The Payment

by Mysty McPartland

Once Dane finished thoroughly kissing his wife, they both went inside and joined everyone at the dining room table. After helping her into her seat, he took his own at the other end of the table. As soon as he sat down the food started to being passed around.

  India sat nervously at the table. As she watched, her eyes grew wider and wider, never before could she remember witnessing people eat in such a manner. It looked as if they had not eaten for a very long time and could not put the food in to their mouths quick enough. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning her head, she stared up wide-eyed at the oriental man standing beside her.

  “Little Missy no like Chin Li’s food? I make special welcome home dinner for you and Dane, but if you no like it, I take away.” Chin Li nodded his head up and down.

  At hearing Chin Li threatening to take away the food, everyone frantically grabbed the bowls and platters of food. All except Dane at the end of table, who sat and laughed softly.

  Confused, quickly looking around at everyone at the table then at her husband who still laughed. India saw him shrug his shoulders at her unspoken question. She gave him a good glare and turned back to Chin Li and smiled warmly. “I’m sorry I was just overwhelmed by everyone’s superb table manners, and I only waited until I could get some of the food away from someone.”

  Everyone blushed and looked sheepishly at her. All except Mason, who glared at her with animosity.

  In a more civilized fashion, the bowls and platters were passed around.

  “You’ll have to forgive our table manners India; we’ve been without a woman’s company for a long time.” Dane shrugged his shoulders as everyone started to eat again.

  Mason threw down his cutlery and jumped to his feet, his little chest swelling with anger. “I don’t care for no manners and I don’t want no woman’s company.” He yelled and glared hatefully at India before he raced out of the room.

  Immediately jumping to his feet, Traye reached for a chicken leg. “I’ll go and have a talk with him.” He turned to India and was about to wink at her, but stopped. He was struck dumb for a few seconds, overwhelmed by the pure perfection of her face. Her large violet eyes shone brightly with tears, and he swallowed hard. Tearing his gaze away, he rushed out of the room. Hell and damnation if Dane possessed any sense, he would keep his wife locked up in his room and never let her out.

  India felt her face grow warm from the lustful light in the eyes of Dane’s brother before he rushed out of the room. Her gaze went to her husband and saw the knowing smile on his face.

  Dane could understand Traye’s response to his wife’s beauty; he still felt the same way. However, his brother better get over his reaction to her and fast. Not his brothers or any other man would be lusting after his wife.

  Her gaze falling to her plate India’s mouth tightened. Dane’s brother better get over his licentious thoughts quickly. If he didn’t it would make things uncomfortable, and she just might have to clout him over the head until he did.

  After dinner, Dane carried buckets of hot water up to his room so his wife could have a hot bath. When he finished he reluctantly left her alone and rejoined his family in the parlor. However, as they talked about what happened since he’d been away he paid little attention to what they were saying. His thoughts were on his wife he knew would be now having her bath. Suddenly, he stood up. “If you boys don’t mind I’m going up stairs to bed, it’s been a long day.”

  Before anyone could stop him, he hurried out of the room; he took the stairs two at a time. By the time he reached the door of his room, he was already rock hard and erect just thinking about what he would find when he opened the door. With excitement thrumming through his blood, he reached out and opened the door, stepping inside he quickly closed it behind him.

  He looked over at his wife. She was just starting to rise up from the water. Moving further into the room, until he reached her, his eyes devoured every perfect inch of her.

  India just finished her bath when the bedroom door flew open and Dane stepped inside the room. The heat in his eyes made her tremble with anticipation. She remained standing in the tub until he joined her.

  Dane’s hand came out and cupped one of her breasts; he stared down at his hand as he kneaded the damp silken flesh. “Do you know how beautiful and desirable you are sweetheart?” Before she could answer, he bent down, drew the tight nipple inside his mouth, and suckled gently.

  Arching into Dane’s mouth and her hands threading through his hair, India moaned softly as pleasure swam through her blood, sensitizing every inch of her body.

