Longing in Louisiana (At the Altar Book 8) Read online

  “I’ll just follow your lead then.”

  She nodded. “I thought we’d go to Magic Kingdom tomorrow. It’s my favorite park. I have fast passes set up, but we can change them if you want. I just chose three rides that looked good to me.”

  He shrugged. “I really am up for anything. As far as I’m concerned, this is your special trip.”

  The meal was fun and the restaurant was boisterous. He enjoyed participating in the madness. After they’d eaten, she suggested a walk. “We can take the boat over to the campground from here and walk around there. It’s really pretty.”

  He shrugged. It was getting late, but he didn’t care. The only thing they had planned for the next week was playing in Disney parks. He didn’t think he needed to be terribly alert for that.

  They talked as they walked. “I was really shy when I went to college. I had a couple of close friends, but they went to other schools. The only thing I really excelled at was academics.” Michelle knew he’d have had a hard time even talking to her when she first started school.

  “So did you make friends easily once you got there?”

  She shook her head. “Not at all. I took public speaking my first semester, hoping it would bring me out of my shell a bit, and it did. I made friends with my suite mates, and they gave me people to eat my meals with. It got easier as time went on, but my first semester was rough. My roommate was kind of nuts, and she tried to kill herself halfway through. So then I ended up rooming alone for the rest of the semester, but I slowly made friends.”

  “Did you start out as an education major, or did that change as you went along?” He held her hand as they walked along under the trees on the trails of the campground.

  “Yeah, I was English education from day one. I never planned to go on for my masters, but I decided that I wanted to go into administration if I could. I started teaching as soon as I got my bachelors, and it was while I was doing my courses for my master’s program that I met Bob.”

  “What was he like?” Seth found himself bristling as he heard the other man’s name.

  She shrugged. “I thought he was a great guy. He was in law school, and he came from a very different world than my middle-class background. We met on campus one day. He was throwing a Frisbee with friends, and I was studying under a tree. He tripped over my feet, and we talked for a long time that day. He took me to lunch, and we started dating.”

  “And you never had any clue he was cheating on you?”

  Michelle shook her head. “We were both so busy. I was teaching English full time, while taking night classes and summer school. It wasn’t until we were both out of school that we started to really get serious. He asked me to marry him shortly after I took the position of principal at my school.”

  “That was three years ago?”

  She nodded. “He asked in September, so almost three years ago. I was so busy during the week that we only really saw each other on weekends. It never occurred to me that I should want to see him during the week. I was happy to only see him for a few hours on Saturday nights.”

  “Not even on Sundays?”

  “No. I went to church on Sunday mornings, and Sunday afternoons were spent with my family. I really saw him on Saturday night and that was it.”

  “Why didn’t you move in together?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t want to sleep with him. I don’t know. It just didn’t seem right to me. So we stayed apart. I was content to keep him in his little compartment in my life. I was angry when he needed to see me on a Wednesday night, because he didn’t belong on Wednesday nights in my world. He was only on Saturday.”

  Seth shook his head. “It doesn’t sound like you loved him at all.”

  “I don’t think I did. I mean, he told me he loved me, so I said it back. I convinced myself he was what I wanted, but after we broke it off, all I felt was relief. I was happy to call Dr. Lachele, because it meant I had options.”

  “It really sounds like he meant almost nothing to you.”

  She nodded emphatically. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I thought that since he wanted to marry me he was the perfect man?” She shrugged. “I’m not disappointed that I didn’t marry him.” She stopped walking and turned to him on the trail. “I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but I already feel a lot more for you than I ever did for him. He wasn’t the man I thought he was.”

  Seth stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “I can believe that.” He leaned down and gently brushed her lips with his, understanding better what her relationship with her former fiancé had been.

  “What about you?” she asked. “Any skeletons in your closet?”

  He turned around and started walking back toward the boat launch, knowing they would be sore if they kept walking. “Sure. You don’t get to be in your thirties with no relationships. I had a long-term girlfriend in college. Her name was Shelly. We dated for three years. I figured I’d marry her someday, but we split right before graduation. She wanted to move to California to be a movie star.”

  Michelle grinned. “How’d that work for her?”

  “I have no idea. I haven’t seen her in any movies, though.”

  “Well, I’m glad she decided to be a movie star, because it meant she left you for me.”

  He laughed. “I guess she did. I went to see Dr. Lachele, because I felt like she’d done such a good job matching up Daniel and Brenda. I wanted a girl just like Brenda, but I think you’re a whole lot more independent than Brenda could ever be.”

  “Probably. It’s hard not to learn to be independent when you’re running a school.”

  “Tell me about your school. How many students?”

  She smiled as she talked about her job. “We have around one-hundred-twenty in the whole school. That’s ninth through twelfth grades. The kids are great. I have very few discipline problems. It’s more likely that the students will sneak and wash my car while I’m working late than one of them will vandalize something.”

  “No way! Your students really did that?”

