by Vanessa Vale
CHARLOTTE
Liam didn't let me out of bed the remainder of the day. He went and found some food for us, to keep up our strength he'd said, but that was all. We slept, talked and fucked long after the sun went down. He'd used the word fuck in reference to what he did to me, for it was hot, carnal and oh so decadent. It wasn't anything like what Richard and I had done. There was no comparison. If Liam was worried I'd think about my dead husband while he was fucking me, he had nothing to fear. With Liam, I was wild and lost to everything but how he made me feel.
And the things we did! My cheeks flamed thinking about it. He'd woken me up twice during the night to fuck me. Once he'd stood at the side of the bed, pulled me to the edge and took me, my knees spread wide and pushed back toward my chest. The second time, just before dawn, he'd had me up on my knees as I held onto the headboard as he took me from behind. Only when I'd come had he let me fall asleep, tucked securely in his arms. I was coated in his seed, wet and sticky, but I didn't care. Fucking wasn't neat and tidy. It wasn't done beneath covers with lifted nightgowns. It was carnal and dirty and frantic. Even the scent of our joining filled the air.
I didn't awaken until the sun was high in the sky. Only then did I stir, feeling the delicious aches from all of Liam's attentions. Alone in bed, I sat up and wondered where he had gone. I didn't have time to question as he came through the bedroom door as if he knew I was no longer asleep. He wore his dark pants from the day before, only a button or two of the placket done, and nothing else. His hair was mussed, most definitely from my fingers as I'd grabbed hold of the silky strands. His chest had a light dusting of equally dark hair that ran in a V to his navel and then in a thin line that ran beneath his pants to what I knew was a thatch of dark hair at the base of his very endowed cock.
Liam eyed my breasts as he came over to kiss me. "This is a sight I will wake up to every morning. Unfortunately, it will cause me to be late for work every day."
I grinned. "No bank today?" He owned the bank which made him a very busy—and wealthy—man. With the mines finding thick veins of silver, money was secured within Liam's vault.
He shook his head. "No bank today. I promised Seth Barnes we'd join him for lunch, but otherwise I have you all to myself for the duration."
"Mr. Barnes was a friend of Richard's, although we haven't been formally introduced."
"Yes. We were all friends. Seth knew of my intentions to marry you yesterday and planned this lunch to meet you."
I raised a brow. "Confident, were you?"
"Don't give me that saucy grin. The feelings between us are most definitely mutual." He kissed me again.
"Most definitely," I readily agreed.
He groaned and stepped back. "I wish to fuck you again. I don't think I will ever get enough. But we have an appointment to keep and I do not wish to explain to my friend the very carnal reason for our tardiness."
At the idea of anyone knowing what we did had the smile slipping from my face. Liam ran the back of his knuckles over my cheek. "Don't worry, love. No one will know what we do. Your body is just for me. I've drawn you a bath. You are quite dirty."
"It is all your fault," I pouted. "You've sullied me."
He laughed. "Sullied? That's the word? No wife. I've fucked you well. Fucked you quite well indeed."
He hoisted me into his arms and carried me to the outer room where a steaming hot bath awaited.
* * * * *
An hour later, I was dressed and ready to meet Liam's friend.
"Come on, love."
"Just a moment," I called to him in the other room. Liam had kept his word and kept his hands off of me, although I could tell it was costing him terribly as he watched me bathe. I'd been a tad wicked and used the cloth and soap to clean myself in ways I'd never considered before. I spent ample time cleaning my breasts, soaping them well and then running my hands over them much longer than necessary. I saw his eyes narrow as my nipples furled. Then, when I cleaned between my legs, I'd made small whimpers of pleasure at the feel of my hands on me. I'd taunted him and it felt good. Perhaps there was one more way I could taunt him and it would be hours before he could do anything about it.
"I'm ready," I said as I came into the front room. Liam turned from the window to look at me, his gaze moving from head to toe. "I have something for you."
He raised a brow but said nothing. I pulled my hand from behind my back, my drawers dangling from my fingers. "I thought perhaps you could hold these for me?"
