Twice Blessed (15 page)

He tilted her lips toward his as an odd intensity burned in his eyes. “No, I'm most assuredly not ‘just very grateful,' Emma. Don't you think it's about time for me to admit that?”

His husky words seeped through her, washing away her fear into a stronger, infinitely sweeter sensation. Slowly her hand rose to sift through the wisps of his dark auburn hair that was only half dry. At her touch, that odd intensity deepened, and he drew her more tightly to him.

She could feel his heartbeat through his damp shirt. Its pounding matched the pulse roiling through her, faster, sharper, unrestrained. She steered his mouth toward hers.

His lips grazed hers, offering her a tenderness beyond any she could have imagined. Too quickly he raised his mouth away, and she looked look up into the magical, mysterious depths of his eyes. “Noah, please …”

“Please?”

“Don't stop with only that kiss.”

He put his hands along the side of her face. Their coarse warmth thrilled her.

In a ragged voice, he whispered, “You don't know what you're asking.”

“I do. I'm asking you to kiss me.”

“Only that?”

“Isn't it enough for now?”

“You're a grown woman. I think you know what the answer to that is, sweetheart.”

She looked away. She did know the answer to that, but she could not tell him how she knew it. Then she would have to explain she was really a widow, not a spinster. She shivered as she was caught, anew, in the horrific maw of her memories.

He whispered her name, and she met his eyes again. His finger beneath her chin drew her back toward him. Tingles pulsated from his fingertip, and she did not resist when he tilted her face upward.

“You look exhausted, Emma.”

She was not sure whether she wanted to laugh at his jest or cry because he was not kissing her. With a sigh, she said, “You're right. I can't afford to be drowsy in the morning, because the store will be busy. Why don't we go to bed?”

“Now there is an invitation to be truly grateful for.”

“Invitation? What invitation? What are you talking about
now
?”

“This.”

This kiss was anything but cursory. His lips seemed determined to discover each inch of hers. As his arms tugged her up against him again, his tongue delved into her mouth with a scintillating, teasing caress. She heard her own breath grow uneven, but she gasped with pleasure when his mouth moved along her jaw and then trailed fire down her neck. His thumb gently tilted her chin so he could lave the curve of her ear with his tongue and his unsteady breath.

She quivered and pressed closer, fearing her knees would collapse as the bridge had. Her fingers sought up along his shirt, rumpling the damp fabric beneath them. Boldly, she slipped her hands beneath it and slid them up his back, savoring each firm sinew.

He drew in his breath sharply and combed his fingers through her hair to curve them along the nape of her neck. Tilting her head, he found her lips again. The rough texture of his day's growth of whiskers burnished her with yearning. Effervescent kisses sparkled across her cheeks and along her neck. Their eager breaths, straining to escape, merged and threatened to consume her. Her hands tightened on him. She wanted to hold on to him amid the storm of craving.

Slowly, reluctantly, his lips drew back from hers. Smiling, she twisted a single finger through the thick hair at his temple. He turned to kiss the sensitive skin at her wrist. When she gasped, shocked by the billow of craving that raced to the very tips of her toes, he chuckled.

“That invitation is the one I meant,” he whispered. “You look at me with promises in your eyes, even as you send me off to sleep on this sofa alone.”

“Sleep is what I need most tonight.”

He laughed and kissed her lightly. “You sure know how to tell a man what he wants to hear!”

“I didn't mean—”

“Whatever you meant, you're right. Sleep is what I want most right now, too.”

“Should I return the thanks for your gracious compliment?” She stepped back, hoping humor would cover the empty feeling when his arms were no longer around her.

“Sleep well, Emma. We both are going to be busy tomorrow.”

“And tonight,” she said as the door opened from the kitchen and Sean peeked out, his face a bilious shade of green. “I'll be right there with some ginger tea to ease your tummy, Sean.”

He nodded and went back into the kitchen.

“Do you think you should send for the doctor?” Noah asked.

