Prisoners of Love Books 1-3: Adelaide Cinnamon Becky

by Callie Hutton

  Mindy smiled back at Jed. Her husband. Lordy be, she never thought to be able to say those words. She still wasn’t sure they’d done the right thing. If Pastor Nelson or Mrs. Nelson had seemed in any way upset that she was Jed’s bride, she might find the strength to tell him this was a mistake.

  They left her pitiful room and walked to the hotel. She was still smarting from the look on Jed’s face when he saw her home. Ha! Her home. It had always been just a place to sleep, and on occasion, eat. She should have known after leaving his warm, comfortable home, with all the love shared there, that her room would look even worse to his eyes.

  She was very excited since the Dixon hotel was nicer than the Dodge City Hotel Miss Nellie had gotten them rooms in. She said she had to be careful with the money the marshal had given her since they still had to buy supplies for the trip. Mindy had been grateful for the new dress Miss Nellie had bought her.

  Her thoughts drifted to her wedding night, Her heart began to beat a little faster, and she was having a bit of trouble breathing. When Jed touched her in a spot she would have clobbered anyone else for doing, all she felt was warmth, and the need to remove her clothes. Lordy, hopefully she wasn’t like her ma.

  Although, Ma always said what she did was to keep body and soul together. Since, as far as Mindy knew, Ma never entered a church, she thought it funny that she was trying to keep her soul attached. So, apparently Ma didn’t enjoy what she did, but Mindy sure liked Jed’s touches.

  Being raised in a brothel, she knew exactly what men and women did when they were alone together. She couldn’t help but wonder if her and Jed’s joining would be accompanied by all the grunting and moaning she’d heard at the brothel. Then it sounded disgusting, but now she wondered . . .

  “Here we are.” Jed’s words drew her from her thoughts. She looked up at the sign “Dixon Hotel” and smiled. She was going to sleep in a fine hotel! Although she tried very hard not to look around as if she’d never seen something so wonderful, she was afraid it showed on her face that this was all new to her.

  “Hi, Gus. We need a room for the night.” Jed gave the man behind the desk a friendly greeting.

  The desk clerk glowered at both of them. “Does your pa know you’re taking up with this one?” He nodded in her direction. Mindy stepped back and immediately felt as if she needed a bath. She tugged on Jed’s hand, urging him to leave. Had she been alone, she would have told this rude man what he could do with a certain part of his body, but she was a married woman now, with her husband by her side.

  Jed stiffened and she was glad the look he gave the clerk wasn’t directed at her. “Excuse me? My wife and I would like a room. However, if it’s too much trouble, I am only too glad to take our business across the street.”

  Gus’s face turned beet red, and he seemed to stammer his response. “I am truly sorry, ma’am,” he spoke to her. “It’s just that—“

  “—the room?” Jed’s voice had lowered and became something threatening. Lordy be, it wasn’t worth all this fuss just to sleep somewhere. Her room wasn’t so awful.

  But apparently she was.

  “Right away, Jed.” Gus grabbed a key from a board behind the desk and handed it to him. “Room 5.”

  Jed nodded and took the key.

  “Ah, congratulations,” he called after them, his feeble attempt to appease Jed falling flat when he ignored the comment, and placed his hand on Mindy’s lower back and directed her down the hall.

  Once they were in the room, Mindy turned to him, wringing her hands. “Jed, this ain’t gonna work. I told you—“

  “The man is an idiot and you shouldn’t worry yourself over anything he said. Now come here.”

  She backed away. “You know he’s right, you shouldn’t have married me.”

  He reached out and silenced her with a kiss. A very soft, gentle kiss that stirred her, and had her forgetting the clerk’s rude comment. Jed nudged her lips with his tongue, and when she opened, he entered her mouth, sliding over her teeth, tongue, and the roof of her mouth that she never knew was sensitive.

  Meanwhile, his fingers were busy unbuttoning the front of her dress, and slipping it off her shoulders. It settled at her feet in a whoosh, leaving her in her chemise, corset, and drawers. Even though her saloon girl dress showed off more skin than she did now, she still felt undressed.

