Chapter 28

In another car, driven by Mirriam Dalton, the situation was much less tense.

“I’m really glad we came here,” said Jeff.

“We have some of the best tall grass prairie that’s left,” said Mirriam.

“I know, but that’s not what I’m talking about,” he said.

She looked sideways at him. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Well, let me count the ways,” he said. “I was raised on a farm, and it’s good to be back on the land, whether it has tall grass on it or not. I hadn’t realized how much I missed a small town either. Manhattan isn’t that big, really, but it’s a cosmopolitan environment. That’s kind of odd, when you think about it, because a big part of the university program is agricultural. Anyway, it’s good to be on a farm again, especially since I don’t have to do the work.” He grinned. “And then, of course, there’s you.”

“Me?” It came out in an almost squeak.

“I like being around you, Mirriam,” he said.

“Are you flirting with me?” she asked, trying to make it sound like a joke.

“I believe I am,” he said, quite seriously.

“Well that’s totally inappropriate!” she said, trying to make her voice firm.

“Why is that?” he asked. “You have no man in your life. I’ve been living with you for a month, and haven’t seen hide nor hair of any men sniffing around your door. I’m amazed at that, by the way.”

“You’re boarding with me,” she said. There was objection in her voice.

“And there’s some kind of rule that says I can’t be interested in you because I’m renting a room from you?”

She was silent. He didn’t know her background. That kind of thing hadn’t come up in casual conversation. He didn’t know Prudence’s either. But he’d noticed that both women had young children ... and no man. That suggested both still had reserves of passion in them. Both were good women, but he was fascinated with Mirriam. He’d met about half her family since he’d been in town, and he was impressed with all of them.

“Of course, if you’re just not interested,” he said, “that’s a horse of a different color. But I don’t think your relationship to the B&B should have anything to do with it. I’m certainly not suggesting that I’ll go elsewhere if you’re not interested.”

“I should hope not,” she said firmly.

He noticed that she hadn’t said she wasn’t interested. He took that as a positive sign.

“So ... am I being rebuffed or not?” he asked.

Her hands fidgeted on the steering wheel. He noticed she took several deep breaths.

“I guess that wasn’t a fair question,” he suggested.

“No,” she said. “It wasn’t.”

He smiled in the darkness.

“You can’t make love to me,” moaned Agatha.

Jim was unbuttoning her dress. It was one of the few dresses she could still wear now that her belly was almost bursting.

“I’m not trying to make love to you,” said Jim. “Not yet. That will be for later. I’m just trying to help you be more comfortable.”

She felt exposed in her heavy bra and panties. Her breasts had grown, along with the baby. She was in a strange house, though the man she was with was no longer a stranger to her. There was a steaming tub of water in front of her. She felt his hands move to the catch of her bra, and felt the tension loosen.

She’d been complaining about aches and pains, and he’d said she should soak in a deep bathtub, because that would make her feel less heavy. She’d said she couldn’t get in and out of a bathtub without help. He’d offered to help her.

And now, suddenly, here she was, almost naked with a man again. She hadn’t been naked with a man in almost nine months. She couldn’t help but remember that being naked with a man nine months ago had led her to the situation she was now in. Her baby wasn’t due for another three weeks, and she was quite sure she would never survive those weeks. Jim was wonderful. She still couldn’t get over the fact that he was interested in her, even though she was carrying another man’s baby, and couldn’t do with a man what most men expected a woman to do with them, when the relationship got this far along. All that was based on what Bobby had told her, of course. She’d never been in a relationship like this before.

She didn’t count what Bobby had done as a “relationship” exactly. She had set out to seduce him, but then had let him seduce her. It had been wild and crazy and more fun than anything she could remember. She loved Bobby, but she didn’t feel deeply for him like she did for Jim. Jim was so patient, and kind. And his interest in her was obviously genuine. She felt her panties descend her legs.

“You’re so beautiful,” he sighed.

“You’re insane,” she breathed. She felt grotesquely swollen.

“I’m not insane at all,” he said. “I’m a connoisseur of beautiful women. I know a babe when I see one.”

“You’re seeing a babe, all right,” she said. “It just hasn’t been born yet.”

“Get in the water,” he said. “I’m having a hard time controlling myself.”

“What could you possibly do?” she asked. “I look like I swallowed a watermelon!”

“Oh, sweet woman who has stolen my heart,” he sighed. “You have so much to learn about men. Now get in the water.”

He helped her get in and then sit. She felt lighter immediately, and the ache in her back eased. The hot water, and the delightful easing of aches and pains made her moan.

“Better?” he asked, staring down at her. His eyes went to her breasts, which looked like two balloons trying to floating on the water.

“You’re staring at me,” she said.

“I am,” he admitted.

She thought about Bobby, and what he’d taught her to do. Her hand tried to reach between her legs. She could just barely reach, but it wasn’t really comfortable to stretch like that. Her belly was in the way. She was amazed that she felt so comfortable like this, in front of this man. His kisses electrified her, and his hands, smoothing along her sides, or back, or flanks made her feel what she now recognized was “horny.” She knew he’d do anything for her that she wanted him to. Still, he hadn’t pushed it.

He’d made his interest in her very clear. He’d offered to be her coach when she gave birth, and had attended Lamaze training sessions with her. She loved his daughter, and couldn’t understand how any woman could have walked away from him. She hadn’t met his ex-wife yet, and didn’t really want to. She’d seen the woman a few times, when she dropped Cathy off, or Jim delivered their daughter back to her primary residence. She looked normal, but Agatha didn’t see how she could be.