A Chance at Love (24 page)

“When did you order these, Loreli?” Dede asked.

“Well, I wired your sizes to my housekeeper and told her you two needed dresses for the wedding and it looks as if she came through for us. I wasn't certain the dresses from Bloomingdale's would arrive in time.”

Bebe said, “I wish she was here, so I could give her a big kiss.”

Loreli laughed. “Me too, Be. She did us real proud, didn't she?'

“I want to give her two kisses,” Dede said.

The girls very carefully boxed up their beautiful treasures, then took them to their room.

While Jake and Loreli were alone, he said to her, “You made them very happy.”

“They deserve it. Every little girl should have a pretty dress and fancy new slippers. I never did, which probably accounts for why I own so many dresses now.”

“Not to mention all the furniture, the china, the chairs and the rest. You can't even turn around in the parlor.”

“It won't look that way once we get everything in its place, I promise.”

Jake planned to keep her to that. “But why on earth do we need a piano? I assume you play?”

She waved him off. “No.”

“No?” He stared, amazed, “Then why own one?”

“Because everybody back East does. Maybe Art Gibson can give the girls lessons on it.”

Jake chuckled and shook his head. What a woman. He supposed the twins would benefit from having the instrument in the house, but—she left him speechless.

He eyed her and asked, “So do you have any idea who's going to put together that giant bed of yours?”

Loreli replied with flirting eyes, “Nope, but you'd better come up with someone because our wedding night's less than a week away…” She threw him a bold wink and went inside to check on the girls.

Jake laughed out loud at that one.

Getting into the mood of the occasion, Jake pumped the water and set it to heating while Loreli and the girls dug through the jungle of furnishings and clothing in the parlor in a search for toiletries. It took them almost twenty minutes of moving things, opening one crate, then another. Finally they chanced upon a small crate lying beneath the piano. It was filled to the lid with scented soaps and bath salts.

Bebe gasped. “I've never seen this much soap in my life!”

Loreli freed a few bars from their wrappers. “A woman can never have too many soaps,” she drawled.

They giggled.

She offered them a sniff of the scented bars in her
hands; Bebe picked the bayberry and Dede, the violet.

Dede explained her choice of the violet. “It smells just like Loreli.”

Loreli leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead, then one to her sister. “Thanks for inviting me to be your mama,” she voiced sincerely.

They grinned and replied as one, “You're welcome.”

Loreli opted not to take her bath until after the girls were put to bed; she didn't want to be interrupted or disturbed. Her desires were to stretch out in a tub filled to the brim with hot water and salts, and sit and soak. So after prayers were heard and good-night kisses were given, Jake filled the caldrons for her and set them atop the grate in the pit to heat. Then he wandered over to the pens to check on the animals for the last time that evening. Loreli took down the dry laundry, folded it, and set the baskets inside. So much had happened since the morning, washday seemed like another day entirely. When Jake returned, she was seated on the porch. The weariness in her face was plain.

Jake told her quietly, “You look exhausted.”

“I'll be better after I soak in the tub. I can't believe it's really here. Remind me to wire Olivia a raise in pay, first thing in the morning.”

He smiled. “Who's Olivia?”

“One of my housekeepers. I told you about her. She keeps house at my place in Philadelphia.”

“
One
of your housekeepers?”

Loreli yawned tiredly. “Yes, I have three.”

Jake stiffened. “Three?”

“Yes. One in Philadelphia, Denver, and Boston.”

“Why so many?”

She shrugged, “I move around a lot, and when I get tired of being restless, I want to go to a place I can call my own—a place that has
my
bathtub,
my
bed linens,
my
cook.”

“A cook?”

Leaning her tired self against the porch post, she told him. “Sure, one for each house. In fact, I'm going to find one for here as soon as I get the chance.”

“We don't need a cook.”

“Sure we do, but I'm too tired to argue about it now. Let's do it tomorrow.”

