Leah was too busy concentrating on where she had to walk to think about what Wesley was trying to do to her. At the first step she took, the hat fell forward and more of her vision was blocked. To compensate she tilted her head back further and the sack dragging on her neck hurt.
She did quite well for about ten steps, then halfway across, her left foot sank into a soggy bit of ground, and when she tugged at her foot she began to lose balance. One of the bridles slipped down her arm, further upsetting her. She tried to shrug it upward, but just then her foot came loose.
For a moment she teetered on the brink, then suddenly she fell backward into the soft, oozing mud.
Blinking, she sat there, still clutching all her bundles. A fat drop of mud slid down her forehead, her nose, and as it came near her lip, Leah blew at it.
It was then that Wesley’s laughter made her look up. He was standing on the dry piece of land and bending over her, his face a study in amusement. “It looks like somebody found something the ever-competent Leah can’t do. You thought you could carry half the wagon and maneuver through the mud. It looks like you can’t,” he said with great glee.
Leah raised one arm, mud all the way up to her armpit, and tried to push her dripping hair out of her eyes. Justin’s hat was half floating, half sinking down beside her. She had no idea what Wesley was talking about. Slowly she began to remove her bundles and put them on dry land.
“You couldn’t even ask for help when you were falling,” Wes said as he took the food bag from her. “If I hadn’t been here you wouldn’t have anyone to help you out of this mess.”
“I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t given me so much to carry,” she said, removing the bag from around her neck.
“Did it ever occur to you, Leah, to say no?” He wasn’t laughing now. “Why do you have to do everything yourself? Why don’t you ever ask anyone for help?”
Leah looked at him and suddenly realized that she was sitting practically up to her nose in mud because he was trying to teach her some kind of lesson. Of course she needed help at times! But lately all she’d done was try to do her work and Kim’s. She was trying to care for and protect the woman he loved.
Wes didn’t see the look in her eyes change. Nor did he see her hands sink into the mud at her side. As he reached for the last bundle, Leah’s arm flung out and threw a great gob of mud smack into Wesl
ey’s smiling face.
As he sputtered, spitting out mud, she started bombarding him with great handfuls of the nasty stuff. Moments later she stopped and he looked down at himself, covered with big splotches of mud. Leah, still sitting, looked up at him. “You think your Kim will greet you with open arms?” she said with a smile.
“Why you little—,” he began, then took a flying leap at her.
Leah rolled away just as Wes hit, and he landed face-down in the mess. When he looked up, only his eyes white, Leah started laughing.
“Wesley.” She gasped as she started to stand. “Here, let me help you up.”
With a little grin, Wes lifted his muddy arm to Leah’s extended hand, but when she took it, he pulled.
“No!” She gasped again before sliding back down, this time getting mud on the few clean parts of her body.
“You insufferable—,” she began. “How could you do this? Look at me!”
“I am,” he said with a chuckle. “I am.” His eyes were on her dress front, which was plastered to her.
It was difficult, if not impossible, to retain one’s pride while completely covered in mud. Leah was angry that Wes had caused her to fall, and now he was giving her lustful looks. She was sick of his leering at her. She was more than just a body.
With fists clenched, Leah pulled herself up and launched herself at Wes.
With laughter Wes opened his arms to her, and as she tried to hit him, he enclosed her in his embrace and began rolling with her.
“Stop it!” she screamed, beginning to try to kick free of him. “Wesley!”
“You can’t do everything, can you, Leah?” He laughed, tossing one of his muscular legs over both of hers. “Can you?”
She struggled against him, under him. “Of course I can’t. I never said I could.”
He was grinning down at her, his eyes and teeth white. “You sure are dirty.”
“No thanks to you,” she snapped, then her face changed. She couldn’t help laughing; they must be an awful sight. “You’re not exactly clean yourself.” She stopped struggling as she looked up at him.
“Tell me something you can’t do by yourself.”
“What? Oh Wesley, can’t you ask your idiot questions later? Let me up so I can take a bath.”