“I’m sure,” she said as she pulled him to her and kissed him on the lips. It was a sweet innocent kiss and yet she’d instigated it. Ladies did not instigate kissing or touching or anything. That was a man’s job.
And yet he couldn’t help but think it was the right move. It was exactly what Martin needed.
But he was jealous. He wanted to kiss her. But he didn’t want that kind of kiss. It was too sweet and innocent. No, he wanted one that would let her know exactly what she did to him. Let her feel his hard, rigid cock just waiting to take her.
There was a tense silence that fell between them.
“What about you, Jakob?”
“Probably when my mother kicked me out of the house,” he said. He hadn’t meant to tell her that. But after he’d gotten into a duel with a man who kissed his sister, he’d been expelled from the house and it was what sent him fleeing across the country away from the law.
“Did you go back?” she asked.
“One question at a time, but no. I came out to Montana and met Martin,” he said, knowing there was so much more to the story, but not willing to share it just yet.
“Truth or Dare?”
“Truth,” Martin said.
“Truth,” Jakob said, wishing he could dare her, but wanting to wait and hear her answers before he made his move.
“I have one more question. What do you expect in a wife?”
“That doesn’t seem to go with the other questions in the game,” Jakob said.
“It doesn’t, but I want to hear your answers,” she said as she leaned back on her elbows and gazed at the two men.
Did the woman not realize that it was all he could do not to climb on top of her and let her feel exactly what he thought of her. His breath seemed to catch in his throat as he gazed at her and tried to concentrate on the game.
“I expect someone to love me for my good qualities and also my bad ones. I’m not a perfect human being. I’ve made some mistakes and will do so again. But I want a woman who is going to love me regardless,” Martin said.
Blanche smiled at him. “I love your answer.”
“Jakob?”
“I need a lady. A woman who is respectful and shows the town that I’m married to a genteel lady, who will be such an inspiration to my daughters and even my sons.”
A frown seemed to cross her face and her emerald eyes narrowed on him.
“Do you think I’m a lady who meets your qualifications?”
“I don’t know,” he said honestly. “You appear to be a lady.”
She bit her lip and he could see her contemplating her thoughts.
“What do you want in a husband?”
Her eyes rose to meet his. “I want a man who accepts me for who I am. Yes, I’m a lady, but there’s a wildness inside me that I don’t feel has been explored. A part of me that wants to live life to the fullest and not let anything hold me back. I’m not certain that you would consider me a wild woman or a lady.”
Stunned, he stared at her. She just admitted she was not a lady. But a wild woman. Jakob didn’t know what to think. Was she the woman he wanted to marry?
Martin leaned over and took her hand. “I love that you have a wild side, and I can’t wait to explore it.”
“Truth or Dare?” Jakob said, knowing how he wanted her to answer.
“Dare,” she said with a gasp, her emerald eyes almost taunting him.
“I dare you to let me kiss you,” he said.
“All right,” she said.
Standing, he walked over to her and lifted her. Without asking, he pulled her into his arms and his lips covered hers.
She tasted of sunshine and clover and everything sweet and innocent. He could tell just from kissing her that she had never been thoroughly kissed before. His tongue swept over her lips and he pushed into her mouth, his tongue dancing with hers and he felt her tremble in his arms.
Taking command of the kiss, he held her tightly and refused to let her escape.
His hand reached for her breast and he felt the swell beneath his hand.
Her lips left his and she opened her eyes and stared at him as she removed his hand. “Mr. Moore, we are not yet man and wife. There are some privileges only available to my husbands.”
A grin spread across his face. The woman was definitely an innocent. But a lady would do exactly as she’d done. Still, he felt concerned when she spoke about the wild woman inside her.
What did she mean? And did he want a wild woman for a bride?