Romance: Luther's Property

by Laurie Burrows

  “You’re just in time, Emma. Dinner is ready.” Matthew closed the door behind me and I felt a twinge of worry. All of Jake’s information fled through my mind and I thought about how ludicrous it all sounded. There was just no way that Matthew could be a murderer. I simply knew that Jake had either gotten his stories messed up, or had outright lied. Matthew dished a generous helping of beef stew onto my plate. I smiled and then dug in. If there was one thing that we definitely had in common, it was our taste in food.

  “I’m so glad you could make it. I’ve been thinking about you all day.” Matthew smiled and I felt a twinge of lust scurry through my limbs. I sipped my wine and ate my dinner, but all the while I was imagining kissing him again. He must have been thinking along the same lines, because the two of us were in each other’s arms immediately after our last bites of food had been taken. “Why don’t you join me on the couch?” Matthew slowly led me into the living room and we kissed. Then he sat down, and I closed my eyes, ready for whatever he had to give me.

  “Matthew. It’s been so long…” My voice trailed off and then I stopped trying to search for words. Instead, I pulled Mathew by the collar and kissed him again on the lips. He ran his hands over my body, and I could feel the strength of his fingers on my curves. I wasn’t even sure about what to do next. It had been so long. I sighed and waited for him to explore my body, every inch of me aching to be touched.

  He ran his hands under my camisole, then up toward the back of my bra, where he unfastened the hook and yanked it off my breasts. I threw back my head and closed my eyes, then ran my hands over his back and under his shirt. I peeked over his shoulder and realized that we hadn’t even cleared away our dinner dishes. He played with my nipples then kissed my neck, my face, and my ears. I felt goose-bumps erupt all over my body. He unzipped my jeans and I pulled them down to the floor.

  Before I knew it, we were rolling on top of each other, grasping, yanking, and pulling at each other’s bodies. I felt so alive, so fresh and clean. It was like I had re-entered a time from my youth, where all of the pleasurable sensations were mine for the taking, and where I could be as free and as sensual as I wanted. This surprised me, because I had previously envisioned a frigid woman, trapped inside the memories of her past, unable to find sexual enjoyment.

  Matthew’s hand slid down my panties, and slowly his fingers wound their way inside my wet hole. I cried out in ecstasy when he fingered me, the wet juice rolling down his fingers and over his hand. I hadn’t even masturbated in over a year, so the sensation was almost too much. I wanted him to make love to me so badly that it took all my effort not to scream. I ran my hand over his cock, now hard underneath his pants, and squeezed it.

  In a matter of minutes, he was on top of me, and I was whispering in his ear. His warm chest pressed on top of my body, and his hard cock slipped inside my waiting hole. He moved in and out with both precision and care, and I reached an orgasm far too quickly. I closed my eyes and held his body, feeling like a woman again for the first time in years. I didn’t want the feeling to end, but I knew that I would have to go home soon.

  Chapter 10

  Leaving Matthew’s house was difficult but I had to talk to Jake. He was wrong to have accused someone of being a murderer, and I wanted to tell him how I felt. I showed up at midnight, my face filled with ire. Matthew had been surprised at my abrupt departure, but I knew that I had to face Jake sooner or later. I was ready to pound on the door, but he answered before I could.

  “You lied!” I screamed at him, not caring if Sue or the kids heard. “You made up that entire story about Matthew, just so that you could try and swindle him out of his uncle’s inheritance.” I felt angry and possessive, even though Matthew and I had just met.

  “Whoa, Emma. Take it easy.” Jake backed up and then put his arms up in defense. “I’m only going by what I was told by the boys in Sun Valley, and they told me that the guy’s not innocent.” Jake stared at me with wide eyes, and I slowly backed up. Then I decided that it wasn’t even worth my time. I’d go back and ask Matthew for myself. I’d have to make my own decisions from here on out, anyway.

  Driving back home I realized that if Jake really was a liar, then the crumbling farm-house, and Ethan’s Sun Valley trip…all of these problems would still remain. I felt a sinking in my heart, and when I got inside my home, I closed the door and cried. What did it all have to be so complicated? I feel asleep and then tried to greet Ethan in the morning when he got home from Billy’s house, but he blew by me once again. Instead of getting mad, I simply drove off to Matthew’s.

  “Emma. What a surprise.” Matthew answered the door in a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. I threw my arms around his neck and he smiled. “This is a perfect way to start a morning.” He kissed me and then ran his hands over my face. “I’m so glad to see you, Emma.” We hugged and then I whispered in his ear.

  “Make love to me, Matthew. Make all the pain go away.” He took off my sweater and kissed my breasts, then led me into his bedroom. He ran his hands over my legs, and traced his fingers over my stomach. I moaned softly and then waited for him to climb on top of me. He yanked off his sweats and then felt around for my hole. Then he slowly pressed his cock inside my waiting bounty.

  I wrapped my hands around his waist and pulled him closer. Then I ran my fingers down his back and cried out with ecstasy as he made love to me even harder than the night before. He moved in and out of my hole and I cried out as my body worked up a sweat in rhythm with his. We felt like a unified force, the two of us rocking back and forth, combining our spirits and our flesh.

