by Cheri Chaise
I swallowed and forced my gaze from Bret’s chiseled features to the horses as they pranced near, then scampered away from one another with trumpets of desire. It was like an erotic dance. The tale of a waltz between a handsome prince and the lady who sought to tame him. One part melodious. Another mysterious. Deep and brooding as the night. Seductive.
“The Black Prince.”
He looked over the couple who’d stilled. “After the Black Prince of Wales…I like it. It fits him very well, Essie.”
I almost melted across the cobbled ground to hear him say the name again, but Nightmare drew my attention as she swished her tail before lifting it and backing toward the stallion.
“What is she doing?” I whispered, gripping the railing in rapt fascination.
The brush of his shoulder against mine sent a shiver straight to my core as he leaned in closer. “She’s signaling her intent…her willingness to mate.”
My breathing ceased. My mouth dried in an instant at the lengthening appendage that appeared beneath the prince’s hindquarters. I wasn’t even aware that Bret had moved behind me until his hands rested lightly on my shoulders.
His words brushed past my ear. “See how he signals that he accepts her overtures?” His lips grazed my earlobe as he spoke and weakened my knees. “How he desires her?”
I saw clearly as the stallion raised his forelegs to rest on the mare, exposing his maleness in all its glistening glory. My pulse pounded. Embarrassment flowed like the blood through my veins as the erotic ritual commenced. But I couldn’t look away.
My throat was tight. “We’re…we’re not going to watch, are we?”
Bret’s heat threatened to overwhelm me as his hard chest pressed against my back, and his hands slid down my arms to rest over my trembling knuckles and ease my grip on the wood railing. I’d be picking out splinters for certain.
“Close your eyes if it makes you more comfortable,” he advised. “But I have to stay and make sure the deed gets done this time.”
My mind told me to run, but I was fascinated. Too far gone in an erotic thrall to do anything less than watch as the Black Prince claimed Nightmare, sliding his enormous manhood beneath her tail to claim his bride.
Claiming a woman the way a man should. Taking what he wanted. What they both desired.
Consequences be damned.
I couldn’t stop the groan that eased out the moment I felt Bret’s hardness stroke up against my backside. I didn’t want to stop as my buttocks surged against him in response. To signal my readiness to be taken by a man. Any man.
His arms enveloped my waist as he pulled me deeper into his body, and his lips trailed fire from my shoulder up my neck. My head fell back in mute acquiescence.
“Oh, Essie,” he murmured into my skin. “I’ve wanted you since you arrived. To feel you against me. To kiss those ripe lips.”
I turned my head and opened my eyes just as his mouth claimed mine. The spark of passion erupted into a flame that burned me from the inside out. His tongue sought refuge and I welcomed it with grateful abandon.
His seeking hands left burning rushes along my torso, and my knees finally buckled the moment his fingertips reached the pinnacle of the neckline of my dress. I nearly came undone as flesh greeted flesh.
And I came to my senses with a gasp.
Bret released me the moment I tugged away. I stumbled on the cobbled stable floor, heaving and breathless – this time not from a too tight corset.
I touched my swollen and empty lips. “I…I…”
“I’m not sorry, Essie.”
“But your brother,” I wheezed. “My husband…”
“Will understand,” he said, shocking me senseless. “Better than you know.”
I couldn’t think. Couldn’t do anything but fling myself away from his outstretched arms and out the stable door. I raced across the open expanse beneath the unending night sky, into the quiet and cleaned house, then barricaded myself in my room with a trunk shoved against the door.
With shaking hands, I peeled out of my dress and corset to take the first real breath possible since dinner, then changed into my nightgown without lighting a lantern. I was terrified of the passion that had erupted between Bret and me and dangled over the abyss of arousal like a condemned criminal.
A criminal who still reveled in the glory of her crime.
My heart pounded as I stared out over the grounds lit exquisitely by the full moon, alternately wishing for Cole’s swift return and hoping he’d never make it back. I watched the progress of the moon’s track across the sky, oblivious of how many hours passed, until a barely discernable knock tapped against my door.
