The Unconventional Bride: The Ladies Club of Laramie

by West, Everly

  Milton had never seen his children being so well-behaved at the table.

  Passing the noodles and cheese bowl to the boys, George tried to take the dish from Paul. "No, I want it first."

  "No, because you'll take it all," George said.

  Paul placed the dish on the other side away from George and took his time taking what he wanted. Finally, George grabbed the bowl and the two boys began a tug of war with the dish between them.

  "Stop," Jennie said in a loud commanding voice. Both kids turned to gaze at her, their eyes wide. "Paul, you've gotten enough, now pass it on to your brother or give up your dessert."

  The boy frowned. "Why, I didn't do anything bad? Papa, don't let her do this to me."

  Milton was used to their constant bickering at the table and had learned years ago to tune it out. Turning, Jennie glanced at him, waiting for his response, and he knew he needed to show his support of his wife. "Paul, give George the bowl."

  The kid snarled at his brother. "Don't take it all."

  Suddenly, Jennie stood and took the dish, grabbed Paul's plate and dumped the noodles back into the bowl. "Because you're still fighting at the dinner table, neither one of you will have any, do you understand me."

  A little shocked at her authority, he watched as his boys’ mouths dropped open. One thing about his new wife, she didn't put up with the twins misbehaving.

  "But I like noodles," George said.

  "Too bad, you should have behaved. Now don't push me or there will be no dessert."

  The two boys glared at one another and then went back to eating their meatloaf and green beans.

  "So, dear, how was your day?" she asked smiling at him.

  "Obviously, not as entertaining as yours," he said, stunned at the response of his kids to her.

  The feel of her small foot climbing the inside of his pant leg sent a ripple of desire through him, and again, he wondered if this was a new strategy. Drive him crazy with wanting her.

  Already, she seemed to be wielding control over his sons. Would she do the same to him? Make him into the husband she wanted?

  Would that be a bad thing?

  Chapter Six

  Several nights later, Milton arrived home late. A note on the counter from Jennie said to come to her room, they needed to talk. Panic went through Milton. Immediately he thought she was tired of their marriage and was going to have it annulled. What would he do?

  Slowly he climbed the stairs to her room, not certain what to expect, but knowing he wanted this union to last. Only on his terms, and he wasn't sure that was possible, even for himself.

  He knocked on the door.

  "Come in," called Jennie.

  A bad feeling rippled through him as he pushed the door open. The sight that greeted him took his breath away. His gorgeous wife sat in a bubble bath, naked, the suds tantalizing him with the view of her breasts. "I'll come back later."

  "No, this can't wait. We need to talk," she said, standing.

  A gasp escaped him, and he took a step back and bumped into the door. Water and bubbles clung to her silky skin, and he longed to take the towel from her and lovingly dry her off. But if he touched her, he would be lost.

  "Jennie," he gasped.

  Turning to him, she ran the cloth over her front. "What? We're married."

  "But we haven't," he stammered, losing his mind over his wife's naked body.

  This woman would be the end of him yet, and right now, a slow death in her arms would be fitting.

  "Honey, I'm just waiting on you," she said as she dried off.

  Closing his eyes, he looked away. "What do we need to discuss."

  He heard the rustle of the bath towel and when he opened his eyes, she slipped a robe around her body. A clingy silk version that seemed to connect with her damp skin, the same way he wanted to conjoin with her.

  "The boys," she said. "How much time do you spend with them?"

  In the last week, he'd spent even more time at the office, trying to avoid his lovely wife.

  With a shrug, he responded, "I don't know. I've been busy lately."

  "You don't see them at breakfast or lunch and at night only if I take dinner to the office. You come home late, so none of us have your company," she said. "This can't continue. Those boys need you as much if not more than me."

  While he knew her words were true, he’d avoided the children most of his life. Not because he didn't love them, but because frankly, he didn't know how to react to them.

  "Excuse me, but I work hard to provide them with a good life. They never go hungry and live in a nice house. Their life is much better than my boyhood."

  These kids had everything a child needed or wanted. Why was she complaining?

  "And they don't care. They need a man in their lives. Their father. So don't make any plans on going into the office on Saturday. Together, we are going fishing," she said. "The boys are so excited, so don't disappoint them or me. Also, from now on, every Tuesday night, you will be expected to be home early to spend some time playing with your sons."

  Playing? She wanted him to get on the floor and play with them? Yes, he was their father, but that didn't mean he was their playmate.

  "I have to work," he said.

  "What is more important? Your work or your family?"

  When she put it like that, he didn't really have much choice in the matter. With a sigh, she sank down on the bed and took his hand in hers and pulled him beside her. Sitting on the bed, his heart started beating rapidly, his breathing became raspy. Oh, how he wanted Jennie, but he cared enough about her not to harm her.

  With her hand, she reached out and touched his chest. "I can feel your heart. Here, feel mine."

  Grabbing his hand, she laid his palm on her chest, her breasts full and round beneath his fingers. Her flesh tempting, so very tempting. Married, as man and wife, they could do this.

