by Vanessa Vale
Going to the copper tub, I adjusted the knobs until hot water poured in and I watched as the steaming water slowly filled the tub. Somehow, he had restraint, but only so much of it.
I had no idea how much time had passed once I sank into the steaming water, but he knocked once, then called my name.
“Yes?” I answered, my hands gripping the edge of the tub.
“May I come in?”
If I said no, I knew he would stay on his side of the door. I didn’t even know him, yet I was confident in this, confident that he would not push me. But did I want him to stay out? I licked my lips as I knew the answer. I wanted him to come in. I wanted more kisses. I wanted… more.
“Yes,” I said, my voice quiet. I was about to repeat it louder, but he heard me.
The door opened and Luke entered. His looked me in the eyes as he said, “I could not wait any longer.”
I liked that he admitted to his desire, that he plainly shared the truth. It was obvious in every line of his body. His jaw was tense, his hands clenched in fists and I couldn’t miss the very prominent bulge in his pants.
It was my turn now. He was waiting to see what I would do next. While I’d made the decision weeks ago to become a mail order bride, chose to board the train, this was the moment. This was the decision that made me his.
Luke wanted me. I wanted him. The connection had been instant, the attraction real. He didn’t just want to take me as John had. He wanted me.
Pushing off the sides of the tub, I stood then, letting the bath water sluice down my naked body. Let Luke look his fill. My body wasn’t perfect. My breasts were on the small side, my hips wide, but the way his eyes narrowed, the way he ran a finger over his mouth made me feel beautiful.
He didn’t say anything, only took a bathing towel from the chair in the corner and held it out for me. Carefully, I stepped from the tub and into his arms. He wrapped the towel about me, but instead of letting go, he lifted me into his arms and carried me into the other room, lowering me so we knelt before the fire.
“I don’t want you to catch a chill,” he said, now using the towel to dry me.
Slowly, he worked the towel over me, my arms, my back, then my chest as his eyes followed his motions. The soft material brushed over my breasts and I held my breath.
A groan slipped from Luke just before he lowered his head and took a nipple into his mouth. He suckled at it and I tangled my fingers in his silky hair, holding him in place. I cried out his name in a mixture of surprise and pleasure. I had no idea my nipples were so sensitive!
At my cry, Luke’s restraint fell away completely. His hands moved to my body, stroked over it, pushed me back so I laid down on the soft carpet as he loomed over me. The warmth of the fire was almost too much, for his body radiated so much heat of its own. I was not cold. I knew then that whatever the weather raged outside, I would be warm in his arms.
I was breathing hard as he looked down at me, raked his gaze over my body. “I can’t hold back, Celia. I wanted to be gentle our first time, but… I can’t.”
I shook my head. “No. Don’t hold back. Please.” I didn’t mind begging, for I was desperate for him. His restraint had only made me more eager for him. It was as if it only built my need for him to an even greater level than if he’d taken me when we’d kissed earlier.
Now, now I ached for him. To prove to him I was not afraid, I bent my right leg and let it fall open in invitation. It was a wanton move, but Luke seemed to want me this way, to offer myself to him. My blatant interest didn’t disgust him. Based on the way his jaw clenched as he looked down my body, then tugged at his pants, it only made him lose a little bit more of his control.
Opening the placket, he tugged his cock free. My eyes widened as he gripped the base and stroked himself.
“Oh God,” I said. He was big. Long and thick and a pearly drop of fluid seeped from the tip. My inner walls clenched down at the idea of being stretched open for him.
He looked up at me and I saw the last vestiges of his restraint.
It would only take one word to rip it to shreds. I knew the word, whimpered it. “Please.”
I wanted to be filled, taken, claimed. Possessed.
Lowering down onto a forearm, he aligned himself with my eager entrance and slowly sank into me. Unaccustomed to such girth, I shifted my hips to accommodate him. I breathed as I adjusted, grabbed hold of the back of his shirt as if I needed to hold on to something. Luke was almost too big, having to grab my hip and shift me so that his cock could slide in even deeper, then deeper still.
