Levi’s face burned.
“Daed wanted me to remind you of that if I had a chance.” Noah somehow made it down the steps without falling. “Maybe in case you fall. I could help you up. And we helped George. And he fought us every step of the way.”
Jah, but Stephen had to know that the sleeping alone part of the verse would wake not exactly dormant feelings.
Levi grunted. He needed to turn the tables on Noah the know-it-all by pointing out the sleeping instead of falling part of the verse. “You are not sleeping with my sister, but you’re welcome to sleep with George if you want.” Hopefully, Noah wouldn’t taunt him with the idea of sleeping with Elsie.
Noah laughed. “Danki, but no. However, it’s very telling which portion of the scripture you focused on.”
Levi’s face burned hotter. “Jah, well. Whatever.” And that was a great comeback. Not.
But that brought up another problem. Levi carefully made his way across the ice. He wasn’t sure where they were going to put everybody. Abigail had a full-size bed in her room, so she and Elsie could share. He also had a full-size bed, but George would get it. Neither he nor Noah wanted to sleep with George. He and Noah could crash on the living room floor, but they didn’t have enough pillows. Why hadn’t anyone suggested he’d need two or three fully furnished bedrooms when he’d rebuilt after the explosion?
He wouldn’t have listened. With no family, who would visit?
“Elsie has blankets in her buggy.” Noah seemed to read his mind. “Thick ones. They could be used as a pallet.”
Or pillows, Levi silently amended. But his focus was on navigating the icy driveway, so he didn’t answer. It seemed as if Gott was providing for his unexpected guests. If only Gott would provide for him and Abigail.
But then He had. With an impossible deadline. And with Elsie. Could he trust Him with the rest?
If only he could.
Lord, I want to believe. Help my unbelief.
Two are better than one…Noah’s words replayed in his mind. If only Levi had someone he could trust to listen, to guide, to provide mental and emotional support. But he didn’t. He was alone. All alone.
By choice. A still, quiet voice taunted him. Correctly. Because he’d made the choice to turn his back on the community. To reject offers of help, overtures of friendship, and everything. If they knew he’d killed his family, they would’ve rejected him. An unofficial shunning. This way, he’d walked away first. He attended church every other Sunday—and only because it was expected—but that was it.
He didn’t know how to reverse the process. Wasn’t sure he wanted to. Because that meant letting someone else get close. And when the truth came out, he’d still be shunned.
He and Noah entered the barn to the sound of whinnies and nickers. And a tiny bark. What?
“Did you bring a dog with you?” Levi asked.
“Puppy.” Noah pointed to a black-and-white pup that appeared to be a border collie hiding partially behind the Millers’ front buggy wheel. “No, I didn’t. I’d suggest George did, but he collects cats, not dogs.”
No collar. And the pup was skin and bones. Half-starved, poor thing. Probably dumped. But he didn’t have anything to feed a pup. Nor did he have time for the training and care.
He could pawn it off on Noah and Elsie—they had a dog and, therefore, dog food—but that didn’t solve the problem for tonight or for however long they were stranded.
“Abigail said she wanted a dog.” Noah crouched down and held out his fingers. The puppy sniffed them, licked them, and wagged her tail.
Levi cringed. Abigail wanted…and if she asked, he’d be a jerk if he said no, but he couldn’t feed it, and the training and care were an issue. She couldn’t take care of it—that was for certain. How could she take it for a walk? Though maybe there was a way. If there was, she’d find it. But until he found out, he’d have to be the jerk and say no. Still, he bent to pet the dog. She leaned into his touch.
“I’d say you got yourself a dog.” Noah gave the dog a final pat, then straightened.
“I’d say that’s a negative,” Levi muttered. He straightened, too.
“Why do you say that?” Noah turned. Something in Levi’s expression must’ve clued him in because he held out his hands. “Okay. I’ll take it home with me and just bring her to visit Abby.”
That worked. Levi nodded.
