by Pat Ballard
She hung her clothes across the back of one of the chairs and was about to go across the room to the bed when a movement outside the window caught her eye. She went closer to the window to look out, and there, just a few yards from her, was a female doe with two fawns that still had their spots.
Nella forgot Sam and the moonlight, and everything except the beautiful sight outside the window. She eased down on the window seat, trying not to startle the animals with any sudden movement. Soon two more deer came out of the woods and approached the house, slowly making their way to join the others. Apparently they were grazing on the grass of the lawn.
“Now that’s a beautiful picture.” Sam’s voice invaded the quiet room.
Startled, Nella looked in the direction of his voice. He wasn’t in bed at all, but in a rocking chair beside the bed. Apparently he had been sitting there looking out the window all the time. He pulled the chair closer, into the full moonlight, and Nella could tell he only had on his jeans. He had pulled off his shirt, shoes and socks, and was sitting and enjoying the sight outside the window when she had come from the bathroom.
“Yes, it’s a beautiful sight,” Nella agreed, turning back to look out the window, but wanting desperately to run for cover.
Sam didn’t tell her that he wasn’t just referring to the animals outside, but to her, as she sat in the full moonlight watching the grazing animals. The scene looked like some classic Victorian oil painting.
Suddenly one of the deer raised its head and snorted, and they all bounded quickly into the woods.
“Well, I guess nature’s show is over for now,” Nella said, rising from the window seat. She was relieved to be able to escape the moonlight. She was about to go to the far side of the bed when Sam got up and walked around to the same side and started unbuckling his belt.
Choosing not to argue the point, Nella took the side of the bed closest to the window. As she quickly got under the sheet, she realized that her side of the bed was flooded with moonlight. Throwing the sheet aside and starting to get up, she said, “I’m going to close the curtains.’
“No,” Sam’s voice stopped her. “I like the view.”
“Then you sleep on this side of the bed,” she told him.
“No. I like the view from this side of the bed,” he persisted.
“That doesn’t make sense,” Nella said in exasperation, plopping back down on her back, forgetting temporarily about her sheet.
“Oh, if you could see my view from here, you wouldn’t say that.” Nella heard the teasing note in his voice, and looking down saw the top part of her body bathed in the soft light. She quickly grabbed the sheet and pulled it close around her neck, turning her back to Sam.
She heard his soft chuckle as he settled into bed.
Weary from her day, Nella was sure she would soon fall fast asleep. But as she closed her eyes tightly to shut out the bright moonlight, the memory of Sam sitting in the rocking chair, watching the deer, popped into her mind’s eye. He had made a striking picture sitting there. The moonlight had been bright enough to let Nella get a full view of his broad shoulders and chest. She could remember exactly how the light reflected across the hair on his chest.
Sleep eluded her. After a while, starting to feel uncomfortable, she wanted to turn over but didn’t know how close Sam was to her, or if he were facing her. She sure didn’t want him to know she was still awake. It was going to be a long night. She lay for a long, miserable time before finally falling asleep.
Sam, too, lay awake for a long time, remembering the day with his friends. He realized he’d missed being around good, honest people. Not that the people he worked with weren’t honest, but the concept of life was just so different here.
He thought of the change Nella had helped bring to Amy. The woman beside him kept surprising him. Most people never surprised him, but Nella seemed to be a constant source of surprises. As he lay thinking about her she moaned softly and turned onto her back. The motion of turning had worked the sheet back to her waist, and again he had a full view of her breasts lighted by the moonlight. His first impulse was to reach out and touch them. They seemed so firm and full.
“Damn!” he muttered, turning his back to her. He should have let her have the dark side of the bed.
The house was quiet when Nella came awake. She could see sunlight outside the window, but everybody still seemed to be asleep. The only sound around was a rooster crowing somewhere in the distance. Maybe that was what had woke her up.
