Page 420 of Conveniently Wed
The coward in her turned back to the bed. She slipped between the covers and prayed that both God and Josiah would understand…for she was not Ruth.
Katie jolted awake as a groan split the night. The noise had come from Josiah’s room. He sounded like he was in agony. Before she could stop to think, she threw the covers off, and was through the adjoining door into his room.
The light from the moon spilled through his open window, illuminating his form on the bed. The covers were twisted around his bottom half. His top half lay bare. Every detail heightened her awareness and drew her attention—the manly appearance of curly chest hair, the strength of his muscles, the breadth of his large shoulders. He really was handsome. She wanted to stare and run all in the same instant.
He moaned and thrashed. A pained expression filled his face, but she could barely make sense of his jumbled words.
“No, no. Forward, march. Retreat, Colby. Go. I’ll cover you… God, help us.”
He was having a nightmare. She moved closer, inching her way to the side of the bed, and reached out. “Josiah. Josiah, wake up.” In the light of the moon, it was clear when he left that place of horror. His eyes opened, and his face changed from pain to pleasure.
“My beautiful, beautiful, Katherine.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms.
She allowed her body to melt into his. The way he was moving, the way he was touching her—all so glorious. His mouth hungrily devoured her lips as his hands cupped her face, then slid into her thick hair. His hands moved over her body, and still he drew only pleasure. All fear vanished.
But when he reached for the tie of her nightgown, she stiffened, and a gasp slipped from her lips.
He pulled up. “Katherine, what are you doing here? I…I thought I was dreaming.” His voice sounded drugged and ragged. A shudder ran through his body, one she could feel straight through to her bones.
He looked down at her, and a groan ripped from his throat. “You don’t understand what you do to me.” His eyes roamed over her and his stare grew hot.
She struggled with the ripple of fear that skittered up her spine.
He lifted his eyes to look into hers. “I am only a man. I want this more than I can say. But do you?” In the depth, beyond the desire, she glimpsed both his battle and his respect for her. If there was anyone in the world she could trust with this, it was him.
She reached up and pulled him down to meet her kiss.
He tried to pull away but her whisper stopped him. “I want this. Please let me be your wife.” A tremor worked its way through him as he nodded.
Moonbeams spilled through the window. A soft breeze flowed through the opening, and the night-song of a thousand crickets filled the air. Everything but Josiah faded away.
Josiah awakened to find Katherine nestled in the curve of his warm body. He had not been dreaming. She was in his bed. He kissed the back of her head and nuzzled closer. He couldn’t believe she lay beside him, her thick black hair downy-soft against his face. Although not much of a praying man, he murmured thanks.
He had tried to be gentle, knowing it was her first time, and was surprised by her genuine response. Her shyness and inhibition melted away with each tender caress. The only thing missing from an otherwise incredible night was hearing words of love flow from her beautiful lips.
He rose on his elbows and gazed at the beauty by his side. He had held back saying what he wanted to say the night before. With her asleep, he could whisper all the sweet words he so ached to tell her.
“I need you more than life itself. What a wonderful life we’ll have together with children gathered around. And more love than you’ll know what to do with. You complete me, my dear sweet, Kat. I love you more than words can say and hope someday soon you’ll feel the same.”
He longed to lie beside her all day, but her pa would be waiting. They were going to plow and prepare the last field for seed in the spring. Uncle John had said he would stay one more day, and Josiah couldn’t miss the extra help.
He slid from the covers with care so as not to wake her and slipped out of the room with an extra bounce in his step. All he worked so hard for would now have purpose, and it energized him beyond words. Feeling twenty again, he whistled his way down the stairs.
The movement of Josiah nuzzling close pulled Katie from her slumber, but where she had been bold the night before, her courage vanished in the light of day. She kept her eyes closed and her breathing steady. She heard his sweet words and choked back the sob that filled her throat. The minute the door clicked behind him, she allowed her tears the freedom to flow down her cheeks and soak into the bedding.
He deserved so much more than she could offer. He deserved to be loved.
16
Katie dressed in her oldest work skirt and plainest cotton blouse. Even if she could not love Josiah as he loved her, there was one thing she could do, and that was to support his dream of making the ranch one of the finest. This meant work.
She descended the steps with purpose. Her first order of the day was to team up with Delilah and find out what needed to be done. She would no longer play the role of a Southern Belle born into privilege. She was a hard worker, and it was time she started to take charge.
She rounded the corner into the kitchen and planted a kiss on Delilah’s pudgy cheek. “Good morning.”
“What you be so happy about, girl?”
“Work. I’m going to work today, and feel tired and fulfilled by evening. I’d like to start in the garden unless you have something more pressing for me to do.”
