Prisoners of Love: Cinnamon Read online

  “You will be the pastor’s wife.” He held her head in his hands and stared right into her eyes. The eyes that always melted her. “You will sit right up front so I can stare at your beautiful face while I give my sermons.”

  She felt the tears starting, and not wanting to embarrass herself, she sniffed and pulled away. “Very well. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it.”

  Jed grinned. “Now that sounds more like my Cinnamon O’Brien.”

  “Don’t call me Cinnamon,” she called over her shoulder as they headed to the door.

  If Pastor and Mrs. Nelson had been unhappy with Jed’s choice of a bride, they didn’t show it. As always, they welcomed her into their home. Mrs. Nelson patted her eyes as Mindy and Jed linked hands and Pastor Nelson said the words that joined them together for the rest of their lives. Since Jed had the license with him when he’s proposed, she shouldn’t have been surprised when he also pulled out a beautiful gold band to slip on her finger. But she was surprised, and that was when the tears fell. She never expected to wear such a beautiful ring, and certainly didn’t expect to have such a wonderful husband.

  “Now children, I wish we’d had more time to celebrate your wedding, and to give you both a lovely party, but with Jedidiah having to leave right away, all I could come up with was a cake from the bakery.” Mrs. Nelson—her mother-in-law—led them into the kitchen where a beautiful cake decorated in white and pink frosting sat on the kitchen table.

  “Oh, this is wonderful,” Mindy said. She gave Mrs. Nelson a hug, resting her head on the woman’s generous bosom. So many times as a child and then a young woman, Mindy had supper with the Nelsons, staying to help Mrs. Nelson with the dishes. While her sons all escaped as quickly as possible, she’d always enjoyed doing the normal washing and drying of dishes and talking to a real mother.

  She’d lost count of how often she’d wished Mrs. Nelson had been her mother. And now she was, in a way. Her mother had never done anything that Mindy considered mother-like. Her school dresses were usually supplied by the church since her ma said she had no idea what type of dresses a little girl wore to school. And she didn’t seem to think it was worth the effort to find out.

  Until she was old enough to get a job so she could move into her own rooms, Mindy had slept on a thick blanket at the foot of her ma’s bed. Not the bed she used for work, but the one she actually slept in. Breakfast most days was cold coffee, left from the night before, and a hunk of bread, or maybe some cheese or an apple, if there was one in the brothel kitchen.

  Since the ladies of the house didn’t rise until Mindy was home from school, no one saw her off for the day, handed her a lunch, or gave her a kiss on the cheek, wishing her a good day. Nobody beat her, and for the most part, she never saw the men who frequented the brothel. It had not been a terrible life, but one she was more than happy to escape. Jed had always been her escape.

  Pastor and Mrs. Nelson, along with Mindy, Jed, and Jed’s older brother, Micah, sat around the cozy kitchen table and drank hot coffee and had a piece of the delicious cake. This was her family, now. She was actually a member of a family. Tears threatened once again.

  “Jedidiah, when are you to report to the church in Trinidad?” Pastor Nelson wiped his mouth on a napkin and laid it alongside his plate. Mrs. Nelson poured him more coffee.

  “I have a couple of weeks. But since there is a wagon train ready to pull out of Fort Dodge sometime soon, I thought I would see about getting a wagon to join them.”

  “Oh, that’s a wonderful idea, son.” Mrs. Nelson just glowed. “That way your papa and I can give you some things to take with you.” She began ticking things off on her fingers. “Let’s see, dishes, silverware, linens, even some supplies like coffee, sugar—“

  “—Mildred, I’m sure you will have these children loaded down with a pile of things before they leave.” The pastor smiled fondly at his wife. “What I suggest you do now, young lady,” he turned his attention to Mindy, “is go speak with your mother and let her know you’re leaving.”

  “Yes, sir, I was going to do that. But it’s past the time I can speak with her today, so I will go on home and pack my things. I’ll try to see her in the morning, but she doesn’t usually rise too early.” Lord, she was embarrassed. Of course, the Nelsons knew for years exactly what her mother did, but never had it bothered her talking about it as much as it did now. In this nice, warm, clean, kitchen, with these good God-fearing people. She turned to Jed. “Will you come with me?”

