Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Lara hummed contentedly as she set the table for her first party in her new home. Her first as a married lady.

Though it had been several days since her wedding—and wedding night—a little thrill shot through her when she thought about Caleb. She’d had no idea making love could be so… fulfilling. Satisfying and sweet. She clenched the muscles of her inner walls, just remembering the way Caleb had broken through her virginity. It had been painful, but each time they made love after that, the pain diminished while the pleasure increased. It did not take long until it was all pleasure, including orgasms that had her seeing stars.

Still, she looked forward to hosting her friends. She and Caleb had spent several days away from the others. Hardly the exotic beach honeymoon she’d dreamed of since childhood, nonetheless, it had been romantic and filled with love and exploration. Not only in the bedroom, but she and Caleb really knew very little about each other and without the distraction of chores or the many other members of their unique extended family, they were able to talk and share.

It was hard to believe that in the midst of a catastrophe, she had found love. And a home.

Putting the last dish on the table, she stood back and admired her work. It was not quite the same as the set of her grandmother’s china that was boxed up in the attic at her parents’ home—she dared not allow herself to think of what might have happened to them or the house. Forcing back tears and her melancholy thoughts, she focused on the present. In the present she was happily married and expecting friends for lunch.

She wondered if any of the other girls would find love amongst the sons of Solomon Miller. Although the number of eligible men and women matched up, Benjamin was clearly too young for any of the college girls, possibly Samuel as well. Not to mention… what were the odds that six girls could each find a suitable spouse among six brothers?

In the kitchen she put the finishing touches on the food she’d prepared and she couldn’t help herself from speculating about who among the remaining members of their group might make a good couple.

She’d not had a lot of opportunity to get to know her new brothers-in-law. Daniel had the strongest personality, not surprising since he was the eldest. She shuddered to think about how he’d looked at her when he’d found out she hadn’t told them about the rest of the girls, and Mrs. Potter, hiding in the woods. He was right to be upset, but she sure hoped she never earned his disappointment again.

Shawna and Kimber had both been making efforts to get Daniel’s attention, but he didn’t appear interested. In general, Daniel seemed rather grumpy and put out by everything and everyone. He never came out and said it, but he was hardly warm and friendly.

In his defense, he and his family had survived an earthquake and then had seven new people to feed and shelter. If he wasn’t jumping for joy, it was understandable.

A tap on the door signaled that her guests had arrived and they entered the house on a sea of chatter and giggles. Lara stole a glance at Brittany, and even she seemed less terse than usual. Lara felt her shoulders relax. To be honest, the one thing she’d been hesitant about for her luncheon gathering was dealing with Brittany. But today, at least at first glance, Brittany seemed pretty relaxed. Like she’d found a way to relieve some of the stress that made her so irritable. Lara was tempted to ask her about it, but decided not to. No point in taking the risk of setting off her hair-trigger temper.

It was amazing what a good fuck—or three—could do for Brittany’s attitude. It was as though a huge weight had been lifted off her. Maybe she had been a tiny bit irritable and unpleasant. But she’d found the cure.

After their first round of no talk sex, the second time had been a noisy event with Brittany screaming at Daniel to “Fuck me! Fuck me harder!” It seemed the sometimes-sullen Amish man responded well to shouted instructions because he had picked her up from the bed, pressed her back against the wall of his bedroom, and thrust into her until the hinges on the door rattled.

When they’d recovered from that, he’d put her on all fours and fucked her doggy style, slapping her ass cheeks each time he slammed into her pussy.

Her clit still tingled every time she thought about it. She knew he had a body built for sex, but she never would have dreamed that he already knew how to use it, too. If she’d known how hot sex with an Amish man could be, she would have spent her spring break in Indiana instead of Cancun.

The two of them had scrupulously avoided each other since then, but given that they were already known to be like oil and vinegar, no one seemed to mind.

Well, except for Mrs. Potter. Just that morning Brittany had been on her way to the hen yard to collect eggs at the same time Daniel was headed for the barn to hitch up the team. Much as she’d wanted to run and jump into his arms, she’d refrained and purposely turned away from him. Mrs. Potter noticed and said, “Brittany, please. There are so few of us here, it is uncomfortable for everyone when you and Daniel are so cold to each other. Can’t you at least try to be nice?”

We might act cold, but when we’re together, it’s so hot, it’ll melt your panties .

Biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at her internal monologue, Brittany composed herself and said, “I’ll try, but I won’t make any promises. It’s not like he’s Mr. Cheerful.”

“I know, dear. But, please at least make an effort.”

She’d not seen Daniel since then and didn’t expect any of the men to attend the lunch, which was clearly ‘girls only.’

It was so girls only that Mrs. Potter didn’t even attend. “Where’s Mrs. Potter?” Lara asked after everyone was seated and there was an empty place.

“She said to thank you for the invitation, but she thought it might be nice for all of us to have a get-together without an ‘old lady,’ as she put it,” Katie reported.

“I wouldn’t take it personally,” Grace said.

“I think she’s looking for some time alone with Mr. Miller,” Brittany said. She’d caught the housemother peeking at Solomon when she didn’t think anyone was watching.

“Do you think so?” Shawna asked.

“Oh, maybe there will be another wedding,” Katie said, clapping her hands in excitement.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Besides,” Grace said, turning to their hostess, “we’re here to see Lara. How is married life?”

Lara blushed and looked down at her hands. “It’s wonderful.”

“Tell us all about it. Everything.” Katie leaned toward Lara.

“Katie,” Grace said, “don’t be nosey.”

“That’s wishful thinking,” Brittany said.

“I can’t help it.” Katie looked like she might take offense.

“The food looks delicious.” Grace redirected the conversation.

They joined hands around the table and Lara said a blessing before passing the plates of food to her guests.

The meal was so pleasant and laughter-filled, it was almost as though they were back in the dorm, just hanging out together. Though, of course, Brittany had never felt that comfortable with the other girls when they were in college. Now that they had only each other, Brittany was willing to make an effort to be friends. She noted her own change in attitude and was rather pleased with herself.

When the meal was over, Lara gave them a tour of her new home.

“What’s that?” Katie asked, pointing to the switch on the wall over Lara and Caleb’s bed.

Lara flushed. “Caleb says it’s for wifely discipline.”

“Ohhh,” Shawna and Kimber said together.

“Has he used it on you?” Katie asked.

Instinctively, Brittany looked to Grace, expecting her to say something to temper Katie’s curiosity, but Grace kept quiet, seemingly just as curious as the rest of them.

Lara stared at the floor. “He did, once.”

“What did you do?” Kimber asked.

Lara shifted from foot to foot and Brittany felt a little sorry for her. “Maybe that’s something between married people,” she said and noted a look of relief on Lara’s face.

The party moved downstairs and onto the front porch where Lara served baked apples with a bit of cream. “I wanted to make a cake or cookies,” Lara said, “but I’m trying to conserve the flour and sugar.”

“This is great,” Katie said, taking a large bite.

“It is nice to be here, just us girls,” Grace said.

“Did you know,” Kimber said, “that Daniel has his own house? That’s where he goes in the evenings, he’s working on it. I think he stays there sometimes.”

“Another house?” Grace said. “Oh, wouldn’t it be nice if we girls could live there together instead of all crowded into the main house with the rest of the family?”

“That would be wonderful,” Kimber said. “We could spread out a bit and not be crammed into one bedroom. And cook for ourselves. It would almost be like… normal.”

“Yes,” Lara said. “I’ll mention it to Caleb and see what he thinks. Do you think Daniel would agree?”

“It’s for the greater good,” Grace said.

“Or one of us could marry Daniel and live there with him… all alone,” Shawna said, raising her eyebrows to emphasize the ‘all alone’ part of her statement.

“Ohhh, I like that idea much better,” Kimber said. “That dark, brooding type really turns me on.”

“And you’d have a whole house for ‘getting to know each other,’” Katie said with a blush and a giggle.

“It would be wonderful to have another married couple,” Lara said with a bit of condescension, as though being married for a handful of days now made her an expert on matrimony.

“I wonder if he has one of those switches for ‘wifely discipline.’” Katie wiggled in her seat. “Yum. He can spank me any time.”

“Katie! What has gotten into you?” Grace said, staring at Katie. Brittany wondered if Grace was really as shocked as she tried to appear.

“Not Daniel… yet!” The girls, all save Brittany, squealed with laughter.

“Brittany, what do you think about Daniel?” Lara asked. “You’re the only one who has been alone with him… you never did tell us what happened in the woodshed.”