  “I want you, Mindy.” He kissed the exposed skin above her chemise. “I’ve always wanted you.” He undid her corset a lot quicker than she would have thought a preacher could. It joined her dress on the floor, soon followed by her chemise, revealing her breasts to his eyes. “My God, you’re beautiful.” There was worship in his eyes and voice.

  Suddenly nervous and shy, she covered her breasts with her hands.

  “No, don’t cover yourself. Please, don’t ever hide yourself from me. I’m your husband, and I want you so much.” Once again he took her face in his hands and worshipped her mouth with his.

  She dropped her hands from her breasts and placed them on his shoulders, gaining a soft moan from him at the slight contact. His hands moved up and cupped her breasts, kneading them gently. His thumbs slid over the nipples, producing a tingle in her lower parts. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so shy, in fact, she wanted Jed to touch her in other places.

  As if reading her thoughts, he untied her drawers and pushed them down. “Kick your shoes off, but leave your stockings on,” he mumbled into her ear as he circled the shell with his tongue.

  She did as he asked, and then he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she pulled him forward for a kiss of her own. He obliged, while laying her on the quilt, resting his body partially over her. His palms ran over her skin, leaving goosebumps where his hand caressed.

  Nothing had ever felt so good. Although she was naked, she felt anything but chilled. Which reminded her. “Why am I the only one undressed?”

  Jed hopped up and began to pull his shirt from his pants. She wanted to cover herself again, but she was distracted and far too interested in the muscled, golden chest revealed when Jed took off his shirt. She had the urge to reach up and touch the short dark hairs that ran down the center of his chest and disappeared into his pants.

  If Jed had been excited about this part of marriage before, nothing could compare to the feelings that rushed over him when Mindy eyed him as he removed his clothes. She licked her lips when he tossed his shirt over the chair next to the bed. When he shrugged out of his suspenders, then unbuttoned the front of his pants, sliding them down right along with his drawers, her eyes grew so wide he was sure they would pop out of her head.

  “Um, I don’t think this will work, Jed.” She inched back on the bed.

  Before he lost her altogether, he quickly climbed on the bed, and did the only thing he’d been able to do so far to distract her. He kissed her. The softness of her skin against his body drove all the blood left in his brain right to his lower parts. She moaned slightly when he teased her nipples. Then he replaced his fingers with his mouth.

  She tasted salty, sweet, and something that was only her. He suckled hard, and moved his fingers down to her core. Hot, swollen, wet, and ready for him. Loving her response to his touches, he rubbed his thumb over the part of her that would bring her the most pleasure.

  “Oh, that feels very good. Oh, keep doing that.” Her breathing hitched and she made little mewing sounds in the back of her throat.

  He grinned and once again teased her nipples, this time running his tongue over the pebbled hardness. Mindy’s head moved back and forth and she thrashed on the bed, her legs tightening, then using her heels to push her center against his fingers. “Oh, I feel something strange.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “But good.”

  Even in the midst of his first time loving her, something he’d wanted for years, she made him smile. “Relax, sweetheart, and just let go. I’ll catch you. I’ll always be here to catch you.” Indeed, she was right where he’d always wanted her. In his arms,
in his life. Despite her doubts, he knew this was right. They belonged together.

  She fisted his hair and brought his mouth to hers in a kiss that shot all the way to his toes. Her heart thundered against his chest, beating in rhythm with his. Her innocent passion, and response to him boiled his blood, making it hard for him to hold off. Then she ripped her mouth away, and bucked as she moaned her release. He covered her neck and shoulder with tiny kisses and held her tight as she strained against him. Then she stilled, and collapsed. “Oh, my,” she breathed.

  He smoothed the damp curls back from her forehead. She stared at him dewy-eyed. “Isn’t there more to this?”

  “Oh, yes. We’re just getting started, darlin’.” He moved over her, spreading her legs apart with his knees. Taking his time, he eased into her. The moistness made his entrance easy, but then he hit the wall that he needed to break through to truly make her his. “I’m sorry, but this will hurt. But only for a minute.”

