by Vanessa Vale
"Garrett!" Tagg shouted, which made me jump.
A moment later, Garrett came out of the barn, the building next door to the stable, wiping his hands on a cloth. His eyes widened in surprise at seeing us. I could only imagine what he was thinking, seeing me standing in the open only in a shift, holding it up to expose the dark leather harness that went around my hips and down between my legs. I glanced down my body and saw some of the red hair around my woman's core peeking out around the edges of the leather.
"Oh!" I gasped, lowering my hands.
"What's the matter, baby?" Tagg asked.
Garrett stopped in front of me, blocking the sun.
"I've...I've never been exposed...I mean, except for when he put the harness on, only Doctor Graham has seen more than my wrists and ankles."
"We've seen almost all of you," Garrett reminded, placing his hands on his hips. "Lift the shift, Sarah."
"Go grab one of the small awls so I can get this lock open," Tagg said to his brother.
Garrett nodded and headed off into the stable.
"The only thing we haven't seen of you is your pussy."
Tagg's reminder as to the extent of my indecency was unnecessary.
Garrett quickly returned with the small tool that looked like a pick and handed it to Tagg. After a short amount of time with the belt tugging and pulling at my waist and between my legs, the lock popped open and with it, the leather came loose about my waist.
Tagg worked it down my legs and I stepped free. I couldn't help but smile at the relief at having it removed. Garrett pointed toward the house. "Washroom's inside. Bathe while you're there, if you desire. Take your time."
The house was two story, white sided and well built. It was also quite large - bigger than my father's house - and that had more rooms than we ever used. It was clear the Erickssons' were not without means. Having a washroom was a decadence in these parts. The only reason my father had provided one for Devney and me was because he didn't want us walking out to a privy in front of the ranch hands at all hours of the day and night. It was one concession to his control that I did not mind tolerating.
While Tagg and Garrett had shown me the bedroom, I hadn't known of the washroom. As I dashed inside, I grumbled about that, then frantically opened several doors before I found and made use of the necessary. Afterwards, I did as Garrett suggested and bathed, luxuriating in the lukewarm water - no need to heat it when it was summer - and fresh smelling soap. Lathering my hair and rinsing it clean, I vowed to never take being clean for granted ever again.
Once dry, I contemplated my shift I'd tossed on the floor, which was dirty and stiff from my dip in the river. The idea of wearing it now that I was clean was not favorable.
I had one clean dress in the bag I'd tied to the saddle, but I had no idea of its whereabouts. For all I knew, it was still on the back of the horse. But, knowing a rancher took better care of his animals than the humans around him, the horse had probably been brushed down and was munching on some oats. While I, on the other hand, had no clothes and stuck with two strangers. Men. Men who wanted to share me. I'd seen animals mate on the ranch before, so I knew the basic workings of what happened between a man and woman, but what happened between a woman and two men?
With the harness off of my person, I wouldn't have to find out. I could readily escape when Garrett and Tagg weren't watching. Or awake. I could sleep now - it was no hardship to close my eyes as I'd been up all night - then slip out with the cover of darkness once the men were asleep. I'd done it with the doctor. I could do it again.
TAGG
"She's going to try and run away," I said as I approached Garrett in the stable. I leaned against the rail of an indoor pen, crossing my arms over my chest. It was time for the noonday meal and we'd seen nothing from the house since Sarah had run inside a few hours earlier, and we'd both been monitoring closely.
Garrett stood from checking on a horse's hoof, cleaning out dirt from the bottom with a hoof pick. He sighed. "She can try, but she won't find her bag in the tack room. Running away wearing that harness was hard enough, doing it naked might be downright impossible."
I envisioned Sarah, naked upon a horse, like Boadicea with her flowing red hair fighting for what she thought was right. I doubted the legend had been naked when doing so, but the correlation was apt.
"We need to get Ian. Today. Now. Before she does something to get herself hurt." As Justice of the Peace, Ian McKenzie, Liberty's sheriff, could marry couples just as readily as the minister, and often did if the man of God wasn't readily available. Our situation, unorthodox as it was, needed a legal wedding without the objections a minister might find in having two grooms for one bride. As the elder, Garrett would marry Sarah. On paper. But there was no question that she would be mine as well.
