Page 16 of A Bride for Brodie

He took her hands, widened her arms and then stepped between them.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled.

“It’s only the two of us in the laundry and I could be talking about anything. That you went directly to us making love really says something.” He smiled. “I can’t wait to teach you more tomorrow.”

She looked down and to the side. “I can’t wait either.”

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Come with me. I’ve got something else I want to show you.” He held out his hand.

She took it. “Are we going far? I really have to help the others with the chores.”

“Nah, just a ways into the pasture. It won’t take too long.” He took her out of the laundry and back around the corral to the gate in the fence. Opening it, he held it for her to go through and then Brodie followed her and pulled it closed behind him. A wire around the top of the four-by-four that held the three strands of barbed wire, kept it closed.

The path they followed took them along the tree line and out into the meadow that made up their pasture. The cows had eaten a lot of it down, but even now some of the grass was growing back.

He took them up the slope a little to a rock foundation and framing of the first floor of a house.

“What’s this? I mean, I know it’s a house, but whose house is it?”

“Ours.”Only if I get Jake Flannery paid off. Then I can say it’s ours because I won’t be dead.He squeezed her hand and then released her and went up the steps to the frame for the door and passed through it into the structure. He waved her in. “Come on and see what I have so far.”

She held up her dress hem to climb the stairs into what would be her home. A real home. Lottie couldn’t believe she would have her own house. Tears filled her eyes

Brodie took her right hand and showed her the floor plan. “This is the living room. The stairs will be right there.” He pointed with his free arm. “Down this hall is my office, the dining room, and then the kitchen.”

“The kitchen looks big enough, but can we remove the wall from the dining room? I want it to feel…friendlier. A separate dining room isn’t something I want.” She placed three fingers of her left hand over her mouth. “I forgot to ask; do I even have a say in the floor plan?”

Brodie patted her right hand. “Of course, you have a say. That’s one reason I brought you out here.”

“How long have you been building this?”

“About four months. I only get one day off a week and it’s hard to build it alone.”

“Why only one day? And why alone?”

“Because we still have chores to do and one day each week, my brothers cover my chores for me and I come here to build. Except for Ross, who is staying in the big house, they’re all doing the same thing.”

“Speaking of the big house, I like the idea of our bedroom being on the first floor. Can you do that, or are you too far along for that?”

He tapped an index finger on his chin. “Hmm. If we didn’t put in the dining room, we could definitely have a bedroom down here. Or instead of an office, there could be a bedroom. Either way, yes, we can put our bedroom down here.”

“Also, why don’t you all do your chores that immediately need doing, and then everyone takes off and works on one house until it’s built and then moves on? I know my friends will suggest the same thing. It only makes sense.”

“It does, and it would be easier on everyone.”

“And it would definitely get the homes done sooner.” She sidled up to him. “Now, what was the other reason you wanted me to come here with you?”

He grinned. “I thought you’d forgotten about that.”

“Never.”

“Come sit.” He pointed to the kitchen floor.

She sat and adjusted her skirts around her. “Now, what?”

“I’m showing you another way to make love.”