Priscilla swallowed and whispered, “What sort of occupation would keep one busy for weeks at a time?”
“I can think of lots of things to do snowed in for weeks.” His voice grew thick.
Priscilla stared into his eyes, wondering what the heck she was doing. “Care to explain that, Mr. Beaumont?”
“In some cases, actions speak louder than words, Miss Cochran.” Leaning his elbows on the table, he cupped her cheeks and covered her mouth with his own. She felt the jolt all the way to her toes, which curled in her half boots. She’d never been truly kissed before now and was slightly annoyed that she’d grown to twenty years and never experienced the heady feeling of joining her mouth with another’s.
Mitch angled her head so he could go deeper into the cavern of her mouth. His tongue, tasting of coffee, skimmed over her gums, touching parts of her mouth she had no idea were sensitive. She moved closer and placed her hands on his warm face, feeling the slight bristle of a beard. It felt like sandpaper on her fingertips, and she wondered how it would feel against the sensitive skin of her neck.
His fingers slipped into her hair, bunching it in his fists as he assaulted her mouth. A slight moan filled the air between them, and she wasn’t even sure who had made the sound. Slowly he released her lips and sat back, his hands dropping to the table. She opened her eyes and stared at him.
He cleared his throat. “I think I better go.”
“Yes, I think that’s for the best.” She didn’t rise when he stood, just watched him from her chair, her fingertips touching her swollen lips.
What the hell did I just do?
Mitch strode from Priscilla’s house, taking deep breaths and trying desperately to get himself under control. He’d just kissed the new teacher like she was some sort of trollop. It had been obvious to him the very intelligent and sophisticated woman was a rank amateur in the game of kissing. But she was certainly a fast learner. He could very well have been the first man to kiss her.
Why the hell did that fill him with such a sense of male satisfaction? He had no designs on Priscilla. She was his son’s teacher, a woman far above him in life, who would return to her parents’ cozy home as soon as she grew tired of playing school. A game the girls he’d known growing up played all the time.
If he’d thought it was best to stay far away from her before now, after this disaster he was tempted to pack up and leave town himself.
Thanksgiving Day arrived with bright blue skies, cold crisp air, and a possible hint of snow in the near future. Mitch had purchased the turkey for their feast, and at Priscilla’s request, had it sent over from the Gray’s Farm yesterday. Now all he had to do was pick up the pumpkin pie at the boarding house and take the short walk to Priscilla’s. She had insisted on doing everything else herself.
“I still think you should marry Miss Cochran,” Ian said as he walked alongside Mitch, puffs of moist air coming from his mouth.
“Ian, no one should tell another person whom they should marry.”
They stepped off the boardwalk into the street, dodging a buggy and two horses. “But don’t you like her, Pa?”
“Yes, of course I do. I also like Mrs. Gillis, but I have no intention of marrying her.”
Ian rolled his eyes. “Mrs. Gillis is old.”
“Don’t let her hear you say that.” Mitch slowed his steps when he realized Ian was double stepping to keep up with his stride.
“You’re just being silly. Miss Cochran is pretty, smart, funny, and she cooks.”
“I cook.”
Ian rolled his eyes again. “But you’re not pretty.”
Mitch grinned. “No, just smart.”
He really enjoyed these verbal exchanges he had with his son. Ian was growing up much too fast to suit him. Years ago, when the boy was an infant and Mitch had spent many a night walking the floor to get him to sleep, he’d wished for him to grow up fast. Now he wanted to slow the process down. In a few years he’d be off to college and Mitch would be alone.
I could always marry and have more children.
It had been hard, but he’d stayed away from Priscilla since the kiss they’d shared over a week ago. Every day Ian came home excited about school and
what they’d done that day. From what he’d heard from the parents who’d stopped into the shop to chat, Priscilla was making quite an impression on the town.
Too bad she wouldn’t last.
Last Sunday he’d nodded politely to her in church and steered Ian to another pew. She looked surprised and a bit disappointed. However, he was the one left seething when rancher Terrance Milford sat next to her and they shared a hymnal. Watching them smile at each other and their heads bent close when they sang had his hands clenching and unclenching.
The woman had him tied in knots and he didn’t like it. Nope, not one bit.