She stopped in front of him and gazed up at him with her big brown eyes. "Tassie said she and Cal will drive us to our house. A-are you r-ready?"
He could feel his cheeks stretch from the wide grin on his face. "Yes, I am." Then he leaned down so that only she could hear. "I've been aching to be alone with you all day."
She blushed prettily and chewed her lip.
A loud noise drew their attention. Cal and Tassie were riding on a carriage decorated with ribbons and the band, which had been playing dance music just minutes ago, was marching behind.
Cal jumped down and helped Tassie out before handing the reins over to Jake.
"What's all this?"
"Remember when we got married? We're just returning the favor."
Jake turned to Posey with a shrug. "I guess we're going to be serenaded."
"I love it!"
"Well, that's all that matters." He swung her up and into the seat with one smooth motion.
Posey snuggled against his side and they rode away, off to their new home. Their new life.
If only every day could be this way.
The music played behind them until they reached the end of the lane leading to Windy River Ranch and Posey leaned her head on his shoulder and hummed along.
"Oh, Jake," she said, "what a nice day."
"It was the best day. The first of many."
She tipped her head back and smiled up at him, then for a fleeting moment, a cloud of worry seemed to pass over her eyes and in a flash it was gone.
Well, if it was worry, she was probably anxious about their wedding night. To be honest, he was too. It had been a long time since he'd been with a woman and he was so much larger than Posey that he worried a bit.
Much as he wanted to strip her bare and claim her hard and fast, he vowed to be gentle with her. Make this night special.
It was a short trip to their new home on the edge of Juniper Junction. The house had been empty until Jake had arranged for them to live there. On short notice, there weren’t a lot of options.
Until now, Jake had been content living in the bunkhouse with the other cowboys. When Jake was promoted to foreman, he didn't really see the sense in getting a house all by himself when he was just as happy in the bunkhouse with the others. But, they had treated him differently as soon as Mr. Conners announced that Jake was the new foreman. That had been just a few weeks ago and he was glad to be out of there now. It would make his job easier. It was hard to be tough on a man and then have to bunk next to him a few hours later.
But, none of that mattered at the moment. Tonight was his special night with Posey. Hard fought, but he'd finally made her his wife.
He sighed happily before leaving the carriage and going round to lift his bride down, but instead of setting her feet on the ground he kept her in his arms. Where she belonged.
He carried her across the threshold and straight to their bedroom before setting her on her feet.
"Welcome home," he said.
Posey had a hard time breathing as she looked around the bedroom. Her eyes focused on the bed and she knotted her fingers together.
"Everyone knows she trapped him."
Jake looked down at her with concern. "Are you all right, Posey?" His voice was soft and warm. Like she'd always imagined it would be when they were alone together. Intimate.
So why was she so miserable?
Her eyes darted around the room and finally Jake took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. "Posey, I'm worried about you. You didn't answer my question."
"I-I'm so-sorry. Y-yes, I'm fine. I suppose..."
Oh heavens. This was hardly the way she'd imagined her wedding night.
Jake continued to study her face. "It's understandable if you're nervous, Posey. I am too."
The idea of Jake being nervous about anything made her laugh, briefly.
"Is there something on your mind, little Posey? It's not like you to keep your thoughts to yourself. It's me, Jake. Remember? You can tell me anything."
She gazed up at his handsome face, his eyes warm with concern, maybe even tenderness. She was being a silly goose.
"I-I heard M-myrtle and Aggie talking today."
Jake scowled. "What did those two witches have to say?"
"Th-they said that I t-trapped you into getting married, that I knew you were down there n-na-naked and that I threw myself in the water to t-trap you." Two big tears rolled down her cheeks and she had to look away. "I-is that t-true?" She held her breath waiting for him to answer.
Jake swore softly and she stiffened. Her stomach knotted. Oh, what had she done?
