gripped her shoulders. “Tell me what happened.”
“I killed him,” she said softly. “I hit Darrell Hughes over the head and killed him.”
Her voice sounded different to her own ears. Dark spots filled her vision. Matthias said something, but his words sounded so far away. She smiled and everything went black.
Chapter Sixteen
Matthias built the fire so that it blazed cheerfully. It had been a week since Hughes had come to the cabin. The last seven days had been hard for Isabelle. She went about her day, but at odd moments, her eyes would fill with tears or she’d begin shaking.
He settled the boys in their beds, tucked them in with the puppy. Patch played all day long with Seth and Luke and by the end of the day could barely keep his eyes open. He promptly curled up and went to sleep.
“You two boys go on to sleep,” he said. “Tomorrow I’m taking your momma and you to town and you can get a stick of candy at the mercantile.”
When they were tucked in, he went downstairs to the washroom where Isabelle sat in the tub. Candles flickered, giving the room a glow.
“Need a little help with your bath, ma’am?” he drawled.
She sat in the water, her hair pinned up and a small smile on her face, the first he’d seen since that night.
“My hand is healing, and I’m able to bathe myself, sir.”
“But I like to see my wife in the tub,” he said. “I pictured her in my head even before I bought it for her.”
He knelt by the tub and kissed her shoulder. “Let me have a look at your hand.”
She held it out, and even in the dim light, it was clearly healing beautifully. Violet and Savannah had made a poultice for him to use each night. Now it looked like it didn’t even need a bandage.
“Savannah and Violet are smart, smart ladies,” he said. Then he turned her hand over and kissed the top.
“Did you come in here to help me with my bath or take me to bed?” Isabelle asked.
He stared at her in surprise. For the last week, he’d held her at night, soothed her when her sleep became restless, but he hadn’t done anything more. His gaze drifted from her eyes to her full lips.
“Both. Either,” he offered.
She stood and held out her hand, and he drew her from the tub. His body always stirred with need when she was near, but with her subtle flirting he felt the need burn hotter.
He wrapped the towel around her. The last week had been the same nightly routine… he’d dry her off, tell her how much he loved her, bandage her hand and help her into her gown. Not tonight. He blew out the candles and lifted her into his arms.
“I’m wet, Matthias,” she protested.
He chuckled as he took her to the bedroom. “Are you telling me dirty things, Isabelle?”
She smacked his shoulder. “What if I am? Are you planning on spanking me?”
He drew a sharp breath. Spanking her . The idea hadn’t even crossed his mind in the last week. All he wanted to do was protect her and shield her from danger and ugliness. The notion of spanking her sweet bottom drew a growl from him.
“Not tonight, Isabelle, but you’ll get double next time. Tonight, I just want to make love to you.”
He set her down gently on the bed, locked the door and shed his clothes. He prowled over to the bed and leaned down to kiss her. She met his kiss with parted lips and a soft moan. When he pressed against her folds, she was slick and swollen, and his touch made her flinch.
“Bad girl,” he murmured. “Your pussy’s wet for me.”
“No…”
“No? Maybe I should see for myself.”
She giggled as he trailed kisses down her tummy.
“If you’re not telling me the truth, you’ll be in trouble.”
He pushed her legs apart, and when she tried to edge away he yanked her down, pinning her to the bed with his arm.
“Bad girl,” he growled. “You won’t get away from me.”
He licked her, savoring her sweet taste and forgetting his promise of trouble. Her scent made him wild. She mewled as he teased her. When he
“I killed him,” she said softly. “I hit Darrell Hughes over the head and killed him.”
Her voice sounded different to her own ears. Dark spots filled her vision. Matthias said something, but his words sounded so far away. She smiled and everything went black.
Chapter Sixteen
Matthias built the fire so that it blazed cheerfully. It had been a week since Hughes had come to the cabin. The last seven days had been hard for Isabelle. She went about her day, but at odd moments, her eyes would fill with tears or she’d begin shaking.
He settled the boys in their beds, tucked them in with the puppy. Patch played all day long with Seth and Luke and by the end of the day could barely keep his eyes open. He promptly curled up and went to sleep.
“You two boys go on to sleep,” he said. “Tomorrow I’m taking your momma and you to town and you can get a stick of candy at the mercantile.”
When they were tucked in, he went downstairs to the washroom where Isabelle sat in the tub. Candles flickered, giving the room a glow.
“Need a little help with your bath, ma’am?” he drawled.
She sat in the water, her hair pinned up and a small smile on her face, the first he’d seen since that night.
“My hand is healing, and I’m able to bathe myself, sir.”
“But I like to see my wife in the tub,” he said. “I pictured her in my head even before I bought it for her.”
He knelt by the tub and kissed her shoulder. “Let me have a look at your hand.”
She held it out, and even in the dim light, it was clearly healing beautifully. Violet and Savannah had made a poultice for him to use each night. Now it looked like it didn’t even need a bandage.
“Savannah and Violet are smart, smart ladies,” he said. Then he turned her hand over and kissed the top.
“Did you come in here to help me with my bath or take me to bed?” Isabelle asked.
He stared at her in surprise. For the last week, he’d held her at night, soothed her when her sleep became restless, but he hadn’t done anything more. His gaze drifted from her eyes to her full lips.
“Both. Either,” he offered.
She stood and held out her hand, and he drew her from the tub. His body always stirred with need when she was near, but with her subtle flirting he felt the need burn hotter.
He wrapped the towel around her. The last week had been the same nightly routine… he’d dry her off, tell her how much he loved her, bandage her hand and help her into her gown. Not tonight. He blew out the candles and lifted her into his arms.
“I’m wet, Matthias,” she protested.
He chuckled as he took her to the bedroom. “Are you telling me dirty things, Isabelle?”
She smacked his shoulder. “What if I am? Are you planning on spanking me?”
He drew a sharp breath. Spanking her . The idea hadn’t even crossed his mind in the last week. All he wanted to do was protect her and shield her from danger and ugliness. The notion of spanking her sweet bottom drew a growl from him.
“Not tonight, Isabelle, but you’ll get double next time. Tonight, I just want to make love to you.”
He set her down gently on the bed, locked the door and shed his clothes. He prowled over to the bed and leaned down to kiss her. She met his kiss with parted lips and a soft moan. When he pressed against her folds, she was slick and swollen, and his touch made her flinch.
“Bad girl,” he murmured. “Your pussy’s wet for me.”
“No…”
“No? Maybe I should see for myself.”
She giggled as he trailed kisses down her tummy.
“If you’re not telling me the truth, you’ll be in trouble.”
He pushed her legs apart, and when she tried to edge away he yanked her down, pinning her to the bed with his arm.
“Bad girl,” he growled. “You won’t get away from me.”
He licked her, savoring her sweet taste and forgetting his promise of trouble. Her scent made him wild. She mewled as he teased her. When he
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