  Without thinking, he reached up and brought her lips to his. His mouth consumed hers as his hand grasped her breasts, caressing her as he pushed her down on the bed. Unable to stop himself, he moved on top of her as he pressed his hardened member against her. Oh, how he longed to make her his wife in every sense of the word.

  Their mouths came apart, and she untied the belt of her robe, giving him further access to her naked body. All he could think about was shedding his clothes and consummating their marriage, pushing deep inside this woman who tantalized and drove him crazy.

  Like someone poured cold water on him, the sound of a little boy crying reached his ears. What was he doing? Taking a risk of more children? Another wife dying?

  In a flash, he broke apart from her, and jumped up. "We can't."

  "What?" she said, confusion on her face, "we're married."

  "One of the boys needs something. I'll check on him since you're not properly dressed."

  As he all but ran to the door, she cried, "Damn you, Milton."

  As he shut the door, something hit the wood and crashed onto the floor.

  How much longer could he continue without being honest with her? How long before she gave up on him and the children and walked away?

  * * *

  When the door closed, Jennie lost it. Anger overtook her. She longed to sneak out and go riding in the moonlight.

  Married almost a week and still a virgin. And yet, she didn't understand what held Milton back. She would think he wasn't attracted to her, but lying on the bed, his manhood hard like a rock pressed between her legs. Just when she thought she would experience sex, Paul started to cry.

  At least Milton went in to tend to him while she sat in her room sulking, trying to figure out why her husband refused to consummate their marriage. How many men turned down a naked and willing woman?

  When he walked out, he said I can't.

  Why not? Married, nothing should be holding them back, and yet with Milton, something stopped him from making love to his wife. His actions hurt her. They made her feel unworthy and ugly and not up to his standards.

 
; This weekend she intended to find out why he didn't want sex with her. Because, right now, her only purpose was housekeeper and nanny, not wife.

  Only a week since the wedding, his house ran smoothly, and his children behaved instead of being mean little munchkins. All that was missing out of the equation for a happy marriage was love and happiness.

  When she married him, she accepted he didn't love her, but she never expected them not to sleep with one another. Like her mother said, she hoped sooner or later they would fall in love.

  If he could deny her when she stood naked before him, they didn't stand a chance.

  But why would he say I can't.

  Had he been injured physically and there would never be any children?

  As she lay in bed, tears streaming down her face. She realized the time for a serious discussion about the future of this marriage had arrived. Because right now, this union looked more and more like it would never last.

  And that filled her with remorse. A sob escaped her. Why didn't Milton find her attractive? Why didn't her husband want to make love to her?

  Tonight she tried to startle him and shake things up, but this called for all-out war. Watch out, Milton, she thought. She may not know how to seduce her husband, but she would try one more time.

  * * *

  Milton had not slept well since the night he went to Jennie's room and found her in the bath. The memory of her standing in the tub and toweling off was more than he could bear. In fact, after their fervent kissing in her bed, he told his secretary to contact Savanah Jones, the woman he used in the past.

  Yes, he was married, but he was trying so hard not to sleep with Jennie. When he'd been a widower, Savanah took care of his needs. She owned a high-class establishment for preferred gentlemen. His conscious twinged as he stared at the beautiful woman helping his boys.

  The boys were doing so much better and yet their father was not doing well at all. Oh, how he wanted to put aside his scruples and take Jennie. But Myra would come to mind.

  "Milton," she called, "George caught a perch."

  "Let me see," he said. His son held up his line, and he dropped his own pole and walked over to where both his sons fished. Today, everything seemed perfect as he enjoyed his children, his wife, and the time with his family. Why hadn't he taken his boys fishing? Because he avoided spending time with the twins.

  "I want to catch a fish," Paul pouted.

  "Keep your hook in the water and wait for a bite," Jennie said.

  "But how will I see him?"

  "You won't, silly," she told Paul. "The fish will bite your worm beneath the water."

  Milton hurried over to George who struggled to take the perch off the line. "Grip it by its head and slide the hook out."

  George glanced up at him and concentrated on what he said. The hook came out and the boy held his prize catch in his hand. "My first fish."

  "Now run the string through his mouth, so he can't swim away," he instructed George, pride filling him at the way George was learning. How both of his sons were changing.

  "We've caught one, and we need at least four for a fish fry," she said, turning back to Paul. "Put your line in, if you want to catch one."

  "Yes, ma'am," his son said and Milton wished he felt at ease with the boys as she obviously did. In fact, who did he have in life close to him besides Jennie and his boys? No one.

  Oh, sure, his secretary and he worked together, but there were times the man hated him. And he couldn't blame him. So many nights they stayed late, and he thought of his secretary's wife and children.

  A scream came from Paul as he dropped his pole to the ground. "I got a bite."

  "Well, pick up your line. If you aren't holding your pole, you can't catch a fish."

  Going over to where Paul yanked on his line, Milton watched him land the perch on the bank, where the fish flipped and flopped. The little boy stared at him with his mother's brown eyes.

  "Is it hurt?"

  "No," Milton said, helping his son remove the fish. "Put him on the stringer."

  Paul gazed up at his father, his eyes questioning. "Papa, do you love Jennie."