"Those two are a nasty bit of work and the next time I see them I've got a mind to tell them just what I think of them." Jake's eyes flashed and his jaw tightened. Posey had never seen him so angry.
"I-I'm so-sorry," she said, stepping away.
He took her by the arm and turned her to face him. "There is not one damn thing for you to be sorry about," he said. "Pardon my language. A man ought not to talk that way to his wife. I'm sorry."
"B-but, if I hadn't fallen in the river..."
"We were gonna get married someday, whether now or later, but it was going to happen. You can count on that." The force of his words shot through her. "Your uncle was just being stubborn."
"Bu-but..."
Jake sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to stand between his thighs. Posey glanced behind him at the expanse of mattress and took a deep breath. Oh my.
"Now, you listen to me, little girl." He tipped her chin up again. "Do I look like someone who gets trapped easily?"
She smiled at the notion of it. "N-no."
"Good." He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She liked the way that felt. His lips were warm, soft, but firm too. And commanding. When the kiss ended she gazed up at him, starry eyed.
"What makes you think I didn't trap you?" he asked, cocking his head to the side, his mouth turning up in a mischievous smile.
"Why would you do that?" she asked, confused. "And how?"
He took both her hands in his and studied them before looking up to meet her gaze. "Honey, do you have any idea how cold that river was? I about froze my backside off waiting for you to come. I splashed and made as much noise as I could, but you almost didn't even look that way."
She gasped. "Wh-at? Jake, are you teasing me?" She put her hands on her hips and scowled at him. "That's not funny."
He grabbed her shoulders, his large palms almost spanning the width of her back. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, really I am. I know you were embarrassed and I truly did not count on that tree branch catching your dress. That was quite a shock. And I'm awful sorry that it caused people to gossip about you. I shouldn't have done it, but when your uncle turned me away, I kinda lost my mind."
Posey shook her head trying to make sense of all of this.
"Y-you knew I'd be coming that way?"
"Don't you always walk along the river when you're feeling down?" he prompted. "Don't you think I know that about you?"
"I-I didn't know you paid that much attention to me."
"Just because I'm not waving my arms or shouting, doesn't mean I'm not paying attention. Fact is, a quiet man can learn a lot about people. Learn a lot about a certain girl who seems to get herself into trouble often, but has a heart as big as Wyoming. A girl he loves more than anyone or anything."
"Oh," was all she could say. It took a moment for what he'd said to sink in and as the pieces fell into place her heart filled with happiness. "You trapped me!"
"I sure did. And I ain't ever gonna let you go."
Jake cupped her face in his palms and kissed her tenderly, his lips were like the softest silk, sliding over her mouth and Posey swayed into him. Jake. He was her gentle giant. Her hero who took matters into his own hands, for better or worse, to make her his.
And he was perfect for her.
She sighed and when she opened her mouth, the kiss intensified. Startled at first, she acclimated
and returned the kiss with equal fervor. "That's my girl," Jake whispered against her hair when it ended.
"Now," Jake said, his voice had dropped a couple octaves and to a deep vibrating baritone, "before we go any further, I want you to promise me one thing."
"What’s that?" she asked.
"That you will never, ever doubt me again. I don't do things by half-measure, Posey. Once you're mine, you're mine. I know marriage won't be easy. I'm not always an easy man to be around. But that don't mean I won't always love you. Understand?" He continued to hold her face in his warm palms, his face mere inches from her.
"Y-yes," she said, her throat tightening with emotion.
"And I want you to promise me that you'll never forget that. Never again question my devotion to you."
"I promise, Jake. I promise with my whole heart."
Jake gazed into the trusting face of his sweet bride, his heart overflowing with love for this adorable girl. Her trust, her faith, her love...he vowed to never give her reason to regret being with him. Never to doubt his love for her.
She was the most precious thing in the whole world and she looked at him for leadership.
"I'm gonna love you now, Posey. Make you mine for all time. You understand?"
