Capital Bride (6 page)

His arm closed around her, bringing her closer, flattening her breasts against him.

“This isn’t so bad, is it? You’re warmer now?”

“Yes, this is nice and I am warmer.” She draped her arm across his belly, then started to run her fingers through the soft curly hair on his chest. There wasn’t a lot, just a dusting.

His hand went to her butt. He caressed her then moved up her side. Gently, he pushed her back onto the bed and away from his body. Lowering his head he gave her a kiss. “So soft.” He murmured.

She closed her eyes and kissed him back. The ache between her legs got more intense.

He moved his lips to her neck and then worked his way lower finally stopping at her breast.

“You have the most beautiful breasts. See how your nipples pebble for me. Begging for my mouth. Never let it be said that I made a woman beg.” With those words he lowered his mouth to her nipple and laved it with his tongue.

Her head fell back into the willow fresh pillow and she arched her back to get him closer.
 

He raised his head, her nipple popping out of his mouth. “Like that do you?”

“God, yes.” She felt moisture between her legs and wanted him to come into her and ease the ache that built more intensely with each of his ministrations.

Chuckling he turned his attention to her other nipple. He suckled and gently bit it.
 

She nearly came off the bed. The pleasure wonderful. She crushed his head to her with both her hands. Her feet rubbed along his naked, well muscled thighs

He lifted his head and let go of her nipple with a delicious pop and then worked his way down her body, circling her belly button with his tongue and then stabbing it.

She could barely breathe, and then he was there, where she wanted him, nudging her legs apart.

“Look how much you want me,” he said and smiled up at her. Then he dropped his head between her legs and his tongue was on her.

“Oh my God. John!” Pleasure streaked through her body from head to toe.

He tongued her little nub of pleasure and then sucked her. The next thing she knew she was soaring, shattered into a million pieces. He licked her softly, soothing her, staying with her as she returned to earth.
 

She was back. Her body limp, spent. “That was amazing.”

His hand smoothed over her belly back to her breast. It was followed by his lips. He worked his way up until he was over her again, “You’re beautiful. Amazing.” Then he kissed her.
 

She opened her mouth for him and the ache started building again. She wrapped her arms around him. Pulling back, she looked into his green eyes, now black with passion. “Come into me. Please, John. Don’t make me wait.”

“You’re sure?”

She smiled and nodded. “More sure than I’ve ever been of anything.”

He smiled back at her and raised himself over her and between her legs. She felt him at her opening. He entered her, slowly.
 

“Christ, you’re tight. It’s like it’s your first time.”

“It’s been a long time. You don’t mind do you? We can stop if you would rather.”

“Never. I couldn’t stop now if I wanted to.” With those words he pulled out and then back in farther up her slick passage. Out again and he slammed into her, buried himself all the way. Then he stopped. Let her adjust to him before he started moving again.
 

She matched his motions, pushing up when he pushed in and pulling back when he did.
 

Faster and faster he moved, then he groaned, buried his face in her neck and spent himself inside of her. He laid on her breathing hard.
 

Her hands moved of their own volition to his back and she hugged him to her.

They stayed like that for a while until his breathing came back to normal then he lifted off of her and lay back taking her with him.
 

“That was amazing. Forgive me for not attending to you. It’s been a long time for me and obviously for you too. If I didn’t know you had a child I would have thought it was your first time.”

“I told you that I haven’t made love since before MaryAnn was born. Well, the truth is, I only made love that one time. Her father was called up unexpectedly and we only had the one time. That was all it took for me to get my MaryAnn.”

“No wonder you’re so tight. You’re basically a virgin. That’s not bad.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Good grief, no. I feel honored to be able to teach you about lovemaking. And I believe you’re going to be a good student.”

“Because I have a good teacher?”

“Flattery will get you…everywhere.”

She smiled and took a deep breath. “This is nice. Laying here together and talking afterwards.”

“It is. But now is the time for sleep. Tomorrow comes early.” He got up and put out the kerosene lamp.

Sarah rolled away to her side of the bed and got under the covers. Even with them over her, she felt cold and bereft.
 

John got back in bed, moved over and spooned with her, his arm gathering her close.

She sighed. Content.

* * *

She awoke to kisses on the side of her cheek.

“There you are. Awake at last. It’s time to get up and start the day.”

“It’s still night.”

“Not on a ranch. Work starts for me and the men at daybreak. You need to get cooking breakfast. Now don’t turn over and go back to sleep.” He grabbed the covers and tore them off her.
 

She turned over and grabbed them trying to bring them back up.

“Oh no, you don’t.” He swatted her on the butt. “Get up. You have to find clothes to wear remember.”

Sitting up on the side of the bed she yawned and then stood. “You’re right. Luckily this is my trunk and there should be something in it close to the top that I can wear.” She got up and put on her bloomers and chemise, ever mindful that he watched her every move. “You’re staring at me like a starving man and I’m your next meal.”

“You are my next meal. The only meal for which I hunger.”

She knew she blushed, but there was something about the man that kept her hot and flushed all the time. She could easily fall in love with him. Maybe already had. But now she needed to get dressed and out before she begged him to make love to her again.

Out of the trunk she pulled a black skirt and pink and white striped shirtwaist blouse. It would serve her well for the work she had in front of her today. She would get breakfast on and then sit down with Bertha to discuss a schedule for the housework.