“Essie?”
I was still so keenly aware of Bret’s lips on mine that even his whisper brought it all thundering back like a whirlwind. Wisely I didn’t respond. Or move. Hoping upon hope Bret would think I slept and return to his own bed – no matter how much I wanted him in mine.
My heart stilled as the doorknob silently turned. A soft thump as the door bumped the trunk. A curse sent me leaping from the bed.
Then the trunk slid aside as if it were little more than a mere annoyance – and my lover stood before me. As I gazed upon the bare muscles of his chest and the hardened ripples of his stomach above the waistband of his straining trousers, I knew nothing could stop me from taking my husband’s brother to my bed.
But a bed wasn’t what Bret had in mind as he closed the door and replaced the trunk. I whirled toward the window as he sidled up behind me with a growl that sent ripples of pleasure pounding through my veins.
Moonlight filtered around us, outlining our reflections in the glass and highlighting the roundness of my eyes. I closed them, but when I started to turn toward Bret, his grip on my wrist stopped me.
A grip on my other wrist, then he leaned me forward until my palms touched the chill window glass. “Don’t move.”
His words were barely distinguishable above the thudding of my pulse as the heat of his body left mine in an aching absence. I sighed in relief when his fingers made contact again with the skin at the inside of my ankles.
Slowly he traced up my calves, lifting the hem of my gown as he went. He stopped at my knees, which quaked in anticipation. Warm lips brushed over the sensitive skin behind them, his tongue slipping out to trace. To taste.
My legs trembled the higher he moved his fingers. Past my knees. Up my thigh. The chill night air did nothing to ease the building inferno between my legs as my gown raised higher to expose my bloomerless buttocks to him.
Bare like a baby’s bottom. Ready for a slap to test its readiness. Like biscuit dough.
My knees buckled as his lips brushed the delicate flesh of either cheek. “Beautiful.”
A tear leaked unexpectedly from the corner of my eye at that one word. How long since anyone had thought me beautiful? Had anyone ever truly thought of me that way? With Bret, I almost believed it. Needed to believe it.
My hands nearly thrust through the glass pane when his arms came around my waist for the second time that night – except this time there was nothing to impede the exploration of his hands.
I arched my back and leaned into his ministrations as he cupped my heavy breasts and suckled my earlobe between his teeth. My nails scratched against the glass as I sought to grasp something – anything to keep me from sagging to the floor.
I did the only thing I could and reached over my head to anchor my hands in his long, lustrous mane and tug his lips to mine. His moan filled my mouth as the sound of shredding cotton filled my ears.
Then I was naked beneath him on the bed. With his mouth, he worshipped at the altar of my breasts, laving my nipples into stiff peaks with his tongue and rolling and pinching with his fingers as I writhed under the glorious agony of his attention.
Bret straightened his arms to hover above me as he raked me with his gaze. “It’s been so long, Essie. Since the moment I saw you lying naked on this bed, I’ve dreamt of nothing but how you’d feel bene
ath me.” He kissed my lips, then my neck before settling at my breasts again. Then trailing lower as he worked the buttons of his trousers.
“Your breasts are exquisite, Essie.” His heavy breaths tickled the curls at my apex. “But I want more. I want to taste the sweet juices of your delectable fruit.” His tongue flicked out. “Open your legs, Essie, and let me feast on your banquet.”
And I did. And he did. Bret’s tongue traced up my seam, and he suckled the folds hiding my nub. My hips bucked involuntarily, and he opened his mouth wider to suck me in.
My body was awash with glorious sensation. Pulling. Tugging. Licking. Sucking.
I fought against crying out to keep the other household residence from hearing. From finding out how easily I’d cast aside my vows. But as Bret tasted and supped from me, I no longer cared about anything as the pressure built between my thighs and snaked up my belly to clench into a glorious release.
