An Amish Country Christmas by Naomi Charlotte; King Hubbard Read Free Book Online Page B

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     today, why was Nate being so quiet now that they were alone together?
    Was it something I said? Martha wrapped her arms around herself more tightly as the wind passed through her
     old coat. As she thought back over the day’s conversations, she recalled Bram saying
     his brother had been stiffed by a girl he’d been courting— but I’m not that girl, am I?
    As she gazed at his profile in the moonlight, she unwrapped a stick of gum in her
     coat pocket and then slipped it into her mouth. Nate Kanagy was a fine-looking fellow.
     Maybe not as flashy as his younger brother, but she was okay with that. Her parents
     would see his joining the church as a sign of maturity, which would be an improvement
     over their opinions of the boys she’d slipped out with in the past . . . including
     a few Mennonite fellows and even an English kid who’d picked her up in his sports
     car down by Cedar Creek where no one would spot them. Traditionally, Plain girls kept
     their boyfriends a secret and their folks went along with that until time to announce
     an engagement. Mamma and Dat had gotten word now and again of which fellows had driven
     her home from Singings, and to say they hadn’t always been pleased was an understatement.
     But if the sweet tingle of peppermint was the most exhilarating thing she’d felt on
     this sleigh ride, something was wrong here!
    Nothing about meeting these boys has been traditional all day. So what’s to lose by
     trying for more, instead of waiting for Nate to take the lead?
    Martha’s heart pounded. If she slipped her arm along the back of the seat—
    “Beautiful night,” Nate murmured.
    She jerked her arm back into her lap. “ Jah . Jah , it is.”
    “Sorry if I’ve gone quiet on you.”
    And how did she respond to that ? Martha bit back a retort, willing him to look at her. Maybe if she could catch his
     eye, as she’d done several times today, Nate would figure out what she wanted. “Best
     sometimes to think things through rather than blurting them out.”
    “ Jah . Exactly.”
    Oh, but the steam was about to come out her ears from exasperation! Martha inhaled
     the frosty air to settle herself, wondering if she liked Nate’s silence better than
     this conversation that was going nowhere . . . just as their relationship seemed to
     be. Maybe if she’d chosen Bram instead . . . “Nate, is there something wrong? Did
     I say something that upset you?” she demanded.
    As he gazed at her, the heavy clip-clop! clip-clop! of Clyde’s hooves, along with the jingle of his harness bells, again filled the space
     between them. “Nope. Why would you be thinking that?”
    “Well—” Martha’s breath shot out in a stream of vapor. “You were plenty chatty enough
     in the mercantile, and while we were putting your beds together and—”
    “That was Bram doing most of the talking. I’ve just been . . . enjoying the way this
     fine sleigh glides through the snow,” he murmured. “Guess I’m more used to spending
     my time with horses.”
    “So are you going to kiss your horse gut -night, then, instead of me?”
    Martha immediately regretted smarting off that way. Yet when Nate’s mouth dropped
     open, she crossed another line—reached up to hold his face so she could give him the
     kiss that had simmered inside her all day. She sat taller, pressing her lips to his,
     and for a long, blissful moment Nate kissed her back. Oh, but she longed to reach
     inside his coat and feel the warmth of his strong, muscular body.
    Then he pulled away with a gasp. “If that’s what you wanted, Martha—”
    “ Jah , and why wouldn’t I?”
    “—well, I was just biding my time,” Nate continued nervously, “thinking to pass muster
     with your dat before I got my hopes up about you and me—”
    “So were you going to kiss Dat gut -night, then, too?” she blurted. “I’m feeling a little left out here, Nate, what with
     you sitting like a bump on a—oh, just take me