His Convenient Wife

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  He shot her a pleading look to stop talking because she was only going to get him in trouble.

  But the girl was either oblivious to it or enjoying the fact that she’d caught him doing something wrong because she said, “He hear dream.”

  Harriett grew pale.

  “Oh for goodness’ sakes,” he muttered. “Maggie, go downstairs.”

  “Braid.”

  “Your ma can take care of it down there,” he said.

  Maggie let out a long sigh but headed down the steps.

  He waited until she was safely out of hearing distance before turning back to Harriett, who was scrambling to put her shirtwaist on. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  “Oh no? You’re not the one practically naked,” she mumbled as she hurried to fasten the buttons.

  “You’re missing a hole,” he told her, gesturing to the one she didn’t fasten.

  With a groan, she unfastened all her buttons and started refastening them, this time being more careful.

  “We’re married, Harriett. There’s no reason to be so modest.”

  “We might be married, but you haven’t seen me naked.”

  “I wouldn’t mind seeing you naked,” he admitted, trying to make light of the moment by smiling playfully at her. “You certainly have a beautiful face and a beautiful body to go with it.”

  She looked up at him as if she couldn’t believe her ears, and he wasn’t sure if she took it as an insult or a compliment.

  “Harriett,” he continued, lowering his voice, “I like looking at you. I also like talking to you and doing things with you. You’re not just beautiful on the outside. You’ve also got a kind heart. Please don’t be upset with me because I enjoy looking at you and being with you.”

  She moved her mouth as if she wanted to speak but was having trouble finding her voice, and her face became a brighter shade of red, something he hadn’t thought possible. It took him a moment to realize she was flustered. She was trying to form a coherent reply but couldn’t. He didn’t think he’d take her off guard in such a way, but she was absolutely adorable when she didn’t know what to say.

  “You’re so charming, and you don’t even know it,” he whispered.

  He made a move to kiss her when something made a loud noise in the kitchen.

  “Maggie,” she gasped and darted around him.

  With a groan, he turned around and watched as she scurried down the steps like someone with their backside on fire. He thought about going after her but thought better of it when he remembered how dirty his pants were.

  As he changed his pants, he thought over all the possible ways he could get Harriett to kiss him. If it wasn’t for Maggie, he might have succeeded by now, but as it was, Harriett seemed to be using the girl as an excuse to avoid kissing him. And a kiss was the only way he could see making their marriage progress from being boringly platonic to something much more interesting.

  Once he buttoned his new pants, he made a decision. He would try to kiss her tonight after Maggie went to bed. Maybe then, things would change for the better.

  ***

  “You want to go on another picnic?” Harriett asked later that day.

  Stan set a picnic basket on the parlor table, Maggie at his heels. “We enjoyed ourselves last time, so I thought it’d be fun. Do you mind?”

  “No, I don’t mind,” she said. “I should put away these things and help.”

  She began to gather the sewing supplies, but he stopped her. “Maggie and I are going to make it.”

  “You made the last one,” she reminded him.

  “And we’ll do this one, too.” He came over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, and as if that wasn’t enough to cause her heart to speed up, he leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. “You’re mending my pants. You have enough to do already. And,” he squeezed her shoulder affectionately, “I want to show you how much I appreciate it.”

  Though he released her, her skin still tingled. Good heavens, but the man was going to be the end of her. She knew he felt bad about the way he’d rejected her in the past, but she wished he didn’t feel like he had to constantly make up for it. She’d forgiven him.

  Maybe she should tell him. As much as she didn’t want to dwell on the past, maybe it was best if she brought it up. Then, perhaps, he would feel at ease and stop forcing himself to pretend he fancied her in the same way he fancied her sister.

  With a sigh, she spread out his pants in front of her and resumed her sewing. Yes, she’d absolve him from all guilt after Maggie went to play during their picnic.

  By the time she finished mending the pants, she thought to help them. But when she caught sight of Stan and Maggie laughing as they rolled up the dough for the bread, she decided to tend to the flowerbed instead. When she finished with that, she washed up and changed clothes for the picnic. And as she came to the kitchen, Stan told her they were ready to go.

  “I didn’t realize you liked picnics so much,” she told him as they walked down a path that would take them near the same wildflowers Maggie had enjoyed before.

  Stan shrugged. “It’s nice when it isn’t too hot. I know there’s a good wind today, but I figure it’ll keep the bugs away.”

  “Yes, it will. I suppose it is a good day for a picnic.”

  “And it’s a good day to share your company.”

  There he went again, trying to make up for the past. “Stan, I’m not upset with you about the auction. You don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

  “I wasn’t worried about it.”

  Though he claimed it, she wasn’t sure she believed it. Why would he insist on taking picnics if it didn’t worry him?

  He stopped and spread the blanket on the ground. Once he set the basket down, she helped him dig out the food and plates. They called Maggie over, and the three enjoyed the meal well enough except for the bread, which was too tough to eat.

  “Why hard?” Maggie asked, banging it on the ground.

  “I must have messed up with the recipe,” Stan replied as he tried, unsuccessfully, to tear his slice in half. “It was fine when I cut it.”

