A Wanton Woman

“We’ll never get enough,” I murmured, before I pulled out, picked her up and carried her up the stairs to bed.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Celia

“Wake up, doll.”

I snuggled into a hard body and didn’t want to move. A hand stroked down my back.

“The snow’s still coming down. We need to leave to make it to Slate Springs before the pass closes.”

Walker’s words had me opening my eyes. My head was on Luke’s shoulder, my hand tossed over his waist. While he wasn’t asleep, he remained still. The sky was just starting to brighten, but through the window I could see the thick flakes still falling. Heavier even than when we rode into town.

I glanced up at Walker, who wore pants and an unbuttoned shirt.

“It will close in the next few hours?” I asked, then cleared my throat. It was rough from sleep.

Luke shifted and sat up. I was amazed that I’d slept so well, and using him as a pillow. I’d always slept on my own side of the bed when married to John. I’d wanted my space. But with Luke and Walker, they didn’t offer any to me. I had to settle myself right in beside them with their arms wrapped about me. For cold winter nights, I didn’t mind at all. And what Walker had said was true. I didn’t need a nightgown to stay warm when I had them.

“No, but it will be hard going. The snow will be very deep and difficult for the horses. I’d rather not get stuck, put us or the animals in danger.”

The snow was deep enough in Jasper. I could only imagine what it would be like at the top of the mountain.

“All right,” I said. Walker walked out of the room and down the stairs.

Luke climbed from the bed, naked and went in search of his pants. He had no modesty, just like his brother, which afforded me the opportunity to see him—all of him—in daylight. I glanced at his cock, which was quite erect, and wondered how that had fit in me. John was… oh damn. Enough about John.

Luke was really big and I remembered how he’d filled me right up. Too much, almost.

He grinned at me when he caught me looking.

“I love your curiosity, Celia. Unfortunately, I can’t do anything about it until tonight when we get home. Then we can spend the winter snowed in and naked.”

My pussy clenched. The idea definitely had some appeal.

***

Slate Springs was different than I expected, especially since we rode into town with the snow blowing sideways. There was no path, no route I could see as it was buried in snow and was relieved when both men knew where they were going. Any previous traveler’s tracks—even from minutes before—had been wiped out by fresh snow. Even Luke’s house was barely discernible in the snow. It was white and two-story with a porch, but I couldn’t see much else and I had no interest in lingering outdoors to learn more.

Luke led me inside as Walker took the horses to the barn. It wasn’t much warmer. Luke stomped the snow from his boots, then sat down on the bench by the door to remove them. “It’s cold now, but I’ll get the fires lit. Keep your coat on and soon enough, it’ll be toasty in here.”

He finished with his boots and hung his hat by the door as he tucked his gloves into his coat pocket. He walked toward the back of the house and I heard the grating sound of metal on metal, a cast-iron stove being opened and filled with wood.

As I undid my own boots, I studied Luke’s house. It was comparable to Lane’s in size, but Luke’s was made of stone, the walls thick. It, too, was two stories and vast. There was no question that Luke had money, for the furnishings were simple but well made. Rugs covered the wood floors and I had to imagine how good they would feel beneath bare feet in the winter.

Luke came back down the hall, gave me a wink, then went into the parlor to light a fire in the stone fireplace. It was cleaned out and stacked with wood, ready for a match. The tinder quickly lit and the room quickly warmed.

With the snow outside, the rooms were very bright.

“I have a housekeeper that comes several times a week to clean, but she has dinner ready for me at six each night. Sometimes she cooks here, other times she brings a portion for me from her home. Can you cook, Celia?”

We hadn’t discussed household work and I had to admit, I hadn’t thought much of it. “Oh, um. Yes. I can clean as well.”

“I do not wish to put Mrs. Jacobs out of a job, so I would like to keep her on. Please don’t think I doubt your abilities.”

I offered him a smile. “That’s quite nice of you. To keep Mrs. Jacobs employed, I mean. I’m sure we will get along fine.”

“She will not be here this evening, so we will have to fend for ourselves.”