Of course, did you expect anything else? Riley heard Eve quip lightly in her head as she continued singing. Before she could answer in response, she heard Eve tell her in a kind voice, then go with it! Have some fun and enjoy yourself.
Just then, she heard Eve start singing “I Want Your Sex” in a horrifically falsetto voice. Instead of cringing at the bad karaoke version she was being given, Riley smiled warmly at the choice of song and how appropriate it seemed to be.
“Riley, that’s amazing,” she heard John say in a thick voice. Looking up from the skillet, a large, wooden spoon in her hand was ready to serve up the meal. Instead, when she looked at him she felt like she was drowning. His beautiful features looked to be lit from an inner fire that she was getting a glimpse of. His heart, his soul. This man liked her, the real her.
It was breathtaking and humbling.
Chapter 7
“What’s wrong?” John asked simply, “You look like you want to say something but are afraid to.” He was one gorgeous man when cleaned up. How did she ever think he was unappealing? Just looking at him gave new meaning to “cat got your tongue”. She was afraid to speak and wasn’t sure that her throat would respond. His dark, hazel eyes looked so warm and inviting, so reassuring.
“I don’t think I can though,” she admitted, not able to pull her gaze from his. Could she say aloud the things she was feeling but afraid to identify? How do you share your innermost secrets with a perfect stranger you were now tied to?
“Honey, you can tell me anything,” John said to her, placing his hand on hers and having her set the spoon down. She then felt him pull her around the table towards him, her heart beating.
“John,” she protested weakly. Why couldn’t she just do like Eve said? Use him and lose him! But that was the problem! She was afraid that if she did something here, it would affect her chances of ever going home. She missed so many luxuries from back in her time that she had no inkling they were even luxuries! Microwaves? Light switches and electricity? So many things that made life so easy. She missed an easy life!
Eve said there would be pain and death. But what if her body was currently healing back home? What if she was in a coma? She had seen several movies that alluded to the fact that she was bound to have to make a choice at some point. It would be much easier if he was mean to her or ugly as sin! The problem was, he was far from that and needed her.
“Tell me,” he told her gently and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her as he looked up into her face. “There is nothing you say that we can’t work through - if we want to.”
Riley couldn’t resist smoothing his dark hair away from his face as he looked up at her. It was amazing the change in him when they were alone, like he was hers only. He hid his personality and soul from the world but never from her, it seemed. She cupped his face with her hands and gently kissed him. Why on earth did she feel so drawn to the man? So close to him? She looked in those eyes and felt comforted.
“We can be friends. We can be enemies. We can be more, if that is what you want,” he persuaded, breaking down the barriers around her mind, body and soul. She stood there stoically waiting for a sign, anything to indicate that she should fight this. The last bit of resistance crumbled as she hesitated there, perched just above his lips as he whispered sweet nothings to her. His breath tempted her, his lips barely caressed hers.
“Riley, whatever you choose. I will be here,” he promised, “It’s always your choice.”
“I’m scared to choose,” she admitted almost silently, and allowed herself to be pulled closer to him. His warm hands grasped her body, igniting a heated response in her.
“I know what I want.” Her voice was torn almost painfully from her throat.
“I do, too,” he answered passionately, kissing her jawline.
“I think I want to get to know you, us, a bit better,” she said painfully, seeing the heated expression on his face fade. I hope I didn’t screw this up, she thought wildly.
“I want it, us. Not because you are entitled to have me, but because you want me. John, the passion is there but I want more,” she urged.
“You think I don’t?”
“I don’t know what you want because we barely know each other. I want to know you, to touch you and know that you care for me,” she whispered. Then she looked away, feeling like her soul was exposed. “I have always wanted more.”
“Then you are in good company,” she heard him utter. She nearly cried tears of relief as he laid his head against her wildly beating heart. “I think we both want more and are scared to cross the line.”