I loved that he was still dressed, only the important parts uncovered for him to claim me, while I was completely bare and exposed to him.
Deep inside, he held himself still as I clenched about him, only moving when I shifted my hips up.
His hand stroked my hair as he began to fuck me. Slowly, yet with vigorous intent.
“Yes!” I cried, arching my back.
It wasn’t rutting as John had done. It wasn’t lovemaking, for I didn’t know him enough for that deep of a connection. But it was good. Oh so good and dark and carnal and rough and—
“I bet her pussy’s going to milk the cum from your balls.”
Walker.
My eyes flew open as I looked up at Luke’s brother. I hadn’t heard him come into the room. My body stiffened in surprise and I gripped Luke’s back. He didn’t stop moving, didn’t stop fucking me. He turned his head to look up at him, but only grinned. He wasn’t bothered—or surprised—that his brother had walked in on us.
Luke took my bottom in his palm and angled me so that he slid over a different spot deep inside me. My eyes slipped closed and I cried out at the delicious feel. Nothing was stopping the pleasure, not even Walker watching.
“She’s perfect, brother,” Luke said, breathing hard as Walker lowered himself onto a chair, let his legs sprawl out before him and watched. He was watching me being fucked! “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. Let Walker see how beautiful you are.”
“You are beautiful, Celia,” Walker confirmed, his voice deep and rough. “So perfect beneath my brother. I can hear how wet you are for him. You’re going to come, aren’t you?”
I should have offended by Walker’s appearance, by Luke’s casual attitude, should have pushed at him so I could run away in shame. I should have at least wanted to cover myself. But I didn’t.
“My cock is rock hard looking at you,” Walker crooned, as if he knew his words made me hotter. “Seeing the pleasure on your face, watching your nipples tighten. I bet your pussy’s so sweet and tight.”
“I’m going to… God, it’s too much,” I said.
“Shh,” Luke crooned. “I’ve got you. Let go, sweetheart. Come all over my cock.”
My head thrashed from side to side as I tried to get to a place, somewhere that I couldn’t reach. The pleasure was too much, so intense that I was afraid that it would overwhelm me.
“Walker wants to see you when you come.”
Those words were what pushed me over. I tensed, then every muscle in my body went lax beneath Luke’s weight, my bones seemed to have dissolved. I cried out my pleasure as my hands fell to my sides. “Luke!” I cried again, overcome.
Luke plunged deep, once, then twice, then stilled deep inside. He groaned as I felt his seed fill me.
He lowered his head to my neck and our wild breaths mingled before he pushed off and moved to lie beside me.
I smiled to myself, reveling in the bliss that Luke had wrung from my body. John had never done that to me. I’d never felt that way when he’d touched me. No other man had—
My eyes opened. “Oh God!” I cried, tilting my head to look up at Walker. Grabbing the bathing towel that lay on the floor beneath me, I tugged at it to try to cover myself without much success.
Walker stared down at me, completely at ease, his hat in his hands. He wore a suit and tie similar to his brother’s. Formal while I was naked, sweaty and dripping with his brother’s seed.
&nb
sp; “I’ve asked for food to be delivered. Shouldn’t take too long.”
He spoke as if he hadn’t witnessed something so private, so carnal. I was confused by my reactions, or lack of. The fire at my side was too much. I felt overheated and Luke was doing nothing to shelter me or cover me from his brother’s eyes. He didn’t seem to be cruel about it, more that he was willing to share me with him, that he wanted to show me off.
I scrambled to my feet, ran to the nearest bedroom and shut the door behind me, leaned against the hard surface. The wood was cool against my palms, my bare back, as I tried to catch my breath. I was naked and I felt Luke’s seed slip down my thighs.
I’d fucked my husband while his brother watched!