She lay facing Sam, who was on his back with one arm behind his head and the other hand resting on his stomach. The sheet had worked its way down below his waist. The dark hair that covered his chest worked its way to a point just as it entered his white jockey shorts. The hair on his lower arms was dark and curly, and just a sprinkling of the dark curls covered the tops of his well-groomed hands and fingers. Everything about the man, she decided, reeked with sexual energy.
As she watched, he suddenly mumbled something and turned and threw his arm across her, just below her breasts. Subconsciously realizing that he was touching a woman’s soft body, he smiled in his sleep and moved his hand up to cup one of her breasts. She tried to move away, but he held her more tightly, and in so doing, his hand pulled the bodice of her gown down to allow her breast to slip free of its protection. Just as she reached to push Sam’s hand away, a sharp knock sounded on the door.
“Breakfast is almost ready, sleepyheads,” Tommy called. “Up and at ’em.”
Nella froze at the loud knock on the door, her hand on Sam’s, and that’s what Sam saw when his eyes popped open. His hand on her naked breast, with her hand covering his.
“And I thought I was dreaming,” he grinned sheepishly.
Nella jumped from bed and headed for the bathroom to dress. Glancing in the vanity mirror, she was mortified to see how flushed her face was from the encounter. She kept patting cold water on her cheeks as she dressed and combed her hair, trying to get her face back to a more normal color.
Sam was still smiling when Nella came from the bathroom.
“You know, Tommy and Amy might want us to spend another few nights with them. What do you think?” He seemed to be reveling in her agitated state.
“What I think,” she assured him pointedly, “is that we will not be spending one more night here.”
He was softly chuckling as she left the room.
Nella went to the kitchen in search of Amy, whom she found preparing a large breakfast of biscuits, bacon, eggs and oatmeal.
“We don’t always eat this kind of breakfast,” she explained, “only on special occasions.” She had already dressed in slacks and a pink shirt, and her face was made up exactly like the day before. Her eyes glowed with happiness.
“Where are the kids?” Nella asked. She wanted to see Jake.
“They’re on the porch with the kittens.”
Nella went to the front door to find all four children sitting on the floor of the porch, each holding a kitten. When Jake saw Nella come through the door, he held up a little black and white kitten. “This one’s mine, Mommy. Uncle Tommy said I could have it.”
“Honey, I don’t think—”
“I think we should let him keep it, at least for now.” Sam’s voice was close behind her.
“But, Sam, it’s cruel to let him have a kitten, but later have to leave it if we can’t take it with us.”
“We’ll work something out. I just don’t want him to be disappointed.”
“Well, it’s your decision.” Nella gave in with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Not any more. It’s our decision, now. And if you don’t think it’s a good thing to let him have a pet, then I’ll tell him, but I don’t think it’ll cause a problem we can’t handle.”
“Okay,” Nella agreed, still surprised when Sam insisted she be a part of the decision-making when it came to Jake’s happiness.
“Son,” Sam knelt beside Jake and stroked the kitten. “We’re going to let you bring the k
itten home, but there might be times when we travel that we’ll have to leave it at a place that baby-sits animals, until we get back home. Do you understand that?”
“Yes,” Jake quickly agreed, holding the kitten close. “And I’ve named him Skunk,” the child announced proudly. “Because he looks like the skunks we saw on the road.”
After the breakfast dishes were finished, Nella and Amy went into Bowling Green to shop for Amy’s new look. The first stop they made was a department store, where Amy got a facial with all the tips on how to apply makeup and how to choose the colors that were correct for her. Then they shopped for a few items of clothing. She was like a child at Christmas.
They returned to the McCoy farm during the middle of the afternoon, and Sam, Nella, and Jake said their good-byes and “headed back up the hill,” as Sam referred to the mountain they had to climb to get back to his place.
Jake was totally involved with his new pet. He talked to it constantly, and insisted that Skunk sleep with him when it came time to go to bed. Sam and Nella reluctantly gave in, knowing it was a bad habit to start, but Jake looked so contented lying in bed with his hand on the kitten.
