Joshua's Folly (15 page)

“I fell in love with your picture—one that hung on Mary’s wall.” Marisa smiled a smile that looked more like a grimace. “Teenager stuff. Very dramatic and very over the top.”

Huh. How sweet is that? Josh felt beyond flattered. As far as he knew, no one had ever cried over him. Marisa was noticeably embarrassed at her admission and he wasn’t sure how to put her at ease. “I had no idea.”

“It doesn’t matter. I have you now.” She moved even closer to him, until their lips were almost touching. “I want it to be you, Josh. I want you to be my first…and only,” she whispered so softly he had to strain to hear her words.

He’d guessed correctly about her innocence. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to him fiercely. “Marisa,” he whispered as he held her close. “You have no idea what that means to me. No idea…”

It was only a few nights later that Josh awoke Marisa rather suddenly, leaning over her bed. She blinked several times and said, “Am I dreaming?”

Josh grinned at her confused expression. She was adorable in her pajamas. She’d been sleeping so peacefully, he hated to awaken her. She was lying on her back, half in and half out of her covers, her soft hair strewn about on her pillow. He chuckled at her nightlight, illuminating the room. She hadn’t been kidding.

Marisa stole a glance at the clock, her demeanor changing when she noted the time—two a.m. “Is something wrong? Is Bethany all right?” she asked, her voice rising with alarm.

Josh covered her mouth with his hand. “Shhhh, you’ll awaken the household.”

“You mean the other two of them?” she asked, muffled by his hand.

“What’s your point?”

“I don’t have one.”

His hand left her mouth and cradled her face. “Everything’s fine. It’s the middle of the night and I thought it was the perfect time for hot chocolate, remember? C’mon, sleepy head.”

She blinked a few more times as Josh loomed over her. Recognition seemed to register on her face as she left the realms of sleep. “How many times have I dreamt of this?” she mumbled as she surprised him by throwing her arms around him and pulling him down to the bed so that he moved over her and landed on his back next to her. “Got you,” she said triumphantly and then kissed him hard on the mouth. Josh immediately responded and they spent the next while in a light-hearted wrestling match, rolling around and kissing on her bed. He grabbed her and reversed the situation by rolling her over, pinning her down, and kissing her.

“Got you,” he returned.

They laughed like two kids as they each tried to be the one domineering over the other. He had her and then she had him and so on.

Finally, she held him down and kissed him as he murmured, “You win. Every time.”

“You mean I can hold you down as well as Bethany can?” Marisa asked with amusement.

“Yep. I give. It’s within my best interests.”

They both looked pretty rumpled by then and laughed at the sight. He ruffled her hair, running his hands over her scalp in a fast, circular motion, causing her hair to go every which way.

“Perfect. You should wear it that way more often,” he joked.

Marisa cast him a dirty look, but then giggled adorably and ruffled his hair in return.

Knowing they needed a diversion, he said, “Hot chocolate,” and was surprised when they both said it in unison.

Before going down to the kitchen, Marisa didn’t stop to fix her hair—and he loved that.

Planning to repay Joshua’s late night visit, Marisa purposely set her alarm for one-forty-five several mornings later. She freshened up and made her way to Joshua’s door. She was a little nervous about surprising him at two a.m. She wasn’t exactly sure how he would respond. She wondered if the door would even be unlocked. She decided that if it was locked she would simply go back to bed. Knocking would ruin the element of surprise. Her nerves were at their breaking point as she touched the doorknob. Visions of Josh attacking her and throwing her to the ground went through her head. She worried that he would think she was an intruder when she woke him. Her thoughts almost made her turn around and give up on the idea. Maybe she’d just let him do the surprising at two a.m. And he had certainly surprised her; showing up in her room, saying it was time for hot chocolate. She was pretty sure she’d fallen in love him just a little more—if that was possible—on that night. Who else in this world would want to join her in the middle of the night for hot chocolate? She doubted many men would interrupt their sleep for such a thing.

Surprisingly, the knob turned under her fingers and the door quietly opened. No going back now. She was committed. Marisa had also worried that the room would be pitch black and she was relieved to see that the closet light had been left on, bathing the room in a soft glow. She closed the door noiselessly behind her. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She tiptoed across the room and then froze as a new thought crossed her mind. She had no idea what he wore to bed and she worried that he wouldn’t be decent. She cursed herself for coming up with this dumb idea, she simply wasn’t experienced enough to know if this was a good thing or not.

But then she thought of Josh. She did know him well enough to know that he would love it and welcome it. She was sure of it. That gave her the courage she needed. Gingerly, she sat on the edge of his bed. His chest was bare, but she could see the waistband of his pajama pants sticking out from just above the sheet that barely covered him. He was lying on his back, his breathing, slow and even. She hoped she didn’t startle him so much that he attacked. Watching him for several minutes distracted her from her worries as she thought about how beautiful he was. Slowly, she placed her hands on his chest in a soft caress.

