Renewing Hope (In Your World #2) (33 page)

"Perhaps our new Bishop has found a purpose," Hannah mumbled against my hip, pinning up the expansive waistline.

"Well, he deserves it. I think I need to meet her," I said.

"Leave them be for now, Katherine. He is not doing so badly, even with his nerves. She looks quite content to remain in his company. Much like you did when you courted Nathan," Fannie replied and smiled knowingly before returning to the base hem.

"Well they better finish that barn soon then," I murmured, catching Emma's giggle at my words.

There was no reason why Benjamin couldn't take advantage of a little barn time on his own. And the corn was long gone, so he really had nowhere to walk with the Snyder girl. So they remained standing by the buggies, talking and offering one another a timid smile before they would look away again.

It was cute to watch.

I hoped their community wasn’t too far away. With Zachariah Ropp marrying Naomi Yoder at the end of the month, perhaps there would be another reason to see the Snyders. And the selling of our cattle would be yet another chance. Benjamin would be a part of that to be sure. I smiled and tried to watch them discreetly; excited that my friend had perhaps found someone finally.

Benjamin deserved a good woman.

And this Snyder girl looked like she would be good to him.

There was hope that maybe he had indeed found the right girl.

The sun was setting when I shook the hands of the last group of men from Friendship who had remained to finish the exterior planking of most of the barn. Only one side remained exposed, and Nathan was already talking excitedly with Mark and John about finishing it in a day or so.

Mark and Hannah said their goodnights, Mark holding her close as they disappeared over the hill toward their home. John and Emma left soon after, and Abigail with Fannie and Jonah, leaving us to stand alone before our new barn. Nathan sighed and took off his hat in the fading sunlight, wiping away the sweat that lingered on his forehead. Taking his hand, I walked toward the huge expanse that would soon be doors leading into the stables.

The layout would have to be figured out. When we stepped inside, it was dark and wide open. We would have the chance to make the barn into whatever we wished it to be. Nathan's arm wrapped around my shoulder, holding me to him as we looked around.

"The stalls will go over here on this wall," he said quietly, pointing toward the wall closest to us. "And there will be a room for storing feed. My workshop will remain in the back, as well as a new storage area for tack and the like. And the hayloft will be above us here."

At the mention of a hayloft, I felt his arm tighten, pulling me into him as his mouth descended. His lips tasted salty from the long day of work, his body overheated from the sun. But his arms were still strong as he held me tightly, his mouth searching. I felt the new wall behind me, felt his body press up against mine with delightful strength as he pinned me there between the barn wall and himself. My hands roamed across his chest, tugging on the suspenders. His head pulled away, eyes dark and breath heavy as he watched me slide the suspenders down along his sides.

"I am dirty," he whispered hoarsely.

"Filthy, I know," I whispered back, pulling his shirt out from his pants.

"You do not mind?" he asked and groaned when he felt me tug him closer.

My mouth on his was proof enough that I did not mind the smell of him. My hands wound up into his hair, knocking off his hat, feeling him push me up against the wall with a little more enthusiasm as our mouths moved together. The cool air of the closing night washed over my legs, Nathan slowly tugging my skirt up my hip to move against me a little more firmly.

"I missed you today," he whispered against my cheek as his lips trailed along my skin.

His lips found my throat, and any words were lost when I felt his teeth graze my neck. Whimpering, I arched into him, wanting him closer.

I needed him closer.

And judging by his hard body and throaty moan as he moved against me, he needed it as much as I did. I felt his hands work their way up my waist, ghosting over my breasts before cupping my head to deepen the kiss once more. When he drew away, he was breathing heavily.

"I want you," he breathed, licking at his lips as his eyes drank me in.

"So have me."

He let out a heavy breath and leaned in to kiss me again when we heard a buggy pull up just outside and the familiar voice of our new Bishop call out to us. I felt Nathan sag against me and sigh across my temple.