She shook her head. “There's no reason to ask Doc Bamburger to come out on such a stormy night when I can tend to Sean.” Turning to Noah, she added, “Why don't you sleep in my room tonight? I should stay here close to Sean. I think he's going to have a rough night.” She took a step toward the kitchen.

He halted her by catching her hand. “I don't want to sleep in your bed without you there, Emma.”

She stared up into his hungry gaze, unable to speak. She must not say what she was thinking, for she wanted him there with her, too. But this was moving too fast. She had made a mistake once by letting a man sweep her off her feet. She could not do that again.

“Good night,” she whispered.

“It could have been.” His quick kiss threatened to blister her lips with its delicious fire. “Sleep well, sweetheart.” Seizing her shoulders, he relit the flame on her mouth with his fervor. When he released her, he whispered, “Sleep well
tonight
, sweetheart.”

She watched him walk up the stairs, but turned to go into the kitchen. It was going to be a very long night, and she needed every minute of it to think about what she was going to do about this longing for Noah Sawyer.

“I'll be with you in just a moment, Mr. Hammond,” Emma said as she added another item to the lengthy list in front of her on the counter. She was keeping a tab for each of her customers, who would pay her when their crops were sold in the fall. Also, she needed to know what to order by telegraph down at the railroad station later today. The trains were still running on the north-south rail, but she was not sure how long that would continue. The waters were inching closer and closer to the town.

The store was a chaotic mess, as she had guessed it would be. Although she had come to unlock the door before the clouds lightened with the rising sun, there were four customers waiting for her. All were looking for supplies to keep them going while they tried to stave off the rising waters. The rain had slowed from last night's cloudburst, but was still falling.

“Let me help you with that,” came Noah's voice from the other side of the store.

He lifted a box down to hand to Mrs. Asbury. A box of self-rising bread mix, she noted. When he handed her a can of lard as well, Emma guessed Mrs. Asbury was planning to make bread to send to the families who were refugees from the flood.

As Emma finished adding up one customer's purchases, it seemed two more arrived. She smiled as she saw the children's delight with the candy jars she had set down where they could reach them. Belinda sat on a wooden kitchen chair next to the jars and announced to each child that the candy was free today.

“She'd be a good barker at a circus,” Emma said as Noah came behind the counter to stack cans of beans for Reverend Faulkner, who had welcomed three families to live in the parsonage and four more who were sleeping in the meeting room at the side of the church.

“She's enjoying being the center of attention with all the older children gathered around her.” He chuckled. “Since she met Sean, she's been asking me to send her to school here in town so she can see the other children.”

“It would be a good idea.”

“Not until the flood waters go down.”

She could not miss the frustration in his voice and the regret in his eyes. Early this morning, he had tried to get back across the creek to check on his house. The bridge was still there, but the water was flowing over it now. He had been forced to turn back.

“How much, Emma?” asked Reverend Faulkner, drawing her attention back to him.

“Take them. No charge.”

“Emma!” The minister wagged a finger at her. “I've heard you say that over and over. You'll put yourself out of business with such generosity.” He tapped the counter. “You tell me the fair price for these cans.”

“A dollar.” She kept her smile in place, guessing that he knew as well as she did that a dozen cans of beans and another dozen of deviled meat usually cost at least twice that amount.

He drew out his wallet and placed a dollar on the counter. “A down payment only, Emma. I'll pay for the rest when I can.”

“Reverend, there's no need. It's the very least I can do for those who are flooded out.”

He looked past her to Noah and smiled. “I'd say you are doing considerably more than the very least, Emma.” He tipped his somber hat to her. “Pray that the rain will stop soon.”

“I have been!”

With a laugh, the minister edged out of the way so the next customer could reach the counter.

Emma was kept so busy the rest of the morning she did not realize it was past the time for lunch until her stomach gave an embarrassingly loud growl. Before she could say anything to Mrs. Pelletier, who was staring at her in amazement, a sandwich was held out to her. She looked over her shoulder to see Gladys holding a very full plate of ham sandwiches.