I put my hands over my face and wondered what I’d turned into. I’d wanted to be more daring, to feel the pleasure that could be had in a marriage, but this was nothing I’d ever imagined. I was so wicked and wanton. It wasn’t because I was surprised that he’d watched, but I was surprised that I’d liked it.
“Oh God,” I whispered, shaking my head.
I stared at the bed and realized this was not a good place to hide. I wasn’t going to just bed Luke tonight. The way Walker had been looking at me, the way Luke had allowed it, he was just as interested. The connection between us was just as strong as with Luke and me.
“Celia.” Luke’s voice was deep, yet calm. “Open the door.”
I took a few deep breaths and realized I had to face them. I’d let John have his way, turned my head at the signs that he had strayed from our marital bed, that when we knew no children would come from our union, he’d never considered me anything more than a free source of labor for his practice. It had been my fault.
And now, I’d gotten myself into this situation with Luke and Walker. I’d chosen to be a mail order bride. Of course I was going to be wedded and bedded. I’d known that all along. I wasn’t twenty anymore. I wasn’t young or naive, but never in my wildest and most tawdry thoughts did I imagine Luke sharing me with his brother.
I couldn’t stay in this room forever. I knew the limit of Luke’s patience and he would eventually open the door on his own. I could not keep him out. But he was waiting for me to come out voluntarily. I had to face them. I’d been silent for one marriage, and look what that had done to my life. I wouldn’t be silent in this one.
Grabbing the blanket off the foot of the big bed, I wrapped it about my shoulders, about to face two very ardent men. After one more deep breath, I turned and opened the door. Both men loomed and were quite daunting. Both of their gazes raked over my blanket-covered body. For one heartbeat I feared they would push their way into the bedroom and have their way with me, but they didn’t. I saw nothing but concern on their faces.
Luke’s cock was tucked back in his pants and he showed no outward signs of just having fucked besides his hair being unruly. I remembered the silky feel of those strands.
I breathed through my mouth as I tried to calm my racing heart.
Luke began to undo the buttons of his shirt, tugged the tails from his pants and stripped it off. “Here.” He held it out for me to take. “You will be more comfortable in my shirt than the blanket.”
I took the garment, still warm from his body, then closed the door behind me, slipped it on in privacy and buttoned it up. It was big on me, so big that it hung down almost to my knees.
Opening the door once more, Luke smiled. “Looks better on you than me. Please, Celia. Sit.” Luke’s voice was even more gentle than before. I took in his bare chest and I swallowed. A smattering of light hair was on his broad chest. It tapered to a V toward his navel and then even lower. Muscles rippled and I wanted to feel every defined inch of him. Resisting the urge—he’d just fucked me minutes ago—I clenched my hands into fists.
They stepped back so I could pass and I moved to the couch across from the fire and sat down, careful to tug the shirt down over my thighs. The men sat down on either side of me, their legs pressed into mine. I was surrounded.
“Mrs. Carstairs shared little about you in her telegram,” Luke began. “That you are a widow.”
I frowned at him, confused. “After what just happened, you want to know that?”
Luke looked a little chagrined. “Perhaps we should have done this first.”
I looked down at my lap as I felt my cheeks heat, wondering what else she’d shared. Hopefully the heat from the fire hid that from them. “Yes, perhaps,” I replied, not wishing to offer up too many details. I didn’t wish for him to think any less of me. “And yes, I’m a widow.”
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Walker said. I tilted my head and offered him a small smile. “No children, then.”
It wasn’t a question, for the answer was obvious since no toddlers alighted the train with me. Still, I shook my head at another one of my wifely inadequacies.
“Were you happy, Celia?” Luke asked. His voice was gentle, but I still felt surrounded, pressured, so I stood, moved to stand and look down at the crackling fire. With the sleeves dangling over my hands, I kept myself busy by rolling them up to my wrists.
“Was it a love match, you mean?” I didn’t turn to look at the men for an answer, and neither responded, obviously allowing me to take my time. “I thought so, at first. But I was quite young and didn’t know what love was. I knew he was independent and expected me to be as well.”
