Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
L isa stirred in the bed, unaware she had fallen asleep. It must have been the rain that had lulled her to sleep in the middle of the day. She glanced at the spot next to her and saw that Ashley had his back turned to her. She rose up on her elbow so she could peer down at him. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was deep and even.
She was glad he had chosen to stay by the stream and make love to her yesterday. For a moment, she was sure he was going to leave whether she’d wanted him to or not. If he had done that, then she would have lost any hope of having another child. Nothing else had worked. Certainly, this would.
As much as she told herself that it was silly to believe that the location she made love to someone could magically make her conceive, she was relieved they had gone through with it.
Yes, it had been uncomfortable, but that had been worth it. She would go through whatever she needed to if it meant she could have another child. And Ashley would be such a good father. Everything he did was for her. Despite his reluctance to linger at the stream, he had insisted on being on the bottom so he could bear the brunt of the discomfort.
She brushed the dark hair from his eyes, and her heart warmed. This was a man whom a woman could be proud to bring her child to. She hugged him and pressed her cheek against his arm. She closed her eyes and thought of all the things he had done for her since she had arrived in this rugged wilderness.
“Aren’t you going to even try to wake me up?” Ashley asked.
Surprised, she opened her eyes and peered back down at him. He still had his eyes closed. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I was until I felt your fingers on my face.”
She waited for him to open his eyes, but he still kept them closed. With a smile, she tapped his nose. This time, his eyes did open. Then, before she had time to blink, he rolled over to face her, drew her into his arms, and showered her face with a bunch of kisses.
She laughed. “I think you lied to me. You weren’t sleeping at all.”
He stopped kissing her and stared at her incredulously. “How dare you accuse me of lying?”
She arched an eyebrow. “You’re much too alert for someone who just woke up.”
He gasped in mock horror. “I’m so hurt that I have a mind to leave.”
Giggling, she grabbed him by the waist before he could get out of the bed. “It’s raining out there. You’ll get wet.” She snuggled up to him and kissed his neck. “It’s nice and dry in this cabin.”
“I don’t know if I should stay. I can be working on your gloves or boots instead of putting up with this assault on my character.”
It was obvious by the chuckle in his voice that he didn’t really want to leave. He was just interested in finding out whether she’d persist in stopping him. If he wanted her to give him a reason to stay in bed with her, she was certainly willing to do so. She shifted so that she was straddling him. He was already aroused. He could pretend he wasn’t, but his erection gave him away.
She put her arms around his neck. “I don’t believe you want to go out in the rain to work on some gloves and boots.”
“You think I’m lying about that, too?”
She caressed the side of his face and gave him what she hoped was a flirtatious smile. She’d never made it a habit of flirting before. But given the interest in his eyes, she decided this was fun. “I think you want me to give you a reason to stay here with me.”
“Oh?”
He didn’t make a move to hold her, though he did grip the blanket under them. As much as he was eager to make love to her, he was struggling not to give in to her because he was enjoying their playful banter. How intriguing. She probably shouldn’t have found this so fascinating, and yet, she did. She never thought a woman could have any kind of power in a relationship.
She lowered her head to his and kissed him. He responded to her kiss but still didn’t hold her. She traced his lower lip with her tongue, and he parted his lips to accept her into his mouth. But still, he didn’t hold her. She deepened the kiss. Their tongues interlaced. She felt his erection strengthen between her legs. She was surprised by his self-control. Just what would it take for him to concede to her?
After a moment, she traced the muscles in his chest. The light spattering of dark hair on his chest made him nice and warm to the touch, but she suspected it was going to take more than touching his chest to get him to hold her. If there was one thing she had surmised from her time in bed, it was how sensitive a man’s penis was.
She lowered her hands until she reached his erection. She hesitated for a moment then began a tentative exploration of him. His shaft, while firm, had a silky texture to it. No wonder it felt good when he was inside her. He let out a low moan but still didn’t hold her. Encouraged, she continued exploring him. Her skin flushed with a mixture of nervousness and excitement at being so bold. Had she not been assured that he wasn’t going to end up rejecting her the way Preston had, she wouldn’t have pressed through this level of vulnerability. She felt something within her shifting. She couldn’t be sure what it was. She had started this with the intention of gaining power in the relationship, but she had a feeling she wasn’t only gaining it, but she was giving it as well. And that was a strange contradiction she couldn’t resolve.
Pushing the observation aside, she forced herself back to the task at hand. She had started this with the intention of getting him to stay in this bed to make love to her instead of going to the workshop. That was the challenge he had presented, and it was one she had accepted. Her focus renewed, she cupped him in her hand and stroked him. Fondling him was awkward at first, but the more he moaned, the less awkward she felt about holding him so intimately. And that feeling of having more control—rather than giving it—returned to her.
