Blood Moon on the High Plains || Prince & Shadow

[Dark Prince]

Sheriff Ezra Lothrop arrived in the town of Owl Creek four years ago, his three boys in tow. A cattle rancher and an experienced lawman, Ezra had moved from Texas to Wyoming in search of a fresh start and a place free from memories of his late wife. He was looking to find another slice of untamed plains to make his own, but most of all he wanted to live in the real West again. The Wild West, just like when he'd first moved to Texas thirty years ago before roads, trains, Texas Rangers, and U.S. Marshals had made that great state almost civilized.

Owl Creek had barely been a town when Ezra had first rode in, more a loose collection of spread out ranches in a picturesque high plains valley in a wild corner of Wyoming. After a fresh snow storm, you might even have thought the main street was just another ranch compound with a half-dozen large buildings arranged peculiarly in a row, all alone in an empty white plain. Owl Creek was just another one of those cattle towns teetering on the verge of growth or a lonely slide back to ignominy. With harsh weather, rugged terrain and lots of hidden pocket canyons that led up into snow covered peaks, it wasn't a place you settled in unless you really wanted to get away. But on the flip side, on a clear day the blue sky filled your vision and seemed low enough to touch. With miles of empty land between the scattered ranches, the valley offered settlers a sense of freedom you just couldn't get in an easier and more crowded country.

The locals hadn't been sure they even needed a Sheriff when Ezra had arrived. But, he seemed reputable and had promptly bought a prime parcel of ranch land in cash. You see, ranchers trusted other ranchers. Ezra had volunteered to perform the job free of pay and even donated his two eldest boys as deputies to do a lot of the work that busy ranchers would have to do otherwise. Dirty and rough work at times. He sure seemed to know what he was doing and his confident attitude and glib tongue soon won over even his strongest skeptics. Ezra had a story about almost anything you could imagine and was a font of wisdom on how to manage the town's growth. And grow Owl Creek did, adding a couple hundred new citizens and another half-dozen odd buildings on Main Street in the last four years. And in the lawless state Wyoming still was these days, his skill with the rifle and ability to track and bring to justice outlaws came in handy.

Just as Ezra had predicted when he said they'd need a Sheriff, there had been a whole slew of criminals heading to the Northern territories from Texas looking for easier pickings and undefended ranches. Ezra and his boys had caught a half-dozen cattle rustlers in his first year alone. Sure, his two eldest sons could be a little rough with the criminals and many were shot dead before they got a chance for trial, but this was an unforgiving country. Better a dead rustler than a dead rancher. And it was quickly known among the living rustlers that Owl Creek’s Sheriff was not to be trifled with. Safety attracted other settlers and a large part of the reason Owl Creek had thrived was Ezra's strict watch.

And with the stranger things that had happened in the past couple years, the cattle being killed mysteriously when there were no wolves in the valley and the disappearances of certain ranchers, well, it was all the more reason to be thankful that a competent man like Ezra wore the badge.

----

Ezra scowled as his horse approached Willow Ranch's main compound.

Ms. Evelyn Grant was a stubborn girl, it seemed, and she'd lasted longer by herself than he'd expected. His light blue eyes traced the fences of the close-in corrals and lingered on the walls and roofs of the main ranch buildings. To his surprise, all the structures looked in good repair for the most part, trim, tidy and well-kept. He'd been hoping that she'd found the upkeep tough, particularly the challenge of a girl trying to motivate a naturally lazy crew of ranch hands. Well, she'd managed to keep things going through the toughest part of the year, so she was unlikely to fold her hand now that Spring was in the air.

Ezra still believed her act of running the ranch was a bluff. Surely she couldn't actually want to run this all herself? Hopefully she was smart enough to recognize a better hand than the one she was dealt if he dangled it before her.

"Don't let her fool you, she can’t handle a ranch by herself," Ezra said, more to himself than to his youngest son who rode quietly next to him.

Caleb had just turned nineteen and still looked more like a boy than a man to Ezra’s eyes. He had short, dark brown hair that lay hidden beneath a grey, wide-brimmed hat, and his jaw was covered in stubble that betrayed he was still trying to grow a proper beard. The boy's eyes, light blue like his father and brothers, were pensive as he took in the ranch; the overcast and cold morning cast the buildings in a dreary and unflattering light.

Was his son not impressed, or was that apprehension Ezra sniffed in his posture? Caleb was always studying, watching and thinking about things. The boy had brains, that was for sure, but brains without balls didn't get you far out West. And he looked so young still, despite wearing a new suit and his best leather riding chaps for this visit. Like a boy dressed up for Church and with a face so innocent at times that Ezra would swear he was his mother reincarnated. It was a face people would trust, however, and that was a valuable tool. Ezra caught his father studying him and flushed slightly, but nodded to show that he had indeed heard his comment.