"Remind me when he is newly married to be sure to call on him at the most inopportune moments," he murmured, joining me in laughter as we pulled apart and straighten our clothes before venturing out to a slightly abashed Benjamin.

"Sorry, did I interrupt plans for the barn?" he said, fighting his smile.

"We got a few things worked out," I said, watching Nathan slowly draw up his suspenders with a scowl.

"I just wanted to say that the Snyders will be at the Yoder wedding. And they are definitely interested in the cows. Could be a good trade before winter," he said.

"Excellent," Nathan said, his voice only a little strained as he held me a bit tighter.

We stood there looking after one another, feeling the awkward tension in the air as the silence grew. Finally Benjamin let out a nervous laugh and took a step back toward his buggy.

"Well, I promised my mother to visit this evening. I should go before it is too late," he said and shuffled toward his buggy.

"Thank you, Benjamin, for everything," I called out, smiling after him as he waved to us.

"It is my pleasure, to see you happy and well. I will see you in a day or two, Nathan?"

"Not tomorrow," Nathan called out, grinning.

I heard Benjamin's laughter and knew they were sharing in an earlier conversation.

"I will be sure you are left alone tomorrow!" he called out as he turned his buggy in the drive.

"Do I want to know what that meant?" I asked when I felt Nathan guide me toward the house. He chuckled and leaned in to peck me on the temple.

"Just that I would like to spend some time with my wife tomorrow, that is all," he murmured and walked me into the house, his arm tight about my waist.

"We'll see how long Fannie lets us spend time alone," I joked.

"They will understand. Jonah has said he will not expect us tomorrow," he whispered, pulling me up the dark staircase.

"Are you hungry?" I breathed when his fingers glided over my arm when we reached the bedroom.

"Later."

"Bath?"

"If you join me."

Nathan's lips trailed over my cheek to my lips as I turned on the water to the bath, his hands moving over my body as if to memorize it. I pulled away for a moment to check the temperature only to find his arms wrapping around me from behind, his mouth attacking my neck with renewed energy. Turning in his arms, I worked his clothes free of him, pushing him toward the steaming tub with a laugh.

"You are really dirty," I said with a smile against his lips.

"I told you," he chided while he fingered the hooks to my dress.

"Get in and relax. I will go get towels and come back," I whispered and worked my way out of his arms to go grab fresh towels and to give myself a moment before I gave in to his desire. I wanted it too, but I could also tell he was sore and tired from the long day.

When I stepped back in a few minutes later, he was comfortably propped against the side of the tub, eyes closed, with just his head above the water that now threatened to overflow. I turned the water off, smiling when his eyes slowly opened to watch me in the room. I lit the lanterns by the door, conscious of him tracking me back and forth.

"You let the water get too high for me to get in with you," I whispered, sitting alongside the tub by his head.

"I can easily drain it," he replied and moved his toe toward the drain plug.

"Stay like that for a bit. It will help with your sore muscles," I said and let my hand trail across his submerged shoulder. My eyes wandered, his body clearly visible in the water. My fingers worked their way up his neck and into his hair, cupping his head gently as I watched him relax in the soothing water.

He closed his eyes with a sigh and leaned his head into my wet hand.

"I would not have thought I could feel so at ease with my wife beside me while I bathed. I have no worries when you are with me," he mumbled, a contented smile playing on his lips as he leaned a little harder into me.

"You are nice to look at, Nathan. I'm a lucky wife," I replied, wagging my eyebrows at him.

He opened his eyes wide, laughing low in his throat.

"Do enjoy what you see, Kate?" he asked, the mischief clear in his voice when he sat up straight to wrap his arms around me quicker than I could pull away.

"Nathan! You'll slosh water out!" I exclaimed when he shifted to cause waves in the bath.

"Only if I do this," he said and pulled me in with him, fully clothed. I cried out and laughed in surprise at feeling the water soak into my clothes. Only my feet remained out of the tub, as well as my head that reached up to his in a heated kiss.

