Still, after all her mercenary considerations as to why she wanted to marry him, one primary consideration reigned supreme. In the little time she’d spent with Micah, she discovered she liked him very much. He was personable, funny, and interesting. That he also possessed a fabulous body that took her to levels of ecstasy she’d never imagined was a real plus. Indeed, since she’d been with Micah, she wondered about all the women she knew who had hinted at the chore of having to perform their marital duty. How could such pleasure be considered a duty? In contrast, Siobhan instigated their coupling almost as often as Micah did.
On shore, two men approached each other, smiling, with arms outstretched. They looked enough alike to be brothers, and she immediately thought of Andrew and Micah.
Micah expressed surprise when they discovered the morning after their wedding night that Andrew had left for California with no warning or explanation. Siobhan had an inkling of what spurred Andrew’s rapid exit from Boston. In the library she had purposely brushed his erection, so close and not really hidden under his long, finely made robe. He had stood at the side of the chair and leaned over to see the map in the book. His scent, so like Micah’s, but different, enveloped her and her breath had quickened. Already she recognized the signs her body gave that signaled it would welcome mating. And there was Andrew, her husband, yet not, erect and ready for her.
Andrew’s member was powerful and large. Her fingers skimmed the length of it. Her touch had made him tremble. And then he left, practically running for the door. The next morning he had departed. Coincidence? Siobhan thought not.
The picture she’d formed walking down the aisle, of her and the two men, had remained lodged in her imagination like a tick on a hound. And she didn’t know why. It wasn’t as though Micah didn’t satisfy her every desire, both in bed and out. He brought her to climax whenever they came together, and in every other instance he was the soul of attention. What could adding Andrew to the mix gain her?
That’s what I want to know.
She sighed. That was her problem. She thought she deserved the best and no matter how happy she was, she worried that the elusive “best” was something else. Would she ever be truly content with life?
You have to make yourself happy, not rely on others to do it. Her mother’s voice sounded in her head, clear as a bell. She’d been a child when her mother died, but she’d said that expression so frequently, Siobhan was surprised she had forgotten it until now.
“Thank you, Mama,” she murmured. She would do it. In California she would strive to make herself happy by helping Andrew and Micah in their enterprise in any way possible. Their success spelled her success. There would be a way. She would find it.
For the first time since hearing the news about their changed dreams, Siobhan felt at peace. And even—she smiled—somewhat…happy.
* * * *
Micah sat on a barrel and sketched his wife standing at the steamboat’s railing. The ship’s crew had pulled up the gangway, and they were leaving the levee to find the Missouri River channel which provided the greatest safety for ships on the ever-changing waterway. Siobhan had wanted to travel by ship to Omaha before boarding a train and then coach, which would carry them the remaining distance to San Francisco. Micah didn’t particularly enjoy being on the water, but he could deny Siobhan nothing.
They had been stopped at a Missouri town called Brompton, one of many towns across the state where the ship docked, making the trip seem twice as long as it need be. To pass the time, Micah picked up his old hobby, drawing.
He studied the piece of scrap paper on his thigh and stroked a few lines, making Siobhan’s dress seem real, full of creases, shadows, and texture.
“Oh!”
Siobhan’s call made him look up. She had stiffened, grasping the railing and leaning forward as though attracted by something on shore. He rushed to her side.
“What is it?” Her delicate cheeks, usually full of color, had paled.
“I thought I saw Anya, my sister.”
“Where?” She pointed toward the shore and a street leading inland from the levee. The area teemed with people. Micah saw no one to whom Siobhan referred.
The ship had begun to move. “Do you want me to see if there is some way to go back?”
She hesitated as the dock fell farther and farther behind them. “No. It couldn’t be her. She’s with her husband in Atlanta.”
“Perhaps you’ve become too warm. Let’s go on the upper deck where there’s more of a breeze and decent chairs.” Micah took her arm and led her up the ladder to an area more suited for passengers. They settled into chairs before speaking again.
“Tell me about your sister,” he began, “and why you thought the woman you saw on shore resembled her.”
“I have two sisters you haven’t met. Regan, the oldest, married a few years ago against father’s will. He cut her off but, stubborn woman, she didn’t let that stop her. She and her husband headed West to Oregon. He died along the way.”
“I’m sorry.”
“He was a dreamer and not at all suited for practical Regan, but love truly is blind, I suppose. She did find another husband. One of his friends came to see us a while back to let us know that she was well and had had a child.”
“But it’s not Regan you thought you saw.”
“No. Anya was bullied by our father into marrying a man twice her age. Shortly after the wedding, he moved her to Atlanta and we’ve scarcely heard from her since. Maire said something about a strange letter arriving a month or two ago, but told me nothing more, Truthfully, I have been so consumed with wedding plans that I hardly had time to think of anything else.
“But the woman I saw in that town resembled Anya greatly.” She waved her hand. “Of course it can’t be her. My imagination is running away with me over all of these changes in our lives.”
She hadn’t complained or expressed disappointment since first hearing about their move. He admired that about her. Though he had thought her pleasant company during their courtship, he found he really liked being with her now. Siobhan would be an accomplished hostess for their business contacts. But she was also kind and caring to others and an attentive companion. He enjoyed being with her.