  Dane tore his mouth away from her breast and stepping back, he tore at the buttons on his shirt, once undone, he took it off and tossed it on the floor. He bent over and pulled off his boots, dropping them loudly on the floor, all the while his eyes gloried in his wife’s naked beauty. Straightening up, his hands went to his pants, when they were undone shoved them down and stepped out of them. Now finally naked, he stood proudly before his wife unashamed of the unmistakable proof of his need for her.

  India stood breathlessly and licking her dry lips, she watched as her husband’s nakedness was being revealed to her. Lord, how glorious he is, so powerfully built all hard sinewy muscles. When he finally stood naked, she stepped out of the tub. She reached out and ran a hand down his massive chest, down his flat stomach until she reached his hard protruding arousal. Wrapping her hand around the pulsating length of him, she stroked it up and down. Her hand fell away when she felt herself suddenly swept up in his arms and carried to the bed.

  “Enough woman, God sweetheart it’s been too long, and I’m dying every second I’m not inside of you.” Dane gruffly growled as he laid her down on the bed and half covered her with his body. When she wrapped her arms around him, he kissed her ravenously, he kneed her thighs apart. Reaching down he invaded her moistness with his fingers, wanting to bring her to the same point of hunger he felt burning inside him.

  India arched her hips as she felt Dane’s fingers gently twirling and stroking between her thighs. She sobbed softly as a wave of pleasure rolled through her.

  His mouth lifted from hers, Dane drew in a harsh breath. “That’s it baby join me.” He whispered against the side of her mouth.

  “Oh God Dane, now please, I can’t stand anymore.” India whimpered as she thrust her hips up.

  Dane quickly removed his hand and nudging her thighs further apart, moved between them, his mouth claimed hers again as he thrust into her powerfully and embedded himself fully inside of her.

  When Dane finally sheathed himself in her body, India wrapped herself around him as their tongues danced together in an erotic dance. When he slid further inside of her, she tore her mouth away and cried out as a wave of rapture rushed through her.

  Dane didn’t think he could penetrate his wife any deeper but when she wrapped her legs around his hips, he slid deep within her womb. His roar of ecstasy filled the room. As he continued to thrust into her, he fought against finding his own release. He bought his head down and kissed her voraciously. “Come with me now baby, come with me now.”

  He no sooner finished whispering the words when India felt herself shatter apart, the whirling vortex of rapture that consumed her spun her world.

  Dane felt his wife’s liquid heat surround him, he tossed his head back let out a growl, and as he thrust into her once more he exploded in a maelstrom of unmitigated pleasure. Shuddering, he thrust into her a few more times until his seed completely drained out of him, and he collapsed gently atop of her. Now totally sapped and weakened from the experience, he nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck.

  TWENTY

  When she felt Dane explode hotly against the wall of her womb, India shuddered from the rapture it sent through her. She closed her eyes and held him tightly. She could not believe just how much pleasure this man could give her.

  His breathing no longer labored Dane lifted up; he rolled off his wife and collapsed on the bed next to her. He reached out, placed an arm ar
ound his wife’s waist, and drew her up beside him. When she turned her head and looked up at him, he grinned. “Damn, I think you're trying to kill me sweetheart.”

  India lifted a dark brow. “We can always stop doing it if you’re too weak.”

  Dane gave his wife’s waist a light squeeze. “Not bloody likely.”

  Her soft laughter filling the air, India snuggled closer, a bright smile covered her face as she let her eyes drift shut. For the moment, she felt truly happy knowing that she would not have to leave this wonderful man. And wonderful she came to realize he truly is.

  Down stairs in the parlor, everyone suddenly stopped talking when they heard the muffled sounds coming from upstairs.

  Traye stood up downed his drink and went to pour another.

  “What the hell’s the matter with you?” Reese asked his twin.

  “For God sake, what do you think is wrong with me? Don’t you know what’s going on upstairs?” Traye growled out.