Liam snatched them from his hand and tucked them into his pants pocket, his eyes narrowed. He, too, held his hand up. In it were two of my hair ribbons, a soft cream color to match the lace edging on my dress. The neckline wasn't plunging, but had a round neckline that revealed the tiniest bit of the upper swell of my breasts.
I frowned in confusion. "Ribbons?"
Liam stepped closer with intent and I retreated so my bottom bumped against the table. He placed the ribbons upon it then began to undo the buttons on my bodice. "We don't have time—"
"Only a few, love."
I stood and let him, my head lowered as I watched what he was doing. He opened the bodice enough to expose the top of my corset. He tugged the stiff fabric down with his strong grip and my breasts popped free. My nipples were soft and plump but when he put his hands on them, tugging and pinching them in a way he quickly learned I liked, they became hard tips within moments. He picked up a ribbon and wrapped it around my nipple and looped it, then pulled the ends. The thin satin cinched around my pink tip and Liam pulled on it so that it became quite tight.
"Liam, oh!" I gasped. I'd only had his fingers squeeze and pinch the tips and only for a few seconds at most. "What are you doing?"
He worked his large hands quite nimbly over the ribbon, making a perfect bow that lay on my breast so it looked as if it were a gift. One end of it was longer than the other. The tingling feeling of the ribbon snug around me was intense, for it was constant. It was a touch painful, but not enough for me to raise my hands and yank the ribbon off, for I could have done that easily enough. Liam knew that. He knew I was aware I could relieve the delicious ache at any time, but the look in his eye said to me that I should leave it as is. I needed to trust him on this as it was his own form of taunting. And it was quite good.
By the time he had both nipples securely wrapped in ribbon I was breathing hard, the feeling of need washing over me. I couldn't think about anything but my breasts. Liam undid the top few stays on my corset, allowing the fit across my breasts to be a little looser. He put me back to rights, tucking my breasts back beneath the stiff fabric and buttoning up my dress. The long tails of the ribbon were the only sign of what he'd done and they hung loosely from the neckline of my dress as if part of the edging. Only Liam and I knew otherwise. He eyed me carefully.
"You'll keep those on all through our luncheon, Charlotte." His voice had a new timbre to it. It was his business voice, deep and even. Authoritative.
"I...I don't know if I can," I whispered. The tightness on my nipples created a deep ache in my pussy. I couldn't think of calling it anything else after the night Liam and I shared. I was wet, hot and needy from the constant tightening of my nipples.
"You can and you will. We'll both know what that ribbon is for. Sometime during lunch I'll pull them loose with one quick tug and do you know what you're going to do?"
His voice was mesmerizing, his actions were intimate, endearing and very, very dirty.
I swallowed and shook my head.
"You're going to come."
"Oh," I whispered. I wanted to come right then and there, not wait until later.
He took me by the elbow to lead me to the door, but instead of opening it, he pushed me against it so my back pressed into the hard wood. My dress was lifted to the waist as Liam's hard body pinned me in place. I felt his hand at his pants, undoing them.
"Did you think to taunt me with your drawers, love?" he asked, his voice rasping by my ear as he grabbed me behind the knees an
d lifted me up. "It worked, but I'm not planning on waiting to fuck you. This is going to be quick and hard. Wrap your legs around me."
My dress was bunched up between us, but that was my last thought for he plunged into me in one quick shift of his hips. I was impaled on his cock with no give at my back. I had no way to shift or move my hips, nothing to do but let him use me. He fucked me hard, filling me over and over as his warm breath fanned my neck, his words rough and crude in my ear. I love how your pussy squeezes me. My cock is always hard. Your pussy is so hot it's scalding my dick. Your nipples look perfect all tied and tight. I'm going to come so hard.
It didn't take long, for just as he'd said, it was quick and hard. He came with one last deep stroke, his seed hot filling me up inside. His breath came in pants and he held me up as he took a moment. Slowly, he lowered me to the ground and I just stared at him with passion-hazed eyes as he righted himself, tucking his still hard cock back in his pants. It was slick and shiny from our combined fluids. He grimaced as he did up the buttons.
