“Mama says we’re family now,” Violet said one afternoon when he was pulling his boots off.
Lee smiled and looked at her cute little face, her hair in pigtails, with ribbons at the bottom. “Yes, that’s right. We’re all one family now.”
“I’m glad. I like you, Mr. Luke…” She smiled. “And I’m glad you are gonna take care of my Mama.”
“And I like you, too, but you must call me Lee now, okay?” He dotted her cute little nose with his finger. Violet was such a delightful child. “And I’m gonna take care of all of you.”
She giggled.
Hattie saw them through the doorway as she passed and stopped. “Violet, come help me set the table, honey.”
Violet scampered out of the room. “But what should I call you?” She grinned.
“Well, I think we need to sit down and talk about that, sweetheart,” Lee called. He didn’t look up at Hattie. He kept fumbling with his gun belt. He’d started wearing it every day to the field.
“Can I call you Uncle?” she asked shyly.
“For now, that’s fine. Maybe we’ll change that later, but for now, Uncle is fine.” Lee wished he could explain all this to them but it was hard enough trying to understand it himself. All he knew was he loved Hattie, and he’d give anything if he could marry her legally. If she wanted it. That part hadn’t been decided yet.
“Uncle?” Hattie called from the doorway her brows arching.
“She said she’s glad we are family.” Lee tried to chuckle to ease the tension between them. It had been building since the night she was hurt. The air was thick with unspoken things. It was too soon to do anything. Time would help him figure things out.
She stared openly at him, as he took his shirt off.
He heard her gasp, and smiled. At least she was affected by his nakedness. He liked that too.
“Thought I might shave.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. But her eyes were trained on him now and he smiled. As always, Hattie made no secret of her feelings. Her looks galvanized him to the spot. “I wouldn’t stare like that, if I were you.”
“It’s about time you shaved. Want me to cut your hair?” she asked, completely changing the subject.
“That’s a tempting thought.” He smiled at her crookedly. He fingered his beard. “But maybe I better c
ut it, after I get rid of the beard. It shore does itch. It’s just a matter of time before people start to recognize me anyhow. Especially since I’m living in the house. They’ll wonder.”
She blushed and didn’t meet his eyes. “We can move out if you want us to. Just say the word. It might be better if we did.”
Lee looked down at her now. “Why would I want that? Been meaning to ask you if you think we should share the same room or not.”
Her breath hitched. “Are you laughing at me?”
He studied her then smiled. “Not at all. Would it be so bad, sharing a room?”
“Don’t tease me, Lee.”
“I’m not teasing. I think we need some time to get to know each other again. But I definitely think it’s a great idea. I know…I’d like it.”
He came up to her, his hand going to her cheek to stoke it.
He’d only meant to give her a light kiss, but she bent her cheek to his hand and looked into his eyes with such burning desire. Slowly she moved willingly to go into his arms and he suddenly crushed her against him, feeling the soft pillows of her breasts mashed against his bare chest, and the eager response from her lips, had him exploring the inner recesses of her mouth, his tongue delving deep inside her throat, needing more with each thrust. Deeper and deeper ‘til they were both on fire. He pulled her hard against him so she would know the effects she had on him and she moaned softly when his lips slid down her neck and her head fell back and gave him leave. He nibbled the edge of her ear and blew breath there. His lips traveled down her neck, and on down further to the mature cleavage.
“I wanted you to know how you stand with me, Hattie. I been thinkin’ about that kiss you gave me way back then. I haven’t forgotten one moment of it. Now’s even better. We’ve got to find a way to be together. We can’t be apart any longer. It’s been too long now.”
She gasped, but she didn’t move out of his arms. Suddenly, she went stiff in his arms. “I’m vulnerable, Lee. You know how I feel about you. But I don’t know how you feel. Not in so many words. And until I do, kisses will be all you get from me. If you want more, you’ll have to tell me the truth. You’ll have to say the words. I know you are a white man and I’m a Negro and what we have is wrong, but it’s there, nonetheless. It always has been. We want each other, we always have. It ain’t changed in all this time, and it ain’t gonna change now. But I need to hear the words from your mouth. I need to know with certainty that this isn’t just lust.”
He stopped, and let her go. “Hattie…”
She turned a hurting smile on him. “You know how I feel. I don’t know how you feel.”