ankle up on the edge of the tub so your calf will stay dry.” He urged her in, then released her hand and moved to stand behind her. Would she reach for her chemise, or should he? Or did she wish to keep it on? Surely not, she hadn’t bathed since she’d been here—the times he’d washed her with a wet cloth certainly didn’t count—and who knew when she’d last bathed on her way here. She’d relax better and get cleaner without it. He lowered his lashes and reached hesitant hands toward the sides of the fabric that hung mid-thigh then lifted it.
She showed no sign of protest, exciting him in ways he didn’t expect. Perhaps she was ready? He lifted it up past her breasts and caught a glimpse of the side of one. He knew he should look away, but he just couldn’t. Not yet.
“Is it caught on my hair?”
Her question pulled him from his lusty thoughts and his eyes shot to where the collar of her chemise was hooked under her bun. “Just a little.” He grimaced at his ragged voice, then moved his thumb to free her chemise from her hair. “It might be best to wait to wash your hair until you can get your leg wet, that way you don’t bump it.”
She sighed. “It’s probably best that way. I’ll leave it up then. Allison helped me comb it the other day and put it up like this. If I take it down, I might get it tangled.”
“It’s beautiful.” He’d never given a thought about hair before, but as he looked at hers and said those words, he realized he’d meant them. Her hair truly was beautiful. He removed her chemise and tossed it on the bed behind him. The skin on her back was flawless. Smooth and without blemish. He trailed a single fingertip down her spine, taking a small measure of pride when she shivered in response. “Are you ready?”
Ella turned slightly, offering him an unobstructed profile view. “It feels strange with only one foot in the water.”
Jack repositioned himself and put one hand on each of her sides, then eased her into the water. He tightened his grip when she grew unsteady and almost lost her balance as her bottom neared the water. “Lean to the left a little more. There you go. Can you bring your right foot up and put your ankle on the edge? I won’t drop you, I promise.”
Her movements were unsteady as she moved her foot, whether due to fear of losing her balance or nerves about her current state, he’d never know. When her foot was secure, he scooted her back slightly, then removed his hands so she could get comfortable.
“Is this all right?”
“Yes. Do you have any soap?”
“Of course.” He retrieved the soap and a rag from the shelf and handed them to her.
“Thank you. W-would you like to sit?”
Of course. Is inside the tub an option? It wouldn’t end well if he rushed her, he reminded himself, taking a seat on the floor with his back touching the side of the tub. It wasn’t where he wanted to sit, but it was the best choice. The safest choice.
Only a moment later, he was reminded of, and glad he’d made, this choice when the unmistakable sound of old wooden bedposts scraping the floor, muffled only by a thin wall, filled the air.
“What is that?”
Jack grimaced. “Wes and Allison are having their own target practice session,” he said as evenly as he could despite the way he wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Silence was Ella’s only response. Then just as quickly, the air filled with what had to be the most pleasurable sound Jack had ever heard: Ella’s giggles. “I hope she remembered to make him wear his covering. I rather like having her around.”
Jack tipped his head back far enough to see her face. “I rather like having you around, too.”
~Chapter Thirty~
Ella’s breath caught in her throat. Did he really enjoy having her around? Surely, he wouldn’t just say that without meaning it. “I like being here,” she said in the barest whisper, unsure if he could hear her or not.
He lifted his head and straightened. “How are you getting along with the other wives?”
She frowned. “Fine. Why do you ask?”
“You’d mentioned earlier they were laughing at you. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t feel out of place.”
She released a breath she didn’t even know she was holding. “No. They’ve been very nice to me. I like them a lot. They were all laughing because I’d...well, you know. Thinking on it now, they were probably just as uncomfortable as I was.”
Jack bent forward and unlaced his boots. “You know that you could have just asked me.”
“Well, I didn’t know it was such a personal thing. If I had known, then there wouldn’t have been a need to ask.”
“Point taken.” He kicked his boots off, then used his right foot to push them out of his way. “Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“I don’t think so,” she lied. She was curious about everything, but now didn’t seem the time to tell him that. Just as he’d been hot then cold out shooting the gun—one minute giving her the idea that he’d like to pursue the intimate side of their marriage, then a second later seeming indifferent— he’d been the same way in their room. One statement seemed to contradict another, and one action gave her hope as the next took it away. She couldn’t possibly put her heart on display for him that way. What if she’d misunderstood and he rejected her? She slid her fingers into the back of his thick, black hair. “Would you like to take your turn now?”
“Only if you’re finished. I don’t want to rush you.”
“I’m as finished as I can be.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’ve cleaned everything but my leg.”
He shifted to face her. “I can help you with that.”
Her voice failed her and she nodded.
“Soap?”