“Mmmm, what was that like?” Shawna wiggled in her seat.

“Daniel is a big pain in the ass.” Brittany crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the other girls, daring them to argue. “You can have him.”

“Well, he can have me,” Shawna said.

“Me too,” piped up Kimber and Katie.

With all the girls off at Lara and Caleb’s house for lunch and Mrs. Potter and their father out gathering apples, it was just Daniel and his five brothers for lunch. Something that had never happened before. Their father had always sat down to meals with his sons, leading them in prayer and conversation.

The fact that he’d abandoned that task in favor of accompanying Mrs. Potter into the orchard made Daniel more than a little curious. Maybe he wasn’t the only one with urges.

As they began to pass food around the table, Benjamin said what Daniel assumed they were all thinking. “It is strange without our father here, but even more strange without the girls. Do you not think so, brothers?”

There were nods and words of agreement around the table. Even though he knew she was not in the house, Daniel kept glancing around the room for Brittany.

He had missed her over the time since their lusty evening together. Finally, after having his release several times, he felt the tumult within calm. It was like he had been a rabid beast and his couplings with Brittany had soothed him. He had finally been able to get a good night’s sleep and felt much less surly toward life.

But, when he’d seen her earlier that morning, he felt the stirs of longing building. Much as he had hoped their romp had been a one-time thing, deep down, he knew he would need her again. And again.

Shaking himself from his torrid thoughts, he joined the conversation around the table. “How is married life, brother?” he asked Caleb.

Caleb smiled a bit knowingly, as though he had some grand secret the others around the table could not understand. “Married life suits me quite well,” he said and Daniel could not help but feel there was a bit of smugness in his brother’s reply.

Samuel glanced about the room, as though making sure the brothers really were alone, before he spoke. “Do you believe you have made Lara… happy?” The implication of Samuel’s question was unmistakable and Daniel fought against the hearty guffaw building in his chest.

Some of his brothers might have suspicions about how Daniel spent his Saturday nights during his Rumspringa, but none had ever questioned him directly, nor had he shared.

Caleb, usually rather modest, appeared to have been emboldened by his recent sexual awakening. He cleared his throat and then said, “She did not seem to have any complaints.”

There was a nervous chuckle around the table. Benjamin blushed a bright red. What a bunch of innocents his brothers were. Forcing himself to maintain a neutral expression on his face, Daniel’s thoughts wandered to the hours he’d spent with Brittany. His mind conjured an image of her hair, wild around her torso. Fucking her from behind, his cock pounding into her and pushing her across the bed, yanking back on her hips to keep her hot pussy where he wanted it. One hand buried deep in her scarlet hair, pulling until she arched her spine.

Beneath the table, his cock hardened in his lap. He’d told himself it would just be that one time together, but he knew that could never satisfy him.

“Daniel? Did you hear me?” Samuel waved a hand to get his brother’s attention.

Daniel pulled himself back from his thoughts. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

Benjamin leaned across the table toward his eldest brother. “We all want to know which of the girls you favor. You never did tell us what happened when you took Brittany into the woodshed.”

“She’s hardly spoken to him since,” Josiah pointed out with a grin.

“Oohhh, she’s got a temper… just like Daniel.” Gabriel joined in the teasing. Without their father there to keep the Miller sons in check, they devolved into typical guy talk. “I think I’d like to court her.”

“You could just follow Caleb’s example and marry her without bothering with courtship. It’s not as though there are a bunch of other men competing for her attention,” Benjamin said.

“Wait, I’d like to spend time with her too,” Josiah said. “I am going to ask Father for some land so that I may build a house and prepare for my own family.”

“Good idea,” Gabriel said. “I will do the same. Then I will be able to win Brittany’s heart.”

“Hey,” Josiah said. “I thought of it first.”

The two brothers stared at each other across the table and raised their voices as they continued to argue over Brittany.

Their words penetrated Daniel’s thoughts and an overwhelming compulsion came over him. He stood, slamming his fist on the table. “No, Brittany is mine. I have bedded her and none of you may have her.”

All the men gasped and stared at Daniel.

“Y-you bedded her?” Caleb finally spoke. “When?”

“The night of your wedding. She came to my house. It happened there.”

“How could you?” Benjamin said.

“She was a willing participant. S-she started it.”

That statement was followed by cynical laughter.