Amusement tinted his tone. “Okay. We'll argue tomorrow.”

“Good. How's that water coming?”

Warmed by the pleasure of her company, Jake walked over to the pit to check.

It took the water another thirty minutes to heat, but once it was ready, Jake poured both caldrons into the pearl gray tub. The scent of the violet bath salts rose up to tempt his nose like tendrils of fragrant smoke, and just the thought of her being nude in the tub made his desire rise. Trying to stay distant, he went off to pump more water and set it on the grate just in case she needed more.

Loreli waited until the tub was filled before she began in on the buttons of her blouse. She couldn't wait to slip her naked self into the warm quiet embrace of the water, and let it soak away the day's sweat and tension.

Remembering what happened the last time he'd watched her undress, Jake planned on beating a hasty retreat. “I'll be on the front porch, if you need anything.”

To his male dismay, she said, “I left a couple of bath sheets on that stack of chairs in the parlor. Meant to bring them out with me. Can you get them, please?”

By now the blouse was gaping wide, showing off the thin yellow camisole beneath. Seemingly ignorant of his plight, she undid the button on the back of her skirt and less than a breath later it dropped and pooled at her feet. Jake took one look at the long golden legs encased in opaque white stockings and the rose-petal garters anchoring them on her thighs, and his manhood swelled. He hastened into the house.

Loreli watched his retreat knowingly.

He was gone only for a few moments, but apparently Loreli had had ample time to get undressed and ease herself into the tub because that's where he found her. Eyes closed, she was stretched out in the water with her head cushioned on a small pillow. This first look at her wearing nothing but the shadows of dusk and the evening breeze dazzled him so much his steps slowed. “Where do you want this?” he said quietly, holding out the towel.

“Just put it on the edge of the porch,” she said, then opened her eyes and sat up, smiling. The water stirred, lapping at her golden breasts with their puckered brown tips.

Clearing his throat, Jake forced his eyes away from the tempting twin sights and walked over to the spot she'd indicated. He placed the bath sheets near the pile of her discarded clothing. He took in a deep, calming breath. It didn't help. “I'll be out front.”

Loreli sensed the struggle he was having with himself, and inwardly she smiled sympathetically. “Before you leave, hand me that soap there, please?”

Jake looked down at his feet and saw a bar of green soap lying near her clothing. As he bent to retrieve it, his hands were shaking so badly he wanted to curse. Willing
himself to take in another series of deep breaths, he gathered himself, then slowly approached the tub.

When she took the soap from his offered hand, her voice was as soft as Eve's. “Thanks.”

The tone of that one word resonated through Jake like the peals of a bell. Her beautiful body teased the man in him mightily, and the desire to stroke her damp breasts and then slowly brush his lips across the nipples grew stronger with each passing moment. In reality, all he need do was extend his hand and paradise would be his, but taking such an action would negate the vow he'd made to himself, and to her. “Am I a fool for insisting we wait?”

Loreli studied him. She knew what he was referring to. “Maybe, but I never had a man save me like a fancy dessert before. It's pretty flattering when you think about it.”

Amused by her response, he said, “Plain-speaking Loreli Winters.”

“Well, it's the truth. I know and you know too that if I really wanted to push you off the fence, all I'd have to do is stand, and this discussion, your vow, none of that would matter.”

The light in his eyes told her she was right.

“But I'm not going to push you because you're a man of principle, Jake Reed, and I've only met a few men who can wear that hat.” She searched the planes of his face and offered seriously, “Men like you are rare as manna from heaven…”
What would it be like to stay with him for the rest of my life?
She quickly shook off the illogical musing and became herself again.
You're going to be replaced, remember!
“Now, granted, I've been hot as a stove since the first time you touched me.”

He barked a laugh, saying, “Loreli!”

“It's the truth,” she tossed back shamelessly. “And Lord knows, if I don't get some relief soon, I'm going to explode.”

He chuckled. “What kind of relief?”