“We are not overbearing either.”
Overbearing? No, Luke hadn’t been overbearing. Bold, yes.
I heard the word “we” in his sentence but did not give it much credence. I straightened my spine and lifted my chin. “I won’t be a simpering wife, I assure you.”
“No, I don’t think you will,” Luke replied. “We are possessive men, though, Celia, and will ensure to your safety and wellbeing. We will allow you independence, but you will find us very protective of what belongs to us.”
I spun about then, the heat from the fire at my back. “What?”
“We are very protective,” Walker repeated.
“We?” I looked between the two. Both had earnest expressions. Open. They were relaxed, their gazes fixed on me. “Um… I don’t understand.”
“Besides being a mine owner, I am also the mayor of Slate Springs,” Luke shared. “As I said, the town is isolated in the winter and the population is predominantly male. A new law has been passed.”
A hint of apprehension appeared in Luke’s gaze, then was gone. I had to wonder if I imagined it.
“The law allows for two men to marry the same woman.”
My mouth fell open as I glanced between the two brothers. “You mean… I am—”
“The reason why I watched you and Luke fuck—why he allowed me to do so—is because you are married to both of us,” Walker finished for me.
CHAPTER FOUR
Celia
“I should have told you this before we… well, before I took you, but I couldn’t resist and I had no patience to wait for Walker.”
The corner of Luke’s mouth turned up and I saw the look of satisfaction on his face. I’d put that there.
“Neither could you,” he added.
I looked down at my bare feet.
“No, neither could I,” I admitted. I’d wanted him something fierce. I still did.
“There was no way to ease you into the arrangement, to take our time and tell you, so we felt it best if—”
A knock at the door interrupted him.
Luke swore under his breath and Walker went to open it.
A uniformed porter rolled in a cloth-covered tray with dishes covered with silver domes. I spun on my heel and faced away from the man, Luke coming to stand before me, to block me from view. My cheeks flushed, wondering what the porter thought of me. Could he know that I was married to both Luke and Walker? Could he tell I’d just fucked Luke? God, of course he could. I was wearing Luke’s shirt!
I knew scandal, was too familiar with it, and didn’t wish to have another. But the man took the tip Walker offered and
closed the door behind him without a word.
Luke put his hand on my shoulder and turned me toward the table. My nipples pebbled against the soft fabric of his shirt and seed still slid from me.
“While I will share you with Walker, we will not allow another to look upon you as we do,” Luke said.
“Perhaps it is better to eat as we talk,” Walker suggested, lifting a cover from a dish. A large, very pink steak was revealed, then glazed carrots, mashed potatoes and more as the plates were uncovered.
“You have just revealed that I am married to both of you and you expect me to sit and eat?” They seemed too calm about this, or perhaps they’d just had more time to reconcile to the idea.
Using a serving spoon, Walker put a variety of items onto the plate with the steak and carried it to the dining table that sat before a large bay window. I had to imagine the view if it were daytime.
“Please,” he said, waving his hand to the plate. “You said you were hungry after your journey.”
I was hungry and the topic of conversation wasn’t going to change regardless of whether I ate or not. Walker held out the chair for me before turning to the food cart for himself. Luke pulled out the chair beside me, spun it about and sat down with his legs straddling the seat. His bare forearms rested on the chair back and he watched me as I cut a slice of meat, then put it in my mouth.
“Slate Springs has a population of about three thousand,” he began. “Only three hundred or so are women. All of them are either married, much older than the bachelors or too young to wed. A young maiden who arrives in town is snatched up quickly, usually with at least two fights beforehand. With the town being isolated for five months a year, the men become… aggressive and somewhat volatile by the end of winter.”
He meant they hadn’t been able to fuck a woman for that stretch, but I didn’t clarify.
“Once the pass opens, most of the men are eager to leave town, never to return. As a business owner, it is a concern since my miners have walked away from their jobs, but there is a never ending line of men ready to work. Replacements are easy to come by.”
