Claiming Catherine (Montana Maiden 1)

He eyed me suspiciously. "You are being too compliant."

Hopefully, I looked all innocent when I said, "I thought you wanted me to be compliant."

"The question is, how long will you do so?" He buttoned his clean shirt. "The Bowers own a ranch nearby and are coming to Cole's house for dinner. He is planning to marry Tessa Bowers very soon, but the date isn’t set. This is not something Tessa knows about, so I ask that you keep that in confidence. Because she is not wed, you must cover yourself for the meal."

"Oh, Jake, please, not that awful blouse!" I cringed at the very thought, covering my breasts with my arm.

He shook his head, took a long strip of white cotton from a peg on the wall, identical material to my blouses, and held it up. Grinning, he tugged me up from my prone position. "I told you about this scarf earlier, wife, but you refused it. Are you willing to don it now?" He arched a brow and smirked, waiting for me to be my usual, less-than-compliant self.

He was mocking me, but I could tell he was solely poking fun. "Yes, Jake. I'll do whatever you say." I looked up at him from beneath my lashes. I couldn't help but grin along with him.

He shook his head. "Vixen." He placed the material around my neck and then over my shoulders, just like a winter scarf, then crossed the fabric over my breasts and wrapped it around so it was buttoned in the back with my blouse. Making a few minor adjustments, I was completely and modestly covered, like Mrs. Carter earlier. Arguing with my husband was a futile, and uncomfortable?if that miserable blouse was involved?effort.

"Now, let's do something about this untamed hair."

Jake

We were the last to arrive at Cole's house for dinner. I could hear voices through the door from the porch and paused a moment to look over Catherine. She looked...happy. Her eyes were bright, not fearful, her skin was lush and glowing. Something had shifted and I was uncertain as to what. It was as if she had embraced her submission. I did not know exactly what brought it about, nor did I care; she was more relaxed, more at ease than I'd ever known her to be. She'd even smiled. I hadn't realized until then that she hadn't done it before.

The difference was amazing. She was beautiful. Erotic. Tempting. Contrary. Because she was happy, I was happy. I thought I wanted a wife to obey my every command, to break under my control. Instead, I learned I wanted someone who would bend to my dominance, not break. I didn't want to break Catherine's spirit; she'd be ruined if I did. She gave in to my demands, but then I catered to her every need and desire. I wanted to. And this meant I was as much under her power as she was of mine.

Lowering my head, I kissed her, a tender brushing of lips. I hadn't kissed her much, on purpose, to keep my distance. Now, I wanted to learn her mouth. Taste her. Consume her. The loud voices prompted me to end the kiss...for now. Her eyes fluttered open and she was as aroused as I by the innocent brushing of our lips. Lifting her hand, I kissed her knuckles, then realized the plug dangled from her wrist. I frowned. "This won't do. Tessa's unmarried," I murmured.

Smiling shyly, she let me remove it. I knelt in front of her, the setting sun making her hair the color of spun gold as it fell in a braid over one shoulder, and worked my hands up underneath her skirt.

"Widen your legs, sweetheart." She darted a glance around, but we were all alone, and complied without a sound.

I found her pussy, slick and bare. "This dinner may take several hours. I'd be a terrible husband to have you go so long without something filling you up." As I spoke softly, I filled her pussy with the plug until it was buried deep. Since it was really a plug for her ass and not a dildo, it had a flared end to prevent it from sinking in all the way. Perfect for this evening.

Pinching her lips together, she exhaled through her nose and arched her hips, her pleasure evident.

I stood and adjusted her skirts. "There. You'll have to squeeze those pussy walls to keep it in. All right?"

"Yes, Jake," she replied, this time uttered in husky undertones. Her lids were lowered and I could tell from the faraway look that she was clenching down and focused on keeping it within.

"I'm jealous of that plug filling you up." I tugged on her braid. "I'm going to sit through dinner with a hard cock wishing I could be deep inside you instead."

I took her hand and led her inside. I heard a soft moan?so lovely to hear?from her as we went.

Sitting at the large dining table were Cole and Sam, Maura and Grant, and the Bowers family. The men stood as I led Catherine to the table and I introduced her to Tom, Eleanor and Tessa Bowers.

Tessa was a pretty young thing. She'd grown into a very appealing woman with midnight black hair, startling blue eyes and ala

baster skin. If she didn't open her mouth, she was quite beautiful. Unfortunately, she did so with frequency and rarely without a barb of negativity. Why Cole wanted her specifically when there were a bevy of eligible ladies much more obliging was beyond me. I wasn't one to cast stones, however, as I ignored those same women for a mail order bride instead. There was no question that Cole would have his hands full with her training when the time came. With the gleam in my brother's eye every time he looked at the woman, I had no doubt he was looking forward to it.

I sat next to Catherine, Maura next to her, then Grant. Across from us were Tessa, Cole and then Tessa's parents.

"How do you like married life, Catherine?" Tessa asked, cutting into her steak.

Catherine finished her sip of water and put her glass down. "Quite well, thank you," she answered neutrally.

Tessa's eyes raked over Catherine. "You seem so much...older than most brides. Couldn't you find a husband where you are from?"

My fingers clenched my utensils tightly, but I remained silent. From the mail order bride company's paperwork, Catherine was twenty-four, not a woman with one foot in the grave. Glancing at Cole, I saw he was monitoring his future bride closely. The elder Bowers ate, but nervously.

Catherine's cheeks flushed and I noticed her shift in her seat. Her posture was exceptional; being doubly filled aided this tremendously. She stared down at her plate a little too long before speaking, distracted by her arousal. "The...selection was fairly poor."

"I'm so glad she's here," Maura said, wiping her mouth on her napkin. As a woman with a very dominant and possessive husband, she no doubt knew, at least generally, the reason for Catherine's lack of focus. "Another woman on the ranch is something I've longed for, and we're already bosom friends."