  “Of course.”

  They both stood. “I will spend the night at Mindy’s room. Pa, I’ll be back in the morning to see about getting a wagon and the supplies I need.”

  “I’ll get the wagon for you, son. Jensen over at the livery has a few for sale. And Mama will probably have it all outfitted before you even return. You go on and we’ll see you in the morning.” Mindy ducked her head in embarrassment knowing the Nelsons knew what she and Jed were likely to be doing in her room that night. But they were married, after all.

  The pastor shook his son’s hand, and gave his new daughter-in-law a hug. Mrs. Nelson hugged them both, her tears mingling with Mindy’s. Then, hand-in-hand, Jed and Mindy left the Nelson home—married, and ready to start their life together.

  Chapter Three

  Jed walked with his wife—his wife!—up the boardwalk to her room behind the hardware store. For as many times that he’d walked her as far as the door, he’d never been inside. It would not have been proper, and he didn’t want to cause Mindy any more grief than what she suffered being a local whore’s daughter, and a saloon girl.

  They left the boardwalk and entered the small alley between the hardware store and the mercantile. They climbed the few worn stairs and she used a key she withdrew from her pocket to open the door. They walked inside and his stomach sank.

  This is how she was living?

  The only thing to be said about the room was that it was better than her bed on the floor of her mother’s room at the brothel. An iron bed that would have a hard time holding the both of them was pushed up against the wall with peeling paint. There was one rickety table and one chair. A small shelf held a few food items, and a dresser missing a drawer made up the rest of the furnishings. A brush, comb and toothbrush were lined up on the top of the dresser. A chipped bowl and pitcher sat alongside it.

  Jed turned to her and immediately her chin rose. “It suits me just fine.” Two red dots appeared on her cheeks.

  He felt ashamed of himself. Obviously his distaste for the room showed on his face. He’d hurt her, and that was no way to start off a marriage. He held out his hand. “Come here, wife.”

  Mindy took the few steps to him and he wrapped her in his arms. “I’m sure this suited you fine. But I want to give you a life more than fine.” He placed his knuckle under her chin and looked her in the eyes. “Will you let me do that for you?”

  She nodded, still holding herself stiffly. The only way he could soften her up was with some kisses. He slowly bent his head and took her lips in a soft, soothing kiss. After a minute, or so, he felt her body relax against his. She was warm, and soft, and exactly where he’d wanted her to be for years. In his arms.

  Jed drew back, and regarded her. “I don’t think the two of us will be very comfortable in there,” he nodded toward the bed in the corner. “What do you say we take a room at the Dixon hotel for tonight?”

  Her eyes lit up. “The hotel? Can we afford that?”

  He loved that she already considered them a ‘we’. “Darlin’, it’s our wedding night. I cheated you out of the wedding I’m sure most girls dream about, so the least I can do is give you a decent place to sleep.” When she started to pull away again, he realized his mistake. “Not that this isn’t decent, it’s just that we won’t fit on that bed, and I prefer to make love to my wife for the first time in a space big enough for the both of us.”

  He grinned when her face flushed a bright red. She’d been raised in a brothel, worked in a saloon, and
she still managed to keep herself innocent. Mindy truly amazed him. He leaned his forehead against hers. “What do you say? And yes, we can afford it. I have money saved from my newspaper job.”

  “Aren’t you going to miss that job?” Mindy wanted to know.

  Jed raised his head and sighed. “Yes, I surely will. But I’ve always known I would follow Papa and my brothers.”

  “Why?”

  His lips tightened. He didn’t want to examine all of this too closely. “It’s expected. Now, let’s look forward to the future, not the past.”

  He was still wrestling with the sad little room she’d been living in. No pictures, no decorations, nothing that said “this is my home.” With the amount of food on the shelf, it was a wonder she wasn’t starving. Why hadn’t he known how hard her life was?

  Two dresses hung on hooks by the door. One he recognized as the one she wore to church every Sunday. The second one was well worn. Since the dress she wore was new, it must have come from a shopping trip with Miss Nellie when the girls were ordered to travel to Santa Fe as mail order brides.

