laughed.
Rachael closed the book and picked up the gray and white kitten. “What about this one? Hezekiah?” She danced him on his hind legs and Mattie giggled some more.
The kitten had a tiny gray beard that did indeed make him look like Elder Hezekiah Johannsen.
“No. That’s Ripple. I already told you that,” Mattie said. “See here? He’s got ripples in his stripes.”
Rachael talked and played with her little sister for the next hour, suddenly glad to be in a familiar role where she knew who she was and what to do. As much as she eagerly looked forward to her time with Joe the following weekend, she was also nervous. The immorality of what they were about to do—for she had little doubt they would go all the way—well, she could hardly bear to think of that. The idea of losingher virginity outside of marriage was terrifying. On top of that, the act itself frightened her. Would it hurt? Would she please him? What if a baby came of it? She must find a way to protect against that.
The last day of haying Joe pulled Rachael behind the hay wagon to whisper. “They’re leaving tomorrow morning and will be gone at least four days. Come over any time you can after supper.”
She nodded and glanced over to see if anyone was watching.
As she passed Daniel on the way back to the rest of the group, her brother gave her a curious frown that set her heart thumping. Had he seen her talking to Joe? Did he have a suspicion? And if he did, would he say anything?
She’d kept secrets for Daniel, but she didn’t know if he would keep this big of a secret for her if he figured it out. Some transgressions were beyond the bonds of sibling protection. He wouldn’t cover for her if he knew she was involved with an outsider.
But Daniel said nothing then or later in the day. For now, Rachael’s hidden love was undetected.
Chapter Nine
The electric fan in Joe’s bedroom window whirred, a soothing humming sound, but the room was still sweltering. It wasn’t a whole lot better than her and Mattie’s room under the eaves at home. All the fan did was move the heat around.
She was uncomfortable removing her clothes in front of Joe. Rachael tried to turn away as she unfastened the hooks and eyes on the front of her dress, but he turned her back to face him. His eyes gleamed as he watched her hands move down the bodice, revealing her shift beneath.
She took off the dress, removed her shoes and stood before him clad only in her slip and underwear. She wrapped her arms around her body, feeling gooseflesh on her arms even though the room was probably close to eighty degrees.
It was Joe’s turn. With a devilish smile, he drew his T-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor.
She’d seen him shirtless often this week in the field. Now she could study him from only a few feet away; his muscled arms and chest, his flat stomach, and the trail of hair that led from his navel to the top button on his jeans. She knew what lay under that denim. She’d felt its length and girth with her own hands.
He began to unfasten the button. “What did you tell you mother?”
She smoothed the front of her slip nervously. “I didn’t talk to her. I told Mattie I was taking a walk and would be back whenever I got back.”
He unzipped his fly. “Is your mom gonna grill you?”
“I’ll tell her I needed to be alone for a while so I went walking. I won’t be lying since I did walk over here.” The more of his powerful male body he revealed, the more small and feminine and delicate she felt.
“That’s good.” He pulled his jeans down his legs and stepped out of them. “I don’t want you to have to lie.”
He stood clad only in his boxers, his body hard and sculpted from hours of farm labor and bronzed from days spent in the sun. So beautiful. She wanted him desperately.
Rachael realized he was waiting. It was her turn to remove an article of clothing, but she hesitated to reach for the hem of her slip.
Joe pulled her into
Rachael closed the book and picked up the gray and white kitten. “What about this one? Hezekiah?” She danced him on his hind legs and Mattie giggled some more.
The kitten had a tiny gray beard that did indeed make him look like Elder Hezekiah Johannsen.
“No. That’s Ripple. I already told you that,” Mattie said. “See here? He’s got ripples in his stripes.”
Rachael talked and played with her little sister for the next hour, suddenly glad to be in a familiar role where she knew who she was and what to do. As much as she eagerly looked forward to her time with Joe the following weekend, she was also nervous. The immorality of what they were about to do—for she had little doubt they would go all the way—well, she could hardly bear to think of that. The idea of losingher virginity outside of marriage was terrifying. On top of that, the act itself frightened her. Would it hurt? Would she please him? What if a baby came of it? She must find a way to protect against that.
The last day of haying Joe pulled Rachael behind the hay wagon to whisper. “They’re leaving tomorrow morning and will be gone at least four days. Come over any time you can after supper.”
She nodded and glanced over to see if anyone was watching.
As she passed Daniel on the way back to the rest of the group, her brother gave her a curious frown that set her heart thumping. Had he seen her talking to Joe? Did he have a suspicion? And if he did, would he say anything?
She’d kept secrets for Daniel, but she didn’t know if he would keep this big of a secret for her if he figured it out. Some transgressions were beyond the bonds of sibling protection. He wouldn’t cover for her if he knew she was involved with an outsider.
But Daniel said nothing then or later in the day. For now, Rachael’s hidden love was undetected.
Chapter Nine
The electric fan in Joe’s bedroom window whirred, a soothing humming sound, but the room was still sweltering. It wasn’t a whole lot better than her and Mattie’s room under the eaves at home. All the fan did was move the heat around.
She was uncomfortable removing her clothes in front of Joe. Rachael tried to turn away as she unfastened the hooks and eyes on the front of her dress, but he turned her back to face him. His eyes gleamed as he watched her hands move down the bodice, revealing her shift beneath.
She took off the dress, removed her shoes and stood before him clad only in her slip and underwear. She wrapped her arms around her body, feeling gooseflesh on her arms even though the room was probably close to eighty degrees.
It was Joe’s turn. With a devilish smile, he drew his T-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor.
She’d seen him shirtless often this week in the field. Now she could study him from only a few feet away; his muscled arms and chest, his flat stomach, and the trail of hair that led from his navel to the top button on his jeans. She knew what lay under that denim. She’d felt its length and girth with her own hands.
He began to unfasten the button. “What did you tell you mother?”
She smoothed the front of her slip nervously. “I didn’t talk to her. I told Mattie I was taking a walk and would be back whenever I got back.”
He unzipped his fly. “Is your mom gonna grill you?”
“I’ll tell her I needed to be alone for a while so I went walking. I won’t be lying since I did walk over here.” The more of his powerful male body he revealed, the more small and feminine and delicate she felt.
“That’s good.” He pulled his jeans down his legs and stepped out of them. “I don’t want you to have to lie.”
He stood clad only in his boxers, his body hard and sculpted from hours of farm labor and bronzed from days spent in the sun. So beautiful. She wanted him desperately.
Rachael realized he was waiting. It was her turn to remove an article of clothing, but she hesitated to reach for the hem of her slip.
Joe pulled her into
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