Ian was another friend of ours and knew our ways. It would not be a problem. Waiting any longer than necessary to take her maidenhead and make her ours most certainly was.
"You're right. I'll go," Garrett said. "By tonight, she'll be ours."
I ran my hand over the back of my neck. "This is pretty hasty. We've only known her a few hours. You're sure, brother?"
The look he gave me was serious. "She belongs to us." There was no wavering, no question or doubt in his words, his tone, his bearing.
I exhaled, relieved he was in complete agreement. It might have been destiny that led her to us finding her. It might have been pure, dumb luck. Whatever it was, Sarah was ours. All of her.
"We'll need to train her ass before we can fuck her properly." I envisioned filling her pussy and her ass at the same time. Her ultimate submission. "She's going to be a little hellcat when we tell her what that entails," I warned, remembering how she fought us over a simple spanking.
Garrett grinned as he grabbed a blanket and tossed it over the back of his horse. "It will be quite enjoyable to see her resistance, but much more her submission. Until then, I expect it will be quite a battle. We'll praise her, and punish her if need be."
My brow went up. "All you can think about is spanking her?"
"Hell, no." Garrett frowned as he hefted his saddle on top of the blanket, then adjusted it into place. "I want to fuck her, too."
I shifted my hard cock in my pants. Just talking about the small sprite of a woman who was right now all but naked in our house had me hard enough to pound nails. "Tonight." It wasn't a question, but absolute fact.
Garrett agreed readily, tightening the cinch beneath the horse's belly. "The transition for her won't be easy. Most women in Liberty only have to contend with one new husband, not two."
Once ready, Garrett led his animal outside, then mounted up. The horse snorted and shifted his feet as if eager to run. "She was wet when I spanked her. I could see it coating her thighs. Her brain may not like what we're going to do, but her body sure will."
He clucked his tongue and they were off, kicking up dust in their wake.
Heading inside, I wiped my boots off on the porch, then tread lightly through the house until I found Sarah, sound asleep in the bedroom we'd shown her. She slept on her stomach, the sheet and quilt covering her, yet low enough that I could see her creamy shoulders, her arms up by her head. There were no straps for her chemise visible, meaning she was naked. Ian couldn't get here soon enough. Her stunning hair was a wild tangle on the pillow. Equally red brows curved over her closed eyes, the lashes long and thick. I thought of the hint of red curls I'd seen that covered her pussy and felt my balls draw up tight. I couldn't stare at her any longer, for the temptation she presented was almost impossible to resist. Closing the door behind me, I retreated as quietly as possible. When she awoke, she'd be well rested. Well rested for her wedding.
***
No doubt the scent of the evening meal had Sarah stirring. She sounded like the mouse I often heard in the attic, dashing from her bedroom to the washroom, then back. When she did make an appearance, Garrett, Ian and I were tucked into our ham and potatoes. The fork was halfway to my mouth whe
n her head popped around the corner. She gasped and ducked back out of sight when she saw the sheriff.
"Sarah," I called out. The other men turned to where I looked. Only an empty hallway. "Don't hide, please."
"But I'm only wearing my shift and...and the...sheriff--"
Her fretful voice tapered off to nothing.
The idea of Ian seeing her as we had made my dinner sour in my stomach. I'd share her with Garrett, but no one else. I saw my brother's jaw clench.
"I can come back," Ian offered, his voice deep. Our friend's brown hair had an indent of his hat visible in the strands. A day’s growth of beard covered his jaw, his skin tan from the sun, but I could see weariness in his eyes. He'd been up most of the night searching for Sarah and it showed. He wore a simple blue shirt with his tin star pinned to it, a reminder of his role.
"No. We'll get this done," Garrett told him. "I doubt you'll wish to spend the night."
Ian grinned, well aware no man wanted guests about on their wedding night. "As you said, let's get this done and I'll be on my way. I long for a bed, although for completely different reasons than yours."
