Only You by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Author:Rachel Kramer Bussel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cleis Press
Published: 2012-12-12T16:00:00+00:00

When they reached the crest of the hill, the sun was already setting, veils of amber, ocher and mauve stretched across the horizon.

“You can see all the way to the next county from here,” she told him, her voice slightly winded from the climb.

Shelby moved close, almost, but not quite, touching her. “It’s a beautiful spot.”

“I used to come up here almost every day when I first moved back home. That was in November, too. In the summer, the hills seem to catch fire as the sun sets, but at this time of year it’s more like a glow that rises up from the land itself then fades, so gently you almost miss it.”

“Like a slow fire,” he murmured.

“Yes. Slow fire. I like that.” She looked up at him and smiled.

He cleared his throat and looked off into the distance. “Have you ever thought of marrying again?”

Her pulse quickened. With expectation or dread, she wasn’t quite sure.

“I might, under the right conditions,” she replied cautiously.

He cleared his throat again. “I’m not doing this properly. I should get down on bended knee with a ring, but might I hope that I could offer you those conditions some day? I’m not in a rush. I just wanted to declare my intentions. You know you mean everything to me, Del.”

She felt a click in her chest, as if a tiny lock had opened. The words came out before she could stop herself. “Oh, Shelby, I want to say yes.”

He laughed, relief mixed with amusement. “Then why not say it?”

At a loss, she threw her arms around him. She didn’t want him to see the tears in her eyes. There was so much he didn’t know about her. Living with a man changed a woman, marked her indelibly body and soul, not always for the better. If only they could spend the night together before they rushed into marriage, to make sure this wasn’t mere lust or wishful thinking.

Suddenly it hit her. Why couldn’t they be together? She was, after all, a widow with nothing to lose. And if it didn’t work out, best to know now and save each other years of heartache.

“I do have one condition. Or maybe it’s a favor,” she said into the air over his shoulder.

“I’ll do anything you ask,” he replied.

Would he? She brought her lips to his ear, as if someone might overhear. “Before I can say yes, I want us to be together. Intimately. To see if we’re compatible.”

He inhaled sharply. Then there was silence. An endless silence. Her cheeks flaming with shame, Del shook herself free and began walking quickly back toward the house.

In a few strides, he was beside her. “Don’t go, Del. Of course I’ll do it, if you’re sure you want that.”

She stopped, her eyes still trained on the withered winter grass at her feet.

“I’d be very honored to make love to you,” he said.

She bit her lip. Rather than shocked or disgusted, he actually sounded eager. Her blush deepened. “You’ll have to find a place.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.