She bit her upper lip and her eyes went a bit wide, but she nodded, then said, "Yes, Jake. I-I w-want that too." Her face flushed a charming pink, but she didn't look away.
"That's my girl," he said. He started with the pins in her hair. He managed to get most of them loose and locks of her mahogany hair fell around her shoulders. He struggled with a couple of the pins.
"Ouch." She winced and reached up to help him, her tiny fingers pushing his aside. "There," she said as the last bit of her silky tresses came free.
Jake's hands buried deep into her hair, running his fingers the length of it, marveling at the softness, the way the different shades reflected in the light. "Been wanting to do that since the first time I saw you," he confessed. "It's like it's alive." He allowed the strands to feather through his fingers.
She shivered at the intimate caress.
"I know you ain't used to being touched like this, honey. But we're gonna go real slow, all right? And if you get worried or anything, you let me know? Understand?"
"Yes, Jake," she said, some of the worry left her countenance. "W-would you k-kiss me again?"
"Oh, darlin', nothing I'd rather do." He lowered his mouth to hers, gentle at first and then more urgent. When she slipped her arms around his neck and mewled softly, it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.
As the kiss continued and deepened, he stroked her petite body. When his hands skimmed over her hips and bottom, she inhaled sharply. His hands stilled, resting on the curve of her hips. When she moved a step closer to him, standing tight inside his thighs, he smiled against her mouth and continued exploring her body.
She leaned into him and he squeezed her bottom. She made a noise in her throat and tightened her grip on him. He slipped one hand up her back and worked the buttons of her frilly wedding dress while the other continued to stroke her rear.
Just as with her hair, he fumbled a bit, but to his surprise, Posey reached around and opened the last tiny buttons at her waist, then held his gaze while she tugged on the sleeves, lowering the top half of her dress, revealing the lacy bodice of her chemise.
She was like a little china doll. His finger traced the alabaster flesh from her throat to her shoulder. "You're so pretty, Posey," he whispered huskily. She blushed, the pink tinge covering her from her cheeks all the way down to her shoulders and the delicate flesh just above her breasts, creating a contrast with the white chemise.
His cock swelled painfully inside his pants. He longed to free it and plunge deep into his wife's sweet pleasures, but he had promised to go slow. He took a deep breath and shifted his hips a bit on the bed.
Posey continued releasing buttons until the skirt of her dress fell open. She glanced up at him and raised her brows in inquiry. Startled by her forwardness, at least in this situation, he slipped her dress off her hips and when she rested her hand on his thigh for support, he moved the dress aside while she stepped out of it. He reached over and set it on a chair near the bed then returned his attention to his innocent bride standing before him in her chemise and pantaloons.
He paused a moment to take it all in. "My sweet Posey," he whispered. The hard tips of her nipples poked against the sheer fabric of her chemise. Covering her bosom with his palms, he gave a gentle rub over the peak.
"Ohh." She gasped and her jaw fell open.
"How does that feel, my little bride?"
Chapter 4
How did it feel? If only she had the words to describe it. For the first time, words failed her.
She opened her mouth and tried to form a coherent answer to Jake's question, but the only thing that came out was a whimper. He squeezed harder, his large palms covered the entirety of her breasts. She'd not been blessed with an ample bosom, but the things Jake was doing had her squirming in place as more incoherent sounds bubbled forth from her body.
Heated pulses emanated from her nether region. What was happening to her?
"That is called arousal, little Posey."
"Did I ask that out loud?" she managed to say, though her breath was quickening with each passing moment.
"No, but I could see some confusion on your face. Have you ever been aroused before, Posey?" As he spoke, he took hold of the hem of her chemise and lifted it over her head.
She gasped and reached to cover herself with her hands, but Jake caught her wrists. "No hiding, little Posey."
"Bu-but..." He cupped both breasts in his magical hands and she couldn't complete a sentence. His touch was unlike anything that had ever happened to her before. His eyes had darkened and he seemed to enjoy touching her in that way too, which pleased her immensely.