“Let’s eat, talk and you mentioned a swim?” she prompted, wiping her eyes. Riley rarely teared up unless it was because she felt intense regarding a situation. Angry, yes. Happy, yes. Torn and desperately horny? Apparently, a resounding yes as well.
As much as she would like to have had her wicked way with her brand-spanking new husband that was suddenly thrust into her life, she had to be cautious. If she had no choice of where, when or how, she wanted to make sure she lived her life the right way for her. She had no regrets about pursuing a degree in law, other than the horrific school loans and the lack of free time. Now, she was in a position to discover who she was and what she wanted yet again, minus the pressures of modern stress and expectations. No text messages telling her to hurry to a meeting, no reminders on her cell phone about making a payment. It was peaceful and she hadn’t enjoyed that in forever.
Standing there, she was relieved when he sat her down beside him. Looking at him, she smiled tentatively and whispered a “thank you”, believing they were going to talk. Instead, she watched him take her tin plate and load up a spoonful of the meal she had prepared. It was terribly sweet of him to serve the meal because she knew in this backwards society that the woman did the serving, period. He was attempting to show that he cared in the only way he knew how.
“Let’s eat while it’s hot and then yes, I owe you a swimming lesson,” he offered.
Riley didn’t have the heart to contradict him. She competed in high school freestyle swimming for several years, placing repeatedly. But if this gorgeous man wanted to teach her to swim, by golly, she would learn yet again.
They ate in silence. She was thrilled that it ended up tasting as delicious as it smelled. John must have either really been hungry or he loved it because he ate three helpings of the food. She watched as he sat back and rubbed his stomach appreciatively.
“Damn, Riley. That was absolutely hands down the best meal I have ever had. What was that?” he asked her, scrapping his fork on the inside of the cast iron skillet to gather some of the remnants.
“Oh, just a little something I have made before,” she said lightly. “It’s a homemade pot pie.”
“Of course, it’s homemade,” John looked at her strangely for a moment. “Where else would it be made? Pot pie is the name? Aren’t pies pecan or some sort of fruit?”
“You’re right,” she agreed, playing it off. “It was just a description. I think it was called pot pie because some women make it in pie tins instead.” This seemed to serve as enough of an answer for John since he gave the telltale grunt of approval and smiled, stretching his arms overhead.
“You rest for a moment. I will clean up and then we could take a walk to that pond you mentioned earlier,” she casually reminded him. Riley hadn’t bathed in a few days and was feeling downright sticky. The washcloth baths were not going to cut it for her and she had to find some sort of routine. Perhaps swimming daily would give her the cleanliness she needed, or at least until it got cold out. Maybe she would create some sort of private closet area where she could set up a tin tub or, better yet, a big wooden tub like she had seen on Instagram of Japanese onsens. It would take forever to boil the water for it, but that would be quite the luxury. John’s big body would fit in a large tub, too, so it wouldn’t be just hers.
Putting the dishes out on the cloth to dry like before, she watched John nudge the coals b
ack further in the stone hearth. She stepped into the bedroom to search for a towel but found nothing. Made sense that terrycloth towels didn’t exist yet, but there had to be something to dry off with. Still finding nothing in any use in the single wardrobe, she grabbed her new chemise and took it with her.
Laundry day had to be soon. But until then, she would swim in her dirty chemise in an effort to wash it. Stopping in her tracks, she rolled her eyes. Laundry day would be soon… as soon as she washed the clothing. Kenmore, Maytag, whatever… take me away!
Riley returned to the main living area and found John waiting, holding a few items. He was carrying a lantern as well as a blanket. He also had a small tin pail with him and a lazy smile on his face.
“I thought that since we want to get to know one another, that we’d just spend the rest of the afternoon together,” he told her in explanation. Riley, walked over and happily linked her arm in his.
“That honestly sounds like a perfect day,” she said, smiling up at him. The walk to the pond was a bit further out than she originally thought. This meant when he had run to the house, he literally must have sprinted to get there that fast! And he wasn’t winded in the slightest, whereas she was getting out of breath simply walking in her corset. Returning back to her earlier musings, she wondered, how exactly do you wash a corset?
