13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

T he following night, it wasn’t very hard to stay up until midnight. Excitement wouldn’t allow her to rest, but just before the clock struck twelve, the faint sound of Grace’s song could be heard. Realizing it wasn’t coming from the house, Willa stepped onto the balcony. She was already dressed to go, wearing a white nightgown covered by one of Cal’s dark wool coats that felt almost two sizes too big for her.

Standing in the night air, a feeling of peace settled over her as she listened. The fog lay thick across Haven’s grounds, with no life or movement to be seen except for the slow roll of mist coasting its way up from the bayou to blanket the estate. In just a few days, the loggers would fully depart for the holiday break, and her mother and Bonnie had spent the day decorating Haven House for Christmas, leaving nary a banister or window frame without a wreath or bow of holly. Everything had to be perfect for Stephen Fairweather's long days spent at home. They might not entertain during the holidays, but he expected the house to appear as though they did.

John Richards had called upon them in the late morning hours, directly amid the decorating chaos. Normally, his arrival would have caused an issue, but Willa managed to wrangle him into helping.

And straight into Lucy’s path .

The tree was Lucy’s domain. Every ornament and strand of tinsel had a proper place, and she excelled at creating a picturesque scene in the parlor. More than a little too eagerly, John Richards offered her his assistance, and the two of them toiled the afternoon away, chatting and laughing as they worked.

Her mother was too busy directing staff and the Port Michaelson girls to notice Willa purposely making herself scarce while Lucy and John Richards spent time together.

However, there was no fooling Bonnie.

Like a hawk, Bonnie watched, volleying between helping Margaret direct the staff and minding everyone else’s affairs. She fussed at Jennie, who continuously made excuses to find her way into the library where Cal was hard at work on something for the mill. She fussed after Willa, relentlessly urging her to join her sister and John Richards in the parlor.

But in the end, it all worked out to where Willa didn’t have to worry about sneaking out. Bonnie and her mother exhausted themselves and everyone else before the day was over. The holiday season was officially here, and with her father preparing to be home more thanks to the mill’s holiday break, Haven House had to be perfect.

In the moonlight, Willa shivered and waited patiently for Noah’s signal. She didn’t have to wait long. The glow of a lantern appeared across the lane, flashing once and then twice, it alerted her that it was time.

Slipping from her room, Willa snuck onto the landing without making a sound. She listened for a second and, when hearing nothing, dashed down the stairs to creep silently to the front door.

Once she made it to the porch, a surge of relief hit over how effortlessly her escape had been, and she chuckled to herself as she closed the front door softly behind her.

“Willa?”

Willa stumbled back into the shadows, sucking in a sharp gasp as she did.

Cal emerged from the dark, his shirt open and hair a mess. “What are you doing out here?” he whispered. “Go back inside. ”

“What am I doing out here?” she hissed, waving a hand at his exposed chest. “What are you doing out here?”

A figure shifted behind Cal, and Willa arched an eyebrow, peering around her brother to get a better look. “Good evening, Jennie.”

Jennie peeked over Cal’s shoulder. Dressed in a white nightgown, she was the very essence of beauty and health. A perfect picture of everything Willa wanted to be.

“Good evening, Ms. Willa.” Sliding her hands around Cal’s body, Jennie embraced him without shame. “How are you?”

Yes, you could see this girl was special. The world likely loved her without question, allowing dear Jennie to shine. It was an easy thing to see, especially when you were the exact opposite and left to dwell in the shallow end of life.

“That’s a lovely nightgown,” Willa said to Jennie, meaning it. The delicate floral details sewn into the garment were unique and quite pretty. “Did you make it yourself?”

Jennie shook her head, her luxurious loose mane of thick sandy brown hair flowing around her shoulders. “My mother made it for me right before she died.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear of your mother’s passing.”

“It happened over a year ago,” Jennie replied, seemingly indifferent on the matter. “My parents died in a fire at our home. I was in Port Michaelson helping my sick aunt with her dairy farm when we got the word, so I simply never left.”

Cal reached behind him, holding Jennie with one arm. “The aunt died directly before The Gathering, and Jennie has nowhere else to go for now.”

Eyeballing her brother, Willa kept her expression neutral. When Noah mentioned Cal was falling for this Jennie girl, it had been a laughable idea. Her brother was hardly serious about anything, let alone the women he courted. One after another, he would entertain himself with various females both while at home and even more so—as Willa had heard from Bonnie—during his semesters away at college .

