Page 49 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
Josiah’s booming, “What do you want?”seemed to echo in the room.
She’d never heard Josiah sound so—grumpy.Was it because Edwin was at the door or because they’d been interrupted?
“Where is Violet?”
Josiah was taller and more strongly built than Edwin.He looked more so when he crossed his arms over his naked chest, his biceps bulging as he did so.“She can’t come to the door right now.We were just in the bath.She isn’t decent.”
Violet could see Edwin through the crack in the door.His face was red, anger etched into every line she saw at the remark.
He craned his neck to look further into the room, then glanced down.The water in her skirts was dripping to the floor and running under the door.Lifting the heavy material only made the water drip more.She dropped them with a wet plop and staggered under the shift in weight.
Josiah narrowed his eyes at Edwin and leaned toward him.“How did you know we were here?”
“News travels fast,” Edwin said.“When a new lawman shows up, people want to know why.Now let me see Violet.”
Josiah laughed.“Not happening.”He turned to grab his shirt and Edwin stepped into the room as if he had every right to and said her name again.It was a mistake.The look on Josiah’s face went from mildly annoyed to livid in an instant.“Get out.”
“How long will you be in town?”
“None of your business.”Josiah slipped his shirt on and glanced over at her, giving her a heated look before physically pushing Edwin from the room, the small man bouncing off the hallway wall.When the door slammed behind them, Violet remembered to breathe.
Alone in the room, she looked toward the tub and the massive amount of water on the floor, and in the soaked rug.Along with her dress, both would take all night to dry.
She removed her wet clothing as quickly as she could, wringing what water she could get out of the material back into the tub until she stood naked in the chilling room.Snatching one of the sheets from the bed, she wrapped it around herself, securing it under one arm as best she could.
The next several minutes were spent using the drying clothes to soak up the water on the floor and trying to hang her skirts and blouse over the back of the chairs so they’d dry and wondering where Josiah and Edwin had gone.
She peered out both windows but didn’t see either of them on the street or on the sidewalks.
When she had nothing else to do but wait for Josiah, she sat on the bed and closed her eyes, the last hour replaying in her head.She smiled.
Kissing Josiah hadn’t been the fatal mistake she feared it would be.Washing his back had been done on a dare and when she was done, she hadn’t wanted to stop touching him.Washing his hair had been a bonus, one she could tell he’d enjoyed.
Seeing him so relaxed while she bathed him led her to believe he’d not push her away if she tried kissing him and, to her relief, he hadn’t.He’d kissed her back, and much to her surprise, pulled her into the tub with him and deepened the kiss to the point her mind had gone blank.Nothing registered but him, the taste of him and the scent that lingered on his skin.
Then she’d been bolder, placing his hand on her breast and before she could comprehend what was happening, he had her squirming while his fingers played between her legs, his lips branding her skin where he’d sucked her breast into his mouth and she’d come undone with his name on her lips.
And then Edwin had to go and ruined it all!
She glanced at the door.She had no idea how long it would be before Josiah came back and despite wanting to finish what they’d started, the long day was starting to get to her.
Standing, she turned the bed covers down and glanced at the door, chewing her bottom lip while contemplating what to do.She’d brought an overnight bag and had a respectable nightdress in it but being covered to her neck may send the wrong message.She wanted her husband to love her and continue where they left off, so inhaling a breath, she let the sheet she had wrapped around her fall to the floor.
Crawling into bed naked felt—decadent.The sheets were cool against her skin and she wondered why she hadn’t ever slept like that before.Maybe she would from now on, especially if Josiah was with her.
Grinning, she stared at the ceiling and waited for her husband to come back to her.
ChapterFifteen
Josiah stood on the porch of the hotel and watched Edwin walk off in a huff.After telling him in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be speaking to Violet, the man had ranted loud enough for half the town to hear it before he finally left.
As unpleasant as the exchange had been, he was glad for the distraction.Had the man not interrupted him and Violet in the tub, he had no doubt Violet would be flat on her back right now with her feet on his shoulders while he pounded her into the flimsy mattress on the tiny bed in their room.
He blew out a breath and ran a hand over his face.The evening had taken such a massive turn he wasn’t sure where to even begin sorting it all out.
His main thought while heading into town had been to find that preacher and begin the process of getting his fake marriage sorted but now that he’d had his little wife in his arms, his fingers inside the wet warmth of her body and tasted her eager kisses, he felt drugged and ready to run upstairs and finish what he’d started.
He found a bench next to the wall and sat down.He was still barefoot, his shirt only halfway buttoned, and he knew he looked a sight.The townsfolk still out and about this time of night were giving him odd looks, but he didn’t care.He’d never see them again after today, so what difference did it make what complete strangers thought of him?