I didn’t have time to bask in the sensation as Bret climbed atop me, his manhood released and glistening, ready to slide into me like the stallion claiming his mare.
And Bret claimed me. Claimed every inch as he stretched and filled me, gliding in slowly until his thrusts grew into a furious pace that left both of us breathless. Every cell tingling until we both came again with cries of unadulterated joy.
As Bret wrapped me in his comforting embrace and his breathing evened out, I finally allowed the tears I’d been holding back to trickle silently down my cheeks. For the first time in years I felt cherished. Adored.
Loved.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cole
I hadn’t intended to be gone for an entire week after I’d kissed Stella. I ached to do it again every damn day and night. The feel of her eager lips sliding across mine. The hunger.
But leaving and staying away was the only way to fight against the urge to bed her before Bret had a chance to.
Not that leaving had done me much good. Every night when I’d bedded down and every morning when I woke alone, I had my hand fisted so tight around my cock I couldn’t help but come as I imagined burying myself deep inside her tightness.
My lips still burned with the fire from her needy kiss. That mouth had enraptured me and left me constantly hard with the memory. Left me with untold desire to sweep my tongue into her greedy recesses. Taste every inch of her.
The sky had barely lightened when I’d awakened chilled on my bedroll. Buck occupied himself with grazing on the dew-drenched grass while I undid my trousers and gripped my cock when it sprang loose.
My fingers slid expertly over the ridges as I lengthened and firmed in my hand, alternately stroking and pumping my hardness until the tip glistened with my own dewy moisture. Breathing intensified as I imagined Stella’s plump lips swaddled around me, licking and tasting the salty goodness of my manhood.
With a groan I pumped faster. My engorged cock tingled and my balls tightened with the need for release until thick cum spurted and ran down over my hand. I fell back against my bedroll, spent but warmed – then jerked upright again with the cock of a pistol.
“Mornings were never your strong suit.”
I pulled my slickened hand away from my gun as Evan holstered his Colt and slid over to stir the coals from last night’s fire. His appaloosa Thunder was already happily grazing alongside Buck. I’d been caught unawares, oblivious to my surroundings – yet another failing of mine since Stella’s arrival had addled my thoughts.
“Shit, brother,” I returned, pulling my hand away from my guns and tucked my temporarily satiated cock away. “Didn’t Pa ever teach you never to sneak up on a man when he’s got business at hand?”
“Looks more like you had business in hand.” He threw in wood then coaxed a tentative flame from the stirred coals. “Pa also said first light was when most battles began during the war.”
No need to remind me of what else our father had brought home with him from the war, besides his stories and odd sayings.
I wiped off my hand and packed up my bedroll. “What are you doing here?”
“I might ask you the same question.”
“I uh…I’ve been checking out the perimeter around the homestead.” Yeah, that sounded like a good excuse. “Looking to see what vulnerabilities we’d have if the men who were following after Stella came back.”
His thick brow raised before he set a skillet and the coffee pot over the fire. “You’re awfully far out for a perimeter.” The freshly caught fish sizzled and popped as Evan dropped it into the pan for our breakfast. “Matter-of-fact, we’re less than a half-day’s ride from Russ’s place.”
“Well, I actually went by there.” Buck kept his face buried in his meal as I rooted around the saddlebags. “I wanted to see if he still had something I could borrow.”
“Like what? An extra hand?”
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t talking about an extra ranch hand.
Evan’s green eyes grew stern like our father’s always did when we were about to get in trouble. “It’s not like you to let your guard down, Cole. Especially when you’re on the trail. A man can get shot that way.”
“As you certainly proved,” I acknowledged. I ran my hand through my sleep-mussed hair. “It’s Stella.”
He glanced around. “You hiding her in those saddlebags or something?”
“She’s not physically here. She’s in here.” I pounded a finger against my temple. “Since she arrived, I can’t think of anything else but her. About how much I want to grab those shapely hips and fuck her until we’re both hoarse from screaming each other’s name.”
