Monroe, Marla - Their Bartered Bride [Men of the Border Lands 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Marla Monroe

  “Easy there, Leigh. We’re home. I hope you’ll see it as your home eventually,” Joel said.

  Jonathan jumped down from the cab of the truck and reached up to help her down. She winced when he sat her on the ground.

  “What is it? What did I hurt?” He looked frantic.

  “I’m okay. My knees hurt, but not as bad as my elbows.” She held up an elbow to look at it, and Jonathan swore.

  “Damn it, why didn’t you say something when we were cleaning your neck?” Without another word, he picked her up and carried her up the porch steps to the house, where Joel opened the door.

  “Why are you carrying her?” Joel’s eyebrows furrowed.

  “We didn’t think about what else she hurt when he dragged her. Look at her elbows.” Jonathan’s voice sounded angry.

  “Ah, hell, Leigh. Carry her into the master bathroom and we’ll clean her up. What else hurts?”

  “Her knees hurt,” Jonathan said before she could.

  “I’ll get the first-aid box out of the kitchen. You get her clothes off of her so we can clean everything at one time. I’m sure she’ll want a bath anyway. It will help with the soreness.” Joel disappeared in the dark house.

  “Why is it so dark in here?” she asked.

  “We don’t have electricity out here. Hold on to me while I grab a lamp.” Jonathan kept one arm wrapped under her knees and scooped up a lamp. “I’m going to sit you on the chair here while I light it.”

  She watched as he set the lamp on the table next to the chair and then eased her into the chair. He pulled out a lighter and took off the glass chimney to light the lamp. He adjusted the wick and picked her back up.

  “Can you carry the lamp while I carry you?” he asked.

  “Um, sure.” She reached out and picked up the lamp when he bent over.

  Jonathan carried her up the stairs and to the left. The lamplight did little to illuminate the room they walked into other than the immediate area. She made out a bed and then they were turning into what she found was the bathroom. He sat her on the countertop and took the lamp from her to place on the other side of the sink.

  “Okay, let’s get your jeans off so we can see about your knees.” Jonathan started unfastening her jeans.

  “Whoa! You’re not stripping me.” He loomed over her, overwhelming her in the small room made even smaller by the lack of good lighting.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Leigh. We need to see about your knees, though. That means either cutting your jeans or pulling them off. Which would you like me to do?” He didn’t look angry, though it was hard to tell in the dim light.

  “I–I guess I’ll pull them off. But I want to do it. Help me down.” She needed some control over this to feel safe. She knew this was the reason for her demanding that she be allowed to do the undressing.

  “Sure. Hold on.” He picked her up and gently sat her down on the floor, holding her steady until she got her footing.

  She licked her lips and turned around as Joel walked into the room carrying another lit lamp and a bigger box than the one in their truck.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, clearly puzzled.

  “She needs to undress herself. I think she’s uncomfortable with us seeing her like that.” Jonathan acted as if she weren’t even there.

  Maybe that was better because then he wasn’t focused on her pulling down her pants.

  “Okay.” She slowly turned around to show them her scraped knees. Though she hadn’t torn through the material, it had rubbed skin off.

  “Jonathan, sit her back on the counter between the two lights so we can see about her. Let’s work on the elbows first. They have dirt in them.” Joel smiled at her.

  He walked over to the cabinet and pulled out several towels and a cloth. He filled the sink with water and soaked the cloth in it. When he squeezed out the cloth, she knew he planned to clean her scrapes. They were going to sting something fierce.

  “Jonathan, hold her arm steady for me. I don’t want to hurt her, but she’s probably going to jerk,” Joel told him.

  Jonathan gently held her wrist and supported her arm as Jonathan began cleaning her elbow over the sink. She did jerk and cursed as he rubbed out the grit and dirt from her elbow. Then he poured hydrogen peroxide over it to boil out anything left in it. Once he was satisfied it was clean, they switched to the other elbow and repeated the process.

