Destiny Of The Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online Page B

to learn about women and things.”
    Smoke’s blush deepened because Pearlie had broached just that subject with Smoke only the day before, saying that Cal was getting to that age. Smoke had suggested that Pearlie take the boy into town the next weekend and fix him up with one of the ladies who routinely dealt with that sort of malady.
    â€œNow, darlin’,” Smoke said, cutting his eyes at Pearlie and silently imploring him to keep their conversation a secret. “You know I wouldn’t do any such thing.”
    She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, then when she couldn’t hold it in any longer she burst out laughing. “Oh, you men. You never know when you’re being teased.”
    Smoke silently breathed a sigh of relief and changed the subject. “Speaking of town, I’m going to have to go back in today. I need a wagon load of fence posts and barbed wire for the north pasture. I don’t suppose you’d like to go with me, would you?”
    Sally brightened. “Just let me freshen up a bit and we’ll be on our way.”
    â€œYou know’d she would go with you,” Cal said. “Miss Sally takes to town like my horse does to sugar cubes.”
    â€œCal?” Sally said with raised eyebrows.
    Cal looked at Sally with an anxious look on his face, wondering if he had been out of line.
    â€œKnow’d,” Pearlie said quietly, prompting his younger friend.
    Cal smiled. “Knew,” he said, correcting himself.
    Sally returned his smile. “That’s better,” she said.
    â€œPearlie, why don’t you and Cal get the wagon hitched up? That is if you’re through stuffing your belly,” Smoke said.
    â€œWell, truth of the matter is I kind’a noticed that Miss Sally had a fresh apple pie coolin’ on the sill an’ I . . .”
    Smoke sighed. “You can come back and get some pie after we’ve left for town.”
    Pearlie smiled and got to his feet, letting his belt out an extra notch. “That’s mighty nice of you, Smoke,” he said as he grabbed his hat off a peg next to the door and pulled Cal to his feet.
    â€œCome on, boy. Time to earn yore keep for a change.”
    â€œMe?” Cal exclaimed as he followed Pearlie out the door. “It ain’t me that eats my weight in food ever’ day.”
    â€œBetter watch that language, Cal boy, or you’re gonna be tryin’ to squeeze your carcass into one of them teeny-tiny desks over at the school,” Pearlie teased as they left.
    Smoke walked back into the bedroom just as Sally was changing her dress. For the moment she was between dresses and she stood there in her camisole and short bloomers. The sheer lingerie showed off Sally’s supple body to perfection, and Smoke took a deep breath.
    â€œOn the other hand, maybe we don’t have to go into town right away,” he said.
    She smiled and turned to him, putting her hands on his wide shoulders. “Oh? You mean you don’t really need fence posts and barbed wire?”
    â€œNo, I need them,” Smoke said. “I just mean I don’t need them this very minute.”
    â€œWhy, Smoke Jensen, I do believe you are trying to take advantage of me,” Sally teased. She leaned into him and kissed him.
    Sally was as pretty, slim, and curvaceous now as she was the day they’d gotten married, and she could still make Smoke feel like a boy in his teens in the privacy of their bedroom. What’s more, she made no bones about enjoying it as much as he did.
    Smoke wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss with a bit more enthusiasm. After a moment, Sally was the one who was blushing. “You’d better stop that right now, Mr. Jensen, or we aren’t going to town any time soon,” she murmured against his lips.
    â€œLike I told you, there’s no real hurry,” Smoke replied.
    â€œ As I told you,” Sally said, correcting him.