“Well, there is always work to be done at Haven House, and we’re happy to have you, Jennie.”

Directly across the way, the glowing light of Noah’s lantern flashed impatiently in the woods.

“Who is that?” Cal went to the porch railing, lifting on his toes as if it would help him see through the fog better. “Are you meeting someone?”

He sounded utterly aghast at the thought. As if she could never have a suitor waiting for a secret rendezvous.

And it grated.

“I am.”

Her brother’s shoulders shook while he quietly laughed. “You’re joking.”

Head high, she made her way to the steps. “I trust you will keep this conversation between us.” She nodded a goodnight at Jennie. “As will I.”

Cal rushed over to block her way with a giggling Jennie right at his side. The lightheartedness in his expression was gone, and he coldly glared down at Willa in a way that reminded her of their father.

“Who?”

Willa didn’t answer, keeping her gaze averted.

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll not let you go.” Cal gripped her chin painfully, forcing her to face him. “Richards? It’s an awfully long trek from Hollingsdale to have a secret rendezvous.”

“It’s not Mr. Richards.”

“Then, wh—” As realization dawned, Cal released his hold on her chin. “Well, that explains it.”

Willa glared at him. “Explains what?”

Cal’s eyes slid from her face to Jennie, a gaping smile spreading. “Things.”

Willa didn’t care to be made fun of and pinched her brother’s bare chest, pleased when he yelped. “What things?”

“He never stays.” Rubbing the reddening spot on his rib cage, Cal draped an arm across Jennie’s shoulders. “For our parties. ”

Jennie’s adorably freckled face lit up. “Oh, the doctor,” she whispered with excitement. “That does explain why he always ignored poor Ruth whenever she tried to have a… um, conversation with him.”

Willa had no clue who Ruth was but hated the woman instantly. “Goodnight, Cal.”

“Willa, wait.”

She paused on the first step, losing her nerve by the second. Her brother nodded at Noah’s lantern. The light was almost fully obscured by the fog now. “Be back by three. Father wakes at four whether he’s going to the mill or not.”

“Although he has been slow to wake lately,” Jennie added eagerly. “But I guess it depends on how much he exerts himself in the night.”

A flicker of annoyance crossed Cal’s face, but it quickly vanished into nothing. “The ground is soggy this late, and if you’re going where I think you’re going, those boots of yours will be covered in mud once you return. Make sure to take them off before coming up the porch steps so you don’t leave tracks. You can hide them in the bushes and retrieve them later in the day when no one is paying attention.”

Surprised he was willing to help, Willa nodded. “Thank you.”

“Loose ends, Willa.” Cal went serious again. “Always tie them up.”

She said goodnight and rushed off, disappearing into the mist. Following the light as it grew brighter, she almost crashed into Noah when she found him.

“Cal stopped me,” she said between his kisses. “But he let me go.”

“Cal has no room to judge.” Laying one last quick kiss upon her lips, Noah took her hand and began leading them deep into the forest by way of the trail that led to the Anderson estate. “We’re going to my medical cottage.”

“Can we…” She paused, nearly wrapping herself at his side. The forest at night always brought back memories she never wanted to relive. “Will we have privacy?”

He flashed a smile over his shoulder. “Worried you might scream as you did on the beach? ”

There was no demure blushing this time, with Willa being completely comfortable. Noah had placed the impossible idea of being his wife in her head, and she had seized the dream with both hands. “I’m honestly hoping I scream louder.”

“You will,” he assured her.

“I spent the day cleaning and straightening everything.” He closed and locked the door before turning on the desk’s gas lamp. The remodel on the cottage had gone exceedingly well, with Noah having a small examination room and even a pair of beds for those patients he might need to monitor overnight. “I wanted this to be perfect for you.”

Willa stood at the door, watching as Noah showed her items that had been added since her last visit. The man was so very capable in every way, but appeared nervous at the moment, and she took her time marveling at the change.

He stopped abruptly in the middle of the room, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. “Never in my life have I ever been unsure of how to begin something like this.”

Willa approached slowly with her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “And just how many women have you seduced, Dr. Anderson?”

“More than I’d care to admit.” He smiled sheepishly. “But none of them will be remembered after you.”

“I would hope not.” Standing before him, she smoothed her hands over his shoulders. He was wearing a simple dress shirt and wool pants. All of which needed to be removed. Post haste. He had promised he would allow her to explore his body, and Willa was anxious to learn every detail. “I am to be your wife, after all.”