Chapter 9
Nella came slowly awake. Her room was dark, so she knew it was still night. The lighted dial on her clock told her it was three a.m. She became aware of two things at once: the howling sound the wind was making outside her window, and the fact that she was very cold.
Two weeks had passed since they’d been to the McCoys’. It was November, and Sam had mentioned just yesterday that it could turn cold anytime. Well, it seemed he was correct, because Nella was cold, and she needed more cover.
She reluctantly got out of the bed, feeling the chill air in the room go right through her thin nightgown. She was sure Jake would be cold and need more cover also.
As her feet touched the cold hardwood floor another blast of wind hit the house and made a low moaning sound. Nella slipped her robe on and went to the window to look out. She was amazed to see snowflakes flying everywhere. The ground was beginning to turn white. Surely this couldn’t be happening in November? It wasn’t even Thanksgiving yet!
She went to the hall closet and took out a couple of quilts Sam had said his grandmother had made. She took one into Jake’s room and spread it on him. He stirred momentarily, then continued to sleep. Skunk lay curled at the foot of the bed. Nella made sure the kitten was on top of the covers, then leaned down and kissed Jake’s cheek.
As she stood and turned to leave the room she saw Sam standing in the doorway. The dim glow from the nightlight in Jake’s room barely outlined Sam’s large frame. She tiptoed toward him, and saw he had a quilt in his hands.
“I guess we had the same idea,” he whispered as she came through the door.
“Did the cold wake you up?” she asked.
“Yes. I was shocked at how cold it is in the house. I guess I need to turn on the radio or television and try to hear the weather occasionally. I’ve basically left the outside world outside since I’ve been here.”
“Speaking of outside, have you looked out the window?” Nella asked.
“No, why?”
“Follow me,” she instructed, leading him to the sliding glass doors in the living room, where she pulled back the drapes.
The snow seemed to be swirling even harder and faster now than when she’d looked out the first time.
“I can’t believe this!” Sam exclaimed in surprise. “It doesn’t usually snow this early in the fall. It’s usually more in January and February when we get snow. Surely this is just going to be a light shower. It’ll probably stop soon, and will all be gone by morning. I want Jake to see it in the morning. We’ll try to wake him up before the sun comes up and melts it.”
Sam noticed Nella shiver and wrap her arms closer around herself, so he draped the quilt around her shoulders to help ward off the cold air.
“Thanks,” she said, but never took her eyes off the scene before her. “It’s beautiful.” She continued watching the falling snow as it swirled and blew. She’d only seen snow a few times in her childhood, and she was still in awe of it.
Sam stood beside her, but he was looking at her instead of the snow. “You like it?” he asked, seemingly surprised.
“Oh! I love it!” she said, excitement threading her voice.
“Vanessa and I spent Christmas here the first year we were married, and it snowed. We were snowed in for a week, and couldn’t get back to ‘civilization,’ as she called it, in time for all the New Year’s parties. She bitched every day until the snow thawed. I always loved snow until that year. She made me hate it, and I haven’t been back to see a good winter storm since. I didn’t realize until just now how much I’ve missed it.”
He stepped closer to Nella and draped an arm around her shoulder.
“When I was a child, if I woke up during the night like this and it was snowing, I’d get dressed and go outside and stand in it, or sit in the porch swing and watch it. I knew I wouldn’t have to go to school the next day, so I’d be doubly excited.”
“Can we go outside now?” Nella asked.
“Sure! Go get some shoes on. We won’t stay long. That wind’s blowing pretty hard.”
Nella went to her room and slipped on a pair of house slippers. She knew they wouldn’t keep her feet warm long. She kept the quilt wrapped around her shoulders. That should be enough if they weren’t going to stay out very long.
Sam was waiting for her at the door. He’d slipped on some jeans and a black leather jacket.
They went outside and sat in the porch swing. She was surprised when he sat so close to her their bodies touched, and placed his arm on the back of the swing behind her shoulders.
