Nelly's Mail Order Husband Read online

  When she didn’t answer right away, he began to think he’d said too much, but then he heard her softly reply, “Before you came out here, I didn’t think I wanted to get married. Now I’m glad I am.”

  His smile widened.

  The rest of the time was silent as he heard her move around the room. He heard her take things off, and his heartbeat picked up in excitement.

  It seemed like it took her the longest time to finally come to the bed. She lifted the blanket and got in next to him. For a moment, he thought she might panic when she realized he wasn’t wearing anything, but then he felt her bare skin against his and knew she wasn’t wearing anything, either.

  Well, now this was a very pleasant surprise. He thought he was going to have to figure out a way to coax her into consummating their marriage, but she was already inviting him to make the first move. Though, since she was naked, she was the one who was making the first move. She didn’t know he wasn’t wearing anything. Did she?

  He turned over so that he was facing her. The blanket was covering her from the top of her breasts on down, but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm one bit. If anything, it only excited him all the more since he couldn’t see everything yet. Just knowing he was going to finally get the chance made his blood surge with desire.

  She cleared her throat. “I thought that since we’re married, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be together.”

  He took her into his arms. “I can’t think of a reason why we shouldn’t be together, either.”

  The corner of her mouth curled up. “Also, I noticed that all of your clothes were on the floor, so I knew you didn’t have anything on.”

  He chuckled. “Well, I was hoping we’d do something interesting before we fell asleep.”

  “Yes, I can feel that hope pressing into me.”

  “Oh.” So she had noticed the way his erection was nestled against her abdomen.

  “I’ve been breeding animals ever since I was twelve. I might not have ever seen a man naked, but it’s not hard to figure out what that part of you is supposed to do.”

  She was so matter-of-fact about this that he felt a sudden wave of shyness come over him. Pushing it aside, he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her. The kiss they had shared earlier that day had been nice. Alright, more than nice. It had made him feel more alive than he’d ever felt in his entire life. But that kiss paled in comparison with this one. Having her in his arms, naked, her breasts pressing up against his chest, and having her return his kiss with one of her own, set his entire body on fire.

  This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him. He used to think nothing could compare to the thrill of getting money, but those things faded in comparison with the thrill of being with Nelly. He deepened the kiss, letting instinct guide him as he proceeded forward with consummating their marriage. Her lips were soft and yielding to him, and when he traced her lower lip with his tongue, she parted her lips and accepted him into her mouth.

  With a groan, he brought his hand to one of her breasts and cupped it in his palm. Further exploring her, he traced the ridges of her nipple and then brought his thumb to the center. She moaned and wiggled closer against him, an action which delighted the male part of him to no end.

  Oh, but she was heavenly. The taste of her, the scent of her, the feel of her… Everything about her was exquisite. And better yet, she was responding very nicely to him. When he brought his hand to her other breast, she shifted so that he could give it his full attention, and when he wanted to explore the patch of curls between her legs, she rolled onto her back and parted her legs for him. He took a moment to lower the blanket so he could get a good look at her entire body.

  He inserted a finger inside of her and was pleased when she let out a soft groan and lifted her hips so he could go deeper into her. On instinct, he slipped another finger into her.

  She squeezed his shoulders and encouraged him to keep going. He had no intention of stopping. This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him. Since she was rocking her hips against him, he decided to move his fingers, noting that the more he did so, the easier it was to slide in and out of her.

  Since she grew more vocal in her enjoyment of this activity, he slid in a third finger. He noted the tightness in her, but since she was still rocking her hips against him and murmuring her pleasure, he continued his ministrations. Before long, the tightness eased, and he had no difficulty thrusting his fingers inside of her in earnest. He noted that the faster he went, the more excited she was getting. Over and over, she kept telling him not to stop, that she needed him to keep doing this, that she never needed anything more in her life than to find her release.

  Enthralled by her enthusiasm, he watched her as he continued to give her pleasure. He had no idea a woman could be so unabashed when it came to the bedroom. He had assumed they would be as formal and polite as they were in public, but Nelly was proving him wrong. She was giving herself completely to the moment in a way that aroused him all the more.

  The moment she found her release, she let out a cry and squeezed his shoulders. Her core clenched around his fingers, and since she seemed to enjoy it when he continued moving in her, he proceeded to do that until she fully relaxed against him.

  He debated whether or not this would be a good time to enter her, but before he could get on top of her, she was rolling on top of him. His heartbeat picked up in excitement. It seemed like she enjoyed taking the lead on the homestead and in the bedroom, and he wasn’t about to complain one bit about that.

  She took his penis and brought him inside of her. He groaned. He’d never felt anything more exquisite in his entire life. She started to move, and the only thing he could think about was how wonderful her flesh felt around him. He placed his hands on her hips and guided her as she moved up and down his shaft. Looking up at her, he got the most beautiful view of her breasts bouncing up and down as she made love to him. In all of his fantasies, nothing, absolutely nothing, had prepared him for this moment.