  Whirling around she glanced between the two of them, and he didn't know how to respond. If he said he loved her, he would be lying, but if he said he didn't, that would be hurtful.

  How did he get out of this one? Reaching out, he ruffled the boy’s hair. "She's your new mother and I'm married to her, aren't I?"

  Paul frowned. "Do you love us? Jennie tells us every night when she tucks us in, but you never tell us."

  A quick glance at Jennie confirmed she stared at him, her sapphire eyes twinkling with amusement at his discomfort. "Of course, I love you. From the moment you were born, I've loved you."

  The child stared at them. "Why don't you sleep in the same room? Hubert's parents sleep in the same bed."

  Hubert was a friend. When had his boys become so observant? When had his babies started to notice things in life?

  "Your father snores," Jennie replied, coming to his rescue, her eyes laughing with merriment. "Besides, he comes down the hall to tell me good morning and kiss me goodnight."

  He did neither of these things, and yet, here she was standing up for him, so he wouldn't appear bad in front of his own child. On a whim, he took her in his arms. "Yes, I kiss my lovely new wife, every morning and night."

  She raised her brows at him and gave him a look that said you're lying. "There are so many mysteries between us. We're still learning so much about each other."

  "Yes," Milton said, and he kissed her on the tip of her nose and on her lips.

  "Ewww, they're kissing," George said. "I'm going back to fishing. It's not as scary."

  Jennie whispered soft enough only he could hear. "You have to tell me why we can't."

  Confusion gripped him as he stared into her sapphire eyes. "What are you talking about?"

  "The other night when you left my room, you said, we can't. Why can't we?"

  A nervous tremor spiraled up his spine. After he fled the room to check on his son, he forgot all about saying those two words. Now here he was fishing with his sons and wife and realizing he couldn't answer that question without fearing she would walk away.

  "Tonight,” she said, “after the boys are in bed, we're having a conversation about the reason you won't bed me."

  He nodded knowing that discussion would never happen, unless she pinned him down, and even then, he would dodge the answer. This evening the twins would be exhausted and go down early. Somehow he needed to save himself from her scrutiny.

  That night when they got home, he took ill from the sunshine, leaving her to get the boys ready for bed. By the time she finished, he was tossing and turning in his bed, wanting his wife, wishing he would put his convictions aside and sleep with her.

  * * *

  Milton had to stay away from his home or be lost to his convictions. Spending time with Jennie became nearly impossible as he walked around with a constant hard on. The woman seemed to deliberately drive him crazy with her touching or coming up behind him and pressing her body into his.

  Tonight he needed a break and came to the gambling hall, determined to spend time away from his wife.

  "Everyone in," the dealer asked.

  He threw in his ante and waited for the cards to be dealt. Lifting his glass to his lips, he took a sip of whiskey and almost blew the alcohol across the table at the sight of his beautiful wife walking in the door.

  "What the hell," he said out loud and the card dealer glanced over to see Jennie.

  "Good evening, Miss O'Brian," he said.

  She smiled and sat down at the table. "Good evening, it's Mrs. Wardell now. Please deal me in."

  Stunned, the man looked at Milton as he finished dealing the first round.

  "What are you doing here?"

  "Gambling," she replied.

  "Who is watching the children?"

  "They're sound asleep in bed and cook said she would listen for them."
>
  Cook would never help him and told him she would quit if he asked her to watch them again.

  "You're not playing," he said.

  She raised her brows at him. "What is going to stop me?"

  "Your husband," he responded as he glanced at the dealer. "We're leaving."

  The man handed him the cash for him and Jennie.

  "Hey," she said. "That is my money."

  The man shrugged and gazed at Milton for guidance, who walked around the table and took her by the arm.

  "We're going home," he said. "Don't say a word until we are in the buggy."

  Her body stiffened and he knew he would be dealing with an angry wife, but so was he. No wife of his would be found betting in a gambling hall. Yet, he enjoyed meeting Jennie playing cards. Though, he didn't want her reputation ruined, which would affect his sons and her. Most of all Jennie.

  When they married, he promised her she could gamble and now he took that privilege away.

  As soon as the door closed behind them, he turned to her. "Don't you ever go in there again."

  "Why not? You promised me I could gamble when we married."

  "Because you're my wife and I changed my mind," he said, his voice raising as he hurried her toward his waiting buggy. "Where is your horse?"

  "I walked," she said irritated. "Am I your wife? Are you sure we're man and wife? I feel more like your babysitter and housekeeper."

  A twinge of fear spiraled through Milton. His wife wasn't dumb by any means, and she was beginning to figure out why he married her. "Of course, we're married."

  When they reached the buggy, they stopped.

  "Milton, I swear, I am bored out of my mind. All I do is make sure your house runs smoothly and babysit the twins. I never see you, you don't kiss me, you don't talk to me, and most of all you don't sleep with me. Am I so ugly, you can't stand to be with me?"

  "Of course not," he replied. "Work has been busy."

  This was coming to a head and somehow he needed just a little longer. Surely no one would believe they had not slept together and agree to annul the marriage. And it was slow torture not to sleep with his wife.