Monroe, Marla - Their Bartered Bride [Men of the Border Lands 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (3 page)

Joel grinned and punched him in the arm good-naturedly. They carried their plates over to the sink and rinsed them off before putting them in the drainer. Jonathan caught Leigh shaking her head at their obvious lack of care on washing dishes. All they’d done was eat a sandwich off of them. Besides, it had always just been the two of them, and they were related. What were a few germs between brothers, right?

He sighed. Things were going to change, no doubt. He figured they would be for the better, for the most part. If she could actually cook and clean house, they would have a much better life. He hoped they offered her a better one, too.

“So, you have running water, but no electricity. How do you cook?” she asked.

“We have gas. We pay a cow every year for the use of the gas.” Joel laughed at her obvious confusion.

“The man who handles the gas around these parts controls if you have it or not. All he’s asked from us has been a cow a year. We raise cattle for meat and to barter with,” Joel explained.

Jonathan watched his brother’s interaction with Leigh, and figured they would be okay. He wasn’t sure about himself, though. He wanted her badly, but would never even think of forcing her. He had been sure Joel wouldn’t have, but he had needed to know that he wouldn’t push her, either.

Right now, she was a little leery of him, perhaps just due to his size, but maybe because he’d been staring at her gently rounded stomach and panty-covered pussy earlier. He hadn’t been able to help himself.

Jonathan walked out the back door and stood leaning against the railing with his hands holding him up. The garden behind the house was just beginning to die out. Some of the hardier plants would live until they cut them down and turned them under. But for the most part, they’d gotten in everything they could. Joel had determined they would start clearing it out the first of the next week. They needed to see to the cows first since they’d been gone all day.

He jumped down from the porch instead of taking the steps and headed for the barn to check on the four horses they had. They would need more of the hay they grew and hand cut. He and Joel hadn’t felt safe leaving them out in the field with the wolves around. Lately, the wolves had begun to become more of a problem then they had been.

Joel found him there nearly an hour later. He had just finished grooming the last horse.

“They doing okay?” Joel asked, indicating the horses.

“Yeah. I’m sure they’ll be happier outside tomorrow, though.”

“I think one of us needs to stick close to her for a few days until she’s used to the area. Want to work close to the house tomorrow while I check on the herd?”

“Um, yeah, sure. I can work in the garden getting it cleared out and ready to till under.”

“She’s a pretty woman, Jonathan. Sexually, I want her in a bad way, but there’s more to her than sex. She deserves a relationship, and that’s something that takes time.” Joel leaned back against the barn door.

Jonathan moved the lamp to a nail on the wall and stood there trying to decide what Joel expected him to say.

“You know I want her. Hell, she knows I want her. My fucking cock has been standing at attention almost since we first saw her, but I’m not going to push her toward a relationship, if that’s what you’re worried about. I have a hand. I can take care of myself.”

“I’m in the same boat, Jonathan. I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just telling you that I think we have a good chance at maybe having a family with her if we’re careful.” Joel pushed off the door with his elbows and opened it so that the last of the dying sun’s rays crossed the threshold.

“I’ll see you when you come inside. I’m going to go ahead and get a shower. Going to be a long day tomorrow.” Joel walked off toward the house.

Jonathan ran his hands through his hair and wondered how long a relationship took to build.

Chapter Three

Leigh woke early the next morning, having slept like a log all night long. She had to admit, it was the first good night’s rest she’d had in a very long time. Lately, she was always waiting for someone to reach out and squeeze her breasts or try and get between her legs. The fact that she had slept without worrying that one or both of the brothers were going to come in and accost her said how much trust she had placed in Joel’s promise.

She dressed in jeans and a slightly snug T-shirt before running the borrowed brush through her hair and pulling it back with one of the hair clips she found on the dresser. Everything in the room needed dusting, but then most of the house needed a good going-over as well, she was sure. She would know more once the sun shone in the rooms.

She tiptoed down the stairs and found that she was indeed the first one in the kitchen. She located their coffee and the pot they had obviously used to make it. She figured she could make it if they could, and measured out enough for the three of them and turned on the burner.

Then she began looking through the cabinets to find what all they had available. At first she didn’t think they had anything worth cooking until she found the pantry and cellar. There she found all their canned goods, cured meat, and staples. There were a few old potatoes almost beyond using, as well as a good amount of new potatoes they had obviously just gotten. She peeled the old potatoes and put them on to boil. She’d make them potato patties and some of their cured beef. It should keep them until lunchtime. By then she would have a better handle on where everything was located.

She had just poured up a cup of coffee for herself when the clomp of boots hitting the stairs let her know at least one of the brothers was up and around. Joel walked into the kitchen and stopped as if surprised to see her.

“Morning, Leigh. Didn’t expect you up this early.”

“Morning. You have to get up early to start a meal. I figured you two would be up early if you were going to be working.” Her voice still sounded raspy.

“You should have given yourself a day or two to relax and rest up before you started helping out. I’m not going to complain, though. Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious.” Joel leaned over her and sniffed at her cooking.

