by Leah Brooke
His eyes narrowed, making him look even more like Hawke as he watched the other men approach. “We were due back at the ranch by now. Eb and Jeremiah must have sent out a search party.”
Keeping an eye on the approaching men, Sarah noticed that both Hawke and Blade moved closer to the buckboard in a protective gesture she greatly appreciated. “Do you mean your boss would send someone out to make sure that nothing happened to you?”
Phoenix frowned, turning his head to glance at her. “Of course. I told you that we all watch out for each other.”
* * * *
Phoenix shifted slightly, uncomfortable as hell. He’d been hard ever since he saw her that morning, and riding beside her and breathing in the clean, fresh scent of her only made it worse.
Her hair, no longer dirty and matted, gleamed like gold in the sunlight, making his fingers itch to sink into it.
He wanted to run his fingers through it as he held her close, and use his fingertips to spread the silky looking waves over his pillow while he covered her naked body with his.
Every gust of wind blew her waist-long hair against his back, surrounding him with the scent of her.
His woman. His wife.
She probably didn’t even realize the sensuality she emitted by her small gestures, but he did.
His cock swelled even more each time she closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun, her obvious enjoyment in the warmth of it on her face enthralling him.
Her smile had to be the most beautiful thing he ever saw.
It was a smile of pleasure and of sensual delight.
A look he would very much like to see on her face as he took her.
She looked at Hawke now, who’d moved closer at her soft cry. Leaning away from Phoenix and toward his brother, she covered herself again with the shawl, hiding her beautiful hair.
It was apparent that she trusted Hawke. She gazed at him as if the sun rose and set with him, her habit of looking toward his oldest brother and moving closer to him whenever she felt threatened creating an unfamiliar clenching in Phoenix’s stomach.
Accompanying it was a slow, simmering anger and the almost overwhelming desire to grab her arm and yank her back against him.
Jealousy.
The look in Hawke’s eyes stopped him, the change in his oldest brother nothing short of astounding.
Hawke had always been quiet, usually answering with one word or a grunt whenever possible. He spoke to Sarah in a crooning voice, though, using the same tone he used when dealing with the horses.
Hawke watched her almost constantly, the usual hard glint in his eyes absent, replaced with concern, fascination, and a possessiveness Phoenix never would have believed if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.
As Hart and Gideon approached, Phoenix glanced at Blade to see if he noticed the change in their brother, only to find Blade moving closer to the buckboard and staring at Sarah.
Blade looked slightly dazed, his eyes glittering with emotion as his gaze settled on Sarah’s face.
He glanced at Phoenix before quickly looking away, all emotion gone by the time he faced the approaching riders.
Hart’s eyes remained hidden beneath his hat, but the flash of surprise in them was unmistakable when he saw Sarah. Facing her, he touched the brim. “Ma’am.” Averting his gaze, he moved to ride on the other side of Hawke. “Wondered what was takin’ you so long.”
Hawke nodded, but said nothing, his lips twitching.
Gideon tipped his hat in Sarah’s direction, grinning as he took a position on the other side of Blade. “A real beauty. You kidnap her, Blade, or did Phoenix win her at a poker game?”
Amused, Phoenix glanced at Sarah, delighted that even with the shawl covering part of her face, he could see her flush. “Neither. Hawke found her at the train station.”
Gideon’s smile fell, his brows going up. His eyes sharpened with interest as he turned to get another look at Sarah, blinking when Phoenix shot him a dark look. “No kidding. Is she one of the brides Eb and Jeremiah advertised for?”
“Sure is.” Phoenix glanced between Gideon and Hart to see their reactions. “Ours.”
When both men whipped their heads around to face him, Phoenix grinned, aware of Hawke and Blade stiffening on either side of him. “We married her last night.”
Gideon turned back to Blade, his eyes wide. “All three of you?”
