by Reece Butler
He pressed his finger in her bottom. She gasped and choked. It was a lot bigger than the one Jed used. He held it there while he slid his cock into her pussy, stretching and filling her. He went all the way in, knowing Jed had already warmed her up. His long cock nudged that spot, and she quivered. He reached forward and fondled her right breast.
“You want more of that?”
She tightened her muscles around him in answer. He groaned and pulled back, setting a rhythm that stroked that spot with each thrust. He kept his finger busy, imitating the same movement, but barely past her ring. There was so much feeling in that one small spot that almost everything else disappeared.
“Harder,” she begged. “Faster.”
Clint grabbed her right thigh with his hand and sped up. He went deep and pulled almost out, slamming against her hard and fast. His finger thrust in and out. She reached between her legs and found her clit. She caught it between her fingers and fluttered it. She was almost—yes!
Her pussy spasmed around him. She slammed back, meeting his thrusts just as hard. He kept on going, again and again. Another orgasm burst, fast on top of the other.
“Oh, yes!”
He growled, pumped once more, and then erupted wildly, twitching and shaking. He wrapped his arms around her, resting his head beside hers on the mattress. They both fought to breathe. Sparkles floated past her closed eyes. Her brain hissed like light rain on a pond. Her pussy throbbed, stroking the cock still deep inside her.
“If that didn’t make us a baby,” said Clint, “I don’t know what will.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Tell me again why I have to go with you.”
Victoria couldn’t help pouting as she sat beside Trace in the Elliott wagon the next morning. Ross rode alongside. They arrived right after breakfast, insisting she come with them. Beth insisted it wasn’t right for a bride to live with her future husbands in the days before her wedding.
“When Beth gets that look in her eye,” said Trace in his gravelly voice, “we just say, ‘yes, ma’am,’ and do what she says. It’s better for everyone.”
Ross kneed his horse closer. “When you were a little girl, did you dream about your wedding? How you’d wear a fancy dress and walk down the aisle of a church with everyone smiling at you?”
A bitter laugh escaped before she could hold it back. She didn’t have time for dreams, especially impossible ones.
“I take it that means no,” continued Ross. “Though I hear most girls do that.”
“I might as well get this out right now,” she said bitterly. “I’m the daughter of a mistress and her patron, a man whose name I don’t even know. I learned quite young that men would want me, but no one would ever marry me.”
Ross got a thoughtful look. Trace’s only reaction was a lifted eyebrow. Expecting shock and rejection, she tried to enjoy the beautiful spring morning. Snow still topped the mountains, and wildflowers bloomed up and down the hills. She spotted the crisp white, tan, and black of an antelope. They were so pretty, and she loved seeing them bound on the rocky hills.
“After you get hitched on Friday, the only name that’ll matter is Victoria, Mrs. Jed Adams,” said Trace quietly. “Nobody needs to know anything more, unless you want to tell ’em.”
She held her head high and looked into his eyes. They were almost black. Smile wrinkles creased the outside corners.
“I hear things’re different out East,” he continued. “But this is a territory. We judge you by what you do, not who you used to be.” He nodded as if the discussion was closed. “Beth wants to give you a decent wedding, and I’d appreciate it if you let her. She didn’t get much of one with me. The gals managed to get Jessie into a dress for her wedding, but it was touch and go for a bit. If you can act even a bit excited, you’ll make Beth happy.”
“And one thing a smart husband learns right off,” added Ross, “is to keep his wife happy. That’s why you’ll let Amelia help you choose a dress for your special day.”
“But—”
“She brought boxes and boxes of the things with her, and they take up a lot of room in the bunkhouse,” complained Ross. “Amelia sells them, but there’s not a lot of women your size. Since I hear you didn’t bring much with you, please take as many as fit.”
She couldn’t believe the large, dark-skinned warrior, a known killer, was pleading with her to let herself be dressed by his wife. It was true about Victoria’s size. Beth and Florence were tall and a bit rounded. Amelia and Jessie were petite. The only other single woman of marriageable age, Sarah Unsworth, was far too thin and six inches shorter. Mary Barstow, the sheriff’s wife, had an even more rounded figure, but she was shorter as well. Lily already had her wedding dress, and so did Rosa, since they’d been planning for a while. She had three ugly work dresses.