“Enjoy” seemed so bland a word, when his body responded to a mere touch of her hand. That she was a tigress in bed only added to his deepening regard. “You have been most understanding of our change of fortune, Siobhan, and I appreciate it. I know a move to California is not what you expected.”
She shrugged. “I do get upset over things sometimes, but my nature is to find how to solve problems, not cry over them.” She gave him a smile, like a million dazzling diamonds when the sun reflected off the Charles River. “You should know,” she continued, “that when I make my mind up, I rarely fail to get what I want.”
He smiled back. “I think I have that figured out.”
“I’ve told you about Regan and Anya. Tell me about your brothers.”
He debated what to say. He truly did not care for Stephen very much, but his dislike had no basis. “To tell the truth, I don’t know Stephen very well. He’s nine years younger than Andrew and me.”
“I don’t like him.”
Micah laughed at her honest assessment, yet another thing he liked about her. He would never wonder where he stood with her. “Neither do I, but I feel a little guilty saying it.”
“Why? We have no choice in our families. Just because we’re stuck with someone doesn’t mean we’re required to like them.”
He chuckled and looked out at the passing scenery. “That’s true. I hope you don’t ever think you’re stuck with me, Siobhan.”
“I doubt I will. I truly like you, Micah. You and I will always be good friends, I think.”
Good friends? Yes. Lasting, happy marriages have started with much less.
“I really like Andrew, too,” she said softly. Something in the way she said it made him turn to face her. If he could have, he would have taken out paper
and pencil to sketch her expression, pensive, yet alive with feeling. The way she often looked when they started foreplay and he touched her quim.
“Do you? If you also like me…” He relaxed at the tender smile that lit her face.
Then she raised her brows. “Are you fishing for compliments, sir? Didn’t I just tell you that I do like you, very much.”
“Then it makes sense that you would feel the same toward Drew. He’s much more than a brother. He’s…It’s hard to explain. We share a persona.” Micah stared into space, trying to find the right words. “Father said he wouldn’t put a continent between us. That’s why he sent Drew to run the office. It angered Andrew to be ordered to change his life, but I daresay he would have come on his own within a few months. It’s as though we’re attached somehow, as though we need each other to be whole.” He laughed, a strained sound to his ears. “That sounds stupid, I know.”
“It doesn’t actually. You complement each other. You are impulsive, artistic. You have a flair for life. Andrew is far more serious, taking care that each decision is absolutely the best. You would keep the accounting books in colored pencil whereas I’d wager that Andrew ensures each figure is lined up precisely, in black ink.”
Micah’s mouth fell open. When had she gained such insight? “You’re exactly right. We’re the half the other needs to complete him. I believe, Siobhan, that you might be my soul mate, but Drew completes my soul.”
She turned her head to watch the shoreline. “Do you share things?”
Again he studied her. There seemed more to her question than the stated words. “Such as?”
“Well…” Eyes averted, she stopped and licked her lips. Her hands twisted in her lap. “Nothing. Never mind.”
It hit him like a lightning bolt. He leaned toward her and whispered, “Do you wonder if we ever shared a woman?”
Still not meeting his gaze, she nodded.
“Before our matriculation at Harvard, father took us to a brothel in town, a gentleman’s club, which he frequented, I suppose. It was our introduction to manhood, he said. There we met a particularly talented girl who enjoyed having two men at once. So yes, we have. Why do you wonder?”
“Did you like it?”
God damn! He took a deep breath, contemplating the reasoning behind her question. The woman never said or did what he expected, and this conversation was just the latest example. Why did she want to know if he and Drew liked sharing a woman? The germ of an idea took root in his mind and then became clear. She wants to experience it herself, the little vixen.
Micah shook his head. Until the morning of the wedding, he’d thought he was marrying a biddable, sweet Southern girl. Then he’d discovered she was more tigress than kitten. How was he so damn lucky? He’d give up a kitten any day for the likes of the wild cat before him now, who wanted to ask if he would share her with his brother, but didn’t know.
“Most men like being inside a woman, in whatever way they can. Two men at once lends an extra level of excitement if all parties agree.”
Siobhan sat quietly. He crossed his legs and waited for a response of some sort.
“Would you…I mean, assuming the situation ever arose…Do you think you could ever…” She huffed a breath. “You could help me a little.”
He snorted out a laugh. “You rarely have trouble asking for anything, sweetheart. I want you to say it. What situation do you think might arise?”
She faced him then. The days of traveling had served the purpose of allowing them familiarity. Her green eyes blazed with passion, and he knew in an instant he was right. Did she know enough about sex to imagine herself sandwiched between Drew and him? His cock jumped to attention because even if she didn’t know enough, he did.
“I think we should go to our cabin.” She dropped her gaze, avoiding the previous subject.
He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head back, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Aren’t you enjoying the fresh air?”
Fire flared in her eyes. “I believe I’m overly warm. Removing some clothing may relieve my heat.” Her voice was so low, he strained to hear her.
