The Merry Widow of Tanner's Ford (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Reece Butler

  Marci blanched. So that was the big secret. They needed a wife to produce a son. No wonder Simon wanted to marry her after only three days. He was forty years old and desperate!

  Was everything he’d told her a smokescreen to get her to marry him? Was he like Ted? She exhaled and let her head fall back against the wall.

  No, Simon would never manipulate facts to suit the fiction he wanted to be true. She knew Simon better after these few days than she had Ted after twelve years. Ted wouldn’t know an emotion if he stumbled over it. Even when he was urging her to marry him, he was cold and calculating. Nikki had seen it, but Marci had wanted that idyllic life he described so much she’d chosen to buy into the fantasy.

  Simon had shown her thoughtfulness, caring, and tenderness. His emotions had been raw when he spoke of how his parents treated Lance, and himself. And he’d just promised Lance that he’d tell her they wanted to keep having babies until they got at least one boy.

  That she could do.

  If Lance was anything like Simon, she would find him sexually attractive. She’d thought herself weak because she bowed to Ted’s will. But she’d found ways to be herself, outside Ted’s influence. She was the one people turned to for help. She could be strong if she wanted to. After all, she’d defeated Ted!

  “Yeah, I trust her, but I figured you’d want to push her, to make sure she was nothing like Charlene. If she can put up with you being head of the household, controlling her in return for everything else, then we’ll do fine. And you’re right. I think she’ll enjoy a good tussle before giving in to the inevitable. She needs to know that she’s safe with us, that we’ll provide for her and protect her. In return, she’ll give obedience to your command.”

  Controlling her? Giving in to the inevitable? And as for being obedient, she’d had enough of that crap with Ted!

  Marci rolled off the bed and stomped toward the kitchen. She stopped herself just before reaching the door. Once more, she’d let her experience with Ted cloud today’s reality. Ted demanded the obedience of a well-trained pet. Was that what Simon and Lance wanted?

  No, she couldn’t see either MacDougal brother wanting a robot. Choosing to follow a man’s order, when she understood the why and wherefore of it, was different. Why would she get upset if Lance ordered her not to step over a rattlesnake? Doing so was a quick way to die. Therefore, his order was acceptable.

  But what if he ordered to, say, wear heels, stockings and a garter belt under her skirt, as in no panties? That was not a life-or-death situation. It could be very arousing, however. And if she refused? How would he force her to obey him? Spank her? Her pussy spasmed at the thought of fighting him off, of not really wanting him to stop but needing the illusion of being taken. She hadn’t been able to trust any man to care for her, much less protect her. Would she trade that life in return for following orders, and being spanked when refusing? Marci shook her head, unable to contemplate that possibility. She needed a plan of action.

  If Lance pushed her limits, egging her on to see if she broke, she would push him back just as hard. She wasn’t sure how you pushed a big man, but she had a few ideas. Teasing a big man while pretending to be all innocent was one thing a small woman could do.

  Simon turned to ranch questions, something about feed, so she tuned out. Should she pretend she was asleep and hadn’t heard a thing about Lance’s plans, or the need for a son? And did it count as keeping a secret if he intended to tell her?

  She returned to the bed and flopped onto her back. Did she want to marry Simon? And Lance, she corrected herself. Marriage to one meant having sex with both of them. At once.

  Of course she was not going to have sex with Simon while his brother was there. Not unless she wanted to have both of them pleasuring her. Her pussy and breasts swelled at the thought of being on her hands and knees, naked, sucking a hard cock. She’d raise her bottom and spread her knees as she worked that cock, licking it, sucking each ball into her mouth and rolling her tongue around them. She’d feel a second man’s strong hands grab her hips as he took the hint and knelt behind her. He’d fill her pussy as his brother filled her mouth. Two cocks, front and back, all for her.