  “Sorry, Leigh,” Jonathan said. “That should be the worst of it. Your knees aren’t too bad, and they don’t have a lot of dirt in them.”

  Joel held a towel beneath her knee as he poured some peroxide over it. He repeated it to the other side.

  “There. Is there anywhere else you’re hurt?” Joel asked, looking her in the eyes.

  “No, I think that’s all. I’m just sore all over right now. Can I take a bath?” she asked.

  “Of course. Do you need anything other than the lamp?” Joel asked as he cleaned up the mess.

  “No. I can manage from here. Um, thanks for taking care of me.” Standing in nothing but her blouse and panties, she couldn’t look at them.

  “No problem. There’s stuff in the cabinet over there you’re welcome to. When you get finished, check the closets and the dresser for clothes. They should fit you.” Joel picked up the first-aid box and nodded for Jonathan to follow him.

  The two men left her with an oil lamp to bathe. She couldn’t believe it. Before, well—she was in a different place now. So far, Jonathan and Joel had been perfect gentlemen. It seemed too good to be true. Something would jump up and bite her before it was over with. She was sure of that.

  * * * *

  Jonathan helped his brother unload the few things they’d bartered for, then sat in the kitchen while Joel made sandwiches. He had never talked overly much, but with just the two of them, he never had much to say. Now, however, he wanted to talk about their bartered woman upstairs.

  “What are we going to do about her?” Jonathan asked.

  “Nothing. She can stay here and we’ll watch out for her. She can help around the house and the garden like I told her.”

  “You’re not planning on bedding her, then?”

  “Not unless she’s interested. She doesn’t deserve to be treated like a whore. She’s a decent woman that ended up in a bad situation. Hopefully, we’re making it better. No pressing her, Jonathan.” Joel looked up at him.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not planning on it. I just wasn’t sure about you. You’ve always been the more dominant one with women.”

  “That was with women who knew the score. That was back when the world was slightly less fucked up.”

  “You’re not wrong about that,” Jonathan agreed.

  “She can have the master bedroom as it has a bath attached. I’ll share yours.”

  “Good idea. Besides, that fourth bedroom is really too small for much more than what it was set up for.” It was decorated as a nursery and had all the trimmings that one would have.

  “Do you think she knows how to cook or handle a garden?” Joel mused.

  “Hope so. Our cooking sucks.”

  “I can cook and clean and handle the garden just fine.” Leigh walked into the kitchen carrying the lamp.

  They hadn’t even heard her walk down the stairs. Jonathan looked down and figured out why. She was barefoot. She had on a clean pair of jeans that fit her a little loosely in the waist, but were snug looking around her ass. Jonathan snapped his eyes back to her face, but could tell she had noticed by the frown lines between her eyes.

  “The clothes seem to fit well enough,” he said.

  “Yeah, I can manage with them. The blouses are a little snug, but the T-shirts should be okay.”

  “How about a sandwich?” Joel asked, indicating the makings on the bar before them.

  “Thanks, I’m starving. Can I fix my own?”

  “If you want one that is actually fit to eat, you will.” Joel grinned then grabbed a glass from the cabinet above the counter and poured tea into
it. “Not the best in the world, but drinkable.”

  “Thanks.” She smiled, then went about making her sandwich. When she tasted the tea, she lifted her eyebrows and smiled. “I’ll be making the tea from now on.”

  “Thank God,” Jonathan couldn’t help saying under his breath.

  “I heard that, little brother.”

  Leigh burst out laughing. “Little? He’s at least two inches taller than you.”

  “And,” Jonathan said, “you’re only ten months older than me.”

  Joel grinned and punched him in the arm good-naturedly. They carried their plates over to the sink and rinsed them off before putting them in the drainer. Jonathan caught Leigh shaking her head at their obvious lack of care on washing dishes. All they’d done was eat a sandwich off of them. Besides, it had always just been the two of them, and they were related. What were a few germs between brothers, right?