  He shuddered to think how close he’d come to losing her. To another man. Never again would he allow her to live like a pauper. He would take care of her, make sure she always had enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and a decent roof over her head. And the same for whatever children God blessed them with. His family would closely resemble the family he’d grown up in.

  “So, Mrs. Nelson. Shall we head to the hotel, and have a nice dinner, and a good night’s rest?” His eyes raked over her body, and he gave her a lusty smile. “Although, I don’t know how much sleep I’m going to allow you.”

  ***

  Mindy smiled back at Jed. Her husband. Lordy be, she never thought to be able to say those words. She still wasn’t sure they’d done the right thing. If Pastor Nelson or Mrs. Nelson had seemed in any way upset that she was Jed’s bride, she might find the strength to tell him this was a mistake.

  They left her pitiful room and walked to the hotel. She was still smarting from the look on Jed’s face when he saw her home. Ha! Her home. It had always been just a place to sleep, and on occasion, eat. She should have known after leaving his warm, comfortable home, with all the love shared there, that her room would look even worse to his eyes.

  She was very excited since the Dixon hotel was nicer than the Dodge City Hotel Miss Nellie had gotten them rooms in. She said she had to be careful with the money the marshal had given her since they still had to buy supplies for the trip. Mindy had been grateful for the new dress Miss Nellie had bought her.

  Her thoughts drifted to her wedding night, Her heart began to beat a little faster, and she was having a bit of trouble breathing. When Jed touched her in a spot she would have clobbered anyone else for doing, all she felt was warmth, and the need to remove her clothes. Lordy, hopefully she wasn’t like her ma.

  Although, Ma always said what she did was to keep body and soul together. Since, as far as Mindy knew, Ma never entered a church, she thought it funny that she was trying to keep her soul attached. So, apparently Ma didn’t enjoy what she did, but Mindy sure liked Jed’s touches.

  Being raised in a brothel, she knew exactly what men and women did when they were alone together. She couldn’t help but wonder if her and Jed’s joining would be accompanied by all the grunting and moaning she’d heard at the brothel. Then it sounded disgusting, but now she wondered . . .

  “Here we are.” Jed’s words drew her from her thoughts. She looked up at the sign “Dixon Hotel” and smiled. She was going to sleep in a fine hotel! Although she tried very hard not to look around as if she’d never seen something so wonderful, she was afraid it showed on her face that this was all new to her.

  “Hi, Gus. We need a room for the night.” Jed gave the man behind the desk a friendly greeting.

  The desk clerk glowered at both of them. “Does your pa know you’re taking up with this one?” He nodded in her direction. Mindy stepped back and immediately felt as if she needed a bath. She tugged on Jed’s hand, urging him to leave. Had she been alone, she would have told this rude man what he could do with a certain part of his body, but she was a married woman now, with her husband by her side.

  Jed stiffened and she was glad the look he gave the clerk wasn’t directed at her. “Excuse me? My wife and I would like a room. However, if it’s too much trouble, I am only too glad to take our business across the street.”

  Gus’s face turned beet red, and he seemed to stammer his response. “I am truly sorry, ma’am,” he spoke to her. “It’s just that—“

  “—the room?” Jed’s voice had lowered and became something threatening. Lordy be, it wasn’t worth all this fuss just to sleep somewhere. Her room wasn’t so awful.

  But apparently she was.

  “Right away, Jed.” Gus grabbed a key from a board behind the desk and handed it to him. “Room 5.”

  Jed nodded and took the key.

  “Ah, congratulations,” he called after them, his feeble attempt to appease Jed falling flat when he ignored the comment, and placed his hand on Mindy’s lower back and directed her down the hall.

  Once they were in the room, Mindy turned to him, wringing her hands. “Jed, this ain’t gonna work. I told you—“

  “The man is an idiot and you shouldn’t worry yourself over anything he said. Now come here.”

  She backed away. “You know he’s right, you shouldn’t have married me.”

  He reached out and silenced her with a kiss. A very soft, gentle kiss that stirred her, and had her forgetting the clerk’s rude comment. Jed nudged her lips with his tongue, and when she opened, he entered her mouth, sliding over her teeth, tongue, and the roof of her mouth that she never knew was sensitive.