  Or she could ride one of them while the other pressed her forward and sank into her bottom. What would it be like to have a cock go there? Simon’s finger felt so good when he pressed just inside her anus. If they took the time to stretch her so it wouldn’t hurt, how much better would a long, thick cock feel? Either man could play with her breasts, concentrating on her nipples. If she sat up, her clit would be free for a finger or two to play with. And if she leaned forward she could drag her clit over his pubic bone and—

  “Feeling better, sleepyhead?”

  She jerked her hands away from her breast and pussy just before Simon stuck his head in the door. He saw she was awake and thumped his way in. Should she pretend she hadn’t heard the conversation? No. She wasn’t good at keeping secrets. She wouldn’t tell him what she’d heard, but would let him figure it out. And if he noticed she was aroused, maybe they could finish what she’d started.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Marci looked at the man she might very well marry.

  “The phone woke me,” she said.

  He stopped. He rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. “You heard me talk with Lance?”

  “I wasn’t trying to listen.”

  He sat down gingerly on the side of the bed. She shuffled over to give him room. When he didn’t move, she patted the space beside her. He finally took the hint and settled on his back. She immediately curled up half on top of him. She hadn’t thought, just reacted to his presence. It felt right being there. His arm rested across her back. He drew idle circles with a finger, making her shiver.

  “I don’t know what you heard, so I’ll tell it straight. Before my great-great-grandfather, Finan MacDougal, moved to Texas, he wrote an ironclad contract to keep this land in the hands of the MacDougal Clan. Unless each generation has ‘legitimate issue,’ as in sons born within a legal marriage, everything goes to some Texan. We almost lost the ranch once, until my grandfathers, Keir and Gavin, were born. And since we’ve never married, we’re likely to lose it for real this time.”

  “When?”

  “Five years. Finan MacDougal’s father was forty-five when he was born. He said that was as late as a man could produce a son and raise him right before dying.”

  “So, you want a brood mare for the MacDougal Clan?”

  Simon winced. The heartbeat under her ear raced.

  “That’s pretty blunt, but I guess you’re right. We need a wife to produce at least one son in the next five years or we get kicked off the ranch with nothing.”

  “And you want the woman producing that son to be me?” His heart pounded even faster. The fingers trailing down her back sped up as well.

  “No, Marci, I want to marry the woman I love,” he said quietly. “I want to have her love me, and my brother. As part of that marriage I want us to have healthy children.” He cleared his throat. “I told you my oldest brother, Fergus, was the perfect heir. I was called the spare even though Lance is a couple of minutes older.”

  “That’s terrible!” She got up on one elbow to look at him. He shrugged.

  “That was my mother’s doing. I’d like a bunch of kids, but I want them to know they are loved no matter what. They can do whatever they want with their lives. If one of them is a boy who wants to be a rancher and keep the MD Connected going, that would be wonderful. If not, then our lives will go on somewhere else. All that matters is that my family is together. Whoever I marry.”

  She looked away. Though she’d heard him say he trusted her, he very carefully hadn’t said he wanted to marry her. It was a relief because she wasn’t ready to answer the question. She couldn’t until she knew if she’d end up in a prison cell.

  “If Lance and I get kicked off the land, I hope we wouldn’t have to move far, but we’d find a way. Lance is a whiz with horses. He can find lots o
f work. I’ll do anything I can. Maybe Donny and Keith would hire us. Me to work on the ranch and you to see to the house and children. Aggie’d love that.”

  She wanted her own home and family, not running someone else’s. She thought of the money that might be coming to her. Money that Simon knew nothing about. There might even be an explanation about money in that letter she didn’t want to open. Not likely, but it was a possibility. Would it bother the two proud men if she insisted it go toward paying off the ranch’s debt?

  “What would you do if, say, you suddenly got a lot of money?”

  He jerked his head back. “You know about the gold?”

  “What gold?” She frowned at him.

  “Just an old rumor. It’s not important,” he said.