  Shoving forward, he buried his head in her shoulders, mumbling words of apology, and sorrow at having hurt her.

  Mindy let out a slow breath and ran her fingers through his hair. “It’s all right, Jed. I feel okay now. I promise.”

  Groaning at the sensation of being inside her, feeling her softness and warmth surrounding him, he slowly began to move. “Does this hurt?”

  She shook her head. “No. Well, yes, but only a little. In fact, it feels kinda nice. Not as wonderful as before, but still, nice.”

  He grinned as he slid in and out of her, surprised, but happy when she began to move with him. His wife caught on fast. For as much and as long as he’d wanted her, he didn’t last, and was soon pouring himself into her, softly calling her name.

  Resting on his elbows, he gulped for air as he looked down at her, loving her flushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes. “I love you, Mindy. I always have, and I always will.”

  A lone tear ran down her cheek. “Oh, Jed. I’m still not sure how this is all going to work out.”

  He pushed himself off her, his feet hitting the floor as he walked to the dresser, poured water into the bowl and dipped a cloth into it. Returning to the bed, he carefully cleaned her, then himself. When he returned to the bed after placing the cloth back on the dresser, she had pulled the sheet and quilt up to her chin.

  All the words in the world were not going to convince his wife that they belonged together, and she was the very best wife, ever, for him. Time would prove it to her. Until then, he would do his best to make her happy. Joining her, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and said, “How about we take a walk to the café and get a bite to eat? The wedding cake was delicious, but I feel the need for some real food.”

  Mindy smiled and nodded. “Yes. I believe I am hungry.”

  Dressing would not have taken so long if they hadn’t spent so much time touching and kissing. He simply could not get enough of her. He was already looking forward to coming back after eating and loving her again.

  They strolled hand-in-hand to the café. The town had never looked better to him, nor the smell of the air sweeter. He had the woman he loved by his side, and soon they would leave to take up his first church assignment.

  “Evenin’, Jed, Mindy.” Grace Babbit, the waitress at the Dodge City café, greeted them as they settled into their seats. She narrowed her eyes and looked at them. “What are y’all grinning so much for?”

  Mindy held up her left hand. “We got married today, Grace.”

  She grabbed Mindy’s hand and stared at the gold band. “Well, glory be. It sure is about time you two got hitched. I’ve been watching the two of you dance around each other for years.” She gave them a warm smile. “Best of luck, kiddos. I hope y’all only have the very best.”

  They thanked her, and ordered the supper special. Holding hands across the table, they were startled to hear a deep voice behind him. “Well, it’s about time I caught up with you, girl. I’m fixing to take you back to jail.”

  4

  Marshal Jones stood in front of their table, hands fisted on his hips, right above his gun belt. “Miss Nellie tells me you’ve been missing for hours.”

  Jed stood and shook hands with the marshal. “Sir, I’m afraid it’s my fault that Miss O’Brien, um, rather, my wife, Mrs. Nelson, was missing all day.”

  The marshal’s eyes rose to his hairline. “You two get hitched today??”

  “Yes, sir.” Jed grinned and glanced at Mindy, giving her a warm smile.

  Mindy twisted her fingers in her lap, hoping she didn’t do something wrong. “Marshal, it all happened so fast. I was going to stop by the jail and let you know I won’t be going on the wagon train after all.”

  Jed interrupted. “Actually, we will be going on the wagon train, Marshal. As far as Trinidad, Colorado. That’s where my church assignment is.”

  Marshal Jones slapped Jed on the back. “Well, congratulations, son. I’m very happy for you both.” He pulled out a chair and turned it around, straddling the seat, resting his crossed arms on the back of the chair. “It’s good you’re both leaving Dodge City. It’s getting pretty bad out there. I’ve been chasing outlaws and facing the business side of a gun a little bit too long.”

  Grace deposited their supper plates in front of them. “You want something to eat, Marshal?”

  “Just coffee, Grace, I can’t stay long.”

  Once the waitress left them, Jed asked, “Sounds like you’re thinking of retirin’ Marshal.”