Blade nodded. “Yes. Her name’s Sarah. Sarah Royal.” His voice held pride, but also a hint of disbelief, and he kept glancing toward Sarah as if expecting her to disappear. “We’re expecting trouble—a man looking for her. We’ll let everyone know about it when we get to the ranch.”
Hart grunted. “Trouble ain’t nothin’ new to us. Give us a chance to practice our aim.” He turned to half smile at Sarah. “Looks like you three are the ones who are in trouble. Remind me to hide next time Eb and Jeremiah want to send someone to town. Matrimony seems to be contagious, and if it got Hawke, none of us is safe.”
Chapter Six
Sarah clutched her bundle close, grimacing at the rough wool blanket from her bed beneath her hands instead of the soft material she’d held most of the day.
She followed Hawke, pausing on the small wooden porch when he held out a hand in a silent command for her to remain there.
He’d done the same thing when they’d entered the hotel lobby the night before, and Blade had also walked into the hotel room ahead of her.
It was a little thing—a stupid thing that shouldn’t have mattered, but she’d seen men open doors for women and allow them to go first back in Waco.
She’d seen it everywhere except in the saloon, and the rooms upstairs. She’d asked her mother about it once, and been told that men did that sort of thing to show his respect for the woman he was with—a respect the men who visited the saloon didn’t have for the women working there.
Just minutes ago, the ranch bosses, Eb and Jeremiah Tyler, had opened the door for their beautiful wife and kept an arm wrapped around her as they led her outside, the two men obviously anxious to see what had kept Hawke, Blade, and Phoenix so long.
Their wife, Maggie, had been very welcoming, and had even taken her to the large building where they stored their supplies for the ranch.
Giggling, Maggie looked back toward where the men unloaded the buckboard. “I just wanted a chance to talk to you alone. It’s nice to see another woman around here, but I have to tell you, I didn’t expect the Royal brothers to ever get married.”
Sarah liked the other woman immediately, and hoped that she’d found a friend. “They said as much. I don’t know why they married me, but I’m glad they did. Are there any other women around here?”
“Just one. Savannah. She was my best friend back home.” With a smile at her husbands, she stood aside as the men started toward the supply building. “We’d better get out of the way before we get run over.”
Despite the fact that his arms were laden with bags of flour, Eb bent to nuzzle his wife. “I’d never run over you. Sometimes I wish I could stick you in my pocket to keep you safe. Go back to the house. You can talk to your new friend tomorrow. Hawke and the others look anxious to be with her.”
Jeremiah slapped Maggie’s bottom as he passed her. “We’ve been out on the ranch all day, and I’m anxious to be with my wife, too.”
Stepping aside, he let her pass, the love shining in his eyes making Sarah feel like an interloper.
The two hard-looking men who owned the ranch obviously loved their wife, their affection for her apparent in every look. Their smiles for Sarah made her feel welcome, and they moved aside so she could pass through the doorway before them.
It hurt to realize that neither Hawke nor Blade seemed to feel that Sarah deserved that kind of respect.
Her mother had told her that men came to the bordello because their wives didn’t like sex.
It made her wonder if that was the only kind of woman men respected. So if she didn’t like sex, maybe Hawke, Blade, and Phoenix
would eventually come to respect her.
“Is something wrong?”
Startled by Hawke’s deep voice, Sarah jolted, whipping to face him. Surprised to find his eyes filled with concern, she took a steadying breath and forced a smile. “No. Of course not.”
Hawke’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t care to be lied to—especially from my wife. Come on inside so we can get you settled. I thought you trusted me.”
Not knowing what to say, she nodded, her face burning. Trembling, she followed Hawke past another large building and to a small cabin that set back among the trees. Her stomach clenched when Hawke strode through the door ahead of her.
“Something wrong?”
Shaking her head, Sarah walked through the door Hawke held open for her, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darker interior.
Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around the small cabin, immediately feeling right at home. The walls, made of thick wood, appeared to be strong and heavy enough to withstand even the harshest storm.
Several lamps sat on various wooden tables, tables that appeared to have been handmade.
She’d bet anything that her husbands had made them themselves.
