Bewitching You(31)

“I don’t want your pity. I want to see you naked.”

“That’s not funny, Gray.” More rain splattered on them and the lake around them. Water dripped off her hat and down her back.

“I’m not laughing.” He drew her close, crowding her breasts to his chest. “I don’t want to talk about all that stuff. I don’t want to think about it. I just want you for as long as this thing between us will last. Do you understand?”

For as long as this thing would last?

Sofia nodded, her chest knotting painfully. She understood perfectly.

~ * ~

By the time they reached the dock, the rain was pelting down. Gray tied up the boat while Sofia grabbed her picnic basket and sketchbook. Water drenched her white tank top, revealing her dark nipples. The wet fabric outlined her plump breasts, making him ache to touch her.

He met her gaze, and she didn’t seem pleased with the ogling. She clasped the sketchbook in front of her and ran toward the house without looking back.

Now that Gray thought about it, she hadn’t glanced or said a word to him since they started rowing back.

Idiot. What the hell had he said wrong this time?

He left the fishing pole and followed her through the yard, stopping short to grab the clothes off the line. Everything was soaked again. He flung them over his arm and ran up the porch, leaving the sheets. The clothes could dry on the bench under the porch roof, he thought, and threw them down one by one in no specific order.

The sound of horses clopping down the street surprised Gray. Why would anyone take a dead-end road to this house unless they were planning on visiting? The horse and buggy turned off the road and onto the dirt lane. The horses trotted up, pulling the thin wheels of the carriage through the dips and loose stones.

Gray grabbed his t-shirt and tugged it on as the man in the buggy called the horses to a stop.

An Amish man wearing a brown shirt, black pants and suspenders dropped down onto the ground and jogged toward the house. Water dripped down the plain black hat that concealed most of his face.

“Hey there,” the stranger yelled, and stopped at the top of the steps, barely out of the threat of rain. He stood eye-to-eye and width-to-width with Gray.

“Can I help you?” Gray straightened his back and shoulders. It wasn’t often he met a man his own size.

“Penny Jones home?” He had a slight accent Gray couldn’t quite describe. Measured and lifted toward the end, maybe? A thick beard covered half of his rugged face. And his shifty blue eyes shot Gray an inquisitive look.

Penny Jones must be Sofia’s Nana. “No, I’m afraid she’s not. Can I help you with something?”

“Well, who are you?” The man had no manners.

“Grayson Phillips. I’m a friend of Penny’s granddaughter.” Gray stuck his hand out, but the man ignored it.

“Sofia? She here?”

He knew Sofia? “What’s your name?” Dickhead? Gray hadn’t come across many Amish, usually only passing them up on the road. They kept to themselves for the most part and Gray had liked it that way.

The door opened and Sofia lurched out. “Elijah?” she asked, eyes wide. She’d changed into dry clothes, jeans and a V-neck top that showed way too much skin.

Elijah? The first kiss guy?

The man removed his hat and put it to his chest. Gray noticed his shifty gaze do a onceover…of his woman. Weren’t these people supposed to be humble? Righteous?

Apparently not this guy.

“Little Sofia. Can’t imagine what you’ve been up to all these years.”

Gray wanted to knock the teeth out of his smile.

“Not much. You got married.” Sofia reached up and felt the man’s beard. “To Johanna?”

Gray did remember that little fact—single Amish men were clean-shaven and married men grew out their beards, but why did she have to touch him?

A low chuckle wheezed from his hairy mouth. “No. I married Joe’s Lizzie. Remember her? She prided herself on those peanut butter cookies. Always brought them out to the lake over yonder and teased the boys with ’em.”

“Right.” Sofia pushed a damp lock of hair behind her ear and gave Gray a lightning fast glance. “Do you want to come in? I can put some coffee on.”

Please, for the love of electricity, say no.

“Well, suppose I can visit for a spell. Until the rain lets up some.” He jerked his head to the horse and buggy. “Picked some tomatoes for your grandma. Saw her at the market the other day and mentioned she was wantin’ some fresh tomatoes.”