  They all blushed with embarrassment all except Tye who jumped to his feet and looked around confused. Suddenly, they heard Dane let out a loud growl, becoming worried; he took a step about to rush upstairs to make sure nothing happened to his big brother.

  Jesse reached out and grabbed hold of Tye by the collar. “Now where do you think you're going”?

  “Let me go, I gotta make sure she ain’t hurting Dane.” Tye tried to wiggle free.

  Jesse rolled his eyes but kept a tight hold on his squirming little brother. “Listen Tye trust me when I tell you Dane is just fine.”

  “Hey why don’t we all go and sleep in the barn tonight? Tomorrow I recommend that one of us speak to Dane first thing in the morning. Cause I don’t plan to spend the rest of my damn life sleeping in the barn.” Traye set his glass down, no longer interested in having another drink and stomped out of the house.

  The others all looked at each other and after shrugging, they rushed after Traye.

  Later that night Traye turned to his twin and Jesse. “Have either of you taken a good look at Dane’s wife?”

  “What in the hell are you talking about Traye? Of course we’ve looked at her.” Reese grumbled.

  “What are you getting at Traye?” Jesse asked curious to hear what he Traye wanted to say.

  “Well I got a real good look at her when I found her down at the river. I thought she was a real beauty then but when I looked at her at the dinner table, I can now understand why Dane wanted to marry her so badly.” Traye hoped his brothers wouldn’t guess exactly what he really felt.

  Jesse frowned thoughtfully. “Well now I admit even though I looked at her I didn’t take much notice. What about you Reese?”

  “Hell I was too mad to look at her, but now if Traye reckons she’s mighty pretty I think I’ll just take me a real good look in the morning. Now if we’re finished yammering about Dane’s wife, can we get some sleep?” He grouched.

  When he noticed his wife sleeping soundly, Dane shifted her gently out of his arms and slipped off the bed. He moved over to the tub and sunk down into the now cold water, leaning back his head; he closed his eyes and let a smile play over his lips. He felt just so damn happy and so relieved. It would have killed him to leave his brothers. Well, it never came down to such a decision thank God.

  He knew it would probably take time for his brother’s to accept his wife. He chuckled, thinking that it might also take his wife time to accept his brothers. She definitely would not make it easy for them. Lord what a day. First, there was the fight in town and then the ugly scene at home. He shook his head wondering why his wife agreed to stay with him at all; he wouldn’t have blamed her if she demanded that he let her return home.

  Well, she hadn’t and he could only be damn grateful she didn’t. He would have found it nearly impossible to let her go. Opening his eyes he let out a yawn, quickly sitting up he reached for the soap and started to wash himself. Tomorrow, no doubt, would be another hectic day, and he didn’t doubt that there would be some upset or argument.

  It definitely would not be easy for his brothers to have a woman living with them after so long and there would no doubt be some clashes. He chuckled again as he thought how his brothers were going to react to his wife’s stubbornness. They would probably want to wring her beautiful neck, but he knew they would never lay a finger on her.

  Finished with his bath, he laid the soap down on the small table beside the tub and rose up on his feet. Picking up a towel he stepped out of the tub and wrapped it around his hips, his gaze went to the bed, and he let out a disappointed sigh. No matter how much he wanted to make love to his wife again, he wouldn’t. She is probably exhausted after what she faced today, he would let her sleep and wait until morning to make love to her again.

  As dawn’s light started filling the room, Dane woke his wife with gentle caresses and kisses, now having her laying over him. He shifted her so that she straddled his hips. He lifted his head up and kissed her hotly. “Ride me sweetheart.” He whispered as he shifted her again and he slid inside her hot tight sheath.

  Abruptly India came awake the moment her husband’s mouth started suckling at her breast, when he fully embedded himself inside her, she moaned softly. Placing her hands on his chest, she sat up and lifted herself up. She then brought herself down on his hard throbbing flesh buried inside her. Moaning again, she stopped thinking and gave herself up to the overwhelming pleasure spreading through her.