One table held a ceramic bowl and pitcher, painted in a variety of bright colors instead of the plain gray chipped one she’d had back home.
Besides the heavy-looking kitchen table and chairs, there were three stuffed mattresses on the floor.
Wondering where she would sleep, she averted her gaze, her face burning. “It’s very nice. Very clean.” It was very much like the men themselves. Sturdy and warm. Solid.
Blade went to the other side of the room and came back with a large basket. “Here’s a basket for your things. We’ll pick up another one the next time we’re in town.”
Finding herself alone with them in such confined quarters, and aware of their sharp scrutiny, she pulled her shawl more closely around herself. “Thank you.”
Hawke ran a hand over her hair, sending a shiver through her. “It’s even silkier than I thought it would be.”
Her nipples tingled in reaction, and fighting the urge to lean into his touch, she pulled the bundle tighter against her chest. “It feels good to be clean again.”
Carrying her new bathtub, Blade and Phoenix followed her inside, glancing at her before settling the tub in front of the fireplace. Blade straightened and strode toward her with a smile. “We’ll fix a bath for you later. I know I could use one.” Reaching out, he slid his fingers through her hair, lifting her chin with his other hand when she tried to avert her gaze. “It is soft.”
Bending, he touched his lips to hers and, to her surprise, took the bundle from her arms, tossed it aside, and slid a hand over her breast.
Gasping at the shock of pleasure, she jerked away, right into Hawke’s solidness. Meeting Blade’s look of surprise, she shifted restlessly and crossed her arms over her chest. “I-I’m sorry. You surprised me.”
Raising a brow, Blade smiled. “This time you won’t have that as an excuse. I’m going to touch your breast now.” His eyes narrowed, his smile sending a shiver of pleasure through her, one that she desperately struggled to hide. “You’re very responsive. I want to see how sensitive your nipples are. Seeing them poking at the front of your shirt is making my mouth water.”
Sarah couldn’t believe he’d noticed, especially with the bundle in front of her, but she’d begun to understand that her husbands missed very little.
Trembling with anticipation, she held her breath, the tingling sensation in her nipples nothing short of wicked. Instinctively lifting her hands to cover them, she sucked in another breath when Blade caught her wrists in his.
“No. I’m your husband, and it’s my right to touch you. It’s my right to see you. I won’t hurt you.” Surprising her further, he took both of her wrists in his and held them behind her back, making it impossible to protect herself. “You’re going to have to get used to being touched because you’re going to be touched often, and by all three of us.”
Instead of covering her breast with his hand the way he had the first time, he unbuttoned several buttons with a slow confidence that made her heart race. “I wanted to watch you take your bath last night, but you were scared and tired. Tonight, I’ll bathe you myself. You need to get used to my touch.”
Hawke’s hands closed over her shoulders at the same time that Phoenix moved in beside her. “We won’t allow you to hide anything from us, including whatever’s bothering you.”
Phoenix reached out to touch her hair. “If you’re scared, all you have to do is tell us. I’m sure a lot of things are going to be new for you, and you’re going to be scared, but you’re our wife now. We won’t hurt you and will protect you at all costs.” He flicked a glance at Blade. “Stop torturing us. Move her shirt aside.”
Although Blade spoke to his brother, his eyes never left hers. “Patience, Phoenix.” Running the tip of his finger just inside her loosened shirt, he tightened his hold on her wrists. “Nice and slow. Take the time to savor.”
“She’s scared of men, and had good reason to be.” Hawke pressed his cheek to her temple, watching Blade’s hand over her shoulder. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she? She’s shaking. Are you scared, Sarah?”
Before she could form an answer, Blade spoke again. “She’s a little skittish, but she’s getting aroused.” He smiled again. “It’s in her eyes. She has no idea what’s going on inside her yet.”
Aghast that he could see so much, Sarah hurriedly lowered her gaze, sucking in another breath when Blade lifted her chin higher.