Taking advantage of the moment, she let go of him and offered what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. “Well, if you are that determined to make gloves and boots, then I suppose I shouldn’t detain you.” She caught the flicker of panic in his eyes and grinned. “Next time you’re awake, you ought to let me know.”
He let out a playful growl and drew her into his arms. She giggled as he sprinkled kisses on her face, on her neck, and then on her breasts. When he brought his mouth to hers, she settled back on top of him and took him into her. They kept on kissing for a few seconds before she urged him on his back so she could make love to him. He put his hands on her hips and guided her movements. Making love to him this way was different today than it had been yesterday. Yesterday, her focus had been on getting him to forget the uncomfortable ground so he would complete the process of making love to her. Yes, it had felt good. It always felt good. But today, her goal wasn’t to have a child. It was simply to get caught up in the experience of being with him. He was the only thing that mattered.
Her actions grew faster until the mounting tension between her legs gave way to a burst of pleasure that swept all through her. She stilled and moaned. He thrust inside her a few more times then gave in to his own release. Once her body relaxed, she was able to move. She got off of him and settled next to him. He drew her into his arms and kissed her.
“Isn’t this better than going out into the rain?” she asked with a teasing smile.
“Much,” he admitted. “But at some point, I will have to make your gloves and boots. Winter will be here soon.” He lifted one of her hands then kissed it. “I especially don’t want your hands to get dry and cold after learning what you can do with them when touching the more interesting part of me.”
She chuckled. “You liked that?”
“I liked it very much. You are encouraged to touch me like that more often.” He gave her a pointed look. “And I’m not lying when I say that.”
“I should hope not.”
He squeezed her hand affectionately. Then he sat up and wrapped the blanket around them so that they were both comfortable and warm. She closed her eyes and focused on the rain as it pounded against the roof. Without meaning to, she ended up drifting off to sleep.
* * *
Lisa pulled the thread through the fabric of the second blanket she had decided to make for the baby she was certain she was going to be holding in nine months. Near her, Ashley worked on her gloves. He had explained what he was doing with the leather he’d made from the elk hide, but she couldn’t recall the details. That kind of skill was beyond her understanding. She was doing well to make the blanket. He had asked her what she was working on. She debated telling him but worried it would jinx things, so she opted to say she was experimenting with sewing. He accepted her answer readily enough, and that gave her the freedom to continue working on it.
The workshop was a cozy place. The more she was in here, the more she liked it, though she would never come in here while he was skinning an animal or preparing meat. She couldn’t stand the smell or the sight of all that blood. But on a day like this when the leather was ready for making things, it was a peaceful place to sit. It didn’t matter whether she and Ashley spoke or spent the time in silence. It was just nice to be with him.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to chop some wood,” Ashley said. “After a while, sewing through leather makes my hand stiff.”
“Chopping wood doesn’t bother your hands?” she asked in surprise.
“Chopping wood takes more of a strain on my arms and back than on my hands. Also, I can wear gloves when I handle wood.”
She was only sewing through cotton. He was pulling a needle and thread through leather. She glanced down at the necklace he had made her so she could inspect the braided leather around her neck. There was no use in comparing it to the thread she used for sewing, but she did take a moment to study it.
A lot of work had gone into making the braid. She doubted it would ever tear. Her gaze went to the clamshell. It really was a pretty shell. She lifted it and noted how he had smoothed the edges for her. Her skin flushed with a surge of awe that he should have gone through all of this work just for her. And the shell really was quite exquisite. The reddish colors had various shades in them. On impulse, she placed the blanket aside then swept some of her hair from her back so she could bring it up against the shell. Though not apparent right away, she did detect different shades of red within her own hair. How odd that she’d never noticed this before.
What was it Ashley had told her when he found the clamshell on the beach? He had picked this particular shell because it complemented her hair. He’d said it would enhance her beauty. Her gaze went to him. He was bent over the glove that he was making, his eyes focused on the thread as he pushed it through the leather. He took great care in what he made.
Her attention returned to the clamshell. It was really a lovely shell. It didn’t flash. It didn’t sparkle. But there was considerable beauty in it. Ashley had called it unique, adding that there would be nothing else like this in the entire world. It was as if this shell had been created just for her. Maybe there was a purpose in her being here after all.
Sensing that Ashley was watching her, she looked over at him, and sure enough, his gaze was on her. He gave her a smile then went back to sewing the glove. Her skin flushed with pleasure. If a smile could envelope someone in a hug, that was the smile that would do it.