  Harriett chuckled. “We all make mistakes when we’re learning to cook.”

  “But I’ve made bread before,” Stan said. “I don’t know what I did to it this time.”

  “No read card,” Maggie replied.

  “Yes, that’s probably it,” he admitted. “I thought for sure I knew all the ingredients, how long to let the dough rise and how long to cook it.”

  “It’s fine, Stan. Everyone makes mistakes in the kitchen,” Harriett assured him.

  He glanced at her. “Not you.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Ever since you came to live with us, every meal’s been perfect.”

  “That’s because I’ve had a lot of practice. But I promise you I had my moments of getting things wrong.”

  “I find it hard to believe.”

  “Fine. Then don’t believe it. Just ask my brothers next time you see them at church. They’ll tell you the truth.”

  His eyebrows rose. “You don’t want me to ask your parents?”

  “My parents will be much too kind. They’ll cover up any mishaps I’ve made. If you want the truth, you need to go to Adam, Jacob, or Eli. Isaac was already out of the house when I started to cook, so it’s no good asking him.”

  “I don’t need to ask them. I believe you.”

  “Ma cook good,” Maggie said then stood up. “I full. Play now?”

  Harriett barely heard Stan tell the girl she could play. Over and over in her mind, she kept thinking that the girl had called her Ma. And better yet, the girl had said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

  As Maggie hurried to the flowers, her gaze went to Stan. “Do you think she really sees me as her mother?”

  “Maggie doesn’t say something unless she means it.”

  Pleased, she smiled and turned her gaze back to Maggie, her daughter.

&n
bsp; Chapter Twenty

  “Good night,” Harriett whispered to Maggie then kissed her forehead.

  “Night, Ma,” Maggie replied.

  Harriet slipped out of the room and softly shut the door. She turned in time to see Stan standing in the hallway, the faint light from the moonlight streaming through the small window allowing her to see his smile.

  “It’s been a good day, don’t you think?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

  What was he doing here? He hadn’t been waiting for her after she tucked Maggie in bed before. She waited for a moment then said, “Yes, it was nice.”

  “Even though I didn’t make the best meal?”

  She chuckled as she recalled the hard bread. “It was the effort that mattered.”

  “I’m glad you think so.”

  “I do. Well, I should make sure the kitchen is clean.”

  She made an attempt to walk around him, but he stopped her. “I took care of everything. You don’t have to worry about it tonight.” Before she could make another attempt to go around him, he asked, “Why do you find it so hard to believe that someone could be attracted to you?”

  She almost reminded him that he’d been able to successfully ignore her for years, but then, he leaned forward and kissed her. She’d managed to dodge his kisses before, but he hadn’t given her sufficient warning this time. If she was smart, she’d put an end to it at once and hurry to her bedroom. But in her shock, her feet remained firmly in place, and no matter how much she willed them to move, they wouldn’t.

  The kiss started off gentle, his lips lightly brushing hers. Then he grew bolder and deepened the kiss. He brought her into his arms, and as much as she didn’t want to, she melted in his embrace. He always had this effect on her. No matter what, she couldn’t resist him. It’d been that way from the moment she realized she loved him, and it hadn’t gotten any easier over the past few years. If anything, her feelings had only grown stronger.

  And right now, she was overwhelmed with the pleasure of his kiss. Many times in the past, she’d imagined what it’d be like to kiss him, and it was much better than what she expected. He brought his hand up to the side of her face and angled her head so that he could kiss her cheek and then her neck. She shivered in delight. If there was anything better than this, she didn’t know what it was.

  He brought her to her bedroom, and before she had time to question what was happening, he was unbuttoning her shirtwaist. His actions were tender as he removed it. She bit her lower lip. Was this a good idea? Should she stop him? He brought his mouth back to her neck, and his hands cupped her breasts, which strained against the chemise. No one had touched her so intimately before, and it was far more wonderful than she thought possible.

  She should have known when he started kissing her it was going to lead to more, that he was going to want to continue. They were married, after all. There was no reason for him to stop at a simple kiss.

  And honestly, she didn’t want him to stop. Not when he lifted the chemise over her head. Not when he removed the pins from her hair so it fell softly over her shoulders. Not when he brought his mouth to her nipple and suckled on it. She moaned and leaned into him, holding his shoulders because she didn’t trust her legs to remain firm. All he had to do was look at her, and her knees became weak. It made sense that she’d be much more powerless when he touched and kissed her in such a tender way.

  His mouth went to her other breast, and he proceeded to suckle her other nipple while cupping both breasts in his hands. Her fingers dug into his shoulders then she quickly lessened her hold on him in case she hurt him. He hadn’t complained. In fact, he seemed much too wrapped up in exploring her to care about whether or not she was being too forceful. And for some reason, that excited her all the more, causing an unfamiliar heated wetness to settle between her legs.

  Releasing her breasts, he knelt in front of her and unbuttoned her skirt. His movements were slow as he lowered it then her petticoats and, last but not least, her bloomers. Despite the fact that there wasn’t much moonlight coming in between the curtains in her room, she was relieved it was dark enough so he wouldn’t see her blushing. Even if she was caught up in the thrill of the moment, she couldn’t help the sudden wave of shyness that came over her at being naked in front of him.