“The relief a woman gets when a man and woman play the two-backed beast. Providing its done correctly, of course.” She looked at him oddly for a moment, then cracked, “I thought you went to medical school?”

He grinned, “Sassy woman, hush up and explain what you mean.”

“You really don't know?”

He threw up his hands, “Loreli. My daddy took me to visit a whore when I was sixteen because he said I needed to know how to work my plow and—”

She giggled, “He called it a plow?”

Jake's eyes glittered with irritation. “Yes.”

Trying to keep the smile from her face, Loreli said, “I'm sorry. Go on.”

“No. Never mind.”

“Oh, stop looking so wounded and finish the telling,” she teased softly. “I've just never heard it called a
plow
before.”

He looked into that beautiful face, and again knew he'd never be able to stay mad at her for long. “All right, but behave.”

She raised a hand. “Promise.”

“Okay. After the whore, the next time was with a woman at Howard.”

“And none of these women took the time to teach you about ‘relief'?”

He shook his head. “Didn't know I needed to be taught.”

For the first time since the conversation began, Jake realized he was discussing sex with Loreli. They'd had a similarly frank talk the night after their first, and yes, disastrous coming together in his bed, but in the world of a Kansas farmer, this was not something men did with women. Male friends, yes; women, no. Jake wasn't uncomfortable talking with her, though, he realized. Her sassy openness and her unwillingness to judge him made it easy to talk.

“What about afterward—surely once you were grown?” Loreli asked gently.

“No, the women I've visited off and on charge by the quarter-hour.”

Loreli searched his eyes. “I see. Well, when a man spills his seed, that's his relief, but a woman's relief isn't that obvious.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our relief happens inside. For me, the end is like throwing myself into a waterfall, but right now because of all this touching and kissing we've been doing, I'm sort of stuck on top. I really want to take the plunge, but—I'll wait until the wedding night.”

“Do our bodies have to be joined for you to get relief?”

“Nope, but I'll wait until the wedding night.”

“But I don't want you to,” he told her plainly.

Silence.

He added quietly, “Especially if it's causing you distress.”

Loreli didn't know what to make of his offer. “Jake—”

“Tell me what to do…”

She studied him for a long moment, then said, “You're probably in distress too. What about your relief?”

“We aren't talking about me.” Jake knew she was right, though, he'd been aching hard for days. To deflect her concern, he bent down and ran a light teasing finger slowly over her breast. When her eyes closed, he stroked the damp flesh round and round, and then lazily up and down before tracing a whisper of a circle around the nipple. She arched, and he paid the same slow tribute to the other breast, tracing its nipple with just enough pressure to make her groan throatily.

He knelt beside the tub and kissed her parted lips, tasting their softness until her mouth rose to meet his in passionate welcome. All the while his hands kept up their play on her breasts, and Loreli arched for more.

He murmured against her lips, “Show me what to do.”

Loreli let herself feed on being kissed by him and kissing him in return before sliding his hand down her body and gently guiding it underwater to the treasure between her parted thighs. “Touch me here,” she whispered.

As he followed her instructions and his warm hand in the warm water began to explore, caress, and slide possessively across her yearning flesh, her legs parted wantonly. Loreli couldn't hold her responses at bay; she'd been celibate for two years. This man had been teasing her body for nearly a week; and when he brazenly began to circle the key to her soul, then eased a bold finger inside, an orgasm powerful enough to satisfy three women rose up and shook her until she screamed his name across the miles.

Filling his eyes with this beautiful outrageous woman, Jake kept his hand still until she quieted.

Slightly panting, and still throbbing, Loreli felt his hand leave her, and she dropped back against the back of the tub, declaring softly, “Lord, that was wonderful.”

He grinned. “Was it?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Relief?”

She sighed with the glory of what he'd done. “Blessed relief. I can make it to the wedding now.”

She looked at him and searched his eyes. “What about you and your relief? I can help,” she offered boldly.