  The way his heart continued to thump made her wonder about that. The area had been the site of a huge gold rush. Maybe she’d find a nugget along a stream one day.

  “If I had a heap of gold, I’d invest in the ranch and our community,” he said finally. “There’s always too many places where a bit of money could turn good-enough into wonderful. After hearing about your fire, I want to have my ancestors’ journals put on microfilm to keep them safe. Maybe even get someone to transcribe them. If I had enough money I’d move the hotel from Tanner’s Ford into Climax, and turn it into a home for old people who want to live in town. We could use it as a community facility. There’s about two thousand people in Climax County now but I want to see it grow even bigger. If we lose too many families they’ll take away the school, and when that happens, people will move. They don’t want their little kids to ride a bus for over two hours a day, especially when they have chores before and after school, as well as homework.”

  She relaxed and let him cuddle her as he talked. The feeling of being safe and secure was still so new. If she stayed, would her children have to travel that far to school, or would Climax grow into a town that could support itself?

  But what happened to the town might not matter. If Lance didn’t like her, would she have to leave the town as well as the ranch? She wanted to have this wonderful feeling of contentment for the rest of her life. Could she find it in a second man? Being twins, maybe they were so alike it would be easy to feel the same for both of them. Wouldn’t it?

  “What’s your dream?” he asked.

  “I’ve always wanted to be part of a big, close family,” she said after a minute. She turned her head so he could see her eyes. “I didn’t like living in the city, Simon. It’s noisy, stinky, and nobody cares about other people. I like that Donny comes over and helps you with chores, and in return we take their children so they can have a night of peace and quiet. That’s what happens in communities that care.”

  Simon chuckled. “I don’t think it was peace and quiet that Keith and Donny shared with Aggie. They’d gone without sex since before Sophie was born, and that was six weeks ago. I expect there was a lot of screaming and bellowing since there weren’t any little kids to hear.”

  Heat rose as she thought of what the three of them might have done. What she might do with Simon and Lance.

  “How many children do you want?” asked Simon. His tone was casual, but the heartbeat under her ear had sped up drastically.

  “I always wanted at least four, but if more come, so be it.”

  His hand stilled. His heart thumped harder against her skin.

  “What do you think about loving two men? Emotionally as well as physically?”

  She relaxed her head against him again. Letting someone care about her was new. Believing that he meant it was another huge step. She could get used to waking with a handsome, intelligent man watching her with a gentle smile, then hearing “good morning, beautiful.” The tenderness in his eyes, and the resultant kiss that went from tender to hot in three seconds provided more cherishing than during her entire marriage. On the other hand there was that whole command and obey thing with Lance. Simon hadn’t mentioned that to her yet.

  “I guess it would depend on the men,” she said. She couldn’t keep back a flirty smile. “I don’t know about love, but you have a few redeeming qualities. I expect your brother might as well.”

  “A few?” He huffed at her indignantly, but the hand brushing her breast proved he was joking. “Wait until I’m back to normal. I’ll show you a heck of a lot more of my qualities.” His hand wandered south. She slapped her own on it to hold him in place. If he touched her below the belly button, her brain froze with heat and she couldn’t think.

  “Aggie seemed quite normal and she’s happy with her men. So are Ginny McInnes and Anne Taylor. But I’ll have to see what happens when Lance arrives.”

  Now that she’d said what she wanted, she reached for his cock. She wasn’t surprised to find it hard. It jumped at her touch. Her pussy creamed in return.

  “I’ve never been with two men,” she said coquettishly. “I was thinking how that might work.” She squeezed him, gaining a groan. “One of these in my mouth and one in my pussy?”

  “That would work,” he choked.

  “Or maybe…one in my pussy and one in my bottom?”