“You want me to act all girlish and excited about this wedding?”
Ross nodded, and Trace grunted.
“But I’ve never been that way in my life, nor did I want to.” Cecilia acted that way with men. It turned Victoria’s stomach to see how her sister and even mother would act one way with the men, and then turn into bitter witches.
“Maybe it’s time you tried it,” said Trace. “Most of the women here haven’t had the best time of it. Helping someone else enjoy a bit of pleasure makes them feel better.”
“Who knows,” added Ross. “You might find a part of yourself that you never knew was in you. Wouldn’t that be nice for your men, to see you laughing like a girl?”
Laugh? She couldn’t remember doing so before arriving at the J Bar C. She blinked back tears and rolled her lips over her teeth and pressed them together to stop a cry escaping. She never laughed, or cried. The excitement of the upcoming weddings must really be affecting her. Either that, or the kindness of the two men.
“No tears,” declared Trace. Ross grunted his agreement.
“It’s just that no one’s ever been this nice to me before. I mean, Jed, Clint, and Riley are very good to me, but you don’t even know me.”
“You stood up to Smythe, ready to sacrifice yourself to save our families. That’s more than enough for me,” said Ross.
“You’ll be part of the valley family come Friday,” said Trace. He smiled, transforming his face from gruff to welcoming. “Who knows. Someday you might have a daughter who’ll end up marrying my son James, or one of Ross’s twins. We’d really be family then, as we’d be sharing grandkids.”
The thought stunned her. She’d thought of having a tiny baby, one who needed her. A grown child, ready to marry, was far beyond her. She was just realizing that she would be having a wedding beyond anything she could have dreamed of. It was far too soon to think of grandchildren!
Ross chuckled. “I think it’s best if the lady thinks about her wedding first, Trace. The thought of my three-month-old hellions surviving long enough to learn to read is more than I can handle right now.” He whistled. The flapping of huge wings blew air at Victoria as the two ravens riding at the back of the wagon rose into the sky. “I’ll tell Amelia you’ll be over with Beth later to try on dresses.”
“Bridie and Meggie will love a chance to help,” said Trace. “They’re already planning every part of their wedding except the groom. I have the final say about who marries my girls.”
His grin was feral and wild. Victoria could see Jed being the same if they had a daughter one day.
“I pity the men who want to court Hope,” said Ross with a laugh. “I can see Gillis standing behind them the whole time, claymore in hand.” He waved and rode on.
Trace turned the wagon up a well-used road. “Since the girls are with Amelia, you’ll have a bed to yourself.” He broke into an amused smile. “Enjoy the next few nights. It’ll be a week of Sundays before you’ll be sleeping alone again.”
Victoria was still blushing when they arrived in front of the largest home she’d seen since Virginia City. A verandah ran across the entire front of the home, which faced south. Its roof was t
he floor for the balcony above. Four steps led up to the verandah. The door at the top of the steps was open.
Beth came out, a small baby over her shoulder. Her smile was so welcoming and eager that Victoria couldn’t have denied the woman anything. She was the first of the valley women to marry and already had two children, by two different fathers.
“Oh, I’m so glad you could come for a visit,” Beth said.
Trace helped Victoria down. Her feet were a bit unsteady after the jolting ride, so Trace insisted on helping her up the steps. He took the baby from Beth and held it out to Victoria.
“Sit in the rocker and hold Lily for a moment so I can kiss my wife. Please.”
“I don’t know how,” said Victoria.
She sat, and Trace showed her how to press Lily against her shoulder. The little one didn’t even stir. Victoria inhaled the wonderful smell of sweet, clean baby. This time she could understand her tears. She hesitantly relaxed against the back of the rocker and made it move. She held her breath as Lily made sucking motions with her mouth. After a moment, the baby settled again.