"We should go. Seth will be waiting."
"But—" I ached, the need to come so great I had to hold onto his arm.
"What, love? You want to come?" He ran his knuckles down my cheek and I leaned into it. I nodded.
"See what happens when you taunt me?" He grinned widely. It was the look of a well satisfied male. "I taunt you. I didn't give you your pleasure intentionally."
"Why?" I asked, hurt that he'd been so cruel on purpose. I'd never once had an orgasm before Liam and now I was greedy for them.
"Because when I pull off those pretty little ribbons, you're going to come so hard."
He was right. I was on edge now, my breasts swelling with the need to be touched, the nipples desperate for his attention. My pussy dripped with Liam's seed which served as a reminder that I was his. Everything he did to me reminded me of that. It made me pleased to have the ribbons about my nipples. It made me proud to be filled with his seed, to know I'd made him so aroused that he'd taken me against the front door. It gave me power when I gave my control to him.
I smiled at him, finally understanding. "Yes, I will."
He smoothed down my dress so I didn't look rumpled and recently fucked, but between the smug look on his face and most likely the needy expression on mine, the dress wouldn't be what was so telling.
CHAPTER SIX
LIAM
I couldn't help but grin. There was nothing that could wipe it from my face. As we walked down the crowded boardwalk, I tipped my hat to those who greeted me, which was many. As the owner of the bank, I dealt with most people in town on a consistent basis. News of our marriage had spread quickly, the likely—and only—source being Reverend Pick. There was no reason for him to keep in a secret for there was nothing unseemly about the match. I was just the lucky one to have captured the beautiful Charlotte Anderson.
Seth opened the door to his house at our knock. He shook my hand and nodded his head at Charlotte, offering both of us felicitations. We followed him into the kitchen where his cook, Mrs. Paterson, turned from the stove and wiped her hands on her apron.
"There are the newlyweds!" she exclaimed. The older woman cooked and tended to Seth as he was a bachelor and couldn't fend for himself. Being such a big, burly man who could move rock and build supports for his mine's tunnels, he couldn't boil water without burning it. He was adept outside of the home. Within, he needed a woman's touch.
The grin hadn't faded, so it was easy to share in the woman's enthusiasm. I introduced Charlotte.
"Yes, we've met before at the mercantile," she said to the other woman as she took the proffered hand.
"I'm so glad Liam finally had the gumption to do the right thing." Mrs. Paterson eyed me as she gave Charlotte's hand a squeeze then let it go. "Who knows who could have snapped you up as pretty as you are."
"Thank you," Charlotte replied, her cheeks turning pink. The older woman's words were more of a compliment for Charlotte but I felt the not so subtle barb at my glacial pace at claiming my bride.
"I've offered my condolences before, but you have them again," Seth said. He out of anyone was earnest in his words. It wasn't his mine that had collapsed and killed Richard, but he knew the dangers of his profession. Richard was Seth's friend as well and felt the loss as keenly as I.
Charlotte only nodded.
"I thought we should meet here for lunch instead of at the boarding house. I doubt you'd get a bite in your mouth as everyone questioned the two of you and your lack of courtship."
"She was a widow, Seth. Courtship was not required," I countered.
"Didn't you see the way he followed her around? I consider him to be quite the romantic," Mrs. Paterson added as she began to ladle a thick stew into bowls. The scent of simmering meat and vegetables filled the air. Seth placed the bowls as she filled them at the set table.
"Thank you, Mrs. Paterson. I try my best."
The woman eyed me, then Charlotte. "Yes, it seems you have." She laughed to herself as she handed over the last bowl. I smirked and rolled my eyes at her none too subtle reference to our connubial bliss. Charlotte squirmed beside me and I wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or arousal. Just seeing the little ribbons peeking out from the edge of her bodice had me rethinking my idea. It was meant to keep her aroused, eager for my touch, but I was the one who was aroused and that state would show itself readily enough if I kept up the line of thought. I would be aroused by Charlotte just by her scent lingering in an empty room. I was the one in trouble here, although only briefly. I only had to survive a lunch with Seth and I could have her again.