"Mending fences and keeping roofs up ain't too hard, Pa," Caleb answered, adopting an unimpressed tone. A little grin came to his face as they both kicked their horses into a trot to enter the muddy courtyard in the middle of the compound. "But you're right, it ain't proper. Something's gonna happen to her without a man out here to protect her. And not a ranch hand with a charming tongue like that guy that ran away. A woman can't tend a ranch by herself forever. Especially a pretty one like Evie."

Ezra grinned back at his son. There, that was better. He liked it when Caleb showed a little sass and ambition instead of glowering at him like he thought everything Ezra did was wrong. The latter attitude had seemed to appear a bit too often in the last year. This visit had been a surprisingly easy one to convince Caleb to join him on, which meant his often sulking son might actually have a hidden personal interest in making Ezra's plan of action for the orphaned woman with the big ranch succeed. Good to know, although that secret interest might be a problem if things didn't work out quite the way Ezra planned.

"Well, I just know a boy who might be able to help her," chuckled Ezra back as he dismounted to hitch his horse up to the post by the front steps. A couple cow dogs had come running at the sound of their horses, barking loudly, but they slunk back with low growls at the sight of the two men. Otherwise, the ranch seemed quiet and Ezra hoped Evie was even home. He’d heard rumors she’d been riding with the cowboys as the ranch was understaffed. After last night’s storm, he knew her herd was likely scattered and he hoped she hadn’t left already to wrangle missing cattle. Ezra's cowboy boots were muddy from the yard so he took his time scrubbing them on the bristle mat by the front step, making sure Caleb did the same. "Now, mind your manners like I taught you and let me do the talking. In fact, let me talk with Miss Grant alone first. Make yourself scarce, maybe go talk to that foreman to see how things are going if there isn't a place to sit inside. And remember, when you speak with her, be sure to offer to help her out from time to time and ask to be able to visit to check in on her. With her Dad's... disappearance... she might still be a bit in grief, so you don't need to be pushy. And for God's sakes, don't say anything stupid. Don't roll your eyes at me... you got it?"

With a final, intense stare that forced Caleb to drop his eyes, swallow his protests, and nod firmly back, Ezra's face transformed into the huge, dazzling smile that had become his trademark in dealing with the ranchers of Owl Creek. He motioned for Caleb to follow him up the steps to the front stoop.

"Good, then allow me to get you this girl I know you've been pining for.”

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

"Someone's coming!" Hannah said excitedly, one hand tugging at Evelyn's arm.

Evelyn glanced up at the sound of the barking dogs, squinting into the distance from the kitchen window. Her rag paused, then resumed, drying a plate to put back in the cupboard. It was one of their ordinary pieces, the hearty stuff that could withstand daily use and a bit of rough handling. The good china, with its delicate inlay of pink cherry blossoms, was safely packed in her mother's wedding chest. Perhaps one day she or her sister might take that same chest with them into their own marriage. Hannah, probably, she thought. She loves pretty things more than I do.

And it was true, for the difference between the sisters was obvious. The Grant girls were both quite pretty with their dark hair and chestnut eyes, certainly pretty enough to capture the attention of many men, but Hannah was the one that dressed and looked like a girl most of the time. Even when Evelyn could bully her into doing her chores, Hannah still had to have the prettiest apron on over her robin's egg blue skirt. Never mind that Evelyn thought she looked ridiculous doing housework in plaid and chintz, if it kept Hannah happy, then Evelyn would keep her mouth shut. When Hannah was unhappy, the entire household was unhappy. It was likely a byproduct of being the youngest child, the one that everyone had spoiled, and that her father had doted on most. Hannah was the favorite. Evelyn was the dependable one.

When company came knocking, it was Hannah that looked her best, for she merely had to whip off her apron to look presentable. Evelyn's plain clothing, worn for utility rather than beauty, looked drab by comparison, a common sparrow to her sister's brilliant songbird. The life of a rancher's daughter was hard, no matter if she was cooking, cleaning, or working the horses. The life of a rancher's daughter whose mother had died when she was little and whose father had mysteriously gone missing some months prior was even harder. Evelyn, by contrast, kept her apron on, for the tiny blue and purple flowers were an improvement to her dress rather than something to be hidden.

