Read Online The Fulfillment by Lavyrle Spencer - Free Book Online Page B

his, her breasts tight against his chest, and an arm still around his shoulders. She grabbed a handful of his shirt to keep from tipping sideways.
    â€œAnything you say, Miss Applesauce,” he grinned as he let her slide down against the front of him, all the way to the floor.
    â€œYou want someone to take home?” she flung at him. “There! Try one of them?” And she pointed to the group of chippies who were near the door in their usual place. “They’re more your type!”
    The dance was done, and she spun off toward her table. He followed, trying to appear as though he were showing her back to her place. But it was easy to see she was practically running to escape him.
    Well, he’d known she’d take some gentling, hadn’t he? He’d give her a bit more time and then try again. He’d see her at church tomorrow. Maybe then he’d have better luck.
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    But the following morning when he approached her in the churchyard, he could tell she was as sour as she’d been the night before.
    â€œHello, Priscilla,” he said, attempting to neutralize her with an engaging smile.
    She was having none of it.
    â€œWill you come and have breakfast with me and Jonathan and Mary today?”
    â€œI hardly think so,” she answered coldly.
    â€œHow long are you going to keep this up? I apologized, didn’t I? Will you give me a chance to make it right?”
    â€œYou had your chance for a whole year.”
    â€œWell, I’ll take another day if you got it.” He tried to take her elbow, but she avoided his touch.
    â€œI don’t think you’ll take anything more from me.”
    â€œDid you have that good a time with Michalek last night?”
    â€œAt least he’s a gentleman.”
    He grew angry. His crime had been wanting her and having demonstrated it, that was all.
    â€œPris, it isn’t every day I push you up against the corncrib wall. Can’t you forget it?”
    â€œAaron Gray, you stand here making light of it right smack on the Lord’s doorstep!”
    â€œI figure the Lord’s got enough to do without slappin’ my hands for putting them where He intended they ought to be put, anyway.”
    He was teasing, but he never should have said that, for she swirled in a quick, dust-lifting turn and strode away, and Aaron realized he’d only made matters worse.
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    Each day that went by now with himself and Priscilla still at odds made Aaron more determined to settle their quarrel. He gave it no words, but there was a feeling that he had to get Pris to take him back before Jonathan left on his trip.
    If Aaron had known last winter that his approval of the plan to purchase a bull would lead to the situation he now found himself in, he would have objected then. But arguing about whether or not Jonathan should make the trip was now impossible. What would Mary think if he raised objections? That he was afraid of what might happen if the two of them were left alone?

4
    The fields of Moran lay at their blackest best, for the most part. The harrowing was nearly done, but the heavy drags had turned rocks up, seeking them out of their hiding spots and laying them bare and discovered above the ground, looking like blocks of salt on the peppery earth.
    The tin bottom of the stone boat screeched along on the complaining soil, and with each “Hiyup!” the horses worked harder at their growing load. Jonathan did very little whistling during stone-picking. The only breath he could spare was for the whistle that escaped his pursed lips when he’d hoisted another stone up and dropped it onto the stone boat, the great reflex expulsion of breath seeming to lend him strength for handling the next stone.
    It was Friday morning when Jonathan straightened and stretched his back, glancing sideways at Aaron. “We’re going over to Volence’s tonight. You coming along?” Jonathan wondered why Priscilla hadn’t