  I could feel the sensation welling up inside me and I called out his name. “Matthew, I’m coming. Oh, god. Yes!” I cried out and then the rippling sensations of pleasure exploded in my body. The most powerful orgasm of my life erupted between my legs and I fell back with exhaustion. Matthew ran his hands over my face and smiled. “I haven’t felt so good in years, Matthew. But I need to tell you something.” I sat up and then stared in his eyes, pulling the sheets up to my chin.

  “What’s wrong, Emma?” Matthew looked confused. Instead of beating around the bush, I told him everything about Jake, about the story of the murders, and the information about his inheritances. He was shocked, but not surprised. I worried that he would tell me to leave, that he would think I was just out to get his money. But instead, he applauded me for my honesty.

  I drove home that night feeling both empowered and secure. I had met a man with whom I could see myself happy with, and he liked me in return. I was still poor, but I was honest. Jake would have his own demons to wrestle with, and Ethan would have to come to terms with Paul’s death over time. I took a deep breath and looked out my window as the horizon slowly dipped out of view. Then I rounded the corner to the old farm-house, and smiled at what might come.

  Rival Brides and the Billionaire Montana Cowboy

  By: Erin Walsh

  Rival Brides and the Billionaire Montana Cowboy

  © Erin Walsh, 2015 – All rights reserved

  Published by Steamy Reads4U

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

  This book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return it to the seller and purchase a copy.

  Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

  Warning

  This book contains explici
t content intended for readers 18+ years old.

  If you are under 18 years old, or are not comfortable with adult content, please close this book now.

  Chapter One

  The sun shone brightly, lighting up the dreary room, but Elsa did not feel or see it. Her mind was entirely focused on the task before her. She dabbed her mother’s face and neck with a wet cloth hoping to provide some relief from the fever that raged on and off. She pushed her mother’s black curly hair away from her pale face.

  From time to time she moaned, but seemed deep asleep. Her sleeping clothes clung to her body and Elsa loosened them, to keep them dry. Her back ached with the strain of bending over to her mother. After a while, Elsa saw that her mother had stopped moaning and her body was still. Fearfully, Elsa touched her chest. Her heart beat hard and strong, and she let out a sigh of relief.

  For the few hours that she slept, Elsa always woke up with a panicky feeling, a tightening of her chest. It only went away after she went to her mother’s bedroom and saw that she was still alive. When she saw that her mother was now sleeping peacefully, Elsa stood up, stretched herself and left the room. She walked down the hallway in search of her older sister by a year. She found her in the next bedroom that they shared.

  Her eyes were closed and her face was caked in a covering that Elsa knew was eggs. Amanda applied the mixture to her face every couple of days claiming that it made her skin soft and smooth. Elsa shook her head. If only Amanda knew how beautiful she truly was. She had small neat features and black curly hair that cascaded down her back when let loose. But it was her eyes that captured every man’s attention.

  They were green and big, and surrounded by thick, long eyelashes. Elsa was able to observe her sister without her knowledge and she stood for a moment admiring the perfect shape of her face and lips. Everything about Amanda was perfect. She had taken after their mother. Elsa knew that she resembled their late father. She had big bones which made her look overweight as well as bland brown hair. Her nose was too big and the rest of her face was nothing special.

  “Who is there?” Amanda said. “Elsa?”

  “Yes, it’s me. Have you started on the dinner?” Elsa said.

  A guilty expression that Elsa was familiar with crept up on Amanda’s face. Even before she answered, Elsa knew what the answer would be.

  “It’s getting late, and I have to go and milk the cow.” Elsa said.

  “You’re becoming an old woman Elsa.” Amanda snapped, her bright green eyes flicking open and blazing with irritation.

  Elsa sighed. Amanda closed her eyes. Nothing would be gained by arguing, so Elsa left the room and trudged to the kitchen. All her muscles ached and she longed to sink into her bed and have a few hours of rest. But their one cow needed to be milked. Elsa stood at the kitchen and debated on what to do first. She opted to milk the cow first. She took a bucket hanging from a nail on the wall, and opened the back door. It led to a dry looking back yard and beyond that a small patch of land that they called their farm. It yielded next to nothing, and the only thing that kept them going was the cow. It was tethered to a tree by a long rope.

  Elsa untied it and led the rope to a small barn, which was falling to pieces. If only there was a man around to help them with the tasks that they could not manage. Whispering words of encouragement, Elsa sat on a small wooden stool and proceeded to milk the cow. A few minutes later, the udders were empty. No matter how hard she tugged at them nothing came out.

  She looked at the paltry milk in the bucket. It was less than a cupful. Sometimes the cow yielded half a bucket of milk enabling Elsa to sell some of it. She wasn’t surprised by the quantity of milk. The sun was glaring and drying up the vegetation. There was not much grass for the cow on their small piece of land. Well to do farmers usually had storage of hay for their animals or they bought it from other farmers.

