Chapter Ten
Kate walked back to the house slowly, herheart pounding. For a moment back there, she thought he was goingto kiss her. But he didn't. Still his words had thrilled her.Beautiful! No one had ever said anything like that toher.
She wasn't being modest. She'd never spentmuch time looking at herself, there simply was no need. Jim thoughtit sinful and vain for a woman to stare into a mirror.
But she suddenly wished she were.
Her mind and body fluttered.
She had wanted Wes to kiss her, and thatrealization shocked her. She'd never had that urge before. Jimhadn't kissed her but once, at the wedding and it was hardly akiss.
Knowing how Wes lived it would be impossibleto plan a future with him, but still her mind lingered there.
But good sense finally prevailed. He'd givenher a great compliment, and she'd hold it dear to her heart. Itdidn't mean anything, except to her. He probably told girls thatall the time. Still, Wes didn't have any real girlfriends, justdancehall girls. And they were probably beautiful to him too. Shecouldn’t make too much of it. She'd put it where it belonged,secretly tucked tight into her heart. For in truth, it was thenicest thing any man had said to her.
She couldn't help but think that whateverwoman did snag his heart, would be one lucky lady.
She went to bed and lay there thinking ofthe night, the beautiful boat, and how Wes had made the nightmagical to her. Moments like this were to be treasured, andsecret.
She went to sleep and slept well. Moby laidby her bed and moaned a little when he turned over. She reached herhand down to him and stroked his belly. "Your so spoiled, but Ilove you." She smiled to herself. "But just a little bellyscratching and you're happy."
The next morning, she quickly decided Weswas just being nice to her and not to make more of it than it was.She cooked breakfast and Wes came in as usual. She poured him somecoffee, and it began to rain. She heard the gentle patter of therain on the tin roof.
Wes went to look outside.
"Well, guess we won't be raking hay today."He told her.
She glanced over his shoulder, "I guessnot."
She moved before he turned around and busiedherself at the stove. She'd made bacon and eggs with biscuits andgravy.
He saw it and smiled. "This looksgreat."
"I figured you might be getting tired ofoatmeal."
"I like it, but this is a nice change." Hegrinned.
"Well, looks like you got the day off." Shemuttered.
"Yeah, looks like." He glanced at her."Wasn't expecting that."
"Not much you can do in the pouringrain."
He saw her gloomy look and his face twistedinto amusement. "You know how to play poker?"
"Poker?" she questioned. "The cardgame?"
"Yeah, you don't have a bunkhouse full ofmen to play with, so I wondered if you knew how."
"Not really." She half grinned.
"Well, maybe it's time you learned."
"Oh, but I don't gamble."
He frowned at her, "We won't play for realmoney. Got any dried beans?"
"Beans?" she asked.
"Yeah, we'll play for beans."
"You're kidding."
"Nope, when men don't have money, and theyare bored they play with beans. It's harmless and fun." He toldher.
"Sure, I have beans."
"Good, then I'll teach you." Heinsisted.
"Well, alright… " She managed a shy smile."Maybe I can get a job as a card dealer on one of those boats," shelaughed.
"Well, I guess that's a consideration." Hechuckled. "Better than a saloon girl, I'd say."
"Oh I don't know. I think I could learn alot about men there. And I think I really need to."
"What do you want to learn?" He asked her,staring into her eyes for a moment.
"Lots of stuff. Men confuse me for the mostpart."
"Well, we're not that complicated." Hegrinned. "So what do you think is so complicated about men?"
"My mother died early in my life. So Ididn't get the birds and the bees talk. Dad was just tooembarrassed to go into it. Then he died. But I don't know how toplease a man. And I probably shouldn't be having a conversationlike this with you, after all you are a man, too."
He studied her a minute, realizing she wasserious. "I guess it's hard when a girl doesn't have hermother."
"I tried to talk to my girlfriends backhome, but they hedged around things so much, I didn't understand.They'd say something and expect me to know what they were talkingabout. I didn't, but I acted as though I did. That's why I didn'tlearn much. I was too proud to tell them I didn't know much aboutmen and life itself. I mean, I knew how to take care of myself. Iknew how to grow a garden, and clean house and cook. But just likeJim. I didn't know what I was doing, flirting with him. I'd justseen my girlfriends do it. So I tried. And then when I married, Ithought, surely it will all come naturally. That I could learnalong the way. But it didn't. That bothered me. I've heard oldwomen say you grin and bear it. I didn't know what that meanteither."
"Your talking about making-love?" he lookedeven more surprised.
"I shouldn't be talking to you about this.You are a man too. But who does a person talk to? I feel guilty. Ididn't make love with Jim. I can't stop thinking I was wrong. Ishould have given him another chance. A chance when he wasn'tdrinking. But the way he manhandled me I just couldn't agree to it.Now, I'm wondering if I was the one that was wrong. I should neverhave married. I mean you need a little intelligence to be married.On that subject I was so dumb, even I knew it. What Jim did, scaredme so bad I never wanted it again. I couldn't just grin and bearit."
"Men don't know more about making love Kate,they know more about having sex. And just from what you said, youweren't at fault. But there's a big difference in making love andhaving sex. All men can have sex, not all of them know how to treata woman though."
The subject was getting too personal, butshe couldn't stop her mouth. "Is there a difference? I mean it'slike lust and love. How
