Dave cleared his throat. “It’s time for bed. You should put that pen somewhere safe for the night.”
Isaac pulled out the drawer in the nightstand and placed it next to the small ball and hat Dave had given him a year ago. Well, at least Isaac had kept the items he’d given him. It was better than finding out Isaac had thrown them out. Suddenly, Dave didn’t feel quite so bad. He might no longer be Isaac’s first choice, but at least he still had a place in the boy’s heart.
Isaac shut the drawer and went into the bed. Dave pulled the covers up to his chin.
“Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story or anything?” Dave asked.
Isaac shook his head. “I’m not a little baby like Rachel. I can go to sleep on my own. But will you tuck the blanket around me?”
Dave did as Isaac requested, wished him pleasant dreams, and then snuffed the light from the kerosene lamp. He left the room and searched for Mary. He didn’t find her in their bedroom, which was where he had expected her to go since he’d tucked the kids into bed. He ended up finding her in the parlor working on a shirt she was mending.
He shook his head. “Don’t you ever take the night off from work?”
She glanced up at him. “I tried to do nothing like you wanted, but I got bored.”
Before he broke his leg, he would have laughed. Mary was the busiest person he knew. If she wasn’t sleeping, she was doing something. But having been forced to sit still for two months, he would rather be doing something, too.
He sat next to her and kissed her cheek. “You can do something else with your time.” He put his hand on her thigh and gave her a teasing grin. “I was too stupid to pick up on your hints last night. You have to let me make that up to you.” To show her what he meant, he started to lift the hem of her dress.
She gasped and shoved the dress down. “Dave, you can’t do that here,” she whispered. “What about the children?”
“They’re in bed. I closed the doors and everything.”
“But they might get up.”
“They were all yawning when I left them. I’m sure they’re asleep by now.” Noting the hesitation in her expression, he added, “We can go to our bedroom if it makes you more comfortable. I don’t mind.”
She glanced at the stairs and then looked back at him. “Well, they did have a long day in town. I’m sure they’re exhausted.”
“They were tired when I left them.” He brought his mouth to her neck and kissed her just below the earlobe where her skin was sensitive.
She shivered in response. Encouraged, he brought the hem of her dress up and slipped his hand under her petticoats. She tossed the shirt aside, parted her legs, and lifted her hips. Feeling a sense of satisfaction in knowing he had convinced her to go through with this so spontaneously, he brought his hand to the apex between her legs, found the slit in the bloomers, and brushed the folds of her flesh.
He continued kissing her neck while he teased her entrance. A soft moan escaped her lips, and she shifted so that he could put two fingers into her. He then found her sensitive nub with his thumb and began to use the circular motions he knew she enjoyed. Ever since he’d learned how to bring her to completion, he aimed to do it every time they came together, and judging by how wet she was, he realized she’d probably been needing sexual release ever since last night.
“I’m sorry I didn’t take care of you last night,” he whispered.
“That doesn’t matter,” she whispered, slightly out of breath. “All that matters is that you’re doing it now.”
She lifted her hips so he could slide deeper into her. He found the cushiony spot that marked the sensitive area deep within her and focused on caressing it as he continued his ministrations on her sensitive nub, knowing that by doing so, he would heighten her pleasure even more.
She gasped and gripped his arms, softly crying for him to keep going. He had no intention of stopping, and he told her so. He was more than happy to keep going. He not only needed to make up for last night, but he wanted to express how much he loved her and how grateful he was to have her in his life. She completed him. There would never be anyone else but her, and he was looking forward to their future and all of the children they’d have together.
When he realized she was close to the peak, he quickened his ministrations. Her core tightened around him, and her moans, though soft, grew more insistent. Then she stiffened, and her flesh clenched and unclenched around him as she rode out the effects of her orgasm. He continued caressing her until her body relaxed. It was nice to be familiar with the signs of her orgasm. When her body relaxed, he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her. Her passion had waned considerably, but she was still very much involved in being with him since she responded nicely to him.
To his surprise, she
