Without conscious thought, her hands came up to grasp his back and shoulders, her head naturally tilting to the right as he settled further into their kiss. Their bodies seemed to fit together perfectly, with no effort at all, as their lips meshed and moved in tandem. All thoughts of lunch, Charise, the kids, and even what day of the week it was immediately flew right out the window. Were those stars behind her eyelids?
All too soon, Dwight’s lips released hers and he straightened up and stood gazing down at her with a dreamy sort of smile, his hands gently caressing her forearms.
She was sure her every thought was plastered on her face for him to read like a poster advertising a play on one of the steamboats. Thoughts like, Oh, my, Dwight kissed me! He’s a delightful kisser…I wonder if he felt the same sparks that I did when his lips touched mine…
Then she was brought back to earth with teasing giggles coming from the direction of the table, and Charise’s oldest reciting the nursery rhyme, “Dwight and Mary sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.” Her face immediately flamed bright red.
What a place and time for their first kiss!
He grinned at her then, as if he knew he had just discombobulated every thought right out of her head, drat him. Moving a half step back to view her fully, he allowed his eyes to roam down her body—slowly.
“Mmm, new outfit? Veeery pretty,” he commented, then adding with his voice almost purring, “I love how it makes your eyes look even bluer.”
Mary felt sparks that would rival Independence Day pinwheels exploding over her head and traveling all the way to her toes at the look in those honey brown eyes. How was it that she could almost feel his perusal like a caress?
“Why don’t you go ahead and call it a day, Mary?” Charise offered. When Mary turned her head to intercept Charise’s mischievous smile, the older woman added, “Go on, you two. Go get you some lunch at the café. Celebrate.”
“Sounds good to me,” Dwight answered. “I’m starved. And I was heading to the café anyway to pick up lunch for my boss. How about it, hon?”
With that, he gently took her by the arm and as Mary remained mute, he made their goodbyes, thanking Charise for the suggestion.
She motioned for them to leave by the back way, quipping, “My pleasure. Gotta keep romance alive in Brownville, I always say,” she added—and winked at Dwight!
As they started down the back steps, Mary couldn’t help but ponder Charise’s comment and allow her mind to picture herself in a romance with Dwight…
She knew she shouldn’t…that she was playing with fire, but for the life of her, she just couldn’t seem to put out the flames.
Chapter 10
I t had been quite an eventful four weeks for Dwight.
First order of business: Dwight called a meeting with Mary, Pauline, and Doc Reeves to decide upon satisfactory answers to inevitable questions, so that they would all be on the same page.
Foremost was the reason why Mary had been on the steamboat that night, wearing men’s clothing, and Dwight had been in Louisville. Dwight had, of course, been wondering about the clothing mystery himself, and her answers to his questions had gone far to alleviate his discomfit. Although she still kept many of the details to herself, he was able to discern that she had gone through a major trauma, and it made him all the more determined to protect and shield her from harm. The feelings surprised him, but he shied away from admitting to himself that they were more than just friendly concern.
The scenario the four of them had decided upon regarding their wedding was that Mary and Dwight had gotten married secretly—which was the truth—but that Pauline had not yet been informed and hadn’t met Mary, thereby explaining her absence of concern that first night. They decided that the newlyweds had had a terrible quarrel and Mary had foolishly run away. She had ended up on that steamboat—which was also a truth—and having “witnessed a crime,” was in fear of the perpetrator, so she’d had no recourse but to don men’s clothing as a disguise—again the truth. In the process, her belongings had been stolen, another true fact. Going further, they decided that when she had gotten off the boat in Brownville, it was with the intention of purchasing things to replace her missing possessions, but the outlaw, Washington Hobbs, had attacked and robbed her out on the street, leaving her injured and penniless. After that, she had—truthfully—been in shock for a bit and hadn’t wanted to discuss it with strangers; i.e., the delegation of judgmental ladies that had visited her the next day.
Although Dwight had wondered how much of the details were true and what was false, he believed his sister when she assured him that Mary was not to blame. As for why he had come for his sister’s wedding, but had gone back to Louisville and left his bride in Brownville—they chalked that up to lingering hurt and misunderstandings regarding their supposedly dreadful argument. It was the reality of finding out about the baby that finally brought the troubled couple back together—that was close to the truth, as well.
Afterwards, Mary seemed more at ease about the various dishonesties, having had everything that was perturbing her smoothed out. He and his proxy wife had enjoyed a blissful month