  The need to clench his jaw when his wife started moving, he could feel himself so close to exploding and fought desperately to hold it back. When he found some control, he reached up, cupped both her breasts in his hands, and squeezed them gently.

  India, now unable to hold herself under control, let herself ride the waves of rapture washing through her every time she slid up and down the length of him. Her nails dug into the hard flesh of his chest, arching her head back, her gasps of pleasure filled the room as she rode him faster.

  Continuing to play with her breasts, Dane watched his wife as she rode him hard and fast. He knew he couldn’t control himself any longer. Letting go of her breasts, his hands spanned her ribs, and he rolled her over until she now lay beneath him. As his mouth claimed hers in a hot desperate kiss, he drove into with one powerful thrust after another.

  India didn’t object when her husband changed positions. After his bone-shattering kiss, she cried out as she felt herself being tossed and rolled on a wave of overwhelming ecstasy that she felt close to fainting.

  As soon as he felt his wife tighten around him and her heat surround him, Dane let go of his control and erupted in an earth-shaking climax. After undulating a few more times, he rolled off her and collapsed on the bed beside her, shaken to his very core. He flung an arm over his eyes and drew in long shaky breathes as he tried to think of what just happened to him. However, his mind completely mush he could not put a single thought together.

  He let his arms slide away and peeked over at his wife, he grinned when he saw her once again asleep. Rolling over on his side he gathered her up and cuddled her close, he closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the side of her head. His wife is definitely going to kill him, he thought with amusement, but he didn’t care at least he would die a very, very happy man.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Quickly washing and dressing, India still wore a bright happy smile. She gazed at herself in the mirror and her smile died as she thought about what waited for her down stairs. No doubt, the next few weeks were going to be a trial until Danes brothers accepted her. Well no matter how nasty or mean they were going to be, they were not going to be rid of her. Not now, she was here to stay.

  Her shoulder’s squaring with determination; she lifted her chin and turned away from the mirror. She left the room determined to prove to Dane’s brothers that she is a worthy wife for him. When she entered the parlor, she stopped just in the doorway as several pairs of eyes speared her with animosity. Good Lord what is wrong with them now? She glared back before she turned to Dane, who stood
looking at her pleadingly.

  She noticed the high color on his face and wondered why he looked so embarrassed. Her gaze swung back to the others. With her chin held high in the air, she moved across the room and went to stand beside her husband. Once she reached him, she turned to gaze up at him. “Is there something wrong?” she whispered.

  Jesse cleared his throat, he could not stop staring at Dane’s wife the moment she entered the room. Holy hell, he thought, feeling a little uncomfortable, he turned away. “Come on boys it’s time we went to work.” Quickly he picked up his hat and hurried out of the room before he embarrassed himself.

  Traye and Tuff followed Jesse just as quickly but as Mason and Tye went to leave, Dane spoke up. “Mason, Tye stay where you are.” He never answered his wife’s question; he felt embarrassed and wanted to speak to her when they were alone.

  Mason turned to his older brother and grimaced. “Ah heck Dane why do we have to stay home?”

  “Yeah, why can’t we go with the others?” Tye asked but he didn’t mind he would much rather stay with Dane.

  “Because you both will be helping me, that’s why. Now run along and wait for me outside.” Dane answered and once the boys left, he turned and eyed Reese with suspicion wondering why he was still here. He let out an irritating sigh when he saw him eyeing India intently. He turned and took a quick glance at his wife and saw that she was also aware of his brother’s scrutiny as well.

  Now that everyone left Reese sauntered over to Dane and his wife, standing in front of her, he looked her over from head to toe. After he finished his slow inspection, he let out a whistle of appreciation. “Well I’ll be damned. You sure are pretty. I got to hand it to you big brother you sure know how to pick em.” Once again, his eyes traveled over her face and his smile dying, he frowned. “Hey now what’s that bruise on her face? You ain’t being rough with her are you Dane?”