“Or Elsie can, if I can’t come.”
That didn’t work so well.
Levi tried to come up with a valid reason why not, but his brain was mush from exhaustion and stress.
Not to mention the worry about what George had been doing in his workshop—in addition to stringing tripwires to catch unsuspecting couples sneaking out for a little hanky-panky. How many couples had George caught that way?
And the havoc Elsie caused with his thought process.
Basically, he was a mess.
He eyed his workshop door, tempted to let Noah take care of the horses—and dog—so he could check the damage to his workshop, but it’d still be there after the animals were cared for. Besides, the responsible thing was to take care of the miserable animals first.
Others first. He was pretty sure that was in the Bible somewhere, but he couldn’t quote it. He unhitched George’s horse while Noah led Elsie’s mare back to an empty stall.
Of course, he still didn’t have anything to feed Half-Starved Dog. He was pretty sure sugar cookies and fudge wouldn’t be good for it.
Levi led George’s horse back to another empty stall. In the one next to him, Noah talked softly to Elsie’s mare. Levi heard the low rise and fall of his voice but couldn’t understand what he was saying. Noah wouldn’t have that problem if Levi were to talk to George’s horse. Since Levi would be venting his frustration with this entire situation, it might get a little loud.
But there was one thing maybe Noah could answer. “Why the mistletoe?” Levi raised his voice so Noah could hear him.
Silence fell.
George’s horse bared his teeth. Levi wasn’t sure if the horse was laughing at him or threatening him. Either way, he picked up the pace and almost tripped over a cat that appeared out of nowhere and wrapped herself around his ankles. Where did that come from? Since the cat appeared well-fed and in the family way, it probably had stowed away with George. Hopefully, it’d return home with George, too. Though if it didn’t, it might help with the mice population.
As Levi turned from filling the trough with water, movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He turned.
“The mistletoe.” Noah leaned his arms over the half door, apparently done with Elsie’s horse. “Elsie told me to shoot some down.” He shrugged. “I think maybe it was a start of Christmas decorating, though it might just be an attempt to drive the males mad with the thought of kissing a cute girl under the mistletoe.”
Jah, there was that.
“I won’t hold it against you if you won’t hold it against me.” Noah’s voice held a touch of humor, but he looked serious.
Levi’s stomach churned. Noah was thinking about kissing Abigail? She was only seventeen. But who was Levi to complain? Elsie was sixteen when he first kissed her.
But still, this was his sister they were talking about!
Elsie was Noah’s sister.
At least Noah’s intentions were probably pure. Levi loved Elsie, but there was no hope of a happily ever after. And if Noah knew Levi had no intentions of following through…
With that in mind…
“There’ll be no kissing.” He might have growled.
Noah shrugged. “Suit yourself. But the rules go both ways.”
“We have a chaperone.”
“George.” Noah smirked.
It wasn’t funny. Levi knew what George was capable of. His knees hurt just thinking of it. “And each other.”
“Are you finished?” Noah grabbed a trash bag and two smaller bags from the buggy and glanced around.
“Jah, except I need to turn the
heat and lights off in my workshop.” Levi would sneak out later to work. He needed to be alone. To think. To pray. And hope that Gott heard him. But even if He didn’t hear and didn’t care, praying was too ingrained in him to just quit. It was nice to imagine that Someone out there heard and cared. That maybe Levi wasn’t all alone, after all.
Two are better than one…
Noah stepped back to allow Levi out of the stall, then followed him to the workshop. The heaters were on high, blasting their pitiful heat into the large room. All the lights were on. The toys were scattered as if a child—or one elderly man—had been driving partially completed trains and marching the animals two by two.
Except, the lioness was missing. The lioness, which looked like a cat.
George had been clutching something in his hand. Something that might comfort him, being stranded here without a feline companion—except the one in the barn, which would not be entering the house.
Levi would have to make a new lioness since prying it away from George would be impossible.