  She nodded. “They did. They do regularly. I know every single student by name. I get to school an hour before the first bell and I stand in the parking lot. I talk to every student as they come into school. When it’s time for graduation, I make sure that I don’t have to read a single student’s name. It takes me about a month to learn all the new students’ names when a new school year starts. They all know they can come to me with anything they need.”

  “That’s really amazing. Would you ever consider moving to a bigger school?”

  She shook her head. “I’ve been offered bigger schools already, but I’m content in Malloy. My students love me, and I love them. The school is just the right size for me. It would be easier if I had an assistant principal to take on some of my work, but I don’t. My staff is wonderful. The teachers are all dedicated to their jobs. I seriously have no complaints. Sure there are problems to resolve every school year, but I’m happy.”

  They got onto the boat to go back to the resort. “I’m glad. I’ve read that if your wife is happy, then it’s easy to be happy yourself.”

  She clung to his hand. “I promise you, I am not keeping anything else a secret from you. Bob was the only thing I hadn’t told you about, and I never meant for that to be a secret. I just hadn’t found the right time to tell you yet.”

  “I can understand that.” He brought her hand to his lips. “We’ll work through it. We have the rest of our lives.”

  Chapter Five

  When they got back to the room, Michelle went to change for bed. She wasn’t sure exactly where she stood with Seth, but she felt like they’d made huge strides, so she changed into one of the skimpy nightgowns she’d been given at her lingerie shower.

  Seth was already lounging in bed when Michelle stepped out of the bathroom, and he absently looked up from the mystery he had open on his lap. His eyes widened when he saw her standing beside the bed in a silky turquoise blue confection t
hat made his heart beat faster. “I thought we were going to wait for a while before we explored that part of our relationship again.” And before I explored your body more. Definitely before that.

  Michelle tried to keep her face passive, feeling rejected. “This type of thing is all I brought to sleep in. It’s my honeymoon after all. It’s this or nothing.” She shrugged.

  He closed his eyes as she climbed into bed beside him. “I’m honestly not sure which is worse.”

  “Wow, Seth. Way to make me feel all sexy and attractive and stuff.”

  Once she was safely under the covers, he turned to face her, lying on his side. “I don’t mean to make you feel undesirable. Having you dressed that way makes things a little harder for me.” He grinned. “Okay, it makes some things a lot harder!”

  She blushed when she caught his meaning. “You know, I think we could continue to get to know each other, even if we resumed our sexual relationship.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want how I see you to be clouded by the physical part of it.”

  “I feel like I’m the only new wife in the world who has to practically beg for sex.”

  He chuckled. “I haven’t heard you beg yet, but it might manage to change my mind.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Begging isn’t exactly my style.”

  “Trust me, you won’t need to. Just keep wearing that to bed, and I won’t be able to keep my hands off you.”

  She put her hands flat on his bare chest, wondering what he’d worn to bed, but not bold enough to ask or look under the covers to see. “Do I get good night kisses at least?”

  He frowned. “Maybe you should sleep fully clothed.”

  “I should be uncomfortable in bed, because you can’t control your hormones when I don’t want you to anyway? Not happening.”

  “Mr. Happy is going to be very frustrated by the end of the week.”

  “I know what would make Mr. Happy happy,” she said, pulling him down for a kiss. She’d never been so bold with a man, but she’d never been married before either.

  Seth couldn’t resist her, immediately taking over the kiss. His arms went around her, and he pulled her close. He’d been crazy to think he could sleep in a bed with his new wife and not touch her. He didn’t feel like he could back down though. His hands stroked her back as he deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers.

  Michelle’s hands went to his back, and she ran her hands over the taut muscles there. He felt so good against her. She threaded the fingers of one hand through his hair, loving the feel of him.

  He groaned and pulled away from her, rolling to his back. “We can’t do that.”

  She sighed. “I like kissing you. Is that so wrong?”

  “It’s not wrong at all. I just—I know it seems stupid, but I really do want to wait a little bit. Please help me.”

  “Of course.” She taught abstinence at school. She had to follow her own teachings. Walk the talk as it were. Of course, she didn’t tell her students not to have sex after they married.

  He caught her hand and brought it to his lips. “What time do we need to be at Magic Kingdom tomorrow?”

  “I made lunch reservations for noon, and then we have three fast passes. We have dinner reservations at six in the park. I thought we could see what we wanted to ride between the fast passes. They won’t keep us busy the whole time.”

  “What’s your favorite ride at Magic Kingdom?” He carefully kept his eyes on the ceiling.

  “Splashwater Falls, but I’ve heard amazing things about the new Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I can’t wait to try it.”

  “Do we have fast passes for both?”

  “Yeah. Splashwater Falls is right after lunch, because it’s going to be hot, and I want to be wet when I walk around.”

  “Just don’t wear a white T-shirt, or you just might kill me.”

  She giggled. “I could always go wet my nightgown!”

  He turned to her with his eyes wide. “Are you trying to make me cry? Really? That’s not very nice of you!”

  She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “Do I get to sleep in your arms? Or do I have to pretend there’s a mini version of the Berlin Wall between us?”

