Page 413 of Conveniently Wed
She ran for the door between the rooms and slammed it behind her. Ripping at her clothes, she stripped herself naked and stared into the mirror.I should just walk into his bedroom right now and do whatever I’m supposed to do.She marched to the door between the rooms and stopped. Who was she kidding?
She turned toward the bureau, slipped into her nightwear, and took refuge on the bed. Her pillow muffled the wrenching sobs.
Where was this God of Daniel who gave courage? Maybe He wouldn’t show up for a coward like her.
13
Her scream split the night air. Josiah sat up in bed, instantly awake. Should he go to her? Another scream, and his legs flew into action.
He found her thrashing on her bed. Fighting. Flailing. Furious. “No, no, don’t."
He leaned over her and shook her shoulder. “Katherine, wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”
Her eyes popped open, and she grabbed at him, flinging her shaking body into his arms, dragging him down to the bed.
“It’s all right, Kat, you’re safe now,” he whispered into her hair. “You’re safe.” She clung so tightly, her nails gouged his back. He held her until the weeping subsided. With a slow smooth touch, he stroked her back and rocked her in his arms.
His bare torso was getting cold outside the covers, so he moved to go, but she held on.
“Don’t go.”
Oh, dear God, help me.This was a tough one. She was in no condition to be touched in any other way than platonically, but his body was reacting to her nearness. The innocent would not have a clue.
He stood, thinking a little separation would give her room to think. Her fear would send him packing. But, instead of shrinking away, she held out her arms. He slid in beside her and gathered her close.
He dusted a thumb across her cheek to dry the flow of tears as she looked up at him with wide innocent eyes.
“Can you talk about it, Kat? I’ve had my share of trauma. The war accomplished that. It helps to share with someone.”
She snuggled close and laid her head against his bare chest.
He could barely breathe as he folded one arm around her. There was not nearly enough clothing between them.
“I…haven’t had that nightmare for a while.” Her jaw still trembled. “Living with you makes me feel safe. I’ve slept so much better here.”
He could not say the same, but he kept quiet, willing her to speak.
“I was back at the creek again, only this time you didn’t show up.” She shuddered against him.
He ran his hand up and down her back, soothing her. “What happened that day? Maybe if you could get it out, it wouldn’t haunt you so much.”
She was silent for so long, he looked down. Maybe she’d drifted back to sleep.
The movement seemed to restart the flow of both her tears and words. “The trouble began long before that day at the creek. Those boys were making a nuisance of themselves at school, which was one of the reasons I decided to quit. I was fifteen, and they kept vying for my attention. When I spurned them, it became a contest among the group over which one would make the ice maiden melt and get the first kiss.”
He rubbed her arms. He could see her getting more attention than she wanted. “Go on.”
“I was so naïve, I thought if I showed them up, humiliated them good, they would finally understand that I wasn’t interested. I challenged Tommy Rowan, the ringleader, to a shooting match. I told him that, if he won, I’d give him a kiss in front of everyone. But, if he lost, then he’d have to promise they’d all leave me alone.
“Much to my horror, the competition became the talk of the school. Half the kids came out that Saturday morning to watch. I cleaned Tommy’s clock, and he left humiliated.”
A simmering anger was beginning to build in him, but he worked to suppress it, not wanting to scare her. But what had Tommy done to her? “A young man’s pride is a powerful force to reckon with.”
“I know that now. Being the fool I was back then, I didn’t give it a second thought—until that day at the creek.
“My brothers and I were in the habit of traipsing around the back woods, and one of our favorite things to do was to swim in the water hole. They were my best friends, and the only ones who understood me. They didn’t have any problem letting me join in what they did, so they taught me to swim. Ma would have killed me had she known I stripped down to my unmentionables and enjoyed a swim.”
He searched the recesses of his memory. He remembered the day well, but not her brothers being there.