“Here.” She handed him her coffee and grabbed another cup for herself.

“Thanks. Looks a lot better than what we manage to fix.” He took a tentative sip. “Mmm, tastes better, too.”

“I smell coffee,” Jonathan said as he turned the corner into the kitchen. He stopped when he saw that Leigh was at the stove.

“Um, morning, ma’am.”

“Don’t call me
ma’am
. I’m younger than you are, I would bet.”

He shrugged and smiled at her, then zeroed in on his brother’s cup of coffee. Joel turned away, guarding his.

“If you ask nice, I bet Leigh will let you have some,” Joel told him.

Leigh sighed and handed her second cup to Jonathan, and fixed yet another one for herself.

“Thanks.” Jonathan sipped it and his smile grew larger. “This is good.”

“Glad you like it.” She turned around and continued cooking as the men began talking about what they were going to do.

She tuned them out, trying to decide what to work on first. She figured the kitchen needed a good cleaning first, and that would take all day. Then she would see what the rest of the house looked like after that.

Between the two men, they managed to eat everything she had made for breakfast, and she had no doubt they could have eaten more. They were big men. She decided she would have to learn to cook in terms of three regular-size men.

“Don’t forget that if you need anything, I’ll be out back working in the garden,” Jonathan said.

“Wait. You’re going to be here and not seeing about the cows?” she asked, having not paid enough attention to their conversation.

“Joel will work out on the ranch today. I’ll be here working on clearing out the garden.”

“Um, okay. I should be fine. I have plenty to keep me busy the rest of the day. Will sandwiches be okay for lunch?”

“That’ll be fine. It’s what we usually eat at lunchtime.” Jonathan smiled at her then planted his hat on his head and walked out the back door.

Leigh sighed and wondered if the reason Jonathan was sticking so close was because of her. They obviously thought she needed babysitting. It bothered her. She wasn’t a kid. She was twenty-four years old. She could take care of herself.

With a sigh, she organized the cleaning supplies and began sanitizing the kitchen. She wanted it spotless. She would show them that she could run a house and handle a garden as well as they could.

She expected Jonathan to show up all morning, but he never stuck his head in the door. Strangely enough, it bothered her that he hadn’t checked on her to be sure she didn’t need anything. She knew he was attracted to her because of how hard his cock stayed around her. She’d wondered at their sizes, but judging by the length of Jonathan’s hard-on, they would both be huge.

She had to acknowledge that she was attracted to them. She had dreamed about them pleasuring her with their hands and mouths. If she thought about it, she could still feel the effect their lovemaking had on her. Even now, her panties were wet and her nipples tight. She sighed and tried to think of something other than sex with the two men. She concentrated on fixing their lunch instead.

At noon both men grabbed their sandwiches and returned to work without sitting down. Leigh ate hers alone then returned to cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom. By the time she was finished, she was exhausted but pleased. The kitchen fairly sparkled in the late afternoon sun, which reminded her it was time to start dinner for the men.

She stepped outside on the back porch while the meal was simmering. She wanted to see more of the ranch in the daylight. As it was, she just made it in time to watch the sun sink behind the tree line. It was a glorious sight, all orange and yellow hues spread out against the distant clouds.

“Pretty, isn’t it?”

Jonathan’s voice startled her.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he said.

“I was too caught up in the sunset. I haven’t really seen one like that in a long time.” She licked her lips and looked up into the big man’s face, but with the sun setting, it was in shadow.

“Time to go in. You don’t need to be out here at dusk or night. The wolves around here are dangerous. They actually attacked one woman out feeding her chickens last year. Don’t want that happening to you.” He held the back door open for her.

Leigh shivered and walked back into the kitchen. She hadn’t thought about wolves. They hadn’t been a problem where she had originally come from. While she’d been with stepfather, she hadn’t been allowed outside the house at all. She closed her mind to the past. She didn’t have to worry about him anymore. She didn’t belong to him. She belonged to Jonathan and Joel. For some reason, that didn’t bother her now.

Jonathan followed her inside and headed straight for the stove. He sniffed and smiled.

“I can’t wait for dinner. This smells wonderful.” He turned around and they nearly ran into each other.

Jonathan grabbed her when she almost lost her balance. She looked up into his face and knew he was going to kiss her. Her hands grasped his shirt as he lowered his mouth to hers. Their lips touched and he sipped at hers then pulled back and took a step back.

“Um, sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Done what?” Joel asked as he walked in the house.

“Nothing,” they both said at the same time.

Leigh walked over to the stove and began taking up the meal. Why was Jonathan sorry? He hadn’t forced her. She had wanted his kiss.

“Something smells delicious.” Joel had slipped out of his boots and was washing up at the kitchen sink.

Leigh cringed, but knew she couldn’t change old habits overnight. They had a washroom in the back. They should be washing up in it. She smiled and realized she had made the decision to give being a family a try.
Now to convince them
.