Ella handed it to him, too preoccupied wondering about the hoarseness of his voice to offer him the cloth, too.
Jack walked on his knees to the end of the tub and set the soap down beside him. He reached one hand into the water, then using his hand as a scoop, poured water on her leg to wet it. He picked the soap back up and gave it a few spins before putting it back and bringing both of his hands to her leg.
His touch was nearly her undoing. Her skin heated and quivered under his hands. She fought not to let her leg relax too much and fall to the side, but when he reached her knee and touched her thigh, she could fight it no longer. Her entire body was now exposed to him, and as shameful as some might find it, she didn’t have the slightest urge to cover herself.
Jack’s hands made their way back down her leg and to her ankle. He slid his right hand under her calf and lifted her foot before washing it better than her foot had likely ever been washed before. He rinsed his hands, then her leg. “My turn.” He stood abruptly, his brown eyes wide. “I mean to bathe. Not for you to wash me.”
She allowed herself a smile and held her hand up to him. She’d drown as a boneless heap if he didn’t help her.
Wordlessly, he helped her out of
the tub, then wrapped her in a towel.
She bit her lip. She was dressed in only a towel and she’d wanted to seduce him, hadn’t she? Now would be a good time to continue. Although, he hadn’t been a very good seductee. She’d just been completely naked and exposed, and he’d stayed right on his task. Sighing, she padded over to the drawer where she kept her chemises. She dropped the towel and pulled one on, chancing a quick glance at Jack.
He was already in the tub and the only parts of him that were visible were the back of his head and his shoulders. “You can snuff the candles if you’d like to lie down.”
“Don’t you need them to see?” she asked, climbing into bed.
The water splashed. “I’ll only be a minute or so longer and there’s still enough light outside for me to see to get out and dress.”
Yes, but there wasn’t enough light out for her to see him. At least not more than a general outline of his form.
She snuffed the candle by their bed and laid her head against the pillow. She deserved this, she supposed. He had every right to be disinterested in her. She’d done nothing those first few days to give him a reason to want to pursue her. That’s all right, she told herself. She had no desire to leave him now, not unless he didn’t want her here... No. That was impossible. If he didn’t want her any longer, surely he’d have said so by now. Sent her home or even hinted that she should return at the very least.
The mattress dipped and Jack crawled in beside her, his warmth spreading over her like a second blanket.
“Did you have a good afternoon?” he asked quietly.
“With you? Yes.”
“Good.” He reached for her hand and entwined their fingers. “Tomorrow, the majority of the men at the fort will be off, and I hate to inform you of this, but it means you’ll have to spend the majority of the day with me.”
Ella’s lips stretched into a wide smile as all sorts of seductive ideas filled her head before she drifted off to sleep.
***
“What shall we do today?” Ella asked, looking down at him from where she’d propped her cheek against her palm, with her elbow sticking into the pillow. “Shoot your gun again?”
He covered his face with his hands and groaned.
She knew she’d been bad. She was a woman with small hands and weak muscles. “Surely, I wasn’t so bad. Once you showed me the trick with the cock—”
“Hammer,” he interrupted. He dropped his hands and rolled to face her, the sheets shifting and pooling above his waist, offering Ella a full view of the broad expanse of his muscled chest and abdomen. “Did you ever watch the men play rounders when you were younger?”
Memories of men with bats and a ball came to mind. “Yes. Is there supposed to be a game?”
“This afternoon.” He reached forward and adjusted the strap on her chemise. “Until then, I’m all yours. Provided you want me.”
She lifted a finger and ran it down the blade of his nose. “Of course I want you.”
He grasped her wrist and brought her knuckles to his lips. “Good.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her hand, then set their hands down. “Do you feel up to riding a horse?”
“I’m not sure I should. My leg still hurts a little when I put pressure on it.”
“What if we share a mount? You can sit and relax and I’ll drive him.”
The thought of sharing a horse with him, their bodies so close, made her skin prickle with anticipation. “I think that sounds perfect.”
His face went blank and he nodded once. Then in one swift motion, he rolled out of bed. A temporary feeling of disappointment came over Ella when she discovered that he’d put his trousers back on to sleep in. She threw off the thought along with the sheets and got out of bed.
Jack had found a home for some of her gowns while she’d been sick. Unfortunately for her, she’d brought more dresses than she’d be able to store. Perhaps with a few alterations, she could give some of them to Allison. She opened the crude wardrobe, which must have been moved up while she was unconscious, and withdrew a simple pale blue dress. She’d always felt nervous wearing it back in Savannah because when she’d sewn it, she’d been a little younger. By the time she’d finished it, her breasts had gotten a bit fuller, leading the fabric of her dress to hug up against them in a way that drew everyone’s attention. And that was why this dress would be perfect for today. Jack would be drawn to her and see her as a woman, not just as a body in need of tender care as he saw her now.
