1
RYE
* * *
I stepped out of the livery and stretched my legs, eager for a drink and a meal before we got on with things, though I was sure Keane and I were on a fool’s errand.
A week in the city of Butte to find a bride. A woman suitable for both of us and agreeable to the type of marriage to which we were committed. A Bridgewater bride.
To share. Between us. Share our life on the ranch at Bridgewater with others of the same mindset. A woman to be cherished and honored by her husbands.
And fucked thoroughly. Often.
A Bridgewater bride was a satisfied woman, in all ways.
Now, we simply needed to find her. The right combination of sweet and sensual, bright and eager to learn our ways, and with enough grit and backbone to thrive on a ranch with two horny husbands.
No small task, but the reward for the right woman would be years of happiness, safety, and security. She would want for nothing.
Bridgewater wasn’t for the fainthearted. Of course, she would be protected and worshipped, but winter in the Montana mountains was harsh. We didn’t have all the trappings of a city like Butte, either.
But, we had a community. Each working our share. Keane and I, both experienced horsemen, oversaw the stables and tended to the breeding stock. Demand for Bridgewater horses increased each year. We were busy and proud of our work. But, we were missing one thing. A woman. A wife.
"What a wonderful day." Keane sidled up to me, face alight with excitement. He annoyed the hell out of me with his enthusiasm and exuberance, and yet, I could think of no man I trusted more. No other man with whom I would even consider sharing a bride.
I nodded in response. "Let’s get settled at the hotel. Plus, I could use a drink."
Keane rolled his eyes. "The saloon next door will be open for hours. Let’s head into the park. It’s a fine afternoon, and I’m sure all the local ladies will be out."
"Oh good. We’ll be able to sit on a bench and simply pick the one we like best," I said. "As if choosing a sweet from the spread at a church picnic."
He gave me a look. "Sarcasm will not win us a bride. Now, come on." He slipped the livery boy some money and instructed him to deliver our bags to the Imperial Hotel across the street before the two of us entered the park.
Much as I hated to admit it, Keane’s idea was a sound one. Not that I thought we’d stroll into the park, Cupid’s arrow would strike, and we’d stroll out with a woman on our arms, but after most of a day spent in the saddle, it felt good to move.
"Ah, smell the fresh spring air," Keane said, inhaling deep and pounding his chest to make a point. And also to piss me off. When I gave him a sideways glance, he grinned and punched my arm. "Come on, Rye. We’ve got a whole week to enjoy the city and find love. Could you loosen your stiff upper lip and try to have some fun?"
I let out an exasperated breath as we made our way through the well-kept park in the center of Butte. It was a busy place, not surprising on a warm afternoon.
Keane was right, as much as I hated to admit it. "I’m sorry," I replied. "I am simply skeptical we’ll be able to find a bride with as much ease as you seem to think we will."
"Oh ye of little faith," he said.
At that moment, a wide-brimmed ladies’ hat came tumbling along the path and landed at our feet. I bent down to retrieve it, and when I stood my gaze met that of the most extraordinary woman I had ever seen. Her doe-like eyes peered clearly into mine, and my breath caught in my throat. Her pink lips parted, and the tip of her tongue stroked across her bottom lip.
Oh hell. That tongue. In an instant I envisioned her mouth filled with my cock, that shy tongue licking my hardness with fervor. I shifted slightly to accommodate the bulge forming in my crotch.
Her cheeks were flushed from chasing the hat, or perhaps she was not immune to me, either. Wisps of her fawn-colored hair had come loose to frame her delicate face.
For a breathtaking moment, the three of us simply stared at each other.
Finally, she spoke. "Thank you for rescuing my hat." She reached out a dainty hand, expecting me to return the hat to her, but I could not move. Her voice captivated me. The sight of her, like an enchanted sprite appearing in the morning mist. A jolt shot through my body, unlike anything I had ever experienced in my entire thirty-two years. Perhaps Keane had been right all along. Fuck me.
"We are happy to be of service," Keane finally managed to say, tugging the lady’s hat from my grip. Though I was reluctant to part with it, I relented. Her lips turned up in a small smile, perhaps some humor at my expense, since I continued to stand mute. Silenced by her grace and beauty. The color in her cheeks continued, and her eyes were bright from exercise. An image of her, eyes shining and cheeks flushed after a thorough fucking came to my mind. My cock stiffened.
Taking the hat from Keane and placing it on her head, she tucked the stray hairs in. "Well," she said, her gaze lingering on each of us for a moment, "I thank you again, gentlemen."
"Please," I removed my hat and used it to cover the bulge in my pants, "allow us to introduce ourselves, I am Rye, and this is Keane."