She breathed in deeply and felt the cold air fill her lungs. “Oh, just smell it!” she exclaimed. “This is beautiful. Oh, Sam, I just love this.” She was as excited as a child. Just then a strong blast of wind whipped around them, and Nella giggled and pulled the quilt closer.
Sam put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. “Cold?” he asked, close to her ear.
“Maybe just excited,” she said, looking up at him. Acting on sheer impulse and the excitement of the moment, Nella reached up and kissed Sam on the lips.
For her it was an innocent, spontaneous act, but suddenly she found herself wrapped in Sam’s arms as he was kissing her hungrily.
Completely forgetting the quilt, she lifted her free hand to the back of Sam’s head to pull him closer. His hand slid inside the quilt, then inside her robe, to come in contact with the flimsy material of her nightgown. He gently massaged a breast as their kiss deepened. His thumb massaged her nipple through the lace of her gown, causing it to harden in response to his touch. His lips left her mouth and traveled down her cheek and neck and were about to join his thumb when suddenly the porch light was flashed on to reveal Jake standing inside the sliding glass doors, holding his kitten and shouting, “Mommy! Daddy! What are you doing outside? And why is the rain white?”
Gathering the quilt quickly around Nella, Sam stood up and, keeping his arm around her shoulders, brought her to a standing position with him. Together they went inside to find Jake in his pajamas, shaking from cold.
Sam picked him up and turned back to the snow outside. “That’s snow, Son, not rain. Now if you’ll go back to bed and sleep the rest of the night, we’ll play in the snow tomorrow, and I’ll show you how to make a snowman.”
“I’m cold in my bed. Can I sleep with Mommy?” Jake asked his father.
“Seems like we’re having the same thoughts tonight, Son,” Sam told Jake, while looking at Nella intently.
“Huh?” The child was lost as to what his father meant.
“You need to ask Nella if you can sleep with her. I’m not the one to make that decision.”
“Yes, Jake, you can sleep with me tonight,” Nella said, although she doubted she’d do much sleeping.
Sam carried Jake to Nella’s bed and tucked him in. Then he too
k the quilt from Nella’s shoulders and spread it on the bed. He touched her cheek gently with the tips of his fingers before letting them trail down her cheek, and on down to encircle her neck. Then, bending down, he kissed her lightly on the lips.
“Good night,” he whispered.
The shiver that passed over her was not from the cold. Nella slid under the covers, knowing there would be no more sleep for her tonight. Jake snuggled close to her, and was soon warm and fast asleep.
But as she had expected, sleep eluded her. What was happening with Sam? He was so different here in the country. Especially since they’d spent the night at the McCoys’ house. He was like a different person. And why had he kissed her so passionately tonight? Maybe if she’d controlled her own impulse and not kissed him, he wouldn’t have acted like he did. How far would it have gone if Jake hadn’t flashed the light on them?
Did Sam just need a woman because he’d been so long without one? He’d said he wouldn’t be attracted to her. Was that changing? Was he beginning to actually care for her?
No. She knew that would never happen.
Was she beginning to care for him?
Damn! Where did that come from?
Suddenly her mindless wandering came to complete attention. Was she beginning to care for Sam du Cannon? He was, she would be the first to admit, one of the most virile, potent, masculine, and yes, handsome men she had ever known. And, she admitted, she was very affected by him, but any normal woman would react the same way to a man like Sam.
Yes, that was it. She was just a normal, red-blooded American woman. She had to convince herself that was the only reason she went weak all over when he kissed her. She had entered this agreement with the security that all she had to do was love Jake. There was no way she could love a jerk like Sam du Cannon.
“But he’s not really a jerk, down deep,” a little voice inside her head whispered as she drifted off to sleep.
Nella’s sleep-muddled mind awoke to the smell of fresh-brewed coffee. She slowly opened her eyes to find Sam standing beside her bed with two cups in his hands.