  He wanted the moment to last for as long as possible. He was even able to ward off his orgasm twice by counting numbers backward in his head. But the third time he was unable to do it. Everything just felt so good. Everything looked so good. Giving in to the urge to climax, he allowed himself one last thrust and released his seed. Never in all the times he had relieved his sexual tension by himself, had it felt this good. This was so much better. And heightening the experience was the warmth of her body as she squeezed around him.

  When he descended from the heights of bliss she had sent him to, he urged her to lean down so that he could kiss her. After a few kisses, she shifted so that she was no longer on top of him. He sighed. Already, he missed being inside of her.

  She settled next to him, and he rolled onto his side so he could continue kissing her and exploring her body, fascinated with everything he was discovering about her. Yes, he was still hungry. Yes, he figured he should get something to eat. But he didn’t dare leave this bed right now. All he wanted to do was enjoy this moment for as long as he could. And after some more kissing and touching, he was fully erect and ready to make love to her again. And, to his delight, she encouraged him to do so.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The next morning, Nelly was pinning her hair up for the day when Val came into the bedroom. It didn’t take him nearly as long to get dressed as it did her. She hadn’t even thought about what he did to get ready for the day until they both dressed in the room together.

  “I got the eggs and put them in the kitchen,” he said as he came up behind her. “What do you want me to do with them?”

  Unable to resist the urge to tease him, she replied, “You could put them on your head and spin around, but it’s best if you cook them.”

  He chuckled, slipped his arms around her waist, and kissed the side of her neck. Her skin tingled in excitement, just as it always did whenever he touched or kissed her.

  “What else could I do with the eggs?” he
asked.

  “I suppose you could juggle them or decorate them. My family will do things like that on occasion.”

  “I’ve never heard of juggling eggs, but I have seen some that have been decorated. In Boston, there was a store where they were sold, but those were made of porcelain; they weren’t real.”

  She slipped another pin into her hair. “I’ve never seen porcelain eggs. My sisters and Ma like to decorate them for fun and eat them a couple of days later.” She rolled her eyes. “They like how pretty the egg shells are when they’re decorated.”

  “It doesn’t seem like you agree with them.”

  “I always thought it was a waste of time. Why decorate something you’re going to crack? You might as well eat the eggs right away.”

  “I notice you’re a practical person.”

  She put the last pin into her hair then turned around so that she was facing him. “I’m more like Pa. I prefer things simple. I also like there to be a use for everything.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that.” He gave her waist a playful squeeze. “I make myself useful around here, don’t I?”

  “Well, I do like the fact that you’re cooking so I don’t have to.”

  “Then it was wise of me to get the eggs this morning.”

  Amused, she put her arms around his shoulders. “Are you worried I’ll get rid of you if you don’t cook?”

  His eyebrows rose. “Should I be?”

  “No. I could never get rid of you. You’re fun to be around.”

  “Ah, so you don’t mind if something isn’t completely practical around here.”

  She kissed him. “I’ll admit that when you first came here, I wasn’t sure if you’d be a good addition to the place, but you proved that you are. I have no complaints.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief, and she laughed. “If nothing else, I can make the lady laugh.”

  “I love having you here. I didn’t think I ever wanted to get married, but you changed my mind about that.”

  “I hope so, especially after last night.” He wiggled his eyebrows in a playful manner then kissed her.

  With a contented sigh, she leaned into him and deepened the kiss. Now that they were husband and wife in every sense of the word, it was much easier to be affectionate with him. She didn’t have to wonder how she should respond to him. He had made several advances toward her, and she had enjoyed each and every one of them. It was nice to know she could respond with as much enthusiasm as she was now.

  When the kiss ended, he said, “I want to sell the clothes I brought with me to Omaha.”

  Surprised by the change in topic, she asked, “You want to what?”

  “Well, I was thinking about it, and I don’t wear them. They aren’t any good out here. Plus, you got me some clothes.”

  “And my sisters made you a couple of things,” she added, unable to hide the little bit of jealousy she felt. “Ma tried to teach me how to make clothes, but I was never any good at it. The best I ever got was when I was twelve. The shirt had one sleeve that was longer than the other, though.”

  He chuckled and squeezed her waist. “I don’t think every woman is meant to sew clothes, just like not every man is all that great at milking or lassoing a cow.”

  “Are you saying that you don’t mind the fact that I bought you clothes instead of made them?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying. It was nice of your sisters to make me something, but I’d rather have you taking care of the animals than making me clothes to wear.” He offered her an apologetic smile. “I don’t like doing the outdoor chores. I’d rather stay inside and cook. I’d rather even do laundry.”

  “You mean it? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

  “Why would I lie about something like this? I don’t think any of the other men would admit they’d rather cook and do laundry.”

  He was probably right. Her entire family, and even Seth, had assumed men were supposed to be outside all the time while women were supposed to be in the home. It was only her persistence in asking to join the men at harvest that got her to where she was today. She had gone against the things that were expected of her, but looking back, she didn’t regret it for a moment. She loved being outside much more than being stuck indoors.