All other thoughts left her head and she closed her eyes, reveling in the sensations overtaking her.
"That's it," he whispered as he continued massaging. Her breasts felt heavy, even if they were small and when he gave a slight pinch to her nipples she groaned and swayed against his thigh, eager for more.
"Mm. Your little noises do all kinds of things to me, Posey."
She opened her eyes and gaped at him. "What? Oh, I'm sorry. I-I ca-can't seem to help myself. I'll try to stop."
"No," he said, his voice carried a bit of harshness that she found surprising. "I love hearing them. It means you're enjoying yourself." He leaned forward and drew one breast between his lips and she gasped as a jolt of pleasure shot through her. "Are you enjoying yourself, little Posey?"
"Oh, yes," she said, her voice had a husky tinge to it that she'd never heard before. "I-I guess I am quite a-aroused, as you said."
The corners of Jake's mouth turned up in a slow, dreamy smile. "I'm glad to hear you say that. But," he took hold of the ribbon holding her drawers in place, "there's one sure way of finding out just how aroused you are."
Her eyebrows shot up. Wasn't just saying it enough? She was already quivering and her toes had curled up so hard she worried that they might not ever straighten out.
With a gentle tug, Jake released her final garment and her drawers fell to the floor. His eyes went wide and he sucked in a breath.
"I-is so-something wr-wrong?"
Jake's face snapped up to stare at her. "Oh, baby, there is not one thing wrong. Everything is just perfect. You are just perfect." He slipped his hand between her thighs and dipped a finger into her womanly core. She cried out and clutched his arm to steady herself.
"J-Jake." She swayed forward as he continued to delve between her legs. She felt hot all over and yearning built inside her for something. Something more.
He removed his hand and she mourned the loss of his touch, the crazy sensations it created. When he held his fingers up, they glistened with moisture. "Ah," he said, "here is the proof of your arousal, Posey. This little place down here," he touched her again, "is cal
led your pussy. Or your cunny. Do you know what I plan to do, very soon, to make you mine?"
"I-I th-think."
"I'm going to take my manhood and slip it all the way in here." He pushed his finger deep and she rose up on her tiptoes, still clutching his arm.
"Oh. Oh. Ohh."
"And I'm going to plant my seed in you."
"Uh-huh." Posey had a vague idea of what he was talking about, but it was not as though her uncle had sat her down for a long talk about a husband's expectations for his wife. All she knew for sure was that whatever he was doing felt fantastic and she wanted more.
"I-is that going to happen soon?"
Jake chuckled. "Yes, darlin', that is going to happen very, very soon."
He stepped her back a couple paces, then stood up. He was so large, his head nearly touched the ceiling and when she looked up at him all she could see was... well...his you know...his gr-groin and it was bulging against his pants.
"That's all for you, baby girl. Only you."
Posey wasn't really sure what all of that meant, but she knew she trusted Jake, so she nodded. "Yes."
He'd tossed his jacket aside long ago, during the party at Windy River Ranch. Now he opened the buttons on his shirt and pulled the tails out of his waistband. Posey's mouth hung open and her mouth went dry. His chest—it was like a massive sculpture, all hard planes and smooth surfaces. He tossed his shirt aside and worked the buckle of his belt.
She thought she might faint, standing there watching as he stripped for her. It felt like she was imposing, it was so intimate. His eyes held hers, his gaze heated and his eyelids drooping. She ran her hand along his forearm. So powerful. He could snap her like a twig.
"I know I'm big, Posey."
"How did you know what I was thinking?"
"I been big my whole life. I know the way people look when they are trying to figure out just how darn big I am."
"Oh," she said. "I-I don't want to offend you."
He pulled his belt from the loops and paused for a moment. "Nothing you say to me, especially when we're having our intimate time together, could ever offend me. I'm sure you've never seen a man naked before."
Cowboy's Orders (Brides of Juniper Junction Book 2) Page 3