“Just what I needed,” Emma said with a smile.

“What you need is to take a few minutes to sit and eat without working.” Noah gently elbowed her aside. “Go and eat. I'll take over here.”

She pointed to the list. “Put each item sold on here, and then you should—”

“I think I can handle it.” He ran the back of his hand along her cheek. “Trust me, sweetheart.”

She heard the buzz of whispered comments from the other side of the counter, but she paid them no mind. Smiling at Noah, she said, “I do trust you.”

“Because you'll be just over there watching everything I do?”

She laughed. “Exactly.”

Slipping from behind the counter that was almost as bare as the store shelves were becoming, she sat on an empty cracker barrel next to the stove that was valiantly trying to fight back the dampness. Rain splattered in each time the door opened, and the floor had pools left by the water tracked in on boots.

Belinda came over and sat next to her in a rocking chair. The little girl's legs barely hung over the edge of the seat, but she got the chair rocking.

“Are you hungry?” Emma asked, holding out half of her sandwich.

“Nope. I already had two.” She giggled, then said, “I mean, no thank you.”

“You have very pretty manners, Belinda.”

“And I'm pretty.”

Emma grinned at the little girl's lack of modesty. “Yes, you are pretty. You have big brown eyes just like Noah.”

“No, I look like my mother. Everyone says so.”

“Oh.” She did not want Belinda to know how amusing her assertion was. Cocking her head, she said, “Now that I look more closely, I think you are right.”

“Have you ever seen my mother?”

“Only in the photograph on the mantel at your house.”

Her nose wrinkled. “That doesn't look like me. That is an all-grown-up lady.”

“Someday you'll be an all-grown-up lady, too.”

“Maybe.” She jumped down from the rocking chair and squeezed through the patrons to pass out more candy to the children coming into the store.

Emma ate her sandwich quickly. Many of her patrons were shocked to see Noah behind the counter, and she had listened to him repeat over and over that Emma had opened her house to his household. He was repaying her by helping at the store. Knowing looks were flashed in her direction, and she simply smiled back. Let the busybodies and the gossips have fun with this. Nothing anyone did or said could tarnish her delight with the memory of Noah's kiss.

Coming to her feet, she laughed softly. This was the first time since she had come to Haven that she delighted in her memories instead of cowering away from them.

Emma went behind the counter and tapped Noah on the shoulder. He whirled, a strained expression tensing his face. His eyes were wide and brought to mind a treed critter. He released his breath, and his smile returned.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“You startled me.”

“I'd say I did. Are you always so jumpy?”

He picked up the list and shoved it into her hand. “You have customers, and Gladys has a sandwich or two waiting for me. We'll talk later.”

She nodded as she set the list back onto the counter. A single glance told her he had kept track of the items sold far more neatly and precisely than she. She greeted her next customer, but looked past the man to watch Noah walk out of the store. Her tap on his shoulder had unsettled him more than she ever could have anticipated.

By the time Emma had tended to her final customer, it was dark. The low clouds and the rain had brought an early night. She had to be grateful. Sleep had been sparse last night between Sean's aching tummy and her own ache for Noah's arms around her.

She checked the stove, banking the fire so the store would not be even damper in the morning. While she blew out the lanterns, an odd light caught her eye. She realized it was from her own house. This was the first time she had been in the store at the same time the lamps were lit in her house. The idea of going home to a well-lit house where there were others waiting for her was delicious.

However, she turned away from the soft glow. Going back to the counter, she picked up her list. The shelves, crates, and jars around the store were almost empty. No one wanted to be caught without provisions if the worst happened and the river rose to flow down Haven's main street.

An umbrella waited by the door, and she smiled. It was hers, all dry and ready for her to use. She had lent it to Belinda to go back to the house. Someone must have returned it.