Her breath was uneven as she leaned over to press her lips to his. He sensed the heaving of her chest, the passion just below the surface. She was the most sensitive woman he’d ever known, always wanting, always ready, full of heat. He loved that about her. Whatever fate had brought them together, he gave thanks. They suited each other exactly.
“I need to feel you inside me. Deep, deep inside me,” she whispered.
“Lucky for both of us, I need the same thing.” Standing, he took her hand and helped her up. “But Siobhan, we haven’t finished. I’m waiting for your question.”
She sucked in a breath. Her tongue peeked from between her teeth to wet her lips, lips he would be kissing senseless in a few minutes. He felt her excitement, her desire.
Yes, they did indeed suit perfectly.
Chapter Five
Days later, the train rumbled along the tracks, swaying to and fro in a relaxing, almost sensual rhythm. On either side of the tracks lay green meadows interspersed with rocky outcroppings and rushing, sparkling rivers. California truly did seem to be the golden state, with sunshine flooding the land. She breathed deeply. Despite her despair at having to leave all of her plans, she might actually like it out here. One thing she had learned on this journey was that Boston and the east was old world. This was fresh and new. A good place to start a marriage. A great place to begin a business.
Their time had flown by. At Kansas City, they disembarked from the riverboat in order to stroll the streets. She was astounded to see fine fashion and electric lights at the same time cowboys barreled down the streets on horseback. When they continued on board toward Omaha where they changed to rail, the land flattened and woodlands changed to pasture and farmland.
The train compartment was far more comfortable than she had thought it would be. There was room to move around, a small toilet provided a place to freshen up, and their beds fell down from the wall. The dining car provided delicious meals and delightful views. And the jerky movements of the train provided an additional stimulus during lovemaking. Unconsciously, she stroked her hands over her belly and along the tops of her thighs. Sex with Micah had exceeded everything she’d ever imagined.
West of Omaha, the terrain changed from very flat to hilly, with tall grasses waving in the wind, to barren and rocky in the Wyoming territory. Buffalo grazed near the tracks in the western regions and snowcapped mountains—even in summer—could be seen in the distance. Was this the same terrain Regan traveled on her trek? It fascinated Siobhan.
Past Salt Lake City, in the Utah territory, they entered the flats. One of the train conductors explained that the flatland was covered in salt. He also said that the mountains that appeared so close were actually many miles away, a trick of the light and flatness of the terrain.
Having passed through Nevada, they climbed into the mountains once more, though not the softly rounded, tree-covered hills she knew so well in North Carolina. The wild and rocky vistas of the California mountains took her breath away. Snow lay on the ground just off the tracks, but when the train exited the peaks, a rich, green valley spread out before them.
Micah jolted her from her reverie when he came into the compartment. “The conductor said we should be in Oakland early tomorrow morning,” Micah said. “Drew will meet us with a carriage.”
She stretched, feeling like a cat ready to escape her cage and expend some energy with a long run. She watched Micah as he removed his jacket and then his collar. He sank into the chair across a small table that folded down from the wall. She enjoyed it when he relaxed like this, when they could talk and laugh and not worry about presenting an appearance. Once they arrived in San Francisco and he began his position as vice president of Berwick Transport, they might find time like this a treat instead of the norm.
“This has been a remarkable trip but I’m ready to settle into our new home,” she s
aid.
“I have enjoyed the journey, also.” He quirked his brows. “Especially the nights.”
She had, too. Like last night, when he’d pinned her hands over her head and licked his way from her throat to her pussy—she called it that now, for that’s how Micah referred to it in his most passionate moments. Helpless to do anything except writhe with pleasure, she attained a new climax, a soaring finish to an hour’s play.
“When you open the new office, I do hope you will find time in your busy day for your wife.”
“I will always find time for my wife, you can be assured.”
She smiled and lowered her eyes. “That makes her very happy.”
“And would you like to know why?”
Compliments always pleased Siobhan. “Of course.”
“Because she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Her eyes are as green as the California fields before us. Her body is as perfect as Venus’. Her nipples are like the peaks of the mountains we just passed through, and the globes of flesh they top are soft and full. Her pussy is always wet for me, and when I lap at her cream her taste fills my senses. Deep in her recesses I find peace and comfort and the heat of a passionate woman who enjoys my fucking.”
Oh, my! She stood and moved before him. He spread his knees so she could get closer. “You’re wrong, Micah, I don’t enjoy your fucking.”
For a moment he looked confused and then distraught.
“I love your fucking.” Warmth filled his gaze, and his nostrils flared. She traced his lips with her finger. “I crave it. I love the feeling of your cock in my pussy. I love the taste of my juice on your lips after you’ve kissed me down there. I love the fire we generate.”
“I love you, Siobhan.” He said it quietly.
The enormity of his words made her want to cry because she couldn’t return the sentiment. Love was not the purpose of their marriage, though it stunned her to realize how fond of Micah she had become, how she had already started to rely on his being there, whether to talk with, to share vistas, or to laugh. It frightened her sometimes when she thought of how much she enjoyed being with him.
Jenna Stewart Page 4