Page 46 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
ChapterFourteen
Bonnie had finally stopped crying.Violet knew how worried she was but felt helpless to do anything about it and Bonnie’s tears made it worse.
She watched Josiah until he was out of sight and turned back to the doctor's office, letting herself back inside.Bonnie was talking quietly with the doctor and neither of them looked up at her when she shut the door behind her.
She found a chair and sat down, leaning her head back against the wall.She listened to their hushed conversation and didn’t remember closing her eyes but opened them when she suddenly felt weightless, the slight rocking of her body enough to drag her from sleep.
There had been many nights when she dreamed of being held in Josiah’s arms and in all those fantasies, she’d snuggled into him while throwing her arms around his neck.Now, she was too afraid to move.Josiah was carrying her through town, the sound of voices a dull roar in her head.
Her eyelids slid shut again, and she inhaled deeply, taking in the scent clinging to his shirt and feigned sleep, scared he’d set her on her feet if he knew she was awake.
Sooner than she would have liked, he laid her down.She blinked her eyes open to find him staring down at her.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She took a deep breath and stretched, the bed comfortable despite the fact so many different people slept in it.“It’s all right.It’s too early to turn in any way.”
The corner room was large with two windows.Besides the bed, there was a small dresser and a table with two chairs underneath the window facing the main thoroughfare through town.
Violet sat up as someone knocked on the door.Josiah answered it, spoke to someone in the hall, then stepped back as several men walked into the room carrying a tub, followed by several women with buckets of water.
Steam rose from the tub when the water was poured into it and when everyone filed out, Josiah shut the door behind them.He smiled when he looked over at her.“It seems as if being a town marshal has its advantages.”
He looked around the room.“This is one of the largest rooms in the hotel and the bath was complimentary, as a thank you for choosing this establishment and not the one on the other end of town.”
“Well, you picked the right one, then.”
He laughed and leaned back against the door.“I didn’t even see the other hotel, so it was pure luck.”
She stood and headed toward the tub, dipping her fingers into the water before glancing at him.“I’m calling dibs on the first bath.”
He grinned at her and pushed off the door.“I figured as much.I’ll go order us something to eat and take something over to Bonnie while you bathe.”
He left without another word, and Violet didn’t waste any time undressing.Along with the tub and hot water, the staff at the hotel left behind a small tray of soaps and perfumed oils.
After piling her hair onto the top of her head and securing it with one of the ribbons that had held her stocking up, she dribbled the oil into the tub, then slid into the water, leaning back against the edge and sighing.“Oh, now this is heaven.”
She soaked for a while, closing her eyes while relaxing.Her thoughts went back to earlier in the day when they’d been shown the small cabin that came with the marshal’s job and as much as she hated to admit it, she wanted that tiny house as much as she wanted her marriage to Josiah to be real.
The talk with her grandfather whispered back through her head.Of him telling her to fight for her marriage.To use her feminine wiles to do so, but she wasn’t sure how to go about doing that.Aside from flat out seducing Josiah, which she wasn’t sure she had the gumption to do, she was at a loss as to how best to do it.
Voices in the hall brought her head up.She grabbed the washcloth and soap and started cleaning herself, all the while wondering how she could go about seducing her husband and not being so obvious about it.
You’re naked in a room he’s coming back to.
She glanced at the door when voices outside drew her attention again.She hadn’t locked it when Josiah left.Anyone could walk in on her.
Standing so she could run and lock it, she reached for one of the towels but froze when the door flew open.
He should have knocked, but was secretly glad he hadn’t.
Violet was standing in the tub, water droplets running down her body and glistening like small diamonds on her porcelain skin.Her nipples were peeked and rosy red from the hot water and the nest of auburn curls at the apex of her thighs drew his gaze before he could stop himself from looking.
It took his brain long seconds to realize the door was still open and anyone walking by could see her.Without turning away, he kicked it closed with his foot.The moment it slammed shut, she jumped and pulled the drying cloth she’d been reaching for to her chest, wrapping it around herself.
The awkward silence lasted until he said, “Sorry,” and finally looked away.
The water splashed as she moved to step out of the tub.“It’s okay.There’s nothing here you haven’t seen before.”