At least the tools hadn’t been disturbed.
Levi turned off the heaters and lights. Exiting the room, he shut the door.
“You got quite the layout there,” Noah said. He sounded back to his normal friendly self.
Levi nodded, stepped out of the barn, turned to shut the doors, and his legs went in two different directions. He flailed his arms. This was going to hurt.
Noah dropped the three bags he was carrying and reached out and grabbed Levi’s arms, keeping him from falling. He waited until Levi was steady on his feet, then released him with a chuckle. “Two are better than one…For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow,” he quoted.
Levi nodded. “Danki.” He swallowed. “One kiss, on the forehead, if she agrees.” And Abigail would be over-the-moon excited for that.
Noah smiled. “Danki. Likewise.” He picked up the bags.
Levi shook his head. “No, I can’t.”
“Why not? Because you already have?” Noah might’ve been mocking him. Levi wasn’t sure. It was said with a pleasant tone and expression, but the words could be taken as being a bit snide.
Levi shrugged. He wasn’t going to dump his internal drama on his little sister’s boyfriend. Besides, since he hired Elsie as his elf, the community would be matching him and Elsie as a couple again. He’d alluded to it with his remarks about gossips the day he’d hired her but hadn’t taken it seriously himself. Until now.
He supposed he could expect a visit from the bishop as soon as the gossip reached him, querying about whether it was wise to hire his girlfriend to “play house” for him. In fact, Levi was surprised the bishop hadn’t already come. And what would Levi say? It wasn’t wise, because now he wanted to take the “playing” to the next level. Kissing and more—jah, that’d go over real well.
He took a cautious step forward. And another. And another. Then found a semisteady pace.
A branch cracked under the weight of the ice. And still the freezing rain fell.
Half-Starved Dog appeared at his side, looked up, then settled in to walk beside him.
Slightly behind him, Noah said something that Levi didn’t catch because another branch cracked.
Someone had spread warm stove ashes on the steps, so Levi and Noah climbed up without mishap. They entered the house, cold and wet from the freezing rain.
Abigail squealed. A happy sound.
Levi stared at her, puzzled.
Noah nudged him. “Two kisses. Not on the lips,” he murmured.
Levi glanced at him. Noah wanted to kiss Abigail twice? Did that mean Levi could kiss Elsie twice? Never mind that he already had.
And never mind that he shouldn’t.
Movement on the floor caught his attention.
And that was when Levi realized Half-Starved Dog had followed him in.
He had a dog.
* * *
Elsie turned from putting the bucket and mop away when the door opened and Abigail squealed. Oh, she hadn’t thought about the men tracking ashes and icy water in again when she dumped the mop water. She’d just have to redo it later. Cleaning was a never-ending job on an Amish farm, especially during winter weather, but right now they might want something warm to eat, drink, and dry to wear more than a clean floor.
She left the mudroom and went into the kitchen where even George was rendered speechless. Levi and Noah shivered as they removed their sopping-wet outerwear, and Abigail cooed baby words at a black-and-white puppy snuggling in her lap.
A puppy?
It was up to Elsie to take charge. She pointed to the two plastic grocery store bags by Noah’s feet containing their overnight things and a change of clothes—just in case they were stranded. The larger one held the blankets she kept in the buggy. “You need dry clothes and a hot shower. Now. George already had his. Dinner is in the oven.”
“You first.” Levi motioned to Noah.
Noah picked up both of the smaller bags, tossed one to Elsie, and headed toward the bathroom as Abigail peeked up. “What’s her name?”
“Half-Starved Dog,” Levi said.
“I called her Poor Thing,” Noah said as he glanced over his shoulder. “She was dumped, I think.”
Levi shrugged, then nodded.
George was uncommonly silent. He just watched with a half smile.
“You guys are pathetic with naming animals. I’ll call her Stormy,” Abigail announced. She wheeled backward and twisted around to show George.