He flipped the fish in the air and expertly caught it to sizzle the other side. “Then why haven’t you?”
“Because, I want to make sure her loyalties are to all of us. Not just me.”
Evan poured coffee into trail cups. “You mean you want to make sure she’ll fuck all of us and not just you.”
“Well…yeah.” I took the offered tin cup and gratefully downed the steaming coffee, rushing heat straight into my gullet.
But not even the scorch of my tongue distracted me from thinking about dark hair, blue eyes, and sweet, sweet pussy. Nor did it distract my cock in all its continual hardness.
“Okay then.” Even wiped his hands on his thighs. “If you’re done hand fucking yourself, you can come home now.”
I stopped drinking and swiped the back of my hand across my mouth. “You mean…?”
“Bret took her a couple of days ago. They’ve been fucking like horny rabbits every chance they get.” Bushy brows raised. “She’s a bit of a screamer.”
“Well I’ll be.” I shoved my hat on my head with a satisfied grin. “My plan worked.”
And hopefully Bret’s seed would implant in her womb soon and spare me any further pains from waiting to take my wife properly. Or rather, improperly.
Or at least until she was ready to consider more enticing alternatives. Our practices might be a little much for a less experienced woman to take in all at once.
Then again, Stella had surprised me with her fortitude thus far – and her willingness to embrace change in its many forms.
“Yeah, it worked. He’s been taking her slow and easy or hard and fast ever since. Caught Drew sneaking up and watching them a few times.” He chuckled and ripped a piece of steaming fish from the pan before handing it to me. “A fine piece of flesh.”
“Who, the fish or Stella?”
A gleam I hadn’t seen since Sky had left this world twinkled in my brother’s eyes before it was tamped out. He didn’t have to answer my question for me to guess the answer.
“You never said what took you to Russ’s place,” he said.
The flakey fish melted in my mouth. “I wanted to get Stella out of that corset.”
Evan stopped chewing. “Oh sure. Get your wife out of her corset by leaving. That makes perfect sense.”
“No. I mean she needs some other clothes besides those ridiculous ones she brought with her. She doesn’t have any sim
ple cotton dresses or wool skirts for winter. Silks and satins weren’t made for work on a ranch.”
“Surprised she didn’t have more practical things in all those trunks.”
“Coming from her high society world, she probably considered what she had was practical.”
“You should’ve explained things to her, brother.”
“I never imagined I’d have to tell a woman what to wear.”
“More what not to wear.”
Our laughter died down quickly as we made short work of the fish and smothered the coals by the time the sun broke the horizon.
“One thing I still don’t understand though, Cole,” Evan mused aloud as we packed the horses. “Why force her toward Bret first? Why not Drew?”
“Or you?”
He stilled with a growl. “You know I’m not ready.”
I sighed. “Sometimes I don’t think I’ll ever be either.”
“After what I witnessed this morning, brother, I have no doubt about your readiness.”
“But I can’t help but think of Sky when I look at her. About what might happen…”
“Then don’t look at her.” Evan climbed into Thunder’s saddle then leaned forward. “Look, guilt will take you only so far. Go home. Spend time with her. Then fuck her from behind when you’re good and ready.”
“From behind, huh?”
“Works for me.” He spat a stream of tobacco. “That way you don’t have to look in her eyes.”
I cocked my head and offered Evan a grin. “Now there’s a thought.”
I followed my brother’s example and mounted Buck, turning him toward home. Evan turned Thunder in the opposite direction.
“Home is this way.”
Evan stopped and adjusted his hat against the rising sun. He didn’t look back at me. “Thought I’d take a look around the perimeter myself. Maybe go see Russ and his boys.”
I was in no position to fault my brother. We all had needs that had to be satisfied one way or another. “Don’t be gone too long. If those bastards return this way, we’ll need your sharpshooting skills.”
“I’ll keep my eye out. Shouldn’t be more than two or three days behind you.” He turned in the saddle this time to face me. “Do you really think Estella will be open to all of us? I mean…considering?”