He released a sigh as if relieved. “What I feel for you can’t be explained, and my greatest passion is to find the explanation for everything. A cause to the end result. But with you, I have been categorically and infinitely enchanted since the moment we met.” Crystal blue eyes searched hers, the depths of them holding her captive. “My body. My soul. They’re yours, and I can’t explain it. I only know that they are yours, Willa.”

Not needing to hear anymore, she shed her coat, allowing it to drop to the floor. Her long nightgown was next, and she tossed it onto the desk chair. Naked and not at all afraid, Willa released the pins from her hair, allowing it to fall over her shoulders. “Then take what is yours.”

“Dear God.” Noah drank her in, pulling back a step to see her fully. “The things I’m going to do to you.” He swiped a hand over his mouth, moving around her in a circle as his eyes coasted over her nude form. “The way I’m going to make you feel.”

“But will I scream?” she teased, enjoying this sway she held over him. No man had ever yearned for her like this, let alone a man like Noah. “Will you give me that again?”

He was behind her when she asked, and Willa found herself snatched back against his chest. “I’m going to give you more.” Lips and tongue coasted along the spot where her neck met her shoulder, and she sighed, relishing the secure hold around her waist. “Are you ready to begin?”

“I am.”

“Are you going to do as I say?”

“Probably not.”

A laugh rumbled from somewhere deep inside him. “At least I’ll never have to worry about your honesty.”

Turning slowly, she stood in his arms, her naked body pressed to his clothed one. “I’ll never lie to you,” she promised as his hands glided lower to grip her bottom. “But will you please remove your clothes now? I’m feeling a bit awkward being the only nude one in the room.”

He smiled and staring at the genuine affection shining brightly down on her, Willa knew one thing for certain.

They were going to have a wonderful life.

A beautiful one.

Together .

Noah would keep her safe as she would him. They would care for one another until the end of their lives, and then maybe even longer if the powers above granted it.

“You look so serious, Ms. Fairweather,” he whispered. “What are you thinking about?”

“Sonnet forty-three.”

He thought for a second or two, and as understanding struck, the carefree smile on his full lips faltered. “ I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death? ”

Death lurked like a menacing figure in her life, watching and waiting for her to become weak enough to steal away. Reminders of her mortality were tucked into every corner of Haven House. From her beloved conservatory to the second-floor expansive balcony she could hardly ever enjoy to Grace’s bedroom right next door. Death was always there.

But with Noah, she wasn’t afraid. Death could chase her for eternity, and with him at her side, Willa felt as if she would have the courage to wave the grim reaper off, telling it to return another day.

“I was thinking about how we’re going to have a good life,” she replied as casually as she could. It was hard to remain this happy while utterly terrified at the same time. “I never thought someone like you would happen to someone like me. I never thought that a handsome man, who is a doctor and knows Browning sonnets but yet unfortunately prefers Keats to Shelly—”

“My taste is impeccable.”

She swatted his chest. “—Could walk through the door of Haven House—”

“And sweep you directly off your feet with nothing but my charm and a stethoscope.” He shrugged, the smile she loved returning. “Admittedly, I am a talented man.”

“With a tremendous ego.”

“A warranted ego.” His dark head dipped for him to whisper in her ear. “Just look at how you’re pressed against my body. Naked and waiting patiently for me to ravage you. The great Wilhelmina Fairweather. Brilliant and beautiful, and all mine.”

Noah’s large hand skated up her body to massage a breast, and she arched her back for more. “Your clothes.”

He led them over to a full-length clawed foot mirror in the corner. The piece looked as if it belonged in a grand manor and not a makeshift hospital in the middle of the forest. Then again, most of the adornments, from the desk to the cabinets and even the bed in the corner, likely came from the Andersons’ home. Cal had said Noah’s aunt and uncle were doing everything they could to tempt him to stay on past the winter.

Her cheeks heated as they stood in front of the mirror, her body on full display. Understanding, Noah turned to face the mirror, blocking her view to where she could see nothing but him and her eyes peeking over his shoulder.

“Undress me.”

Tentatively, she reached around to unbutton his pants, and Noah chuckled. “Going straight for the best part, eh?”

Willa shrunk behind his shoulder, hiding her embarrassment. “Curiosity and all that.”

“Well, go on then.” He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and shucked it off. “Continue being curious.”

She would, if not so shocked. In the mirror, Noah’s broad chest nearly filled the entire thing, reflecting back at her in all its glory. Muscled and toned, with the barest hint of dark hair scattered across it, he waited as she gawked.