Arriving at their destination, she saw that the pond was more like a watering hole. There would be no laps done there, but it would definitely work as a dipping pool. Please, no fish and don’t be squishy mud on bottom. Oh and no snakes either! The idea of something touching her leg made her incredibly nervous. She was a city slicker to the core and she was forced to learn how to get over that But that was going to take time!
Riley interrupted John’s telling of how he came to Texas and asked about snakes.
“No, you should be good. I was here earlier splashing around so I’m sure I scared them off for you,” he said, smiling. “The rifle is at the house and I need to reload it so you are ready for the next spider to cross your path.”
“Har de har har, funny man,” she quipped. “I’m serious, John. No snakes?” He shook his head in denial. “Any fish in there?”
“There are a few fish, but they are tiny and not worth eating. The frogs get big though. Those are pretty darned good fried up,” he suggested to her.
Riley gagged at the idea. “Frogs? You eat frogs?”
“I have,” he said with a shrug. “They taste like chicken.”
“Doesn’t everything?” she muttered under her breath. “I’ve heard that before.”
“No, beef doesn’t taste like chicken,” he disagreed in all seriousness.
Taking the blanket from John, she spread it out across the grass close by. Removing her boots, she stepped on the blanket easily and sat on her knees primly. It was warm, but the sparse trees above her provided some slight shade. It was almost a shame to put the blanket on the ground. While it looked well worn, it was obviously an old quilt and soft to the touch due to its threadbare state. There was care, dedication and craftsmanship in things here. Whereas back home, you got a “bedding in a bag” if you wanted a matching set. So many differences, so much was lost over time for the sake of convenience. Conveniences that she missed, so what did that make her? Lazy?
“I thought you wanted to swim?”
“Well, yes. But I thought I would wait till the sun went down so I could change.”
“Riley, I won’t look at you unless you want me to,” he said evenly. “If that is what you are worried about, you have my word.”
“Actually, I am not completely sure how to get in and out of my clothing. I’ve always had help,” she said, trying to explain her ignorance of the wardrobe she wore. There were no buttons on the front of her gown and she knew that Eve had cinched her into the corset. If it took two to dress her then, she assumed it would take two to do it again.
“Stand up,” he ordered simply.
Riley stood when he walked over on the quilt and put the pail down. “Your boots!” she protested. He grabbed her by the upper arms and quickly pulled her forward for a kiss. Nothing hot and heavy, just a tender, quick kiss as if to silence her. Once he released her, he spun her around and began unbuttoning her dress.
“No one will come out here, will they?” she asked, momentarily protesting until she felt him kiss the expanse of skin between her shoulder blades. “Oh, my word,” she breathed, catching her breath at the intimate contact.
“No one will come out here. If they do, they are trespassing and I plan on shooting. No one sees my beautiful bride but me,” he said simply, kissing her skin again causing Riley to gasp. “I thought we were going to wait and get to know each other better,” she said.
“We are,” he agreed. “There was a bug, I swear.”
“A bug?” she retorted with a laugh. She could hear a teasing lilt in his voice and almost pictured his grin and that sweet dimple.
“Big bug,” he confirmed, grabbing the material at the shoulder and pulling it downwards. The material revealed her shoulders and upper back, causing her to automatically clutch the front of her dress to her chest where her heart thumped wildly.
“I can get it,” she said gently and shut her eyes as she felt his breath make contact with her sensitive skin. Just as she anticipated, he moved to kiss her back as he unbuttoned another button.
“I know, but let me have my fun,” she heard him say thickly as he chuckled.
“Fine,” she said with a mock sigh. It was incredibly thrilling to have him helping her out of her clothing, even if she was attempting to try to keep things clinical and friendly. Was she a fool for fighting it? It would be too easy to simply turn around, yank up her skirts and give in to some basic urges. Being with John was unlike any other guy she had ever dated. They all felt distant towards her. But John? He was sex on a stick and looked at her like she was his next meal. He was intense.
