Justin returned from caring for her horse, and raised an eyebrow at the hogs. “We have an extra stall in the barn. Suppose we’ll just put them in there until we can build a pen.”

“She’s got chickens too. They’re in a box next to the stove in the kitchen.”

His eyes lit on the heifer and he smiled. “And butter. We’ll have butter soon.”

Lord have mercy, we hadn’t had butter in an age.

After a few weeks, it was almost as if Maddy had been part of our lives forever. We spent every night loving her into sated bliss, but we still hadn’t taken that last step of making her truly ours.

It wasn’t for lack of want, but rather for lack of time. Spring on a cattle ranch was busy. Her chickens were growing and safely in their coop. The hogs were fat and sassy, and we had plenty of milk and butter. The delights from Maddy’s kitchen made Justin and I nearly swoon with joy.

The night before the annual community cattle drive to the railhead in Butte, she even made fried hand pies with a sack of dried apples she’d hidden from us. The minute I tasted the crisp, flaky pastry, I about died and went to heaven. We used her beautiful body as our plate, eating the sweet treat from her quivering belly with fluffy whipped cream.

As we prepared to leave, I touched the box containing the plug and the special oil we used to prepare it for her. When we got back from our trip, we’d have our wife to ourselves and there would be more than enough time and leisure to claim her in the way of Mohamiran husbands.

Justin and I looked forward to buying her all the luxuries she’d been denied. Cigars and bourbon, plus new dresses and underthings made of silk. She never once complained, but we wanted those things for her.

“You ready?” Justin asked, chewing on a flaky biscuit.

I buttoned my trousers and nodded, then swallowed the last of my coffee and walked into the kitchen.

Her smile sweet and wistful, Maddy handed me a biscuit, then reached up to kiss my cheek. “I’ll miss you two.”

I shared a glance with Justin, then swept her into my arms and carried her back to bed. The rest of the crew could wait. We had a duty to our wife.

MADDY

* * *

I waved as my husbands rode away, keeping a smile plastered to my face as the predawn sky swallowed them up. They’d be back by supper tomorrow, but we hadn’t spent a night apart since our hasty wedding. I didn’t look forward to sleeping in that big empty bed by myself.

It might be only one night, but I wouldn’t see them for two full days. I shook my head and got started with my chores. There was plenty of work to keep me occupied. In the unlikely event I ran out of things to do, there were still several horses needing my attention.

When I finished, I glanced up at the sun. If I hurried, I had time to ride into town to see if Mr. Fuller had replied to my letter asking him to sell the property in Kentucky. I shook my head and got to work scrubbing the kitchen floor. It was too soon for a response from him. I would just have to be patient. Besides, I’d promised Caleb and Justin I wouldn’t leave the ranch and I didn’t want to disappoint them.

I wanted everything perfect for when Justin and Caleb got home. Nothing would interrupt our reunion night. My core twitched with need, and I redoubled my efforts on the floor. Staying busy would hopefully keep my mind off what I’d be missing.

Someone knocked, making me startle and bump my head on the edge of the stove. Rubbing the sore spot, I stood and walked to the door, wondering if Ann had come for a visit. The company would be nice.

Opening the door, I smiled, then blinked in surprise at two strange men. Another, wearing a silver star identifying him as a sheriff, stood behind them. My heart leapt in my chest and I staggered.

“Are Caleb and Justin all right?” I asked, grabbing for the doorframe.

“Mrs. Mathis, My name is Sheriff Baker. These two men have a warrant for your arrest. They’re here to take you back to Kentucky,” he said, his voice gentle. A fleeting expression of sympathy crossed his face before it smoothed into impassiveness.

“On what charge?”

“Horse theft.” One of the men, a rotund fellow with cold gray eyes perused me, looking me up and down like a side of meat. “You’ve been accused of stealing a valuable stallion from Nathan Bergman.”

“He has nothing I want,” I retorted. “And he wouldn’t know a valuable horse if it bit him in his skinny backside.”

Sheriff Baker snorted, ignoring the taller man’s look of disgust.

Grabbing my arm, the short man pulled me from the house, leaving the door stand open. “The warrant says otherwise. Do you still have the horse?”

“What horse? I didn’t steal a thing from that awful man.”

The second man, a tall specimen with bulging musc