"Looks like the Sheriff and one of his boys," Evie commented. Taking the kettle to the pump her father had installed only the year prior, she filled it with water and put it on the iron stove to heat.

Hannah squealed. "Oh! Is it Jacob?" She looked ready to swoon.

Evelyn repressed a sigh. "Jacob is taller. I think it's Caleb."

"Caleb! Oh! He looks so much older than when I saw him last. He's grown handsome, don't you think, Evie?"

Evelyn threw her sister a glance. "They're all handsome boys, Hannah. Just a bit wild. Caleb's the sweetest, though. He might be sweet on you, too. You never know."

Hannah beamed at that, for the one thing she loved more than pretty things was to be seen as a pretty thing. She craved attention, from whatever source she could get, and it had always been a challenge for Evelyn to rein in her sister's eagerness. The girl was going to get herself in real trouble some day, and Evie wouldn't be there to save her.

Evelyn gave her younger sister a swat on the rear. "Go answer the door and invite them in. I'll be in shortly with refreshments."

And so it was Hannah to met the sheriff at the door almost before he'd finished knocking, wide-eyed and breathless, a bright spot in the otherwise drab and muddy day. "Sheriff Lothrop! What a wonderful surprise. Hi, Caleb! Please come in and make yourself at home. Evelyn's bringing in tea and cake."

The interior of the ranch home wasn't terribly different from many others they'd seen. It was neat, well kept, and contained the soft touches of a woman that some lacked. A fire crackled in the fireplace, warmth to drive away the early chill of spring. Hannah gestured to the sitting area where they'd visited on more than one occasion, swooping her skirt beneath her and perching daintily on one of the armchairs. Evelyn joined them a few moments later with a tray of teacups, steaming kettle, and freshly baked pound cake. She offered Ezra and his boy a genuine smile with no hint whatsoever of the troubles that day had wrought -- though there had been many.

"Good day, gentlemen. To what do we owe the honor of your fine company today?" Today of all days, she thought unfairly. I have too much to do to worry about playing hostess.

 

[Dark Prince]

"Oh, young Miss Hannah Grant! Morning to you and very much obliged," replied Ezra, his already large smile seemed to stretch even bigger as he eyed the young girl. He played up his Texas drawl when talking with the local ranchers and the simple words rolled slowly off his tongue in a musical baritone. Ezra's black hat was lifted off his head before the door had opened, revealing silvery grey hair that framed a tanned face that was deeply lined, but still remarkably unwrinkled for a man who must be in his late fifties. His light blue eyes were crinkled from his smile as he first nodded at Hannah, then peered inside to try to find Evelyn, before he stepped across the threshold. “We appreciate your generous hospitality in what is surely a rude, unannounced visit.”

“Thank you, Miss Hannah,” added Caleb, his hat also in his hands. He gave Hannah a sweet smile, but his eyes likewise searched for Evelyn as he shuffled inside behind his father, spurs clinking on the hardwood floor. He stayed standing, as did Ezra, while they waited for Evelyn to arrive with the tea and snacks. “Very much obliged.”

Both men stood a little straighter when Evelyn entered the parlor. Hannah was a cute young thing, there was no arguing that, and she looked pretty as a songbird in that blue dress, but her older sister had a certain presence that Ezra, as a man of experience, appreciated a bit more. Evelyn had the same dark hair and chestnut eyes as her younger sister, but her features were sharp and strong, not baby smooth. While not much older than Caleb, she was already running a ranch by herself and you could tell that in the way she carried herself. She was no blushing girl eager to have visitors and preening for attention, no this was her house and she made you feel honored to be asked inside. Ezra sensed a weariness under the gracious smile she flashed them, as if there were a hundred chores and obligations on her mind that she’d rather tend to then her uninvited guests.

“Morning Miss Grant, and thank you for hosting us and taking the trouble. We certainly didn’t expect this honor,” Ezra said. He liked how Evelyn wasn't cowed by their unannounced visit and seemed like she had everything under control. He’d visited women in similar circumstances who’d been so agitated they could hardly talk, or broke down and confided immediately that they couldn’t handle the pressure of running a ranch. Evelyn was a stubborn mule though, just like her Pa had been before her. Isaac Grant had been one of Ezra's skeptics from the beginning and it looked like the daughter hadn't completely warmed to the Sheriff despite all he'd done to help find her lost father. Well, she'd be a spirited filly for Caleb if he was man enough to break her, and if Caleb couldn't he’d have to use one of his other sons. That was an interesting thought. Let's hope Caleb had enough fire in him to saddle and ride this girl as Zeke and Jakob were not know for their gentle touch. Although, sometimes it did take a rough hand. Yes it did.