If I was this eager for her and I'd just flooded her pussy with my seed, then I could only imagine how she was faring.
"Now I'll be off. Mr. Paterson is expecting his lunch as well."
Seth walked her to the door.
"That went as well as could be expected. I anticipate quite a bit more ribalding in the future," Seth said congenially as he returned. "Please, sit."
I held out Charlotte's chair for her and we sat after she did.
"We shouldn't be talking about our marriage, but yours." It was time to make Seth uncomfortable. I'd gotten the woman I wanted while keeping my commitment to Richard. It was time for Seth to keep his commitment to Aaron.
Seth paused, spoon halfway to his mouth. "Mine?"
"His? Seth's married?" Charlotte asked, clearly confused.
Seth put his spoon down. "You mean Rachel."
"Yes." I took a bite of the delicious stew.
He sighed. "She won't have me."
I shook my head at my friend and looked at him incredulously. "That slip of a woman? She's keeping you from what you want? I've seen you decimate a room full of men in a saloon brawl and one woman halts you in your tracks?"
The other man clenched his jaw, angry at my words, but his cheeks heated. Perhaps a little harsh words would prod him into action.
"Rachel Moore? The other woman whose husband was killed?"
"Yes," both Seth and I said at the same time.
"Did you make a pact with her husband as well?"
I placed my hand on top of hers. "We were all friends, love. One night, over a year ago, a mudslide wiped out the south end of town."
"I heard about it, but I wasn't here at the time, so only in passing," Charlotte said.
I nodded. "Several people were killed. While thankfully that was only a small number, it could have been worse. We, Seth, Richard, Aaron and I, were in the saloon that night."
"We worked through that bottle of whiskey," Seth added. "In our morose state, we pondered our own mortality and agreed we'd protect our families."
"We had none, which made our conversation even a bit more ridiculous. Halfway through the bottle we vowed that whenever we married, our wives would be the ones protected. So Aaron and I agreed and Liam and Richard agreed. If one of us died, the other would step in."
Charlotte turned to look at me. "Remember, love, we didn't say we would marry, only t
hat we would protect. I ran my knuckles down her cheek. "I chose to marry you because I wanted...want...you."
Her eyes widened and she pushed her chair back, stood and ran from the room. In her haste, Seth and I barely made it out of our chairs. I glanced at my friend who tilted his chin in the direction she fled. Seth's house was bigger than any bachelor should have, especially in such a town the size of Collins, but I was thankful then to find Charlotte on the other side of the house, far enough away from the kitchen to offer us privacy.
"Charlotte, love, are you well?" I asked, breathing hard.
She faced away from me, looking out the window and onto the rolling hillside and the mountains in the distance. Turning, she looked at me, her eyes dry. She, too, was breathing hard, her cheeks flushed.
"No," she replied.
I closed the distance between us, worry hastening my steps. I took hold of her upper arms, raked my gaze over her. "What—"
"Now, please," she breathed.
I frowned. "Now?"
"Pull the ribbons."
Worry evaporated like morning dew in the sunshine. "You want to come, love?"
She nodded, licked her lips in anticipation.
"All right. You're not mad?"
"Mad?" she repeated. "No. I realized the depth of your want for me. I love that you have me aching for you because...because you're aching for me, too."
I let out a breath I hadn't known I held. The months of questioning whether Charlotte would accept my proposal, would understand the true reason for wanting to wed her had me wound tighter than a clock. I hadn't known if she'd think, somewhere deep down inside no matter how many times I told her or showed her, that I married her to save her. Like Richard had. I hadn't married her to save her, I'd married her to save me. I hadn't known what I'd been missing in my life until that day Richard introduced us. Until I saw the way they were in their marriage and had that first kernel of hope that someday she could be mine. Then a sad turn of events set her free, free for me to claim. Even then, I had to wait, had to ensure her heart was as free as she was.