She
did
startle him.

He reacted immediately. His eyes snapped open, his hands caught her wrists and there was a sharp intake of breath. Several tense moments passed as they stared at one another. Then he smiled ever so slowly, released her wrists, and placed her hands back on his chest. She smiled down at him, her hair falling forward and framing her face. Her hands shook just a little bit at the feel of his warm chest.

“I left the light on for you,” he whispered.

A warm feeling rushed over her. He’d hoped she would come. Perhaps this was the start of a new tradition. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down to him until she was fully on top of him. Her face hovered over his as they stared into each other’s eyes. She let her lips touch his ever so softly, slowly, tenderly. Still, their eyes stayed open.

Tonight was somehow different. There was no joking, no laughing, no tickling, no wrestling and no roughhousing with each other. It was just them, man and woman. He rolled her over onto her back, so that he was on top of her. He kissed her quietly, almost reverently, and so softly, his lips felt feather light on hers. And still, they watched each other. The feeling of love surrounding them was palpable. It took her over and amazed her. It was the most intense moment they’d shared and it awakened Marisa to the reality of what was happening between them.

They couldn’t shake the mood in exchange for their usual light banter. It was a little chilly downstairs, so they wrapped themselves in a blanket, shared between them, and huddled at the breakfast nook, sipping from their steaming mugs and wondering what had just happened between them. They didn’t talk, they simply held each other close, clinging to one another.

Things were changing between them—in a good way—whether they were prepared for it or not.

Marisa knew it, and she knew Josh knew it too.

The next morning Marisa flew down the stairs to find Josh in his office on an early morning phone call. If he was tired from their late night escapade, he showed no signs of it. He motioned for her to come in and pressed the speakerphone button.

“Here she is now, Mary. You’re on speaker.”

“Marisa? Hi, sweetheart. I just wanted to see how things were going. Are you having a good time?”

Marisa and Josh’s eyes met over his desk. “Yes…I’m having a wonderful time. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“How’s Josh treating you? He’d better be nice or I’ll beat him up.”

There was a long pause wherein Marisa and Josh said nothing. They stared at one another, their eyes blinking several times. Marisa wasn’t sure what to say, and Josh appeared just as speechless.

Josh recovered first. “Of course I’m treatin’ her nicely,” he said slowly. He cleared his throat. “She’s amazing with Bethany.” He cleared his throat again and Marisa wondered if Mary sensed his hesitation. “We’re all having a great time together.” Josh lightened the mood by making a funny face at her and Marisa suppressed a giggle.

Pun very much intended, Mary.

“Good, good. Marisa isn’t giving you a hard time, is she Josh? I told you she can be a little firecracker at times.”

Josh’s eyes glittered with amusement, his earlier uncertainty forgotten. “No, of course not. She’s been a huge help to me.” Josh winked at her.

“I’m glad to hear it. Marisa has always wanted to see the ranch. Guess it’s a dream come true for you, right Marisa?”

“Yes, Mary…it’s a dream come true.”

Josh extended his hand across the top of the desk and Marisa placed her hand in his. For just a moment, their gaze was just as serious as it had been last night in his bedroom.

“Imagining you there makes me want to be there too, Marisa. Perhaps it’s time for me to visit the ranch. Jerome really wants to see it.”

“I’d love that, Mary. Please come anytime,” Josh told her. “This is still your home. Please remember that.”

“Thanks, Josh, but that ranch belonged to you from the day you were born. And I was happy to leave it all to you. Thanks for the invite though. I might just take you up on it. I’d better go. Give me a call again soon. Give Josh a big hug from me, okay Marisa? And Bethany too.”

They hung up as Josh and Marisa both sat very still.

“I should have told her,” Marisa said quietly.

“Told her what?” Josh questioned.

“That we’re…ummm…” Marisa wasn’t sure what to say.

“Exactly,’ Josh agreed, even though she hadn’t said a thing. “Right now I think this is just between us.”

“You’re right.” What would she have said to Mary, anyway?
Hi Mary, Josh and I sure do like to kiss a lot. Things are great here. How are you?

“You heard Mary, you’re supposed to give me a big hug. I’m waitin’.”

Josh sauntered around his desk and Marisa threw herself into his arms. Their lips automatically found one another as they kissed deeply. “Somehow I don’t think this is what Mary had in mind,” Marisa said against his lips.

Josh picked her up into his arms as her legs straddled him. Their belts briefly clanged together, connecting them in an intimate fashion.

“Somehow,” Josh said under his breath, “I do think it’s what she meant.”