Elsie left her plastic “overnight bag” on the counter, swung around, and went back into the mudroom to get a large rag to dry the puppy. She lifted a ripped towel from the stack and turned to find Levi approaching, an intentional look in his eyes, his finger pointing to something above her head.
She looked up at a sprig of mistletoe. Her face heated. “I didn’t know where Abigail asked Noah to hang them. You can ignore them, all things considered.”
“Your brother said two kisses, no lips.”
Elsie wrinkled her brow. “You talked to my brother about kissing me?” She felt a bit offended. Hurt. It was none of Noah’s business.
“No. He asked permission to kiss Abigail. But if he gets to kiss my sister twice, if it’s okay, I’d like to kiss you.”
At least he was asking this time. “Okay.” She offered her cheek. “Wait. You’re cold. So, maybe not.”
“Warm me. Please.” At her nod, he reached for her, tugging her into his arms loosely. He was cold, but at least she would stay dry. He lowered his head.
She braced herself for a chaste peck on the cheek. For the emotional letdown that would accompany it. She and Levi had moved beyond cheek kisses years ago.
He bypassed it, heading straight for her ear.
His breath whispered across it. His tongue poked at it. Traced it.
She shivered violently. She might have moaned.
His teeth nibbled.
She dropped the old towel, wrapped her arms around his neck, and clung. Never mind staying dry. He’d never kissed her like this before.
Her legs turned into quivering gelatin as his lips blazed a trail from her ear down her pulse line, leisurely exploring her neck. She arched against him, a groan coming from deep within her. She wanted him to kiss her again. The way he had last time.
Except, maybe not stopping.
At least not until the fire he’d lit inside her was extinguished.
* * *
Levi was losing control again. And he’d thought not lip kissing would be safe. Well, safer. It was far from it. Although, maybe it would’ve been if he’d stuck to her cheek or forehead, though he knew from past experience how unsatisfactory that was.
He trembled from the feeling of her soft body in his arms, or maybe because of his guilt when he said it wouldn’t happen again and yet here he was.
One last time. Then no more even if he had to fire her. It’d be in her best interest to protect her from himself. He’d destroy her.
Alarm bell
s rang, but he smacked them down, instead finding her pounding pulse line and conducting a leisurely exploration, relishing her shivering in his arms, arching against him, and moaning quietly with pleasure.
Good thing George was half-deaf and Noah was in the shower…
Something hard smacked into the back of both legs, knocking him and Elsie forward. Well, backward in her case. He barely kept them from falling.
“Of all people, Levi Wyse, I thought you had more self-control—”
George’s bellows faded into background noise as the bathroom door jerked open, revealing Noah with a towel wrapped around his hips. Somewhere behind George, Abigail gasped when Noah appeared, and Elsie wrenched herself from Levi’s arms and fled outside into the freezing rain.
Followed by a scream and a thud as she fell down the back stairs.
Chapter 17
Sharp pain radiated through Elsie’s right hip as she lay on the patch of ice at the bottom of the Wyses’ back stairs. She’d have a nice bruise there. She was pretty sure nothing was broken or sprained, but she might be stiff and sore for a day or two. Pellets of ice fell from the sky, stinging her skin as she struggled to a seated position. Abigail, George, and Noah all clustered around the open door as Levi cautiously made his way down the ice-covered steps. Abigail still cuddled the puppy while sneaking peeks at Noah, who was wrapped in a towel. George stood between them.
“Sheesh, Elsie. Couldn’t you have enough common courtesy to fall when I’m dressed?” Noah grumbled with an exaggerated shiver and heightened color. He disappeared from the doorway, appearing moments later with a metal bucket containing a small shovel and the embers left over from sprinkling them—still glowing—on the front steps. Elsie doubted they had enough heat left to melt all the ice coating the back stairs, but she hoped they had enough to make it slushy.
Levi dumped the ashes on the steps and took the small metal shovel to spread them out.
The Amish Christmas Gift Page 15