Read Online The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas - Free Book Online Page A

moved his hand over her middle, then up, taking his time exploring her flesh. His hands grew bolder. He smiled, loving the little sounds she made, purring to his touch.
    “Yes,” she whispered final y. “Yes.”
    He picked her up and carried her to bed. As she stretched atop the sheets, he pul ed the drapes, turning the room and his life into shadows.
    Al the things he’d planned to say vanished as he spread out beside her. He didn’t just need her, he was addicted to her. The time for words was over. Tomorrow after they’d made love until they were exhausted, then slept until noon, he’d order breakfast and they’d talk while they ate.
    Then, he knew they’d make love one more time. He’d rol over and act like he was asleep while she showered, dressed, and left. She’d know he was awake just as he’d know she knew, but they’d learned months ago that neither one knew how to say good-bye.
     

Chapter 9
    TYLER WRIGHT SAT IN THE WINTER’S INN BED-AND-Breakfast pretending to eat. Three days had passed since he’d picked up his Kate at the Amaril o airport and she’d slept in his arms. Three days and they’d yet to talk about anything important. Why was she sad? Would she be interested in marrying him? Nothing.
    In fact, they’d barely been alone with each other. At the bed-and-breakfast, Martha Q was always around. She seemed to think Kate came to town just to visit with her.
    Tyler had long ago decided that Martha Q had probably talked at least half her husbands to death. She’d been married so many times folks played a drinking game in the local bar of trying to name the men in order. Tyler had heard it was more popular than naming the seven dwarves.
    Martha Q’s latest crazy plan was to start a once-a-week meeting of a “lonely hearts club” that came, for a price, with instructions for how to find and catch a man. Martha Q saw herself as an expert in this field. She’d talked one of the Mathesons, an almost-lawyer by the name of Rick, into helping any of the women, pro bono, of course, if they should need any advice on handling their money or land before going into a new marriage. Martha Q even said Rick would help with ending the present, unhappy union if they needed him.
    Tyler thought the whole idea sounded one inch short of insane, but on a scale with her other ideas it was about par.
    Mrs. Biggs, the cook at Winter’s Inn, wasn’t much better at al owing him time alone with Kate. She’d spent an hour yesterday teaching Kate to make Italian bread. They’d made so much they decided to make lasagna to go with it and invite over everyone Kate knew.
    Tyler felt like he was being selfish, not wanting to share Kate’s time. Yesterday, when he had to leave to work, he’d hurried back to find she’d gone to lunch with the sheriff, Alexandra McAl en-Matheson. When Kate returned late in the afternoon, Tyler asked what the two women had talked about, but Kate had simply said, “An old police matter.” Talking to everyone in town about everything seemed more important than talking to him. Tyler felt forgotten, and mad at himself for being selfish of her time. He knew she was fitting in and loving it.
    When Alexandra and her husband, Hank Matheson, came over for the lasagna, Tyler was happy to see his best friend, but part of him wanted to stand on a chair and yel that it was time for everyone to go home so he could be alone with Kate. After al , he was the reason she had come to Harmony this week.
    He worried he was neglecting work too, which was rare.
    Tyler had managed to get Ida Louise buried, but he stil hadn’t checked out the car parked at the back of the cemetery. It had disappeared Friday, and then Calvin told him it was back this morning. Tyler liked everything in his life in order, and even a car parked out of place bothered that order. But this week the car was only one of many things that didn’t settle right.
    Having a funeral where no family bothered to attend always upset him. Then he