Damn it.

“Oh, that sounds yummy. Go grab them and bring them in. I’ll start the coffee.”

They each parted ways, leaving Gray standing on the porch like an ass. A neglected ass. He stalked inside to where Sofia was pouring water into a teakettle.

“What’s going on, Sofia?” he whispered into her ear, after bracing his hands on her waist.

“I’m making coffee. What do you think?”

“Why are you mad at me?”

“I’m not,” she mumbled, and set the kettle on the burner.

“Kiss me, then.” Gray leaned in, but missed her lips as she wiggled away from him.

“You’re all wet. Why don’t you towel-dry upstairs?”

He backed off, but decided against leaving Sofia alone with Dickhead. He sat at the table and watched as the guy strolled into the kitchen with a basket full of tomatoes.

Sofia took them from him with a smile. Cute and innocent. Gray adjusted himself in his wet jeans. He’d taken that innocence from her last night and this morning, and he’d be doing it again if it weren’t for the intrusion.

Dickhead sat opposite Gray at the table, boring a hole into Sofia’s ass with those shifty eyes. Nothing was innocent about this religious man.

“Where’s your wife?” Gray asked.

“At home with the children.”

Sofia brought over two coffee cups and thumped one down in front of Gray, set the other gently in front of Dickhead. His gaze searched her breasts now. Why didn’t she notice and slap him upside the head? She poured coffee into each cup and sat down at the third chair, facing the window.

“Where is Penny today?”

“She’s helping as a midwife for the, um, the Zook family over in Allen County. Connie Zook, I guess, is having a difficult pregnancy.”

“Zook? I don’t think I’m familiar. Did Penny leave in a hurry?”

“I don’t think so. Why?”

“She’s very friendly with my Lizzie. I’m surprised she hasn’t mentioned it.”

“Oh. That is surprising.” Sofia strummed her fingers on the table. Her gaze roamed everywhere but to Gray.

Elijah took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “You two a couple?”

“Yes,” Gray said loudly, his answer almost covering Sofia’s “No.”

No, huh?

Elijah raised his eyebrows and set his coffee down. “Well, I better be headin’ off now. Tell Penny I stopped by.” He tipped his hat back on and swaggered to the door.

Sofia walked with him. Gray followed.

“Oh, and let Penny know that salve she made for Lizzie’s cut worked. Healed real quick.”

“I will.” Sofia gave Gray another flash of a glance. “Wait, Elijah. Are you going by Tom’s Auto Shop, by any chance?”

“S’pose I could. Why? Havin’ vehicle troubles?”

“Yes. My car isn’t starting, and my friend here, his car is stranded down the road. He needs a tow truck.”

Gray’s chest pounded. His pulse beat against his temples. She was trying to get rid of him. But of course she was. According to her they weren’t a couple.

To hell if they weren’t.

“Down this road?” Elijah asked. “Didn’t see any cars coming up. Sure it’s still there?”

“No,” Gray spoke up. “It’s been a couple days. Might’ve been towed away by now.”

“Too bad.” Elijah made a tsking sound with his cheek. “Want a ride out to Tom’s anyway? They’ve got a phone over there.”

Sofia graced him another glimpse, her eyes unreadable. “Why don’t you go?”

He shook his head. He wasn’t going anywhere without her. “Thanks anyway.”

~ * ~

Penny’s head throbbed as she lay on Sofia’s bed. A streetlight beamed through the sheer curtains. But it wasn’t the electricity that pained her this time. She grasped the magnets together in her palm and squeezed.

Sofia resisted. For whatever reason, her granddaughter fought the spell. Was it doubt and distrust that plagued the young woman’s heart?

Penny clasped the magnets to her breast. If she could give Sofia her strength, she would. There wasn’t much to give. The spell was more powerful than any she’d ever conjured. She only hoped Grayson could handle the intensity. The emotions he must be feeling. The magnet that represented him sucked in all the energy while Sofia’s struggled to reject it.