"Get the quilt from your bed and cover yourself with it," I called out, not willing to share one inch of her delectable body with our friend. "Then join us."
A few minutes later, Sarah returned, her hesistant steps almost silent.
All three of us stood abruptly, our chairs rubbing noisily against the wood floor. The colorful quilt covered Sarah from shoulder to toes, a small hand grasping the two sides tightly by her neck. Her red hair went long down her back, the curls tumbling wildly. She looked clean; neither bits of grass nor smudges of dirt marred her porcelain skin. Her green eyes, while wary, looked alert. She seemed tentative, but not fearful and panicky as she had this morning. Perhaps the rest, and the removal of the harness, did her good.
"Hello, Sarah," Ian said, his voice neutral.
"Sheriff."
"You'll be pleased to hear Devney has married Sam Bridger."
Her head whipped up at his words, her mouth falling open. "Married? But...but they met just yesterday." Her eyes narrowed. "Did he force her?"
Ian held both hands up in front of him. "No. I guarantee she readily agreed."
Sarah considered his words, but appeared doubtful.
"Are you hungry?" I asked. Even though we'd offered her a meal earlier, she had yet to eat today.
She eyed the food upon the table greedily, thoughts of her stepmother's marriage derailed by hunger. "Yes, thank you. It looks delicious, but I wanted to ask after my bag. I'd like to put on a clean dress as I feel a little...inappropriate in just my shift."
"We'll talk about your clothes later," I told her. Garrett went and fetched a plate and utensils, a glass, a napkin and placed them all in front of the empty chair. "You haven't eaten all day and you're too small to miss meals. Sit, please." I gestured toward her plate.
Once she did, we sat as well.
"Ham?" Garrett asked.
She nodded and he forked a piece onto her plate.
"Potatoes?"
Her eyes widened at the sight and watched as she breathed in the good smells. "Everything, thank you."
We ate in companionable silence, watching as Sarah ate one-handed as she held the quilt tightly about her with the other. She cleaned her plate, even ate the seconds Garrett offered. Where it all went was unknown since she was so petite, but it certainly showed the extent of her hunger. She wiped her mouth and placed her napkin on the table when she'd had her fill.
"May I please have my bag now?" she asked, glancing between us. Her focus was honed solely one thing, Garrett, and I on another.
Garrett shook his head. "No. You won't need it, baby."
Her mouth dropped open. "But I'm in my...my shift! I can't go into town like this." She looked appalled by the idea.
"Of course not," Garrett replied, frowning. "No one will see you dressed like this -" he gestured to her wrapped in a quilt " - or in anything but modest attire, but Tagg and me."
"Good, then give me my dress." She was starting to get riled. Her tone was sharper, her body tense and her eyes flashing in anger.
"You're ours now, Sarah, and our woman doesn't wear dresses. I picked up everything you will need from the Mercantile when I went in town to get the sheriff."
Sarah's eyes darted to Ian. "Why is he here? I left money for the horse, so I didn't exactly steal it."
"The sheriff's not here about the horse. He's a Justice of the Peace," I added.
She looked between the two of us, then stood, slowly stepping away from us. She was smart enough to grasp the situation and perhaps smart to be leery. "Why ever would you have need of a Justice of the Peace?"
"To marry you."
CHAPTER FOUR
SARAH
"Marry me?"
The men were insane. Completely and utterly insane if they thought I'd marry them. Marry!
They remained calm, seated as they were about the dining table. The sheriff didn't seem the least bit surprised, nor concerned that I'd only just met the men. He knew firsthand that I'd been stuck on my father's ranch since I was twelve and had been one of the men to come to take Devney and me into town. And that had been just yesterday!
"You're willing to marry me off to not just one man, but both of them?"
The sheriff did not seem affected by an hysterical female, and I was well on the way there. "I am. Did you, or did you not, show them your body?"
"Show them? They came upon me. I most certainly did not flaunt myself to them," I sputtered.
"Did they see you unclothed?" he countered.
I lifted my chin. "You know very well they did. I'm standing here with a quilt wrapped around me!"