  He lifted his gaze to hers, and never once did she imagine he’d ever look at her with such longing. “You’re so beautiful.” He traced her legs and brought his hands to her hips then to her breasts. “I’ve never seen anything so lovely in all my life.”

  Overcoming her apprehension, she touched the side of his face. She hadn’t been so bold with him. Oh sure, she’d fantasized about it. Many times in the past, she had wanted to lean forward and kiss him. But she hadn’t dared because she knew he wouldn’t like it. But maybe he’d be fine with it now. They were, after all, going to consummate their marriage.

  Taking a deep breath, she leaned forward and brushed her lips with his, her kiss more of a question than anything else. And he didn’t hesitate to respond to her. His tongue caressed her lower lip, urging her to open her mouth, and she obeyed, wanting nothing more than to please him, to give him whatever he wanted. She loved him. She would always love him. It’d never be anyone else but him for as long as she lived. Deep down, she’d always known it. But only now did she dare admit it.

  In one swift motion, he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed. Without taking his clothes off first, he settled next to her and resumed their kiss. And she wrapped her arms around his neck to encourage him to keep going. She never wanted this moment to end. In this room, for tonight, he was hers. Completely hers. There was no one else but them.

  While his tongue interlaced with hers, he continued to explore her. His touch was absolutely thrilling. She recalled the way her fingers had sparked that day when her hand had brushed his at the picnic. This was much better. Because now he was touching her on purpose, and in his touch was the intent of being with her.

  His mouth left hers and, once again, he was kissing her breasts and teasing her nipples in a way that made her squirm. When his hand brushed the curls between her legs, she gasped. Truly, she hadn’t expected that area of her body to be so sensitive.

  “Did I hurt you?” he asked, lifting his head and looking at her in concern.

  Her face warmed from embarrassment. “No. I…it felt good.” She cleared her throat. “I liked it.”

  He relaxed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She brushed aside a lock of blond hair that fell over one of his eyes. “I know.”

  Taking her hand in his, he kissed her palm, and for some reason she couldn’t explain, the tenderness in his action made her tingle straight from her head to her toes. He gave her one of those heartwarming smiles then let go of her hand so he could caress the area between her legs once more.

  She closed her eyes and gave into the moment. She wasn’t going to think through everything that was happening. She was simply going to let it happen and enjoy it. Because it was enjoyable. Very much so, in fact. The way his fingers slid over the opening of her flesh made her heart race in anticipation. And when one tentatively went into her, she groaned.

  “It feels good,” she whispered, fearing he’s stop in case he thought he hurt her.

  But he wasn’t hurting her. In fact, she couldn’t recall ever feeling so wonderful in her entire life. She parted her legs further for him, and he slid another finger into her, making her moan in appreciation. Then he proceeded to stroke her core, slow at first as if to learn what she liked and didn’t like, and since there was nothing at all to dislike about what he was doing, she rocked her hips encouragingly and murmured for him to keep going.

  He obeyed, his fingers going deeper into her until he touched a very sensitive spot that made her dig her fingernails into his arm. She told herself to release him, but he kept caressing that area and she could only cry out as he brought her closer to the brink of something she suspected was going to be the most wonderful
sensation she’d ever experienced. And sure enough, when she reached the peak, she was overwhelmed by how much pleasure her body was capable of experiencing.

  When she descended back to Earth, Stan pulled his fingers out of her. She was only half-aware that he was undressing. Still caught up in the lingering effects of the pleasure he’d just given her, she watched him until he removed his pants. No. There was no way she could look at all of him. At least not yet. And it wasn’t like she would have gotten much of a chance to check him out anyway since in the next moment, he was on top of her, his naked body settled between her legs.

  He brought his mouth to hers again. There was no denying the passion in his kiss. Perhaps he was seeking the same pleasure he’d just given her. And considering just how pleasurable the climax was, she wanted nothing more than to give it to him.

  He entered her with surprising swiftness, and this time when she cried out, it was partly from shock and partly from the stab of pain the sudden movement caused.

  In the next moment, he pulled out of her. “Harriett?” He cupped her face in his hands. “What’s wrong?”

  She struggled to ignore the pain so she could focus on him. “I’m sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart.” He kissed her, and the gentle action helped calm her. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I heard it can hurt during the first time for the woman. I thought I got you ready for me, but guess I didn’t.”

  “Who told you a woman’s first time can hurt?” she asked.

  She hadn’t thought he’d been with a woman before, but his father had sowed his wild oats in his youth. Maybe he’d done the same thing, thinking he’d be a better lover in bed because of it or because he didn’t want to wait until he was married.

  “You can’t tell anyone because it’s embarrassing, but my pa did. He said I shouldn’t go to a prostitute to learn this, that he’d just come out and tell me, so I wouldn’t have to be curious.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “Why is that embarrassing?”

  He shrugged. “It just is. Maybe you have to be a man to understand why.”