Page 41 of Their Wanted Bride (Bridgewater Brides 1)

“You weren’t complaining earlier,” I countered, leaning down to brush my lips across her forehead.

Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes, a tiny, secret smile bowing her lips upward. “Can’t wait to get home.”

Leaving her to sleep, I went to help Caleb with the packing. I wanted to be on a train before the end of the week.

MADDY

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* * *

A full week after my arrival in Kentucky, we were finally on our way home. This train ride was so much different from my last one. For one thing, I was wearing a proper dress and corset, and my hair was pinned under a neat straw hat. I also had quite a bit more luggage, along with furniture, linens, my mother’s china packed in straw, and everything else I’d need to set up a comfortable household.

It was the dowry I should have had in the first place, but I had no idea where I was going to put everything. My protests fell on deaf ears. Caleb and Justin simply packed everything Sara told them to. Despite my reservations, it would be nice to have my own familiar belongings.

Although the bruises on my face had faded to a bilious yellow, I still caught my husbands scowling at them when they thought I wasn’t looking. It wasn’t their fault. Who would have guessed my innocent letter to Mr. Fuller would have caused such trouble?

Aside from the huge pile of things my husbands packed, we had a private compartment on the train. It was a luxury I’d never expected, but welcomed. Best of all, it gave us plenty of privacy.

They drove me to distraction with illicit touches and caresses. I spent my days stewing in helpless arousal, exacerbated by the wooden toy firmly plugging my bottom hole. Despite my pleas, they refused to make love to me. The one thing they hadn’t packed had been my drawers. I had nothing but constant dripping need covering my private parts.

As we passed through St. Louis, my husbands finally broached the subject I hadn’t wanted to talk about.

“What do you plan to do with your father’s property?” Justin asked while we ate supper in our compartment.

“Sell it, I suppose. I don’t want it.”

“It’s your childhood home,” Caleb reminded me.

“I’m no longer a child.” To reinforce my words, I stroked my hand across the bulge in his trousers.

“Naughty,” he murmured, lifting my hand away. “We’re talking about your home.”

“No, we’re talking about the place I used to live. My home is with you and Justin.” I took a bite of roast chicken, hoping they’d drop the subject. I supposed we needed to discuss it though. Otherwise, it would sit in the back of our heads and nothing would be done about it.

I wanted it gone. But not to someone I didn’t like. The thought of Nathan buying it, for example, made my heart hurt. But who?

“I know what I’m going to do,” I said, laying my silverware beside my plate. It was the perfect solution, and I had no idea why it hadn’t occurred to me before.

“What’s that, sweetheart?” Justin asked.

“I’m going to sell it to Dahlia and Reggie for a penny an acre. They’ll care for it, and I’ll be happy knowing it’s in good hands.”

“Why that amount?” Caleb took my hand and kissed it. “You could get much more for it.”

“I know, but I don’t care about the money. Dahlia and Reggie can afford it, and I think it’s a proper reward for helping me get to you.”

Caleb shared a glance with Justin, and they nodded. “Done,” Caleb finally said. “We’ll send Mr. Fuller a letter from our next stop.”

14

JUSTIN

* * *

I pulled Maddy into my lap, nibbling on the tender skin below her ear. We approved wholeheartedly of her idea, and it was time to reward our sweet girl. Spreading her thighs apart, I pulled her skirts up.

Her delicious pussy was already wet and slick for us. She moaned and let her head fall back to my shoulder as Caleb knelt between her knees. I unbuttoned her bodice, baring the swells of her breasts pushed up by her corset into a feast for our senses. Still kissing her throat, I tweaked her nipples, making her squeal and grab Caleb’s head, firmly buried between her pale thighs.

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