“No. None of that. There’s no reason to hide, and Hawke already told you we won’t allow it.”
Moving slowly, Blade bent his head. “I’m going to kiss you. It’s not going to be a quick kiss like the ones we gave you in town.”
A dark brow went up, the challenge in his eyes unmistakable. “You do know that this is going to be a real marriage, don’t you?”
Gulping, Sarah nodded, bracing herself for whatever he wanted to do. Whatever he had planned had to be better than what she would have faced if she’d stayed in Waco. Aware that all three men watched her, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Blade’s grin sent a surge of something warm and unfamiliar through her, the stirring between her thighs both alarming and exciting. “You’re not even close to being ready, Sarah.”
Not knowing what he meant, she said nothing, unwilling to make even more of a fool of herself.
The intense tingling in her nipples made her restless, but she forced herself to remain still when Blade released her wrists and his hands closed on her waist.
“Easy, Blade.” Hawke rubbed her shoulders, his presence giving her the confidence she needed.
The hands at her waist tightened as Blade bent his head and touched his lips to hers, the sharp pleasure of his lips moving on hers startling a gasp from her.
Pressing his advantage, he slid his tongue between her lips, exploring her mouth with a possessiveness that caused a funny sensation in her knees, making her feel as if she might fall. Without meaning to, she lifted her hands to his shoulders for support, the feel of hard muscle beneath the smooth buckskin enticing her to lean into him.
The sound of a moan shocked her—especially when she realized that it came from her.
She vaguely remembered that allowing her to see that she enjoyed this wouldn’t gain her respect, but she found her desire to resist swept away in the warm rush of sensation.
Blade’s tongue swept her mouth again and again, pausing to tangle with hers in an exciting dance that she couldn’t resist.
He tasted so good. So clean. So warm and inviting that she found herself touching her tongue to his, thrilling at his deep groan.
Cupping her breast, he ran his thumb back and forth over her nipple through the material of her shirt, the surge of heat to her slit startling a cry from her.
Blade lifted his head, his eyes hooded as they searched hers. “So
soft. So responsive. See? There’s no reason to be afraid. We’ll go as slow as you need, but the sooner you come to terms that you’re married to all of us, the better. Right now, you feel safer with Hawke holding on to you, but eventually, you and I will spend time alone.”
Smiling, he reached for the next button, his eyes sharp on hers. “I want to see a little more.” His smile held both hunger and a tenderness that made the tingling in her nipples and slit even stronger.
“Yes.” A strange sense of yearning consumed her, a heat that came from deep within her, demanding satisfaction.
She wanted to be touched in ways that she’d never dreamed she’d want to be touched.
Her body felt different—tight—as if her skin had become too small to contain it.
She wanted to rip her clothes off, to bare herself to him. She needed him to touch her nipples and secret place between her legs, and to relieve the unbearable ache he’d caused.
Letting out a cry of frustration, she arched, leaning back against Hawke. “Please.” She no longer cared that he knew that she wanted to be touched. She ached so badly, it no longer mattered.
Blade’s slow smile and the appreciation in his eyes made the yearning even stronger. “Feels good, doesn’t it?” He undid another button, and then another, pausing between each one to slide his fingertip inside and slowly caress the upper curve of her breast, each time getting closer and closer to her aching nipple.
Sarah gasped when another button came loose and then another, squeezing her eyes closed and crying out again when Phoenix touched her other breast. “Too hot. Everything feels too tight. I need something.” A sob escaped, and she reached back to hold on to Hawke. “Help me. I don’t know what’s happening.”
Phoenix leaned closer, waiting for Hawke to straighten before bending to touch his lips to hers. “You’re becoming aroused.” He kissed her again, deepening his kiss the way Blade had as Blade finished unbuttoning her shirt. “Guess what? It’s going to get worse.”
The feel of the sides of her shirt parting drew another gasp from her. Her eyes flew open just as Phoenix lowered his head, the attention to her nipple creating such an intense rush of heat that it startled another cry from her.