  He sighed. Things were going to change, no doubt. He figured they would be for the better, for the most part. If she could actually cook and clean house, they would have a much better life. He hoped they offered her a better one, too.

  “So, you have running water, but no electricity. How do you cook?” she asked.

  “We have gas. We pay a cow every year for the use of the gas.” Joel laughed at her obvious confusion.

  “The man who handles the gas around these parts controls if you have it or not. All he’s asked from us has been a cow a year. We raise cattle for meat and to barter with,” Joel explained.

  Jonathan watched his brother’s interaction with Leigh, and figured they would be okay. He wasn’t sure about himself, though. He wanted her badly, but would never even think of forcing her. He had been sure Joel wouldn’t have, but he had needed to know that he wouldn’t push her, either.

  Right now, she was a little leery of him, perhaps just due to his size, but maybe because he’d been staring at her gently rounded stomach and panty-covered pussy earlier. He hadn’t been able to help himself.

  Jonathan walked out the back door and stood leaning against the railing with his hands holding him up. The garden behind the house was just beginning to die out. Some of the hardier plants would live until they cut them down and turned them under. But for the most part, they’d gotten in everything they could. Joel had determined they would start clearing it out the first of the next week. They needed to see to the cows first since they’d been gone all day.

  He jumped down from the porch instead of taking the steps and headed for the barn to check on the four horses they had. They would need more of the hay they grew and hand cut. He and Joel hadn’t felt safe leaving them out in the field with the wolves around. Lately, the wolves had begun to become more of a problem then they had been.

  Joel found him there nearly an hour later. He had just finished grooming the last horse.

  “They doing okay?” Joel asked, indicating the horses.

  “Yeah. I’m sure they’ll be happier outside tomorrow, though.”

  “I think one of us needs to stick close to her for a few days until she’s used to the area. Want to work close to the house tomorrow while I check on the herd?”

  “Um, yeah, sure. I can work in the garden getting it cleared out and ready to till under.”

  “She’s a pretty woman, Jonathan. Sexually, I want her in a bad way, but there’s more to her than sex. She deserves a relationship, and that’s something that takes time.” Joel leaned back against the barn door.

  Jonathan moved the lamp to a nail on the wall and stood there trying to decide what Joel expected him to say.

  “You know I want her. Hell, she knows I want her. My fucking cock has been standing at attention almost since we first saw her, but I’m not going to push her toward a relationship, if that’s what you’re worried about. I have a hand. I can take care of myself.”

  “I’m in the same boat, Jonathan. I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just telling you that I think we have a good chance at maybe having a family with her if we’re careful.” Joel pushed off the door with his elbows and opened it so that the last of the dying sun’s rays crossed the threshold.

  “I’ll see you when you come inside. I’m going to go ahead and get a shower. Going to be a long day tomorrow.” Joel walked off toward the house.

  Jonathan ran his hands through his hair and wondered how long a relationship took to build.

  Chapter Three

  Leigh woke early the next morning, having slept like a log all night long. She had to admit, it was the first good night’s rest she’d had in a very long time. Lately, she was always waiting for someone to reach out and squeeze her breasts or try and get between her legs. The fact that she had slept without worrying that one or both of the brothers were going to come in and accost her said how much trust she had placed in Joel’s promise.

  She dressed in jeans and a slightly snug T-shirt before running the borrowed brush through her hair and pulling it back with one of the hair clips she found on the dresser. Everything in the room needed dusting, but then most of the house needed a good going-over as well, she was sure. She would know more once the sun shone in the rooms.

  She tiptoed down the stairs and found that she was indeed the first one in the kitchen. She located their coffee and the pot they had obviously used to make it. She figured she could make it if they could, and measured out enough for the three of them and turned on the burner.