  * * * *

  Simon growled and rolled over Marci. He was done with her teasing. His cock was hard, and she not only knew it, she wanted it. That was fine with him, as he was going to show her something new. She shrieked, then went quiet as his lips found hers. He kissed her hard, demanding she give in. She bit back as if trying out her newfound power. He reared back at the sharp nip. Her eyes were wide, her nose flaring, as she waited to see what he would do.

  It was time to show Marci some of the power he usually hid. Time to show her that he could wear the pants in this family as well as Lance. Marci was the one who’d be going without panties.

  “Let’s start with one. Me.”

  He rolled off the bed, clumsy in his haste, and thudded his way to his dresser. He’d kept a few old silk ties, not really knowing why. Now he did. He rummaged around until he found four. Marci stared at them as if he held a handful of colorful snakes. She looked far more eager than scared, which suited him fine.

  “What are you going to do?”

  When he gestured she held out her wrists. He looped a red and blue striped silk tie around them and lifted it. She had to raise her hands even though she fought to keep them near her breasts.

  “I am going to tie you to this bed and ravish you,” he replied.

  “Ravish me? How?” She sounded more eager than upset.

  He finished tying her hands over her head. He hadn’t realized before the advantage of a head- and footboard with spindles. These were thick, not likely to break if she tugged. She gave a few ineffectual kicks, but he soon had her ankles tied to the footboard, legs spread wide. She might have tried to fight him, but those swollen pink pussy lips proved she wanted this.

  “First, I’m going to cut off your clothes,” he said. “Then I’m going to kiss and lick and touch every part of you.”

  He stared at her body as he stripped down. He wasn’t wearing much, so it didn’t take long. She looked nervous when he came back from the kitchen with a huge pair of shears. He started at her ankle, holding it firm with one hand while cutting the elastic of her sweats.

  “Hey, I only have the one pair!”

  “I know,” he said as her bare leg appeared. “I hate them. I want you in a skirt with no panties, easily accessible.”

  To be specific, he also wanted her in spike heels and a black garter belt with matching stockings. He wanted to take her someplace public, find a dark corner, and back her into it. He’d unzip, lift her legs around his hips and fill her with his cock. For that, he had to have both legs working.

  He wanted to take her to a hotel in a city like Miami or Los Vegas, one with a balcony a few floors over the pool. He’d have her lean over and look down with her legs spread. He’d come up behind her, lift her skirt, and admire her heart-shaped bare bottom. Then he’d drop his pants just enough, and make her come.

  Tall hotels had elevators. H
e’d always wanted to do it in an elevator. With thirty floors or more, and if she had no panties, he could stand behind her in the crowded elevator and finger her pussy, or stand beside her and finger her clit, until she came.

  “You’re going to make me come and call it punishment?”

  She sounded far too eager. He finished the first leg and started the second. He made her wait until he was almost done.

  “Nope, I’m going to make sure you don’t come. Not for a long time. You’ll be screaming, begging me for release, before I’m finished with you.”

  Her sweats fell open. He put down the scissors and reached for her underwear with his bare hands. His strength was such that her little cotton panties were no barrier to his determination. He tossed them away and stood back to admire the view. She fought the soft silk ties, twisting her body and lifting herself by pressing on her heels. From his angle at the end of the bed it looked like she was offering her pussy to him. That suited him fine. He climbed between her legs, leaned close, and inhaled.

  “God, you smell so good. And you taste even better.”

  He dropped his mouth to her pussy and inhaled. God, Lance was going to love her smell and taste just as much as he did. He ran his index finger between her plump, wet, pussy lips. They parted easily. He pushed them back, using both hands, to see her clit. It glistened, already its red hood pulled back as it thrust up. She was so wet he had to lap at her with his tongue. She groaned in appreciation. He chuckled to himself, settled closer, and began his kind of torture.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Did you use protection?”

  Marci, aroused and unable to do anything about it, kept chopping carrots for stew. Since she hadn’t stopped by the clinic for the envelope, Nikki had called to say she was coming out. She tried to keep Thursday afternoons free, and today was one of them.