Part 33 (1/2)
Every part of them was involved in the kiss. On and on it went until he thought he'd scatter like debris after the felling of a tree.
He wrenched back and held her head tight between his hands. ”Marry me.”
Her chest heaved in an effort to capture her breath. And with each upward motion, she pressed herself more closely against him.
He gave her a quick, hard kiss. ”Marry me.”
”Oh, Joe.” Her eyes searched his.
He kissed her again. ”All you have to do is say 'yes.' We'll do it today. Now. As soon as we get to town.”
Something changed then. She calmed. She slowed her breathing. She collected herself. ”Do you love me, Joe?”
”I . . .”
Did he love her? Well, he certainly felt more for her than he had for Lorraine.
”If we waited until next week,” she continued, ”would you still want to marry me?”
He frowned. ”Next week? Why would we wait until next week when we're practically in town already?”
”No.” Anna brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. ”I mean, if we waited until you lost your land. Would you still want to marry me?”
He reared back. ”Why would I do that? If we're going to get married, it is of utmost importance that we do it before I lose the land, not after. You're not making any sense.”
Sighing, she stroked his lips with her fingers.
He nipped her little finger with his teeth.
She extracted herself from his embrace, then moved back to her side of the seat. ”Well, it doesn't matter anyway. The whole thing is hypothetical.”
”What do you mean it's hypothetical?”
”The question.”
”There was absolutely nothing hypothetical about my proposal.”
She pulled the blanket up over her shoulders. ”No. I don't suppose there was.”
”Then what the blazes are you talking about? Are you going to marry me or not?”
”Not.” She flipped the blanket over her knees. ”I'm afraid I'm not.”
He closed his eyes, trying to figure out exactly what had happened. ”How can you kiss me like that, then tell me no?”
”I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression. I'm sorry.”
”Give me the wrong impression? Give me the wrong impression? If you'd kissed me any more thoroughly, I'd have gone up in smoke. Just what impression was I supposed to have gotten?”
Her entire face flushed. ”I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I a.s.sure you.”
He flung up his hands in a gesture of disbelief. ”And that's supposed to make me feel better? Just what was that, then?”
”A good-bye kiss, I believe, is how you described it.”
He stared at her. Shocked. Confused. Angry. And frustrated as the devil. Jerking the reins from the dash rail, he slapped Shakespeare with a bit more intensity than he should have. The horse jumped, then trotted, making the wagon jostle so much Anna flew clear up off the seat.
But he didn't slow their pace, nor did he help her stay anch.o.r.ed. She could fall off the stupid wagon for all he cared. And when she did, he'd be hanged before he even looked back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT.
Hound Dog, Anna's private nickname for the clerk at the Occidental, handed Anna a missive and a purse of coins. ”Mr. Denton said this was yours.”
”Thank you, Mr. Collins.”
The pouch's weight and jingling indicated it held quite a bit of money. Frowning, she looked around. ”Is Mr. Denton here?”
”No, miss. He's headed back to his place.”
She blinked. ”But we just arrived an hour ago.”
Hound Dog shrugged. ”He went over to Yesler's Cookhouse and hired Ollie Rendorff right out from under Mr. Yesler. They left not fifteen minutes ago.”
She glanced at her watch pin. ”Why didn't you come and get me?”
”He said not to bother you.”
But he'd not even said good-bye, she thought. Well, unless she counted that kiss, but that had only been an act of desperation on his part.
”Did he leave my carpetbag with you?”
”No, miss. Only that pouch and the missive I just gave you.”
”I see. Well, thank you.”
Moving to the porch, she broke open the letter.
Anna, I forgot to put your bag in the wagon. It is still in the house. Please accept my apologies. I will bring it to town next week when I come for other business.
I have told the Occidental to forward your bills to me until you have found a new job or made other arrangements. I have enclosed a modest remittance to help you launch whatever pursuits you decide to follow.
Sincerely yours, Joe She looked inside the pouch. He'd left her enough money to live on for several months, longer if she was careful. And if she didn't have her bag, she'd have to wear the clothes on her back for another week and finger-comb her hair.
Leaning back in the chair, she watched the rain pummel the ground in an unrelenting gush. Lightning seared the sky with a flash of light so bright it took her a moment before she could see again. The crash of thunder followed several seconds later.
Joe was driving home in this mess. Just like the last time he'd taken a new cook to his place. Sighing, she pulled the drawstrings of the money bag closed.