"We saw everything, Ian," Garrett said. "Her breasts the perfect size. Small with large pink nipples."
I gasped. "How dare--"
"The hair on her pussy is as fiery as the rest of her," Tagg added.
"Did they remove your harness, Sarah?"
"They had to."
"Did they remove it against your will?" The sheriff eyed Garrett and Tagg, and both men stiffened at the accusation.
"No. I...I asked them to." Oh, how torrid that sounded! It wasn't as if I had been offering myself to them! He had to understand there were basic necessities that needed accommodating.
The sheriff gave a little nod of his head. "Then you belong to them."
I shook my head in disbelief. "What? Absolutely not."
"You can't go back to town unwed. These men have taken your virtue."
"But...but I'm a virgin!" I clenched my fist around the blanket while I waved my other hand in the air. Was the sheriff as daft as the others?
"I wouldn't expect otherwise. Garrett and Tagg are gentlemen and wouldn't disrespect you by taking you before marriage."
"I didn't mean--"
"Enough," Tagg said, rising to his full height. "We told you earlier that if we took off the harness that you would be under our protection. That means marriage."
"But--"
He held up his hand to silence me. The hand didn't keep me quiet, but the stern and serious look he focused on me most certainly did. "You will want for nothing. We will take care of you, protect you, cherish you. Make you ours."
"I had a plan!" I cried, upset because I knew I was going to lose this battle. Just like Devney yesterday back at the ranch. I was no match for three men. I wasn't in danger of them harming me, but I was certainly trapped into doing as they bid. "I was going to go and see the world I read about in books. Be free!"
"You want to see the world, baby?" Garrett asked. He ran a hand gently over my hair. "We'll take you. You want to be free? I promise, you'll have more freedom with us than any other husband."
Tears filled my eyes and all three men blurred.
"Think who would have found you if we hadn't, Sarah. Most men aren't like us," Tagg said, coming over to me, taking me into his arms. "He would have used you, killed you even."
Hi
s voice hardened at those possibilities.
"I can't marry two men!"
Tagg tilted my chin up, forced me to look at him. "You will marry Garrett, but you will belong to both of us. In every way."
I shook my head. "I don't...I don't know how," I admitted.
"No woman should. That's her husband's job, to teach her. For you, you get two husbands to do that."
I looked pleadingly at the sheriff. "Do I have to do this?"
I saw sympathy there in his dark eyes. "If an unmarried woman is caught kissing a man, what happens?"
"They have to marry," I answered.
"If an unmarried woman is caught alone with a man overnight, even in a snowstorm and they are trapped together against their wishes, what happens?"
"They have to marry," I repeated. I knew exactly the direction of his questioning. Two men had caught me out of my dress. Then they'd seen all of me when I fell in the water. Then they removed the harness that offered me the protection from marriage. It didn't matter that I was still a virgin. In the eyes of society, especially in Liberty, I'd been ruined.
"In your case, the list of inappropriateness is extensive," the sheriff added.
"No one knows but you." I looked at all three men. "You wouldn't tell, would you?"
All three looked appalled at the idea. "We wouldn't disrespect you in that way," the sheriff said.
"No one will know what has occurred between us. That is not anyone's concern," Garrett said, his tone severe. "The sheriff will keep the confidence."
The man nodded his assurance.
"You ran away from Doctor Graham's protection and everyone in town knows that," Garrett continued. "It's salacious news. Once you slipped out of town, you were tarnished. Your actions and your actions alone brought you to this juncture. You would be married to whichever man found you, if not us. No man in Liberty is going to want you, Sarah. Only Tagg and I know you still had the harness protecting your virtue."
Oh God. He was right. They may be forcing me to marry them, but it was my fault. I hadn't thought about the consequences of traveling as a woman alone. I'd only imagined success in reaching a big city, blending in, but I'd never imagined failing. I never imagined that if I didn't succeed that I couldn't return to Liberty. I'd escaped the protection of the town doctor and could have been prey to any kind of villain, just as Garrett and Tagg had said. I moved to a chair and sat down, the heavy weight of what I'd done finally sinking in.
