Their Tempting Bride by Lacey Davis
6
For the entire day and night, Georgia refused to come out of her room. Her mother had spoken to her earlier, but so far, her father had not had the courage to face her. Tell her why he was giving her to his boss.
Mr. Bartlett even came to the house and waited, but she refused to come out. She didn’t want to see the foul old man.
A man who mistreated his employees and she was certain he would treat her poorly as well. The mine owner may have money, but from what she’d heard, he didn’t spend it on his home or his family. And his son? Dear God, she would have a stepchild who could be her brother.
If she had to, she would run away. She would never marry Virgil Bartlett.
The morning sun shone through her curtains and her mother barged into her room. “Your father has left for work. Help me pack your things.”
“What? Where am I going?”
“I don’t know for certain, but Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Perkins are going to meet us at two o’clock today. They want to speak to you.”
Georgia felt her heart slam into her chest. Could it be that she was going to hide with them? But that wasn’t possible. Her father would come after her the moment he learned of her whereabouts.
The only way she could escape her father and Mr. Bartlett was to marry. Would one of them want to marry her?
They were from Bridgewater, and though she'd heard rumors about that town, she didn’t understand what really went on there or why that community was unique.
“What’s going on, Mama?”
“Do you want to marry Mr. Bartlett?”
“Of course not,” she said indignant that her mother would even think for a moment that he was the man for her.
“Then just do as I say. Pack your things and we’re going to load everything up and take it with us when we go to town. Just please go along with this and don’t ask too many questions. I can’t answer them.”
That was strange. Her mother was always honest and open with her. Why would she not be now?
“I’m trying to save you, Georgia, but I don’t know if what I’m doing is right. But it has to be better than that old man.”
For the next few hours, they packed her clothes and had the servants help load her trunk. Then, wearing one of her best dresses, she climbed into the wagon. As they pulled away from the house, she glanced back and wondered if she would ever see her home again.
A little before two, they arrived at the diner on Main Street that was bustling with wagons. Her mother pulled their team to the side of the street. Reaching over, she gave her a hug.
“I’m going to wait out here for you. Remember, Georgia, this is your decision to make. No one else can do it for you.”
Georgia felt a tremor of nerves go through her, rattling her insides. Why did she feel like what would happen would change her life?
“Yes, Mama,” she said and crawled out of the buggy. Gathering her courage, she walked toward the diner to meet her destiny.
As she entered the building, she saw the two men sitting at a table. Her heart beat a little faster. They were so handsome. Why couldn’t she be marrying one of them?
They waved her over and both stood as Daniel pulled out a chair for her. “Good to see you, Georgia.”
“Thank you,” she said, wondering what they wanted to talk to her about. She glanced nervously between the two men, biting her lip with anticipation, her pulse beating rapidly.
“Your mother came to see us yesterday and told us about your situation with Mr. Bartlett.”
A tremor ran through her every time she heard his name. “Yes, I’m fighting this marriage, but my papa is not budging. They haven’t told me yet, but I heard one of the servants say the wedding has been moved to this Saturday.”
Martin nodded. “That’s what your mother said as well.”
“You know we live in Bridgewater. Do you know anything at all about the town?” Daniel asked.
She frowned. The town was talked about in whispers. “Not really. Only that the community is different.”
Martin reached across the table and took her hand. At his touch, a warmth spread through her.
“Bridgewater is a wonderful town filled with great men and women and growing families. It’s filled with love and a sense of community and helping one another.”
That sounded like a great place to live. A woman from the kitchen set a glass of water on the table for her and then hurried off.
“The only difference between us and other communities is every woman has two husbands,” Daniel said.
Stunned, Georgia stare at the men, trying to comprehend what they were telling her.
“Every woman has two husbands to protect her, love her, and give her children. We believe in sharing a woman at the same time,” Martin said.
Confused, she glanced at Martin and then Daniel. “But is that legal?”
“The law allows only one husband, but we make a vow to always stay together and protect our woman. She marries only one man, but the other husband is there by her side, protecting her, and they share a family. If something happens to one man, she still has protection and the family still has a provider,” Martin said.
For a moment, she thought about what they were telling her. How would that work? “What do the women think about this? And don’t the men get jealous?”
“The women are happy and satisfied. There is no reason for jealousy because the wife belongs to both men. They share her body. They both love and cherish her. She is the center of their world,” Daniel replied and took her other hand.
They rubbed their thumbs along her wrist, and Daniel scraped the inside of her palm with a fingernail. A shiver went through her and her breathing quickened.
She glanced between the two men. She had been dreaming of the two of them since she first saw them, and wondered, if given a choice, how could she ever decide which one she wanted.
Were they asking her to be their wife?
“Does this sound like a life you would consider,” Martin asked.
A tremble of nerves rippled through her. “I’ve never been with one man, let alone two. What would you expect of me?”
They grinned at her. The same woman who brought the water carried an order of delicious-smelling food to a table over from her.
Daniel wrapped both of his hands around her one hand. “We would show you the ways between a man and a woman. It’s our duty to make certain you are happy, well cared for, but we would also expect complete obedience from you. If you disobey, you would be punished.”
“What kind of punishment?”
“A spanking,” Daniel said. “We will paddle your fine behind if you disobey.”
Martin wrapped the small hand he held between both of his. “We would claim not only your mouth, but your pussy, and also your ass.”
“My ass?” she said in a loud whisper. “Is that possible?”
They laughed at her innocence. “Yes, dear, it’s very possible and enjoyable. But we would take it slowly. Your pleasure is what is important to us.”
These two men were talking of pleasure that she had no idea of. “What about children? Whose baby would I have?”
Martin frowned. “It doesn’t matter. They will be our sons and daughters. We will love them equally and not worry about who the father is. We are both their father.”
Why had she never heard of this before now?
“Any other questions?” Daniel asked.
“Many, but I can’t ask them, because…” she could feel a blush spread across her cheeks. She dreamed of one man taking her, but two? At the same time? How would that work? “I don’t know where to begin.”
All she knew was that she was so attracted to these two men, and a life with both of them would be so much better than being with Mr. Bartlett.
“Before we ask you to marry us, there is one thing you need to know,” Martin said quietly, “due to a bullet, I only have one leg.”
She turned and gazed at him. “I’m sorry.”
“Will that bother you?”
A frown appeared on her face. “No, why would it. You are a handsome man and I didn’t know before now. Why should that bother me you were hurt?”
The two men glanced at each other.
Still holding her hand, Daniel gazed at her. “Georgia Carroll, will you marry me and become our wife?”
A trickle of nerves spiraled through her and she bit her lip. The two men who made her heart flutter at the sight of them had just asked for her hand in marriage. She could marry Daniel and have two husbands and two men to love her. And if that were the case, then Mr. Bartlett with a teenage son would have to rescind his offer. Two wonderful things from one proposal.
This was the answer her mother refused to offer help with. This was the decision she was leaving up to her. And to Georgia, it was simple.
“Yes, I’ll marry you,” she said in a breathless whisper, “both of you.”
