Dwight dragged his eyes away from her radiant countenance and surveyed the new purple and black plaid, two-piece ensemble. It was, indeed, very attractive on her, although he wondered if the front would be able to expand enough to accommodate her growing baby belly if she got much larger.
He did not, however, say that out loud.
Instead, he told her the truth—that she looked positively radiant in it. The glow of happiness on her face made his heart skip and it must have shown on his face because he heard his boss chuckle softly from across the room.
Mary had spent the morning standing for Charise to complete some last-minute alterations on her new skirt and top, and then she had gone to the mercantile with Pearl, who had most generously insisted on purchasing several sets of undergarments for her—although Mary had tried her best to dissuade her. Between her mother-in-law, Dwight, and Doc, she feared she would be irreparably spoiled.
While there, she had chanced upon a young couple near the back of the store, stealing a kiss when they thought no one could see them. The sight had quite naturally caused Mary to remember the last time Dwight had kissed her—other than simple pecks for the sake of onlookers—on that idyllic day of their picnic.
She had relived their thrilling kiss a thousand times.
Dwight’s lips…they had been so smooth and warm…and the strength of his arms around her… They had flawlessly fit together as if they had been fashioned for one another. And then, his solicitous care during and after the revelations of her sordid history. He’d been so kind and understanding. He hadn’t reacted at all like she had feared.
Ahh, but his kiss…his touch sent shivers of delight racing up her spine.
As always, she asked herself if Dwight felt the same way. He was always so…polite! Always the perfect husband. Always the perfect gentleman. She wished for once that he would get hot under the collar and show his real feelings. Indeed, she wished he would grab her up in his arms and kiss her senseless! But, somehow, she knew that he was holding himself back. After she had told him what had happened to her, he’d been nothing but respectful, caring, and had shown great restraint.
On the heels of that thought came the memory of the two weeks when they had shared her room...a dozen nights when they’d lain eighteen inches apart in her bed with that dratted wall of frustration between them. It might as well have been the bars of a jail cell keeping them apart. Oh, how she had longed for Dwight to take the initiative, fling it across the room, haul her into his arms, and…
Goodness! Where had those thoughts come from?
Mary knew she needed to get ahold of her runaway emotions before she made a fool out of herself and alienated the wonderful man to whom she was married. The last thing she wanted to do was chase after him—the way that awful, spoiled girl in Louisville had done. Why, he’d run as fast and as far away from that dreadful Penelope as he could get! Mary had determined she would not make the same mistake. If Dwight wanted to consummate their marriage and cement their relationship, he would let her know. Until then, she would wait. Maybe not patiently, but she would wait, nonetheless.
She gave a tiny nod to silently agree with herself.
The bell over the mercantile door had dinged, interrupting her thoughts, and she had seen Charlie come inside. As usual, he was good-naturedly fussing about how many responsibilities he had, and how much mail had come in on that day’s train.
An idea immediately formed in her head. What if she paid Dwight a visit at his job? She’d never done it before. Perhaps it would let him know she was open to his advances…should he so desire…without forcing him into anything…
Then, before she could change her mind, she had walked toward the front of the store where Charlie was talking with the owner, Sebastian Hodge, as well as Reverend and Mrs. McKnight.
She smiled a heartfelt greeting at the latter, before venturing to ask, “Charlie…would you, perhaps, have any mail for Attorney Mincer? I’m going that way and I could take it for you…to help you out.”
The man’s relieved smile let her know her plan just might work.
Now, Mary watched as Dwight’s eyes roved over her new blouse and matching skirt and she felt that peculiar sizzle skittering down her nerves as she always did whenever his attention was concentrated on her. She’d grown to love and even crave his attention. She’d even started calling him by his nickname, as a sort of hint that she wanted their relationship to be more …familiar.
Although she told herself not to, in spite of how conciliatory he always was to her, she knew he could still merely be fulfilling his obligations and acting his part. For the time being, however, she was choosing to enjoy his attention whenever she could get it and pretend that they were the loving couple they appeared to be.
“Are you busy?” she asked, noticing the open book amid papers of scribbled notations on his desk. The books had become a staple for him as he always seemed to be reading one every spare moment he had—at the dining room table…relaxing in the parlor...riding in the buggy and letting someone else drive. He had even sat up in bed nearly every night and read by lamplight.
Behind her at his own desk, his boss let go with a sudden guffaw. “In a manner of speaking,” he joked, and although she didn’t immediately understand the meaning, the embarrassed look on Dwight’s face spoke volumes. She had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with her, but she couldn’t for the life of her imagine how
