Pearl smiled at him. “Do you think she would teach me?”
“That’s not possible, darling,” he said, not wanting to tell her that his mother was dead. Not wanting to talk about what happened to her and ruin their time together.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I would have loved to have learned from her,” she said.
“Me too,” he said quietly.
She whirled toward Anthony, her red curls tossing about on her shoulders, and it was all he could do not to reach out and touch them.
“Tell me about the ranch. I know you have cattle because Wesley told me. What else do you grow?”
He laughed. “We have chickens and you’ll be responsible for gathering the eggs.”
“I told Anthony that if he started raising hogs or pigs, I was gone,” Wesley said. “They’re nasty animals.”
“True,” Pearl said. “My papa raised them before the war. But the Union soldiers killed them to eat.”
A shadow crossed her face and he wondered how her family had died.
“Food is ready,” the cook called.
Wesley lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips to her soft skin. “You sit right here and I’ll bring you a plate.”
“Thank you,” she said, giving him a smile that had his heart melting.
A few minutes later, Wesley returned with two plates of food and set them beside her.
She was talking to Anthony, both leaning toward one another, whispering. Her face was flush.
As Anthony stood to get himself a plate of food, Pearl turned toward him. “I was asking Anthony about being married to two men. I’d like to hear what you have to say. How does that work?”
While he didn’t want to scare her off, she needed to know the truth.
“Eventually we’ll both take you at the same time. And, darling, you have to understand that I like my sex a little rougher than most men. Nothing pleases me more than paddling a woman’s ass. Not only for pleasure, but also if you displease me, I’m going to punish you.”
Startled, she gazed at him.
“I haven’t had a spanking since I was a child.”
“And this one will not be like what you received as a child. Not only will I mix in pleasure, but you’ll experience a little pain. I’ll leave your ass pink, but you’ll be screaming my name in desire when I’m finished with you.”
He watched as she licked her lips and swallowed hard.
“I know nothing about sex except what I’ve seen when our farm animals interacted. I know nothing of this pleasure you speak of.”
Warmth spread through him and he leaned in close to her. “We’ll take a little walk in the garden and I’ll give you a taste of what I’m talking about.”
Anthony came back to the table.
“Wesley, please tell me that you didn’t scare her off,” he said, glancing between the two of them.
He hoped not, because he wanted her so fiercely, he could hardly stand it. And he aimed to kiss her before this night was over.
“No, but I was frank about what would happen if she married us,” he said, taking a bite of pork.
“Do all married couples do this?” she asked. “I can’t imagine my father spanking my mother.”
They chuckled. “Not everyone. But once you’ve tried it, there’s no returning.”