Our Fugitive Bride (Treasure Falls Brides 1)

CHAPTER4

Jesse Sanders was really not all that excited about the women arriving in town and getting married. But his miners were talking of leaving because they were tired of being alone. His own partner, Andrew Larsen, was at the point in his life where he wanted a wife and children. A family to call his own.

Jesse and Andrew were co-owners of the mine and had been friends for well over ten years. Ten years of them getting into more trouble than anyone in town needed to know about.

That trouble had sent them scurrying back to Montana and Jesse’s family, who only knew they came home at just the right time. A time that allowed Jesse to heal and for them to purchase the old family mine from an unscrupulous man.

The Sanders family had been in Treasure Falls since the day the town was founded by his father and uncle. Jesse’s brothers, and even a sister, lived here and this was their little piece of paradise.

It was here they hoped to grow the community into a place where they all flourished and their families continued to multiply.

But in order to grow the town, they needed women. His miners insisted if they were going to stay. So today, eight ladies would arrive thanks to the mining company paying their way along with the matchmaker’s fees. He only hoped and prayed this didn’t turn out to be a disaster with the men fighting over the women or the ladies acting unruly.

Already the sheriff had to deal with what went on in the saloon. They didn’t need any more drama. After Kansas City, Jesse had all the fighting he could take. His wound had eventually healed, but the scar remained forever. A symbol of what he should never have done.

The stage pulled to a stop and his chest filled with anxiety as the driver placed a step for the ladies to descend from the stage.

This was it. The moment the men had been waiting months for, and Jesse was as nervous as a newborn colt. Even his partner, Andrew, had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the women.

The men cheered as the door opened and Jesse’s breath left his chest as he stared at the beautiful woman who stepped out of the stage. Why in the hell would a woman as gorgeous as this one become a mail-order bride? What was wrong with the men in Charleston? Were they blind?

“Hello,” she said timidly as she stepped down.

Jesse went to meet her. “Welcome to Treasure Falls, Montana. We’re so excited that you’re here. I’m Jesse Sanders. Me and my partner, Andrew Larsen, own the mine here in town.”

“Mary Beattle,” she said, her voice sounding breathless, her handshake firm. The greenest eyes he’d ever seen stared at him and his heart did a little extra thunk. The image of her naked beneath him came to his mind, and he quickly pushed the thought away before his cock grew harder.

His aunt Grace stepped in front of the woman. “I’m Grace Sanders. You must be exhausted. All of you ladies will be staying at our home, so we can properly chaperone you. Welcome to Treasure Falls, Montana. We’re so glad you’re here.”

The men formed a line to welcome the ladies. One by one, the visitors climbed from the coaches, the women making their way down the line, meeting those gathered to greet them. When everyone was off the stage, Jesse whistled loud enough to get everyone’s attention.

“We’re having a supper tonight at Uncle Owen and Aunt Grace’s home at six thirty. For now, we’re going to let the ladies get settled in, clean the dust off, and rest before the evening’s festivities.”

His aunt smiled at everyone. “We have a pig roasting and our cook is making lots of good food for tonight. You are to dress in clean attire to meet these ladies. And, of course, we will expect everyone to be on their very best behavior.”

You wouldn’t think you would have to remind these men, but they lived alone and did their own laundry unless they could afford the laundress in town. As for misbehaving, sometimes his men could get carried away. Hopefully, tonight, they would realize that the women would not want someone who got drunk or started a fight.

Already his aunt was leading the ladies down the street to their home. It also served as the hospital in town whenever they had a mine accident or someone was hurt. Thank goodness it had been years since they had a serious accident.

As the ladies walked down the street, they gazed at the buildings. They had all come from a big city. How would they take to living on the edge of the wilderness where the nearest dressmaker was fifty miles away?

Andrew stepped up beside him. “Well, what did you think?”

“I’m shocked at how quickly the matchmaker was able to get eight ladies to come out here to nowhere. And the beauty. All of them were beauties. Have the men back east lost their minds?”

Laughter came from Andrew. “That first woman who stepped off the stage, I wanted to pick her up and take her home with us. I wanted to delve beneath her skirts and taste her pussy.”

Jesse chuckled. His own thoughts had not been too far off. “Yes, but not before we marry. And we don’t know for certain she’s the one for us.”

Already he could see that Andrew had made up his mind. That was one thing about his partner, the man knew what he wanted and he went after it. If Mary was who he wanted, then Jesse didn’t stand a chance of changing his mind.

The men were starting to spread out and head to their homes just outside of town. Many lived closer to the mine. Jesse kept a close eye on his employees, not wanting them to mingle or bother the women just yet.

Save it for tonight.

Not willing to tell Andrew he agreed with his selection of the women, he asked, “What if she’s a shrew?”

“We’ll be taming the shrew right out of her,” he said with a smile. “No, but really, we need to talk to her tonight. My heart just about fell out of my chest when she stepped out of that stage. Those green eyes and dark hair and full pink lips just begging for me to taste them.”

“The blonde wasn’t too bad either,” Jesse said.

“True, but what was the first woman’s name?”

“Mary,” Jesse said. “She was stunning. We’ll have to see. Since I ordered the women, we have first pick.”

Andrew shook his head. “Thank you. But you’re always the one who has to be convinced. My heart and my mind are made up. It was instant attraction for me. Mary is the woman for us.”

Jesse watched as the women ascended the stairs and went into his uncle’s home. The local doctor in town, his place was perfect for the women to stay.

“We’ve got two weeks to make a decision. There are eight women here. We need to give all of them a chance.”

Just then the stage driver glanced at them. He had unhooked the horses and was leaving the stages in place for the night. “Where can I sleep tonight?”

“The only place we have right now is Mrs. Falconer’s boarding house. It’s the last building on the left. She also has a pen for your horses.”

“Thank you. Need to rest up before we head back.”