and turned her backside to ice. Nathan’s sharp intake of breath revealed his shock, as well, but he sputtered and laughed.
Ella floundered to lunge her weight forward and stand, but her foot caught on the hem of her skirt and she plopped back into the water, this time splashing her face and hair and soaking a good portion of her blouse.
Now that she was caught in her wet skirts, Nathan laughed all the harder, helpless to do anything to aid her or himself. The hair plastered to his forehead dripped water, and his wet shirt molded to his chest. His teeth were white and even, and the corners of his eyes crinkled in merriment.
Ella had a fleeting image of him dressed formally the night they’d met and wondered what all those people at the party would think of their city attorney at this moment. His hearty laughter was contagious.
An unfamiliar pleasure rose up inside her and spilled over in a burst. She heard the sound, but couldn’t reconcile it as coming from her. A full thirty seconds passed…a minute…yes, she was laughing. Laughing for all she was worth.
Almost frightened at the oddity, she caught herself and clapped a hand over her mouth.
Nathan’s laughter faded, and his smile waned, his gaze dropping to her hand over her mouth, then her wet clothing.
She let her hand drop to her side and stared at him breathing hard, his eyes growing darker and his expression changing. A quick glance showed that her thin wet blouse had become transparent, and the icy water had done more than give her shivers.
Without thinking about the consequences, she sprang forward and took his face between her hands. She had only a second to register his startled expression before she covered his lips with hers and kissed him without restraint.
Chapter Seven
E verything about her new life was awkward and unfamiliar. She felt decidedly lost and inept. She couldn’t cry. But she could find a recognizable foothold and cling to it for her security.
His mouth was warm and his arms radiated heat when they wrapped around her, the temperature a welcome contrast to the icy water and the icy cold seeping through her clothing. The enchanting pressure of his eager lips took her by surprise.
Against her fingertips his damp jaw was smoothly shaven, slick and warm. A startling flutter took up a beat in her stomach and spread to her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
She wanted to press closer, become a part of him and never lose this incredible new sense of security and feeble hope.
Nathan eased his lips from hers. He studied her eyes for a fleeting moment. “You’re shivering.”
She’d thought the trembling was inside.
He picked her up in his arms, securely this time, and carried her to the bank, where he climbed out of the water and set her down. “You might want to wring out your skirts.”
She took a step away and sat on the grass to do as he’d suggested. He ineffectually squeezed water from the cuffs of his trousers. He picked up his shoes. “We’d better go back to the house and change into dry clothing.”
Ella gathered her stockings and shoes and joined him.
That evening, Nathan called the family to join him in his study. The warmth of the day had waned, and he’d lit a fire. The room, filled with comfortable leather chairs and burgeoning cases of books, was pleasant and welcoming.
Christopher opened a box of miniature figures and set them up in some sort of formation on the stone slab that comprised the hearth. His accompanying noises alerted Ella that the figures were soldiers.
Grace settled two rag dolls on the footstool and fed them imaginary food from a tiny set of china dishes.
Robby dumped a bag of wooden blocks on the floor and stacked them into a tower, humming to himself.
“Grace hasn’t spoken to me yet,” Ella whispered to Nathan.
“She doesn’t speak to me, either,” he replied. “Sometimes I hear her talking to her dolls when she’s alone in her room, though.”
“Has she always been so
Ella floundered to lunge her weight forward and stand, but her foot caught on the hem of her skirt and she plopped back into the water, this time splashing her face and hair and soaking a good portion of her blouse.
Now that she was caught in her wet skirts, Nathan laughed all the harder, helpless to do anything to aid her or himself. The hair plastered to his forehead dripped water, and his wet shirt molded to his chest. His teeth were white and even, and the corners of his eyes crinkled in merriment.
Ella had a fleeting image of him dressed formally the night they’d met and wondered what all those people at the party would think of their city attorney at this moment. His hearty laughter was contagious.
An unfamiliar pleasure rose up inside her and spilled over in a burst. She heard the sound, but couldn’t reconcile it as coming from her. A full thirty seconds passed…a minute…yes, she was laughing. Laughing for all she was worth.
Almost frightened at the oddity, she caught herself and clapped a hand over her mouth.
Nathan’s laughter faded, and his smile waned, his gaze dropping to her hand over her mouth, then her wet clothing.
She let her hand drop to her side and stared at him breathing hard, his eyes growing darker and his expression changing. A quick glance showed that her thin wet blouse had become transparent, and the icy water had done more than give her shivers.
Without thinking about the consequences, she sprang forward and took his face between her hands. She had only a second to register his startled expression before she covered his lips with hers and kissed him without restraint.
Chapter Seven
E verything about her new life was awkward and unfamiliar. She felt decidedly lost and inept. She couldn’t cry. But she could find a recognizable foothold and cling to it for her security.
His mouth was warm and his arms radiated heat when they wrapped around her, the temperature a welcome contrast to the icy water and the icy cold seeping through her clothing. The enchanting pressure of his eager lips took her by surprise.
Against her fingertips his damp jaw was smoothly shaven, slick and warm. A startling flutter took up a beat in her stomach and spread to her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
She wanted to press closer, become a part of him and never lose this incredible new sense of security and feeble hope.
Nathan eased his lips from hers. He studied her eyes for a fleeting moment. “You’re shivering.”
She’d thought the trembling was inside.
He picked her up in his arms, securely this time, and carried her to the bank, where he climbed out of the water and set her down. “You might want to wring out your skirts.”
She took a step away and sat on the grass to do as he’d suggested. He ineffectually squeezed water from the cuffs of his trousers. He picked up his shoes. “We’d better go back to the house and change into dry clothing.”
Ella gathered her stockings and shoes and joined him.
That evening, Nathan called the family to join him in his study. The warmth of the day had waned, and he’d lit a fire. The room, filled with comfortable leather chairs and burgeoning cases of books, was pleasant and welcoming.
Christopher opened a box of miniature figures and set them up in some sort of formation on the stone slab that comprised the hearth. His accompanying noises alerted Ella that the figures were soldiers.
Grace settled two rag dolls on the footstool and fed them imaginary food from a tiny set of china dishes.
Robby dumped a bag of wooden blocks on the floor and stacked them into a tower, humming to himself.
“Grace hasn’t spoken to me yet,” Ella whispered to Nathan.
“She doesn’t speak to me, either,” he replied. “Sometimes I hear her talking to her dolls when she’s alone in her room, though.”
“Has she always been so
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