  Mindy bit into the roast beef and almost groaned out loud. She couldn’t remember the last time she had something this good. Her wages at the saloon barely kept her rent paid, with a little bit left for food. But she rarely had enough money to buy meat. Once in a while she got a few bones from the butcher that she made into a soup at the saloon kitchen. Most times she only got one bowl out of it, since everyone seemed to think it was all right to help themselves while she ran drinks.

  It occurred to her that while she was thoroughly enjoying her meal of roast beef, potatoes in brown gravy, and green beans, the marshal and Jed had been chatting away. She finally tuned in to what the marshal said. “I might think about retirin’ soon. I got some money put aside. In fact I might just make a trip to Santa Fe myself one of these days.”

  He chatted with them as he drank his coffee. Then, taking the last sip, he slapped his hands on his thighs and stood. “I’ll let you youngsters get settled for the night.” He looked in Mindy’s direction. “I’ll let Miss Nellie know you won’t be joining them. The other lady, Mrs. Markham, already got herself married, too. So now there’s only Miss Davidson and Miss Beamer left to find husbands.” He pulled on the brim of his hat. “Have a good night.”

  “Would you like a piece of pie?” Jed eyed her plate that she had practically scraped clean.

  “Yes, I believe I would,” she said, hoping she wasn’t making a pig of herself. But everything tasted so gosh darned good, and all that activity she and Jed engaged in before—she blushed—had given her quite an appetite.

  Once she finally felt full, they walked back to the hotel and entered their room. “I’m sure you’re a little sore from before—“ He chuckled and dipped his head to see her face when she blushed a bright red and lowered her head. “—so I think it would be a good idea for us to get to sleep. We’ll be quite busy the next couple of weeks.”

  Although she was a bit sore in places she was never before aware of, she had hoped they would have a repeat from before, but he was probably right. “I agree.”

  “Do you have a nightgown?”

  “No. I sleep in my underwear.” She’d always wanted a pretty nightgown to wear to bed, but even if the extra money had been there, it had been difficult to shop in the mercantile most times. Mrs. Davis who ran the store with her husband was always pleasant to her, but if any of the ‘respectable’ women were shopping, they gave her such dirty looks and comments that she was driven out. Usually she’d hurled enough insults of her own back at them to keep their sewing circles busy with gos
sip for a month.

  Jed moved toward her and eyed her in such a way that she felt he hadn’t had enough to eat. Like she was his dessert. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you take everything off, and we’ll both sleep in the nude.”

  If she grew any warmer, her clothes would flat-out burn up, and what she would wear to bed would not be an issue.

  “Come on, wife, let’s do something different.” He began removing his clothes and grinned at her. “Don’t tell me the tough-talking Cinnamon O’Brien Nelson is scared?” His eyebrows lifted.

  “No, I ain’t scared, and don’t call me Cinnamon.” With those words, she unbuttoned her dress and continued to stare him down as she removed every stitch of clothing. Then she ruined it all by giggling like a two year old, and dove for the bed, pulling the covers up to her neck while Jed roared with laughter.

  The next morning Jed reached for her before she was fully awake. She was a bit tender, but still enjoyed his love making. She could get used to waking up every morning like this.

  “I need to help Papa get our wagon ready for the trip. Plus, Mama wants to load us down with things for our new home.” Jed addressed her over their breakfast at the café. “What will occupy your time today?”

  “I’ll pack my things, tell Mrs. Gruber I won’t need her room any more, and I suppose I’ll have to see my ma before we leave.”

  Jed stood and kissed her on the forehead. “Take your time finishing your breakfast. Come by my parents’ house when you’re all packed and seen your ma.”

  She watched him stroll out the door, still having a hard time believing that Jedediah Nelson, her best friend and champion, was now her husband. Truth be known, aside from feeling completely unsuited for her new role as a preacher’s wife, she worried about protecting her heart. She’d liked Jed a whole lot all her life, and probably loved him as a friend. But now it would be ever so easy to fall in love with him in such a way that one day would crush her. Deep down she knew he would eventually wake up and realize she was not the wife for him. When that day happened, she didn’t want to watch him walk away while she held her broken heart in her hands.