Breakfast for fifteen people is no small affair especially when eleven of those are hardworking men who need a lot of food to sustain them. She started off with eggs and biscuits, bacon and sausage, pancakes with jam and butter, oatmeal, and finally coffee. All of them ate like they were starving. There was not a scrap left over when they were done.
 

After breakfast, she started a pot of beans with the ham she found in the larder. She asked Bertha to peel potatoes, turnips and carrots for a beef stew. She’d leave these on the stove for the men to eat when they took breaks. She also made another batch of biscuits and some cornbread. Then she started on the dessert baking. She’d checked the pantry and the cellar for fruit and found some canned peaches and blueberries. They’d be perfect for pies and a couple of cobblers. Some for supper tonight and some for breakfast tomorrow. At the rate these people ate, she was going to have to make a trip to town for supplies.
 

She wondered if John would be able to take her since she didn’t know how to drive a team yet. Or maybe she and Bertha could go if Bertha could drive. They could take the girls and make an outing of it.

John told her he’d be working in the barn for most of the day so she walked out there.

The barn was painted a dull red and had big double doors on both ends. This end also had a regular door which she entered through, thankful she didn’t have to try and open the big doors.

“John. John are you here?” she called out.

“Sarah?” came the voice from above.

She looked up and saw him standing in the loft. “What are you doing up there?”

“Working. Moving Hay. What are you doing down here?”

“I came to ask you a question. Can you come down so we don’t have to shout?”

“Sure. Give me a minute.”

He disappeared from view and Sarah started looking around her. There were five good sized stalls. In one of them were a mother horse and her baby.
 

“Oh, aren’t you just adorable,” she said when the baby came to investigate. With his mother so close he was emboldened and sniffed at Sarah’s open hand.

“Here give him a little sugar. You’ll have a friend for life.”

“Oh!” Sarah jumped back. “You startled me.”

“Sorry. Here,” he placed a sugar cube in her hand. “Give the colt the cube. He also likes carrots and apples if you’re so inclined.”

“Here boy,” Sarah urged him, then held the sugar cube in her fingers.

“Flatten your hand and put the cube on it. He could bite your fingers the other way and we don’t want that.”

She did as he said and the little colt came over, sniffed then brushed her hand with his soft lips as he scooped up the treat.

“His lips are so soft.”

“Not as soft as someone else’s I know.” His eyes were dark and she knew if she wanted they’d make love right then and there. She glanced down and saw that he was definitely ready.

“You have to stop that. I’m in a perpetual state of embarrassment. My daughter thinks I’m suffering from the heat because I’m red all the time.”

“So?”

“So? It’s your fault.”

“Really? Why is that do you suppose?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never had this response to anyone before. I don’t normally blush.”

“You don’t?” He crossed his arms and leaned up against the stall door. “Just with me?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear it. I’d hate to think you were sexually attracted to other men.”

“What?! I’m not….”

“Yes, you are. I knew the minute you blushed the first time.”

“Awfully sure of yourself,” she teased.

“Yes. I am.” He pushed away from the stall and took her in his arms. His lips found hers for a scorching kiss. “When it comes to reading you.”

She hoped that wasn’t true. She hadn’t been completely truthful with him about her background. Oh, she’d never actually lied with words, but she lied by omission. But surely, Mrs. Selby told him about her background. A little voice in her head said that probably wasn’t true. She hadn’t shared that fact that Katy was so traumatized by her mother’s murder that she refused to speak. That was different, she told herself. Different than being a fallen woman.

Closing her eyes she chased the doubt away.

He pulled back but kept his hands locked behind her back. “What did you need before I so rudely interrupted you?”

“You weren’t rude.” She leaned back allowing him to support her and put her hands on his shoulders. “But what I wanted was to see if someone can take me to town for supplies. I need food stuffs if I’m going to feed us decently.”

“Make me a list and I’ll have Bertha go.”

“Well, I thought maybe the girls and I could go with her and make an outing of it. I understand a lot of farmers bring their produce to town and it would be good for the girls. And I could get to know the suppliers.”

“I’d rather the girls stay here. I’m not ready for Katy to go to town without me. She might see the outlaw. They don’t always were masks you know. She could go even deeper into trauma if I’m not there to protect her.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. I’m sorry, I should have thought about Katy’s safety first.”

“You’re new at this. You haven’t had to think about MaryAnn’s safety in the same way. Besides that the girls are just fine here. They’re getting along and learning how to play with one another.” He thought about it for a minute. “What about this? You go with Bertha and get what you need for a couple of weeks. Then I’ll take you and the girls next time.”

“That sounds fine. It would be even better if you taught me to drive a team so I could go by myself when I need to.”

“I can do that. How about one day next week after breakfast?”

“Wonderful. When we go, if the produce is any good I’ll buy enough to can. Do you know if there are canning supplies anywhere? I doubt that Bertha has done any canning but Dorothy must have. I found some lovely peaches and blueberries in the cellar.”

“Did you check the pantry or the cupboards in the kitchen?”

“No. I thought I’d check with you as long as I was asking things.”

“I don’t know where they’d be. If you can’t find any, buy some at the mercantile.” He unclasped his hands from around her waist and she let go of his shoulders. “I should get back to work.”

“Me, too. I have to get dinner cooking. Do you have any requests for supper?”