  Then she began looking through the cabinets to find what all they had available. At first she didn’t think they had anything worth cooking until she found the pantry and cellar. There she found all their canned goods, cured meat, and staples. There were a few old potatoes almost beyond using, as well as a good amount of new potatoes they had obviously just gotten. She peeled the old potatoes and put them on to boil. She’d make them potato patties and some of their cured beef. It should keep them until lunchtime. By then she would have a better handle on where everything was located.

  She had just poured up a cup of coffee for herself when the clomp of boots hitting the stairs let her know at least one of the brothers was up and around. Joel walked into the kitchen and stopped as if surprised to see her.

  “Morning, Leigh. Didn’t expect you up this early.”

  “Morning. You have to get up early to start a meal. I figured you two would be up early if you were going to be working.” Her voice still sounded raspy.

  “You should have given yourself a day or two to relax and rest up before you started helping out. I’m not going to complain, though. Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious.” Joel leaned over her and sniffed at her cooking.

  “Here.” She handed him her coffee and grabbed another cup for herself.

  “Thanks. Looks a lot better than what we manage to fix.” He took a tentative sip. “Mmm, tastes better, too.”

  “I smell coffee,” Jonathan said as he turned the corner into the kitchen. He stopped when he saw that Leigh was at the stove.

  “Um, morning, ma’am.”

  “Don’t call me ma’am. I’m younger than you are, I would bet.”

  He shrugged and smiled at her, then zeroed in on his brother’s cup of coffee. Joel turned away, guarding his.

  “If you ask nice, I bet Leigh will let you have some,” Joel told him.

  Leigh sighed and handed her second cup to Jonathan, and fixed yet another one for herself.

  “Thanks.” Jonathan sipped it and his smile grew larger. “This is good.”

  “Glad you like it.” She turned around and continued cooking as the men began talking about what they were going to do.

  She tuned them out, trying to decide what to work on first. She figured the kitchen needed a good cleaning first, and that would take all day. Then she would see what the rest of the house looked like after that.

  Between the two men, they managed to eat everything she had made for breakfast, and she had no doubt they could have eaten more. They were big men. She decided she would have to learn to cook in terms of three regu
lar-size men.

  “Don’t forget that if you need anything, I’ll be out back working in the garden,” Jonathan said.

  “Wait. You’re going to be here and not seeing about the cows?” she asked, having not paid enough attention to their conversation.

  “Joel will work out on the ranch today. I’ll be here working on clearing out the garden.”

  “Um, okay. I should be fine. I have plenty to keep me busy the rest of the day. Will sandwiches be okay for lunch?”

  “That’ll be fine. It’s what we usually eat at lunchtime.” Jonathan smiled at her then planted his hat on his head and walked out the back door.

  Leigh sighed and wondered if the reason Jonathan was sticking so close was because of her. They obviously thought she needed babysitting. It bothered her. She wasn’t a kid. She was twenty-four years old. She could take care of herself.

  With a sigh, she organized the cleaning supplies and began sanitizing the kitchen. She wanted it spotless. She would show them that she could run a house and handle a garden as well as they could.

  She expected Jonathan to show up all morning, but he never stuck his head in the door. Strangely enough, it bothered her that he hadn’t checked on her to be sure she didn’t need anything. She knew he was attracted to her because of how hard his cock stayed around her. She’d wondered at their sizes, but judging by the length of Jonathan’s hard-on, they would both be huge.

  She had to acknowledge that she was attracted to them. She had dreamed about them pleasuring her with their hands and mouths. If she thought about it, she could still feel the effect their lovemaking had on her. Even now, her panties were wet and her nipples tight. She sighed and tried to think of something other than sex with the two men. She concentrated on fixing their lunch instead.

  At noon both men grabbed their sandwiches and returned to work without sitting down. Leigh ate hers alone then returned to cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom. By the time she was finished, she was exhausted but pleased. The kitchen fairly sparkled in the late afternoon sun, which reminded her it was time to start dinner for the men.