She swore he was dragging this out for as long as possible, when she finally stepped free from her overdress. It was a good thing there were a few mesquite trees around the watering hole giving her some semblance of privacy.
She untied the strings that were wrapped around her waist in order to loosen her corset. John’s hands stopped her, taking the strings from her and pulling them loose. He dropped several kisses on her shoulder where her chemise had slid down. Pulling on the stays that were laced up her back, she felt a sense of relief when she pried herself out of the boned corset.
“Ahhhhh,” she said aloud, shutting her eyes as her body released. I feel like biscuit dough finally free of the can! In her mind, she could have sworn that if she was a cartoon she would have had rolls around her middle pop out immediately.
“I am going to make you do that again,” he said heatedly. She saw the lust-filled gaze and the strain on his features. The man wanted her as much as she wanted him. There was no hiding the evidence of his desire and she frankly felt very exposed right now even though she was in a chemise.
“Those corsets are rough to wear and sleep in,” she said suddenly, changing the subject. Riley looked away, embarrassed. John stepped forward towards her, turning her face to him. His eyes were so close she could see the golden-brown flecks in his hazel eyes.
“Riley, don’t ever be ashamed to look away and don’t be scared of me. I swore I wouldn’t touch you until you were ready and I meant it. Just don’t take too long for my sanity,” he said gruffly and kissed her tenderly. Her heart ached at the gentle kiss full of love. There was no doubt that he cared for her. If it wasn’t love yet, it would be in no time. What guy gives up nookie to keep a girl happy? One that was head over heels and didn’t want to fudge it up.
“I know you are eager,” she began.
“Oh, you have no idea,” he agreed quickly, making Riley laugh.
“I am pretty sure I do,” she chuckled.
“Then you know it’s hell for me to see you nearly naked,” he said with a sexy smile.
“Turnabout is fair pl
ay,” she said daringly and could have swallowed her tongue at the heat that flared in his eyes. Riley was tempted to run and leap into the water just to cool off. Instead, she stood fast, watching his every move. John didn’t even bother with unbuttoning his shirt. He simply yanked it over his head revealing those tan muscles she had ogled the first night. He kicked off his boots in an exaggerated movement and then unbuttoned his pants. Riley placed her hand on his, stopping him for the moment. His skin was so hot, it felt like she had touched a branding iron. Is this what it would be like to have him? Hot, heavy, incredible heat combined with raging desires? The thought of that heat filling her body made her almost curse aloud by accident.
“Honey?” he questioned, tenderly. It melted her when he called her honey because he just didn’t say much at all. The fact that she had graduated from “Riley with the boy’s name” to “honey” was a massive step forward.
“Swim first, then we’ll see,” she whispered as she stared transfixed at the sprinkling of hair that ran from his flat navel and disappeared under his pants, where her hand currently sat possessively. She jerked her hand backwards as if a snake had bitten her. Trouser snake! she thought wildly and almost laughed aloud at herself. She was chicken. Her body felt like it was thrumming with life and, frankly, it scared her. She had never felt like this before and with a perfect stranger! Problem was, he was a friend (with benefits! her mind shouted) and the cold stranger had disappeared.
He nodded and waited for Riley to turn her back. She was certain he was bare underneath his trousers. No towels? There would be no Fruit of the Loom underwear either. No Jockey and no Calvin Klein undies. Yeah, her husband was commando and his body was rearing for her.
Riley gulped.
Chapter 8
Taking a deep breath, she turned away from John. It felt like she was physically wrenching herself from him. Riley didn’t look behind her where he stood. She instead leaped into the water in her chemise. She felt overheated and, frankly, the water looked to be cool in the shade of the mesquite trees. She also wanted to put a bit of distance between them, for a moment at least, so she could center herself and find grounding.
A Lifetime with You: Timeswept Soulmates Page 9