Her heartbeat picked up. She didn’t know what to make of the nervous energy that was shooting through her. It was all so strange and new. She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down. After a long moment, she was finally able to relax enough to pick the blanket back up. Skin still warm, she continued with her sewing.
* * *
“I didn’t realize that having you here would mean Boone and Nona would want to visit all the time,” Ashley commented a couple weeks later as he peered out the small window by the cookstove.
Lisa glanced up from the small table where she was still eating her eggs, peaches, and shavings of elk meat that Ashley had prepared for them. She didn’t know how he heard someone approaching the area well before she did. He returned to the table and placed his half-eaten plate on the top shelf of the cookstove.
“Don’t you want to finish your breakfast?” Lisa asked.
“I’ll talk to them first.” He retrieved his boots and slipped them on. “You go on and eat. There’s no sense in both of us having a cold meal.”
“To be fair, they don’t stop by all the time,” she said. “Usually, we visit them.”
“Before you came here, I only saw them a few times a year, and that was when I had something to give them or they had something to give me. There was none of this social calling that we’re doing now. I suspect Nona has a lot to do with it. Boone says she likes having another woman to talk to.”
That could very well be the case. Nona did seem to enjoy talking about her children and grandchildren while teaching Lisa how to sew. Lisa didn’t mind that. The more Nona talked, the less Lisa had to.
Ashley stood up and kissed the top of Lisa’s head. “I’ll show them what I’ve been doing in the workshop. Join us when you’re ready.”
Lisa offered a nod and continued eating as he left. She wondered what she might ask Nona’s help on this time. If she conceived this month, then the baby would be born in June. It wasn’t that cold outside in the summer. However, when it rained, it would be good to cover the child’s head with something. Yes, she’d ask Nona to teach her to make a cap.
Excited, she hurried to finish her breakfast then washed her plate and fork. Her gaze fell on the plate that Ashley had left behind. It wasn’t fair for him to go without the rest of his meal. She took his plate down from the shelf and carried it with her to the workshop.
“That’s nice work,” Boone was telling Ashley as she opened the door.
Lisa looked over at them and saw that Ashley was showing him and Nona the gloves he was making.
“I’m almost done with them,” Ashley said. “I just want to sew these buttons on them.”
Nona happened to spot her. With a smile, she headed over in her direction. “I made too much bread and thought you and Ashley could eat some.”
Lisa suspected the bread was an excuse to make the trip but welcomed both the visit and the food. “Thank you, Nona.”
Nona gestured to the plate. “Is that for Ashley?”
Lisa nodded. “We were eating when you arrived, and he was eager to greet you and Boone.” Since Nona stepped aside, Lisa brought the plate to Ashley and set it on the table.
“Your husband does fine work with that leather,” Boone told Lisa. “Those gloves are going to keep your hands nice and warm all through the winter.”
“They’ll be done in a couple more days,” Ashley told her. “Then I’ll start on the boots.”
Boone’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know you could make boots.”
“I had to repair my own last year,” Ashley said. “That taught me what I needed to know.”
“You’re a quick learner,” Boone commented. “Too bad Joey wasn’t that way.” He glanced at Nona and grinned. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have almost burned down our cabin.”
Lisa didn’t hide her shock. Their son had almost burned down their home?
Nona shook her head. “The boy meant well, but he never did figure out how to properly start a fire.”
“It’s a good thing he took a job delivering supplies for store owners. As long as he stays away from fire, everyone’s safe.” Boone chuckled. “He’s a good boy. He sends us a letter every month.”
“We’ll be going to Portland to visit him and his sister in two weeks,” Nona added. “That’s one of the reasons we came over. We won’t be home for a month. We don’t want you stopping by and worrying when you don’t find us there.”
Oh, so this was more than a regular visit. “I hope you two will have a good time with your children and their families,” Lisa said.
“We always do,” Nona replied with an excited smile on her face. “While we are here today, is there anything we can do for you?” She gave an expectant look between Ashley and Lisa.
“I wouldn’t mind learning how to make a cap with the fabric Ashley dyed for me,” Lisa spoke up. “The fabric is a beautiful blue color.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Nona said with a glance in Ashley’s direction. “A cap would do a much better job of covering your ears than a hat does.”
Lisa hadn’t thought Ashley needed something to cover his ears. He never complained about his ears being cold, and he did have thick hair that covered them. But maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make him a cap while she was making one for the baby. Then the two could have matching caps. The image brought a grin to her face. “So you’ll teach me how to make a cap?”
Nona gave her an emphatic nod. “I’d be delighted.” Turning to Ashley and Boone, she said, “We’re going to do some sewing while you two talk.” Without another word, she took Lisa by the arm and escorted her out of the workshop.