"We will need to clean this up," I breathed around his lips.

"Later," he whispered, his mouth moving once more to my neck. "How is it that you taste better every time I kiss you?"

I giggled at the stubble on his chin as he moved along my neck, trying hard not to move so as to keep from splashing more water out of the tub. I didn't want to spend precious time after his bath cleaning up. I wanted a repeat of our time last night in bed. Nathan groaned against my collarbone and tipped his head up to look up into my eyes, the tender expression in them making my heart pound.

"I cannot get enough of you," he whispered. "I want to take you to our bed and stay there all night worshipping you."

I was more than happy to grant him his wish, splashing water everywhere as I scrambled out of the bathtub, Nathan not far behind. I peeled away my wet clothes there on the flooded floor as he dried himself off, and was turning to grab a towel for myself when I felt his arms wrap around me, the towel enveloping me as he did so.

His mouth against me once more, the counter at my back, Nathan's hands slowly dried me, my hands idly playing in his wet hair. He stood before me in only a towel, eyes travelling over my naked body as he worked. When he dropped to his knees, I stood frozen before him. The towel dropped from his hands, allowing them to trace up my sides and over my shoulders before fingertips glided down across my front.

I let out a stuttered breath when he traced my nipples, his lips following immediately after.

Nothing felt better than Nathan's touch.

He hummed against my skin, fingers continuing down to spread out across the expanse of my stomach. He hummed again and pulled away to watch his hands move.

"I love to feel your skin against mine. Promise me we will always sleep skin to skin," he said, his voice deep and rough.

His arms wrapped around me then, his mouth covering mine in a passionate kiss as he drew us toward the bedroom. We collapsed onto the bed and he entered me eagerly. He groaned into my lips and pulled away to watch as he thrust into me again and again in need. I knew he was close, his breath ragged as he grunted and whispered my name over and over again, lifting up onto his elbow to move a little deeper, a little more urgently. My hands glided across his body, feeling the muscles along his hips move with purpose. I loved to feel him move; it was like experiencing a beautifully carved statue come to life.

His mouth found my shoulder, lips running along my neck until he groaned and froze against me, buried deep and tight against my body so that I could feel him tremble and tense. The heaviness of him only lasted a moment before he rolled us over until I was on top of him, his heart hammering against my breast as he caught his breath. He licked his lips and let out a soft moan, wrapping his arms around me in a warm embrace.

"I could do this every day forever," I whispered and snuggled into him, letting him stroke my head lazily as we let our bodies slowly relax.

"I look forward to forever with you, Kate. I want to enjoy everything with you," he whispered.

I listened to his heart slow down, and his arms relaxed against me as he slowly drifted off, the long day finally catching up with him. I pulled the covers up over us as the chilly air made me shiver, and watched my husband in the dim light from the lantern in the bathroom.

I would have to get up eventually and clean up our mess, but for the moment I wanted to simply lay there and watch as Nathan slept with a contented smile on his face, his body relaxed, and his dreams hopefully pleasant as he lay beneath me. So much of our life had been dramatic and in many ways painful. It was nice to have this time of ultimate bliss.

I knew we had a lot to face as a young married couple.

A long winter.

Daily life in our world that was still so very new to me.

Struggling crops in the spring.

Sean's friends out there still.

None of that would trouble me.

As long as Nathan and I had each other, I could face anything that came our way.

We had each other.

We had love.

We had faith.

And that would see us through.

CHAPTER 20

In my old life, sleeping in meant not eating breakfast until it was almost lunchtime.

They called it brunch.

If you didn't wake up with the sun, you simply started your day later; the day went on without you. You stayed up a little later perhaps, to finish that load of laundry in the dryer. You threw the dishes in the dishwasher to do later. You waited to go to the grocery store.

It was the most valueless part of my life then.

Just getting by in order to find something better.

Something that had meaning.

Waking up before the sun became that meaning.

What used to be thankless chores were now a measurable part of my life.

And every task had value.