“Willa?”

“A moment if you please.” Unable to stop herself, she kept her gaze locked on the image of him. Pressing her lips to the bare flesh of his shoulder, she had an overwhelming urge to taste his skin. “You are beautiful, Noah.”

Patient while she touched him, he permitted her to run her hands over every sculpted muscle on his chest and abdomen. The light dusting of hair tickled her palms, and she followed it to the spot just below his navel .

“Willa, I can’t wait much longer,” he breathed, and she sank her teeth into his shoulder, causing Noah to growl low in his throat. “You’ve gone and done it now.”

Reaching behind him, he sought the growing wetness between her thighs. Without hesitating, she spread her stance, giving him access. The pads of his fingers connected with the throbbing ache begging for him, her hips rolling in time with the circular motions of his touch.

“Stroke me, Willa.”

He worked his pants lower, already undone from her previous work. As his shaft broke free, her mouth fell open involuntarily.

“How… how…” She released a little moan when his finger edged inside her. “Will you show me how I should do this?”

Using his free hand, he guided her to touch him lower. “Hold me.”

One at a time, she wrapped her fingers delicately around his cock. It was so very hard. Smooth in some sections, with a large head and lengthy shaft.

Covering her hand with his, he guided her, conveying exactly how to pump his cock as they watched in the mirror.

“When I’m inside you, the tight channel of your body will hold me,” he said, the explanation dripping with raw desire. “I’ll move my hips, similar to how Paul did with Katie. The sliding motion creates friction.”

Willa loved him a little more for knowing she needed to hear the exact details. “Why friction?”

“Because it feels good.” His eyes shuttered, his hips thrusting with each stroke of their hands. “The slickness of your arousal will allow me to build speed until the heavy slam of my body into yours builds.”

Breathless from both his ministrations between her legs and the way he was reacting to her touch, Willa shook her head to clear it. “Builds into what?”

“Screaming.”

“Will you scream?”

A shaky laugh left him. “I think I might. ”

“What if I use my mouth?” she asked, truly wanting to know how to make this good for him. “Would that make you scream?”

She released his length when he didn’t reply and stepped between him and the mirror. “Tell me how to do it.”

He seemed uncertain. “I don’t think that’s a good idea this time around.”

“Why not?” She pushed at his pants, easing them further down his thighs. “Let me.”

A blush tinted his cheeks. “Control when it comes to you… do you understand what happens when a man finishes?”

Unfortunately, when Bonnie had given her and Grace a speech about marital affairs, they had giggled throughout the entire thing leaving the end slightly hazy.

“I think so?”

“Ah, well, I would likely finish in your mouth. I don’t think I could stop myself.”

This whole side of Noah was fascinating, and it had her slowly sinking to the floor, her nails scratching across his skin as she fell. “Then don’t.”

“Willa.” Her name snagged in his throat as he watched her settle on her knees. “Not for long.”

A drop of moisture beaded at his impressive tip, and she licked her lips, examining every ridge and vein straining under her observation. “When you say stop, I will.”

Stop what exactly? She didn’t know. She had never seen what to do, so she decided to do what she wanted. With a flick of her tongue, she lapped at the wetness, waiting.

Noah hissed, and she paused before going in for another taste. “Am I doing something wrong?”

He shook his head, chest rising and falling rapidly. “Hold me like you were a moment ago and pump. Slowly.” She did as he instructed, noticing the goosebumps covering his thighs. “Now take me into your mouth, sucking slightly as you do. ”

When her lips closed around him, a loud moan broke from Noah. She relished the sound, and while it took her a few tries to become accustomed to the sensation of having him in her mouth, she found it easier after setting a comfortable rhythm.

“Ah, God.” His fingers tangled in her hair, and she increased her speed, timing the bob of her head with the plunge of his cock into her mouth. “I want to be gentle with you.” His hips thrust forward, gagging her slightly. “But I don’t know that I can.”

She released him to catch her breath but kept a steady pace with her hand. “It’s going to hurt, isn’t it?”

“I’ll be good to you, Willa.” Noah let out another groan, louder this time, and she returned her mouth to his cock, unable to stop herself from sucking him in as far as she could go. When his tip grazed the back of her throat, the muscles on his stomach shivered. “But yes, it will hurt.”

She came up for air a second time, panting as heavily as him. “And never again?”

“Never again.”

Pressing a goodbye kiss to his thick shaft, she stood. “Well, then, I’m ready to get the painful part out of the way.”