  “You know what I think?” Val asked.

  “What?”

  “I think we’re perfectly matched. It was more than a coincidence that your sisters happened to find my ad. I don’t think I would have been happy with anyone else.”

  Whether he realized it or not, his comment put her mind at ease. At least she knew he didn’t secretly wonder if he would have been better off with one of her sisters, who were much more suited for the things a wife typically did.

  He gave her another kiss and then released her.

  Ignoring the fact that she missed being in his arms, she followed him to the trunks he’d brought with him. “I can probably sell these, too.” He opened the lid to one of them. “They’re good quality wood. I bet they’d bring us some money. I’ll take out what I need and get the rest of the things ready for sale. When do you want to go to town?”

  “Do you need to sell these right away?”

  He shrugged. “It doesn’t have to be today. We can do it any time.”

  She thought over everything she had to do. “I’d like to check on the crops today after breakfast. Harvest is coming up soon, and I want to get an idea of how long everyone will take at this place.”

  He closed the lid and faced her. “How long do they usually stay here before you move on to help someone else with their crops?”

  “If there’s enough of us, it takes a few days. Having you around means having an extra person, and that will make things go quicker.”

  Though he didn’t look all that certain about it, he nodded and asked, “You’ll show me what I need to do, won’t you?”

  “I will. And I’ll work beside you. That way, if you have any questions, you can ask me instead of someone else.”

  At that, he seemed relieved.

  Turning her attention back to the trunk with his old clothes in them, she said, “I suppose we can go into town tomorrow if we can get caught up on everything today.” After a moment, she added, “What do you plan to do with the money after you sell everything?”

  “It’ll go to anything we need to run this place. It’s the least I can do since I used up all of your money buying clothes.”

  Thinking of the fancy clothes he’d brought with him from Boston, she said, “You must have been disappointed when you first got here. That is, unless my sisters warned you that I didn’t have much to my name.”

  “Your sisters mentioned that you owned a homestead with land and animals. They never said you had a lot of money, but I did assume it. I thought anyone who owned land had a lot of money and servants to do the actual work.”

  “Oh.” Then he had probably been really disappointed.

  With a smile, he brought her into his arms again and kissed her. “It did take some getting used to being without a lot of money. I won’t lie. But I’m very happy with you. I’d rather be here with the little we have than be with any of the wealthy ladies back in Boston. Money can’t take the place of a good wife.”

  Feeling better, she returned his smile. “I hope you’ll still think that once you realize how much work harvest is.”

  “It can’t be any worse than milking a cow or cleaning out stalls.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. What was bad about either one of those chores? Before she could ask, there was a knock at the front door. Surprised someone should come by so early, she left the bedroom to see who it was.

  She glanced out the small window by the front door and saw it was her pa. Hoping nothing bad had happened, she opened the door. “Morning, Pa.” She stepped aside. “Do you want to come in?”

  Her pa took off his hat and entered the house. He offered a greeting to Val then turned his attention back to her. “I talked to Seth. I was going to do it
alone, but your ma wanted to come along, so I had to wait until after supper. Anyway, Seth said he meant no harm and would stay away from here in the future.”

  Noting the hesitation underlying his tone, Nelly asked, “But…?”

  “Your ma says it would be a good idea if I asked around town about him. I figure I’ll do that today. Do you mind checking my pasture while you’re out checking yours?”

  “I’ll be happy to check on your cattle, Pa.” Nelly looked over at Val and figured he was probably wondering what she and her pa were talking about. She had forgotten to mention what had happened with Seth yesterday. After she found Val asleep in her bedroom, one thing had led to another, and before she knew it, Seth had been the last thing on her mind. She’d have to explain the situation to Val, but she’d rather wait until her pa was gone.

  Looking back at her pa, she asked, “Do you want to stay for breakfast?”

  “No, I already ate.” He patted his stomach. “You know how your ma and sisters are. There’s always more food on the table than there should be. Sometimes I miss having you there to eat some of it for me. Well, I’ll let you two get back to the morning chores.”

  He put his hat back on and left. She waited until he was down the porch steps before she shut the door and turned to Val. “After Uncle Joel came here, Seth came over here to annoy me.”

  “He came out here to annoy me, too,” Val said.

  Not expecting this, she asked, “He did?”

  “You were gone when I woke up, so I decided to take care of the laundry, and he and his friends stopped by to laugh about how I fell off the horse.”

  “That’s terrible!” If she’d been here when they were doing that, she would have chased them all off the property. She wasn’t sure how she would have done it, but she would have found a way.

  “It turned out alright. I just played it off like I meant to do it, and Zane and Scott ended up being likable by the end of the whole thing.”

  “But not Seth.”

  “No. He’d like to see me gone. Which reminds me.” He glanced at her skirt. “While you’re milking a cow, you should keep that down or wear pants because he’s watching us from over there.”