Ezra glanced at Caleb and to his chagrin found his youngest son smiling at Evelyn a bit too eagerly. The foolish boy looked like puppy staring at a juicy bone! All he needed was to hang his tongue out and drool to complete the impersonation. Caleb caught Ezra's icy glare and hurriedly nodded his head at the lady of the ranch, smoothing his smile down to a friendly grin and saying, "Miss Grant, pleased to see you again."

Two attractive young women, all alone on the plains, and with only a bunch of drunken, untrustworthy ranch hands who likely were ex-rustlers themselves to guard over them. Like foxes guarding the hen house when wolves were prowling outside. Whatever were this pair thinking? Ezra felt like his visit today was almost a moral duty.

"Miss Grant, I do appreciate tea and I've never turned down cake in my long life, but perhaps you and I can have a quiet word first, just the two of us?" Ezra said, glancing meaningfully at Caleb and Hannah, before he sat down. Caleb caught his cue and suggested to Hannah that she show him around the ranch yard.

“I do know this has been real tough for you, Evelyn," said Ezra, giving her a sympathetic shake of his head after Caleb left. "I don't know how you've been able to handle the ranch since your Pa disappeared, but you have done a truly remarkable job. He would be proud of you. The ranch looks great and this house is as tidy and clean as ever. He's been missing a while now, and no, I haven't heard a lick about him yet though we had some cowboys look in the Willow Creek valley last week since the snow has melted. But it's time to move on, as hard as it is to do that. You have to let him go."

Ezra paused to let his brow furrow in a sympathetic expression, taking a long sip from his tea and a bite of the pound cake.

"This isn't the kind of life a woman can expect to live on her own for long. You need a man in the household. It's just too dangerous for you otherwise, and I say this as an Officer of the Law and speak for the community of Owl Creek as people are worried about you. I’m talking about a man you can trust, not a ranch hand that could be an ex-rustler and looking to rob you," Ezra said, his voice getting gravelly and serious. "I know you don't want to leave Willow Ranch, it's your home. You are not like the Miller and Holton widows. They had big debts they needed to pay back and I was able to give them enough money to move somewhere safe comfortably. You want to stay here, I get it. But... you need a man to help you. And how are you going to find one working the ranch all day and night?"

Ezra smiled as he took a final bite of the delicious cake. She was a fine cook, it seemed. Caleb would do well with this one.

"Mhmmm, that was delicious," Ezra said after he finished swallowing. "What I'd like to propose is that I have Caleb come by from time to time, to help out and check in on you. He's a solid lad and knows his way around a ranch well, including whipping drunk and lazy cowboys into shape if need be. Plus he's the Sheriff's son so they won't be keen on getting on his bad side. No strings attached. Just being neighborly and wanting to make sure you are all right out here by yourself. Who knows, you might just find Caleb nice to have around! What do you say?"

The big smile came back and Ezra's eyes crinkled as he leaned in to hear Evie’s response.

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

The Sheriff was certainly an amiable and approachable fellow. Evelyn liked him, or at least the surface persona that he portrayed. She knew that no man was that laid back and unassuming. Her father had known it, too. They'd spoken on occasion about Ezra and his brood, and her father's general distrust of the man. He couldn't ever give her specifics. He'd just said it was something in his gut. Evelyn had just classified it as something that a male feels for another that's invading his territory.

Not only had the Sheriff taken over much of Owl Creek with his charming ways, but his boys had also thrown themselves into the thick of things. Isaac Grant hadn't approved of the elder Lothrop boys in the slightest, but that was understandable given the rumors of their womanizing ways. No father wanted his daughter tied to a scoundrel. Evelyn kept her opinions to herself. Never mind that the Lothrops were all handsome and well mannered when in her company. Never mind that the so called women they ran entertained were the loose sort that frequented the saloons. The gals that half the town's menfolk visited, as well. Isaac looked down on any man that kept such company.

But despite her father's reservations, the Sheriff had proved quite a friend to her and Hannah in the months after their father had disappeared. He'd been ranging out in the far pastures, searching for a few head of their missing cattle. Wyoming winters were normally rough, but this past one especially so. He'd weathered worse, though, so Evelyn hadn't been all that worried. When ranging, he could be gone for several days, so she didn't even worry when he didn't come home those first few nights. A week crept by and the weather grew worse, bringing in a northern blizzard that'd easily kill anyone caught out in the cold. When it passed and their father still hadn't shown his face, she'd asked Ollie to go around and have a look, but the foreman couldn't find any sign.

