“Sorry,” I said, jumping in as I realized my mistake. “This is Clive North, my partner and your other husband-to-be.”
Sassy’s eyes widened in alarm, and the hand she’d started to hold out was snatched back.
“Other…” Her voice trailed off faintly.
“Told you this was going to happen,” Clive scoffed and looked at me. I could tell from his expression, he was just as attracted to her as I was, but that didn’t stop him from being his usual grumpy self.
I glared at him before turning back to Sassy.
“The ad said we were looking for a wife. Bridgewater is known for having a different way of marriage. The founders of the town decided they wanted a place where they could follow Mohamiram customs and settled here. We mostly marry two men to one woman.”
I pointed at the town, where several triads walked down the town’s only thoroughfare. Sassy’s head turned, the wide brim of the bonnet blocking my view, so I couldn’t see her expression as she examined them. I paused, giving her a moment to take it in, but of course, Clive had to comment.
“If that’s a problem, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
I wanted to groan. His terrible sense of humor raised itself at the oddest times. I was pretty sure he thought we were about to be rejected and wanted to hurry the process along.
“Legally, you’ll only be married to me,” I said hurriedly. “But both Clive and I will both act as your husbands. If you’ll have us.”
I held my breath for her answer.
Sassy
* * *
Two husbands.
Impossible.
Yet… I didn’t think they were lying or joking. As I watched, one of the women in the street kissed both the men she was with on the lips before going into a store. The two men stood outside, fondly watching her go before turning to talk to each other once she was inside.
That strange little curl of arousal began to ache a little bit more. Why my body was reacting this way, I didn’t know. I had never experienced it outside of a man actually touching me, yet neither of these men had laid a finger on me.
But they were both going to.
A shiver went down my spine.
“If I say it’s a problem?” I asked, curious about their answer. Neither man set off a sense of danger, other than my odd reaction to them, but I was still in shock at the idea of having two husbands rather than one. I thought the ad meant they were both looking for their own wife, not the same one.
The comment from the woman on the train suddenly made sense. She must have known Bridgewater’s reputation.
“Then we’ll invite you to stay and get to know us a bit before you make a decision,” William said. Clive’s expression didn’t change, but an air of disapproval hung around him all the same. Strangely, that didn’t deter me. I’d rather know what he was feeling. William smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll be gentle with you. Your wedding night won’t be anything but pleasure.”
Heat flushed my cheeks, and I bit my lip as I realized their assumption about my hesitation. From the beginning, I’d decided to hide my past employment. Everyone treated whores differently. Likely, they assumed I was a virgin. My extremely modest attire was to help disguise myself, but it was also the reason Penny had called me “buttoned-up” and had thought I was a prude. I had been so focused on reaching safety, I had barely given thought how I would handle my non-virgin status.
Harlot.
The woman’s comment drifted through my mind. Perhaps my experience would be an asset… but no, I dare not risk it. They would likely turn on me, and if they told anyone about my former occupation, it would make it easier for Lord Carmichael to find me. While I hoped I’d fled far enough, he would cease his efforts, I would not risk assuming that.
I would have to pretend to be the virgin I was once; that’s all there was to it. I would not make them wait, either. I needed protection, and men would be more protective of a wife than of the woman who might become one. If I were completely honest, I was also curious about my body’s reaction to them. I was attracted to them, both of them, in a way I’d never felt toward any other man. I could not help but wonder if that would make a difference when they bedded me.
Straightening my spine, I nodded my head. “I will marry you. Both of you.”
Clive
* * *
“Why?” I asked suspiciously before William could jump on her acceptance like the eager puppy he resembled. He was practically wagging his tail and had been since we got our first good look at Miss Sassy McCloud—not that I could blame him.
She was stunningly beautiful, the kind of beauty that turned heads and made it impossible for people to forget her. She was aware of it, too, or she wouldn’t be hiding her face. It made me wonder what else she was hiding. There had to be something. What sent a woman who looked like that this far west for a husband? Surely, she hadn’t lacked for suitors where she came from.
My cock was hard as a rock, just looking at her and imagining stripping her of those prim clothes, so we could make her scream with pleasure.
She blinked, her long lashes sweeping over her cheeks.
“That’s what I came here to do, isn’t it? Get married? If two husbands are the custom of your town, I have no objection. I would rather two husbands than none at all.”
William started to open his mouth, but I held up my hand to stop him. I could practically hear his teeth grinding in frustration, but he didn’t intervene with my questioning. We both had to agree to marry her.
“How is it a woman as beautiful as you couldn’t find a husband before now?” I asked, glaring down at her.
She paled a touch, gulping, and her gaze dropped along with her voice, which became little more than a whisper. “There… there was man…”
Fear. That’s what I heard in the tremble of her voice, and a fierce protective instinct rose inside me, batting aside both my suspicion and my arousal.
“A man you didn’t want to marry?” William asked gently, reaching out to take her hand. She hesitated but put her fingers in his, nodding.
“H-he was very angry when I rejected him. And… he is a very powerful man. H-he did not want to marry me.” She bit her plush lower lip as anger on her behalf began to rise inside my chest. “I wanted to be far enough away, he would not, could not follow. I… perhaps this was a mistake. I do not want to bring trouble to anyone else. I just want to be safe.” Sincerity rang in every word she spoke.
So, she was running from a man she didn’t want, and it sounded as though he’d made her a dishonorable offer. I relaxed, although I still wished the man in question was in front of me, so I could teach him a lesson about how to treat a woman. William and I exchanged looks.
“We’ll keep you safe,” William said reassuringly. He was better at sweet talking than me. “You’ll be completely safe as our wife.”
Sassy’s head tipped back, and she peeked at me from underneath her bonnet. I nodded firmly.
“However much power he has back east, he doesn’t have any here. You don’t have to marry us, though. We can keep you safe, regardless.”