She closed her eyes, blushing at the sounds Beth and Trace made, and rocked a baby for the first time. She was going to be married in a lovely ceremony, wearing a new dress, surrounded by new friends. In a year or so, she might be rocking her own baby on her own verandah. Perhaps the men could put a roof over the south side of the house. She’d face the mountains rather than the road, but that would be glorious.
“Keep on rocking,” said Beth breathlessly after Trace walked away. He left the wagon behind.
Victoria opened her eyes. Beth’s blonde hair was loose, a few strands dropping over one eye. Whoever had buttoned her dress back up had missed one or two. She flushed and returned her attention to the small bundle lying on her chest.
“Drat that man,” said Beth, though she laughed as she said it. “He did up my buttons wrong on purpose.” The baby suddenly squawked. Victoria stopped moving, thinking she’d done something wrong. Beth sat in the rocker next to Victoria and, instead of doing herself up, opened her dress again.
“Hand the little piggy over to me. She wants to eat. Again!”
Victoria carefully passed over the precious bundle. Lily immediately began rooting at Beth’s breast. Victoria watched, fascinated, as Lily latched on and began to eagerly suckle.
“Not too familiar with babies?”
Victoria pulled her eyes away from the baby patting her mother’s breast. “I’m sorry for being so rude. I’ve never seen a baby nurse before.”
“Bet you’ve watched a man or three do it, though.”
Victoria’s blush deepened, making Beth laugh.
“Did Trace tell you that we want to make your wedding special?” Beth waited for Victoria’s nod. “I didn’t tell him this because he’s a man, but it’s also to make it special for Jed, Clint, and Riley. If a woman goes from a man’s bed to a wedding ceremony, and then right back to that bed, men don’t realize how important it is to a woman.”
“I never really thought about that.” Victoria shrugged. “I was just so happy to be getting married properly.”
“Who do you want to give you away?”
Victoria shook her head. “I never thought about that either. In fact, I’ve never been to a wedding, and know very little about them.” She leaned toward Beth and did what Trace asked her to do. “Why don’t you tell me what you think I should do?” She could always turn down a suggestion if it was too wild. Beth’s delighted smile was worth putting up with a few inconveniences.
“Lily and Rosa are refusing to have someone give them away because they’ve lived alone so long. Walt Chamberlain will escort them down the aisle but he’s only got two arms. I thought you could ask someone else.”
“Do you think your husband would do it for me? Trace, I mean. Jed and his cousins respect him a lot.”
“He would never let on, but he’ll be very pleased.” Beth nodded. “Since you’ll be coming from his home, it fits well. Daniel Thompson MacDougal is going to carry the rings. He’s eleven. Bridie and Meggie will be helping Sophie McLeod and Sarah Unsworth with the food. Auntie and Sunbird should be home tomorrow, so the girls will be coming back. They’re so helpful, and I’ve missed their chatter.” Beth lifted Lily to her shoulder and patted her back. A large burp erupted.
“Goodness!” Victoria drew back in surprise, making Beth laugh. “I never knew tiny babies could do that. How will I be able to take care of one if I know nothing about it?”
“We’ll make sure you have lots of practice before you have one of your own. Jessie and Florence are the same. Neither of them had anything to do with babies.” She patted Lily again. “That’s a great reason for us women to get together without our husbands getting too close to our fun. And speaking of fun, Lily is six weeks old. That means I can start having fun again.”
Beth winked suggestively, helping Victoria realize what she meant. Of course a woman would need time to heal after having a baby. With the two teenage girls away, her own visit was at a terrible time.
“I’m sorry, I’m interrupting your—”
“No, you’re not.” Beth waved her concerns away. “You’ve already had one wedding, so we expect you can’t be shocked. If we get too hot for you, your bedroom is off the kitchen. Feel free to go in and close the door. Since the girls are due back tomorrow, I hope you’re a heavy sleeper.”
Victoria thought of the things she’d enjoyed in the privacy of their own home. Her ears burned.
“Actually,” she said, “I’ve been very tired lately. I expect I’ll be heading to sleep right after supper and won’t come out until morning.”
“Whether that’s true or not, we’ll appreciate it. Once that door’s closed the men will forget you exist. And I don’t embarrass very easily.”