  Meanwhile, his fingers were busy unbuttoning the front of her dress, and slipping it off her shoulders. It settled at her feet in a whoosh, leaving her in her chemise, corset, and drawers. Even though her saloon girl dress showed off more skin than she did now, she still felt undressed.

  “I want you, Mindy.” He kissed the exposed skin above her chemise. “I’ve always wanted you.” He undid her corset a lot quicker than she would have thought a preacher could. It joined her dress on the floor, soon followed by her chemise, revealing her breasts to his eyes. “My God, you’re beautiful.” There was worship in his eyes and voice.

  Suddenly nervous and shy, she covered her breasts with her hands.

  “No, don’t cover yourself. Please, don’t ever hide yourself from me. I’m your husband, and I want you so much.” Once again he took her face in his hands and worshipped her mouth with his.

  She dropped her hands from her breasts and placed them on his shoulders, gaining a soft moan from him at the slight contact. His hands moved up and cupped her breasts, kneading them gently. His thumbs slid over the nipples, producing a tingle in her lower parts. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so shy, in fact, she wanted Jed to touch her in other places.

  As if reading her thoughts, he untied her drawers and pushed them down. “Kick your shoes off, but leave your stockings on,” he mumbled into her ear as he circled the shell with his tongue.

  She did as he asked, and then he picked her up and carried her to the bed. Her arms wrapped arounds his neck, and she pulled him forward for a kiss of her own. He obliged, while laying her on the quilt, resting his body partially over her. His palms ran over her skin, leaving goosebumps where his hand caressed.

  Nothing had ever felt so good. Although she was naked, she felt anything but chilled. Which reminded her. “Why am I the only one undressed?”

  Jed hopped up and began to pull his shirt from his pants. She wanted to cover herself again, but she was distracted and far too interested in the muscled, golden chest revealed when Jed took off his shirt. She had the urge to reach up and touch the short dark hairs that ran down the center of his chest and disappeared into his pants.

  ***

  If Jed had been excited about this part of marriage before, nothing could co
mpare to the feelings that rushed over him when Mindy eyed him as he removed his clothes. She licked her lips when he tossed his shirt over the chair next to the bed. When he shrugged out of his suspenders, then unbuttoned the front of his pants, sliding them down right along with his drawers, her eyes grew so wide he was sure they would pop out of her head.

  “Um, I don’t think this will work, Jed.” She inched back on the bed.

  Before he lost her altogether, he quickly climbed on the bed, and did the only thing he’d been able to do so far to distract her. He kissed her. The softness of her skin against his body drove all the blood left in his brain right to his lower parts. She moaned slightly when he teased her nipples. Then he replaced his fingers with his mouth.

  She tasted salty, sweet, and something that was only her. He suckled hard, and moved his fingers down to her core. Hot, swollen, wet, and ready for him. Loving her response to his touches, he rubbed his thumb over the part of her that would bring her the most pleasure.

  “Oh, that feels very good. Oh, keep doing that.” Her breathing hitched and she made little mewing sounds in the back of her throat.

  He grinned and once again teased her nipples, this time running his tongue over the pebbled hardness. Mindy’s head moved back and forth and she thrashed on the bed, her legs tightening, then using her heels to push her center against his fingers. “Oh, I feel something strange.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “But good.”

  Even in the midst of his first time loving her, something he’d wanted for years, she made him smile. “Relax, sweetheart, and just let go. I’ll catch you. I’ll always be here to catch you.” Indeed, she was right where he’d always wanted her. In his arms, in his life. Despite her doubts, he knew this was right. They belonged together.

  She fisted his hair and brought his mouth to hers in a kiss that shot all the way to his toes. Her heart thundered against his chest, beating in rhythm with his. Her innocent passion, and response to him boiled his blood, making it hard for him to hold off. Then she ripped her mouth away, and bucked as she moaned her release. He covered her neck and shoulder with tiny kisses and held her tight as she strained against him. Then she stilled, and collapsed. “Oh, my,” she breathed.