  Elsa tried to keep her spirits up but she was low in spirits. She missed her father. When he was alive, things had been different. Whilst they hadn’t been rich, they had managed and they never lacked. He had coaxed the land and there was always a good harvest of corn, and vegetables for their use. Elsa knew very little about farming and what made the land productive.

  Bad luck seemed to be coming at them like hailstones. Just last season, their mother had fallen ill. Just thinking about her made Elsa’s skin break out into a hot sweat. If she did not see a doctor soon, Elsa knew that her mother would die. A visit to the doctor would cost as much as a dollar and that was not including the message. She and Amanda had no money at all.

  Sighing, Elsa trudged back to their five roomed wooden house and entered through the kitchen door. Amanda was not in the kitchen. Elsa placed the milk on the table that was the center of the kitchen. She took some potatoes from a drawer and peeled them. She would boil the potatoes and together with some peas, and scoop the soup for their mother. Amanda and herself would eat mashed potatoes and peas with a little slab of ham that a neighbor Mrs. Potter had brought for them.

  Elsa added pieces of wood to the stove and put the potatoes and peas to boil. Meanwhile, she went to check on their mother. To her relief she was sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and dropping against the beddings. She resisted checking on Amanda knowing that she would come in to help with the dinner when it was ready.

  She sat at the kitchen table and thought hard. Something had to be done. Their mother was too ill to help and Amanda was too engrossed in herself to give much thought to the future. Elsa knew that it was up to her. Nothing came to mind, and with a heavy heart, Elsa dragged herself to her feet and opened the drawer to get the ham. She placed it on the table and unwrapped it from the piece of newspaper it was covered in.

  Straightening the piece of paper, an advert on the creased paper caught Elsa’s eye.

  A gentleman from Montana seeks a kindly lady to correspond with, with a view to marriage. The lady in question must be hardworking and willing to live on a ranch. She must possess a good moral character and have a good disposition. If that is you, please write to the address below.

  Her heart beating hard against her chest, Elsa read the advert over again. The more she read it, the more it seemed like the answer to all her problems. Perhaps she could convince the gentleman to allow her to travel to Montana with her family. Then Elsa’s heart fell. Which man would want a bride with the baggage of an ill mother and a sister?

  “What are you reading?” Amanda said from behind Elsa making her jump.

  “Look at this Amanda. A gentleman from Montana seeks a wife. It could be the answer to our problems.” Elsa said.

  Amanda pulled a chair and read the advert. Elsa could tell that Amanda liked the idea too. A ghost of a smiled played on her mouth.

  “I think I should write to him.” Amanda said.

  Elsa stopped breathing. She snatched the paper from Amanda’s face.

  “No, I saw it first. I’ll respond to the advert.” Elsa said, surprised at her violent reaction.

  “Look, we need this gentleman to like one of us. If he does, he may even help us get a doctor for mama. I’m the one who is likely to be picked. Remember many women have seen this advert. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings but we need to face the facts. I’m the pretties of the two of us. I daresay he’ll pick me from all the women who will write to him.”

  What Amanda said made sense, but her heart refused to accept that she would not give it a try. Elsa stubbornly shook her head. She had seen the advert first.

  “OK, then we shall do what is fair to both of us. We shall both write to him and let him to choose.” Amanda said firmly.

  Elsa knew she had lost. No man would choose her over Amanda. She was big, while her sister was slim, her face was not bad looking, but Amanda’s was captivating. Elsa sighed.

  “You write to him then.” She said in a defeated tone.

  Amanda’s eyes sparkled. “No, that’s not right. You saw the advert first so you deserve a fair chance.”

  Knowing that it would be a venture
that would yield nothing for her, Elsa nodded. She was tired of the argument and in any case, she had nothing to lose by writing.

  Chapter Two

  Dear Sir,

  My name is Amanda and one of two sisters, living in Maine. I saw your advert and felt immediately drawn to you. I believe Montana is very beautiful with rolling hills and green fields. I enjoy the outside, having been born a farmer’s daughter. I’ve put in an old picture, a bit tattered but it will give you a glimpse of my person .As you will see, I’m pretty and I have the manners of a lady to match. I believe that I will run your household well and ensure that all the servants are neat and doing their jobs as they should. I hope to hear from you.

  Truly,

  Amanda.

  Amanda sat back and read the letter. Her winning point was the photograph. It was about five years old and did not do any justice to how she looked now but it would do. Elsa had a photo too but Amanda knew that she would never think to send it. Satisfied with what she had written, Amanda folded her old photograph inside the letter and inserted it into an envelope. She addressed it and sealed it, ready for posting.

  It was morning, and most likely Elsa would be coaxing their mother to have some breakfast. If she hurried, she could slip out unnoticed and post the letter. The sooner the better, before Elsa had a chance to write and post hers. Amanda jumped to her feet and inspected her long sleeved dress. It was old and the once blue color faded to an almost white.

  She hated being poor.

  It was a beautiful morning, with the sun out but not too hot that it was burning. She walked along the road and paused each time a carriage passed, especially if it was heavily decorated and driven by a uniformed horseman. There was one coming up and Amanda stood by the side. The carriage was elegant, lined with gold and its wheels big and shiny.