Beth moved Lily to nurse on the other breast.
“Trace will be back in about ten minutes, conveniently after I’ve changed Simon’s daughter. Then we’ll go to Amelia’s. He’ll bring a horse so he can come back before us. One of the MacDougal men will make sure we get back fine.” She rolled her eyes. “I usually drive myself, but something spooked them the other day. Clint and Jed rode in here pretending to be calm but itching like they had red ants in their pockets. Trace and Ross refused to say what it was about, but headed to town after lunch. They said we have to be extra careful until the wedding.” She burped Lily again. “You know anything about that?”
“Smythe tried to blackmail me into marrying him by threatening the women of the valley.” Victoria didn’t want Beth to know who was threatened. It was best to keep it general, rather than scare the girls. “I understand Ross and Trace used threats to convince him to leave.”
“Oh,” said Beth, nodding in understanding. “That would explain why Ross threw all his knives at the barn. Trace must have made him remove them before saying what it was about.”
“I hadn’t had a chance to speak with him until today,” said Victoria. “He seems kind, but I can see that he could easily turn deadly if his family were threatened. So could Jed, though Clint would think things through first. Riley might fly off the handle and bull his way in.”
Beth stood up with Lily. “If you’d like to freshen up, help yourself to the kitchen. The privy’s out behind. And you’re right about Ross. Did he introduce you to his ravens?”
Victoria nodded.
“That means you’re considered family. Ross will protect you, as long as it doesn’t put his own family in danger. Nevin can be just as deadly, but few people see that side of him. He learned to appear to be jolly, while Ross had to be feared in order to be safe. I love them both as brothers, as I do Gillis.” She laughed, jiggling Lily. “I just can’t see sweet, tiny Amelia handling three such large, deadly men, but she has them wrapped around her little finger.”
“Ross said something about a smart husband keeps his wife happy.”
“He’s right,” said Beth. She winked. “Maybe he’ll tell your husbands the same thing
.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jed Adams kissed his new bride for the second time. It was the first for this wedding, but how many men get to marry a beautiful woman twice within a few weeks? Victoria had one bed waiting for her, two weddings to celebrate, and three husbands to share herself with.
He’d barely gotten started on the kiss when Clint elbowed him out of the way. He stepped back, gracious in defeat. At least he was gracious in public. As soon as they got her alone, they had major plans. They’d gone without Victoria for four days. More than once his cousins stopped him from riding over to the Rocking E and hauling Victoria home. The first time he was stopped on the road by Luke Frost of the Circle C. Luke said he was jealous that, once again, someone else had scooped up a bride from under his nose. He had forcefully explained to Jed what would happen if he, or his partners, found any of the J Bar C men trying to get to Victoria before their wedding.
The second time he’d snuck across the Double Diamond at night. This time it was a woman who found him. Jessie chased him home, whooping and snapping her bull whip after him. Worse than being sent home by Luke with a hard cock between his legs was having a woman do it!
After that he put his frustrations into work, like Clint and Riley had done from the start. Trace had stopped by and suggested they build a covered sunny place to rock a baby, since he saw how much Victoria enjoyed rocking Lily. That got them building a cradle. Jed ordered a rocking chair from Patsy Tanner at the mercantile. The big tub he’d ordered after their first wedding had arrived, so he brought that home. Riley got the idea to put the tub on the new porch and bathe Victoria outside. That way if they splashed climbing in with her, there wouldn’t be a mess to clean up.
“Do you like Victoria’s wedding gown?”
Beth Elliott smirked at Jed. She was only two inches shorter and was not known for holding her opinion to herself. Jed glanced again at the dress which had almost stopped his heart. It was somewhere between blue and green, silky and shining. The neck was tight but it was cut out, exposing her upper chest and thrusting breasts. She must be wearing a corset underneath, because her breasts didn’t jiggle the way he enjoyed so much, and her waist was smaller. Her hips flared out and, though others might wonder if she wore a bustle to make the back of her dress stick out, he knew under her dress was nothing but woman. His woman.