“I’ve been thinking on it.”
She was beginning to recognize the long drawl as a warning. “You have a plan?”
“Yup.” He took a sip of what had to be stone cold coffee, yet he didn’t wince. She couldn’t stand cold coffee. She brought the pot over. He held up his cup.
“How do you feel about being courted?”
Chapter Nine
She missed the cup completely and poured the hot coffee straight into his lap.
“Jesus , Mary, and Joseph!” The chair crashed to the floor as he jumped to his feet.
She stared in dismay at the steaming front of his denims. Dear God, he was going to kill her. “I’m sorry! Are you okay?”
“Hell no! I think you just took off some pretty important layers of hide!”
She backed hastily out of his reach. She measured the distance to the door with her eyes.
“Don’t you dare run out of here,” he warned.
“I was just, just…”
He pulled his pants away from his thighs as best he could. The glance he sent her was wry. “Do you always burn the men who come a courtin’?”
“You mean you want to court me?”
This time, he was the one to look startled. “Well, who’d you think?” Realization dawned mid-sentence. His brows dropped low. “You didn’t think I’d be bringing in strangers?”
He didn’t need to say it as if it were the furthest thing from possible.
“How am I supposed to know what you think? We’re already married. The marriage has been consummated and you ask me if I want to be courted. You’re the most contradictory man!”
“That’s a heck of a leap you made there.” He grabbed a napkin and swiped at the spill.
She took another breath, clinging to her patience and ladylike demeanor. “Husbands do not court their wives!”
He stopped wiping his pants with the napkin and stared at her a good long minute. His expression was inscrutable. “Darlin’, we’re further behind than I thought.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I can see that.”
She was beginning to believe he delighted in keeping her off balance. She wiped her hands on her apron. “Are you badly hurt?”
His expression was wry as he shifted gingerly. “There are parts of me that have been happier.”
She inched closer to the door. “I didn’t spill the coffee on purpose.”
“If I thought you did, you couldn’t sidle to that door fast enough to save your backside a warming.”
She stopped. The door was only two feet away. “It was an accident. You startled me.”
He sighed. “Come here.”
“I could get you some cool well water.”
“Quit stalling and come here.”
Before she took the steps to bring her within reach, she shifted her grip on the coffee pot. Her plan was for nothing. She’d forgotten how much taller he was. As soon as she got close enough, he plucked the pot from her hand.
“You won’t be needing this.”
“I—”
His finger over her lips cut off her protest. “I don’t want lies between us. It was a smart move, thinking to use that coffee as a weapon should I turn ornery.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t know what to say and since he did seem to be complimenting her—for thinking about tossing coffee in his face?—the response seemed appropriate. Dear Lord, he was addling her brain. “I don’t understand you.”
“You’ve said that before.” He reached out and pushed a loose piece of hair back from her face. She felt foolish for flinching. His touch was nothing more than an infinitesimal brush of skin, incredibly gentle. Soothing.
“It’s clear as day you’ve met with a few ornery types. You’re as nervous as a cat with its tail under the rocker, always waiting for me to turn on you.” He shook his head and curled his hand around her head. She felt engulfed. Threatened. She conjured up an image of a huge stone wall and mentally shoved her fear behind it. Not for anything was she going to let him know how much he frightened her.
“I can feel your muscles tightening.” His gaze was sharp on her face. “You’re scared now.”
Her lips were dry. So was her mouth. She had to lick her lips before she could get the words out. “It was an accident.”
“You’re thinking this is a trick and I’m planning on getting my own back.”
It took everything she had to stand still under his hand when she heard the accusation in his low-voiced drawl.
“I know you’re mad,” she said. She wanted that in the open. Mad she could deal with. Mad she understood.
His “Ah, darlin’,” was incredibly soft, almost sad, but the hand that pulled her against his chest was relentless. He wasn’t satisfied until he had her head resting over his heart and her body wrapped in his arms. She stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do. What he expected of her.
“Listen.”
She waited. He followed the order with nothing. After a minute or two, she couldn’t stand it anymore. “What?”