She dressed and turned in time to see him look up from lacing his boots. His fingers stilled. “That’s a very—” he practically gulped— “beautiful dress.”
She gave him her best smile and clasped her hands in front of her, waiting for him to finish.
“Are you ready?”
“No breakfast?”
Jack picked up a small leather bag. “I thought we’d take a picnic.”
“More bread and apples?” she teased.
“And jerky.” Jack offered her his arm and led her from their room and across the courtyard of the barracks to the stable. “Did your father ever allow you to ride horses?”
“Sometimes. But not since my sister Michaela was thrown from one.”
Jack handed Ella the bag that held their lunch and set the bridle for their horse. “Do you miss her?”
Ella’s heart slammed in her chest. “Of course I miss her.” She missed her father, too, but didn’t wish to give him any ideas of sending her home. She took a step back and allowed Jack to lead his horse from the stables. He didn’t have any siblings. At least he hadn’t mentioned any, and she assumed if they existed, he’d have mentioned them when he spoke of his parents. For as lonely as she’d felt at times these past few days without Michaela, she wondered how lonely Jack felt at times. He had no one. No one to write letters to or visit. No one to think of fondly. She had the strangest urge to wrap him in a hug. “Do you think you’ll miss Wes and Gray when your time here is done?”
He stopped the horse and nodded, a gleam of sadness in his eyes. “I do. They’re the closest thing I have to brothers. Of course, there are others I work with, such as McCorkle and some of my men who I see frequently and know, but the friendship I have with Wes and Gray is different. I’m very grateful to have friends like them.” He smiled. “Now are you ready to ride or do you wish to interrogate me further about my feelings?”
She laughed and allowed him to help her onto the horse, then sat still while he mounted behind her.
Jack reached around her and took hold of the reins. “Where to, my dear?”
“I don’t know. Where is there besides tall grass?”
“The river.”
“Then, let’s go.”
Jack snapped the reins and their mount took off running. Ella grinned as they rode against the wind. The pins in her hair began to slip, but she didn’t mind. Let them all fall out and her hair blow wild for all she cared. Jack’s arms tightened around her a fraction, bringing his hands just below her breasts. His body pressed flush against her back with his face just above her shoulder.
She could stay like this forever, she thought.
But it was not meant to be. A moment or two later, the river came into view and Jack slowed his horse.
Jack helped her down and she looked around in awe of the open prairie all around her. “We are safe here, aren’t we?”
Jack chuckled and removed a dark blue blanket from his pack. “Yes. This belongs to our government.”
Ella helped him unfold it. “Where are we?”
“Indian Territory.” He grinned. “This is the Verdigris River.”
“I think the S is supposed to be said like a Z,” she said with a giggle.
Jack shrugged. “Verdigrisss, Verdigrezzz. Same place.” He sat next to her and stretched out his long legs, crossing his ankles. “You’re probably right and it’s some fancy, highfalutin name, but we simple army boys use the S.”
She laughed. “I don’t know about fancy or highfalutin. I think it’s
Spanish, if I had to guess.” She looked at the greenish-gray color of the river. “And quite fitting, if you ask me.”
“Do you speak Spanish?”
“Poquito.”
“I’m assuming that means some.”
Ella joined him and allowed him to help her sit on a fallen log, which was half submerged into the water. “That’s my assumption, too. That word, a few pleasantries such as please and thank you, and a few colors, such as green, which is verde, and gray, which is gris, is the extent of my Espanol.”
Jack stood and walked to the water’s edge. “So what do you say, Mrs. Walker? Are you opposed to dipping your toes into the Green-Gray River?”
She joined him and looked down toward their feet at the edge of the river bank. “Only if I’m not the only one to do so.”
“Of course not.” He bent his knee and started to unlace his boots. “How could I possibly get a good view of your ankles if I’m not right there beside you with my feet in the water, too?”
Ella kicked off her slippers. “What is it with men and ankles?” she muttered under her breath, rolling off her stockings. She tucked her stockings into her slippers then accepted his help to sit on a partially submerged log.
“It’s not so much the ankle that we’re interested in, but the delicate slope of your calf, which a peek at your ankles often provides.” He winked, taking a seat beside her. He pulled off his untied boots and long black stockings and threw them behind him before lowering his feet toward the water. “Disappointed?”
Ella started, blushing. “Disappointed?”
He wiggled his toes at her. “No toe hair.”
“You’ll never let me forget that, will you?”
He shook his head, grinning.
“I was actually surprised—not about the lack of excessive hair. It’s just that my father used to take off his boots and we’d all have nightmares filled with cracked and blackened toenails and mangled toes. I assumed since you’re also in the army...” She shrugged.
