“You’re protecting me and I protect what’s mine. You two are now my men,” she said.
Her words made Alex want to spur his horse and get home as quickly as possible. It sounded like she had accepted their marriage. Tonight they would make the blonde spitfire theirs.
5
JESSE
* * *
When they arrived safely at home, all Jesse felt was relief. All the way home, he’d kept an eye out for anyone following them, knowing that Edward and Frank were not going to back away. Men like them were stupid when it came to money and dying.
Sooner or later, they would try to grab their bride and would meet his Colt 45 up close and personal. Maybe even his fists, and this time, he wouldn’t stop. This time, when he finished, they would be planted six feet under.
Mattie was theirs now. The money was hers and they wanted no part of it. A man didn’t take money from his bride. If she wanted to give some to the children, that was her decision. Their commitment as husbands was to earn enough to take care of her and their children.
It was their duty. Their honor and pledge to her. As her husbands, they would uphold their vows. And tonight, they would make her theirs in every sense of the word.
“When we get home, I’ll take the horses and put them in the barn. You take Mattie into the house and show her around,” Alex said.
“All right. But hurry.” His cock was about to burst with the need to plunge deep inside their wife. He couldn’t wait to unwrap her and explore her body.
Alex laughed. “Don’t start without me.”
“We’ll start with her bath.”
“Bath? I don’t need one.”
For the last couple of miles, Mattie had been silent, but now the fear was back in her eyes with the realization of what would soon happen. Somehow they had to help her relax and a bath would calm her.
“Oh, yes, you do,” Jesse said, speaking low. “Not that you smell bad. But to prepare you. It’s your wedding night.”
A shiver went through her and Jesse didn’t know if it was fear or excitement. Whatever it was, he would make certain she was prepared and willing when the time came.
Tonight would be the first of many lessons they would teach their bride. Training her would be their pleasure and he was ready to get started.
Alex helped Mattie from Jesse’s horse. Then Jesse stepped out of his saddle while Alex took the reins and hurried to the barn. He was certain the man’s cock was probably as near to bursting as his own and he’d be back soon.
In the meantime, Jesse would begin to prepare their bride for the night to come.
When they reached the door, he lifted her into his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m carrying you over the threshold. Alex is your legal husband, but you’re my woman just as much as his.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him and licked her lips nervously.
As they entered the house, he let her body slide down his own, her eyes widening. “Welcome home.”
Instead of looking at the house, she gazed up into his eyes, her sapphire eyes filled with desire. The little minx wasn’t immune to them. She turned and faced the room while he lit the oil lamps, knowing he wanted to see every inch of her soon-to-be naked body.
“This is nice. I didn’t expect your home to be so lovely,” she said, gazing about the main room with the fireplace. The kitchen took up the back wall, and while they had barely used the new stove, she would be given plenty of opportunity to fix their meals.
“Where is my bedroom?” she asked.
A grin spread across his face. Their wife was an innocent.
“With us,” he said. “We have an extra-large bed we had made for when we married. You’ll be right between us.”