  He sighed. “I think for tonight we need to recreate the Berlin Wall with pillows. Lots and lots of pillows.”

  “You know, I thought our honeymoon was going to be a lot of fun. You sure are a party pooper.” She moved to her own side of the bed and reached for some of the decorative pillows from the floor, arranging a wall between them. “There. Are you happy now?”

  “Not particularly.” He reached out and turned the knob on the lamp beside him and plunged the room into darkness. “And Mr. Happy is downright grumpy.”

  “Poor Mr. Happy…”

  “Go to sleep, Michelle.”

  “G’night, Seth.” She reached out a hand and held his over the wall.

  “G’night.”

  *****

  When Seth woke in the morning, Michelle was lying in bed on her stomach, reading a book. He watched her for a moment over the Berlin Wall. “What are you reading?”

  “How to Make a Man Want you in Six Easy Steps.” She continued staring at her book.

  Seth closed his eyes. “You don’t need any help on that front. What are you really reading?”

  “Oh, a silly romance. I never have time to read them during the schoolyear, so I binge read them all summer long. Keeps me going.”

  “Is that one of those romances that has sexy parts?”

  She grinned. “There are a few sexy spots. Why?”

  “Wanna read me one?”

  She looked at him, lifting an eyebrow. “I’m not sure you really want me to do that.”

  He sighed. “Probably not. Don’t you feel like we know a lot more about each other after spending thirty-six hours with no sex?”

  She shrugged. “I know how stubborn you are now, so sure.”

  “Stubborn, huh?”

  She nodded. “Only a stubborn man would insist on the Berlin Wall in the middle of the bed on his honeymoon.”

  “Or one determined to get to know his bride better.”

  “Uh huh.” She didn’t take her eyes from the book.

  “Are you angry with me?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Nope. Just reading my book. I want to see if they end up together at the end.”

  “Don’t couples always end up together at the end of romance novels?”

  She shrugged. “That’s what I hear. I haven’t read them all yet, though, so I have to find out for myself.”

  “So are you planning on reading them all this week?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “Oh, no. There are more published in a day than I could read all summer. I’ll read a few this week, though. I had time scheduled in for sex, so if I’m not getting that, I might as well get my romance from somewhere.”

  Seth sighed and rolled out of bed, walking toward the bathroom in just his shorts he’d slept in. He felt her eyes on him as he left the room, and turned before closing the door. “Are you always going to watch me when I walk around mostly naked?”

  She nodded. “It’s my job as your wife to make you feel desirable.”

  “I see.” He closed the door then, leaning back against it. Yesterday his plan had seemed so simple. Waiting to have sex again until after they knew one another better. She was making it very hard. In more ways than one.

  *****

  After a quick breakfast, Seth and Michelle took the boat over to the Magic Kingdom. “We can always take the bus as well, but I don’t like the buses as much as the boats. It’s also fun to take the monorail. We’ll do that tomorrow when we go to Epcot.”

  Once they were in the park, Michelle smiled at him. “This is my place, and these are my people.” She wore a pair of blue shorts that came to mid-thigh and a red tank top. He was thankful she hadn’t worn white.

  “What do you want to see first?” he asked.
r />   “How would you feel about wandering down main street and looking in the shops? There’s a little art shop up ahead that I adore.”

  “How do you know this place so well?”

  She shrugged. “I told you I came when I was in college.”

  “Uh huh. How many times have you been since college?”

  She grinned sheepishly. “I’ve been every summer. I love it here so much.”

  “You came alone?”

  “No. I have a couple of friends who come with me, depending on the year. No one loves it quite like I do, but they’re willing to humor me.”

  “Sounds good.” He took her hand in his as they walked straight up Main Street. He was amazed at the detail in each of the buildings. He’d been to amusement parks before, because they were everywhere, but he’d never seen anything like Disney World.

  The day was full of marvels for Seth, and the restaurant she’d chosen for supper was the perfect way to end it. They were seated in the West Wing, and he was truly impressed with the atmosphere. He remembered seeing Beauty and the Beast as a child, and loved how they’d turned the movie into a restaurant.

  When he had the “gray stuff” for dessert, he wanted to ask what it was made of, but he couldn’t help but worry that it would ruin the magic of the moment for him.

  As they walked toward the front of the park, he shook his head. “This place really is amazing. I’m glad we came here.” She looked so adorable walking ahead of him in her bride mouse ears that he had to grin.

  She turned and looked over her shoulder at him with a huge smile as she wove through the crowd. “I’m glad you like it. Someday we’ll bring our kids here.”

  “Absolutely.” He adjusted his own mouse ears, hating how sweaty they made his head, but happy to wear them to please her.

  When they reached the front gate, she turned to him. “We can take the boat back, or we can take the bus. Do you have a preference?”

  “I’d probably rather keep taking the boat if you don’t mind.”

  She shook her head. “I definitely prefer the boats, but I don’t want to tell you how we have to spend our honeymoon.”

  “Today really was amazing. Thank you for all the planning you did to make it so special.”