She'd hoped he'd just holed up someplace to ride out the storm and was slow getting back. Maybe his horse went lame and he'd been forced to walk. There could be hundreds of scenarios of why a man hadn't made it home, and most of them weren't pleasant. That second week, her sense of dread had grown to the point where she'd involved the Sheriff. Now, months later, Isaac's death was a forgone conclusion. No self-respecting man would leave his two unmarried daughters to fend for themselves by choice. As Isaac was one of the kindest and most respected ranchers in the territory, everyone assumed he'd frozen in the storm and would be found when the snow melted. The Sheriff hadn't stopped looking. She'd joined the range riders a time or two to conduct her own search, always fruitless, but she still appreciated his effort. Evelyn was too pragmatic to hold out any hope, but she tried to put on a brave face for Hannah.

Her gaze shifted briefly to the window as her sister walked past with Caleb beside her. The boy was all smiles and politeness, but she still couldn't help but wonder if there was something beneath that sweet-faced exterior that she'd yet to see. His brothers had turned out wild. Was he hiding a wild streak, as well?

Giving Ezra her full attention again, she smiled. "Sheriff, I appreciate your concern. I don't really have any hope of finding my father alive, but I did hope we'd at least find his remains so we could have a proper burial for him. If I've held on for this long, it's because Hannah is just a child, and it is going to be difficult for her to accept Papa's death. I know she has to grow up sometime, but you can't fault a woman for wanting to protect her baby sister. It is likely time, however, as you've pointed out. We'll have a memorial for him soon. Maybe put up a gravestone for him where Mama is buried so we'll at least have a place to visit."

After taking a drink, she shook her head. "I appreciate your offer of help, but I think we'll be alright for now. Caleb is a fine boy, but I'm sure there are plenty of other folk much worse off than we are that could use his help. I've still got Ollie helping me out, and he's got a good handle on our cowhands. We've never had much a problem with lazy or disrespectful hands. My father was too careful about who he hired."

"Honestly, with Papa's passing so soon, I just don't think I'm ready to go looking for a husband just now, anyhow. You're about as bad as he was about wanting to marry me off, sir. I didn't allow such talk then, and I won't allow it now. Unless you're here to propose, I don't think we need to talk about my marital status. I'll settle down when I find the right man for me." Her lips twitched in amusement.

"Now, if you absolutely want take no for an answer, and you send Caleb along anyhow, we can probably find a use for him, but it won't be on the ranch. It'll be out on the ranges where the comforts are few and the nights long. You think he's ready for riding that rough? Has he ever ridden the ranges during a full calving season? I'm sure he's a crack shot, learning from you, but he still seems a bit wet behind the ears truth be told." From her tone, it was clear that she'd lumped Caleb into the same category as her sister. He was a couple of years younger than she, which automatically made him a child in her eyes. "No disrespect meant against him, of course. He seems like a sweet kid and has always been nice to Hannah."

 

[Dark Prince]

“It must be hard out here, just you two?” asked Caleb as he followed Hannah onto the porch.

She was a pretty girl, he couldn’t deny that, but her sister had always had his eye.

Caleb still remembered the first time he saw Evie in town, she probably didn’t even remember that day, but she’d been with her Pa and loading supplies from the general store into her wagon. Something had struck him about her at the time, though he was sixteen and likely even more of a fool back then. There were lots of pretty ladies that liked fancy clothes and making themselves look dolled up, but Evie wore a simple dress, clearly one that was made for work on the ranch and not showing off in town, and had such an easy grace as she hefted bags of feed. It wasn’t womanly work, the kind of task another girl might have done hidden in the back of the store instead of the front, but she had a dignity to her that made the work look like a noble duty, at least to Caleb’s young eyes, and he'd joined in voluntarily and helped put the last couple bags in their wagon.

And of course, there had been that ride about a year later. That memory would be forever stuck in his mind. Bad enough to have your horse pull up lame, but even worse to have a pretty girl just a little older than you lope up and offer to give you a ride back to your ranch. It was only a couple miles, but riding nestled behind her had felt like a thousand. The trip had been both torturous and wonderful; Caleb couldn’t wait to hop off and had hoped it would never end, both at the same time. He could still remember the soft, feminine scent of her hair as his face had swayed behind her, and of course the warmth he felt as his crotch inevitably slipped forward to rub against her rear before he could scootch back. He wasn’t sure he even said a word besides a “Thank you, Ma’am” right before he slipped off and took his horse straight to the barn, hoping she couldn’t see his red cheeks.

But that ride happened years ago, and since then Evelyn had barely given him the time of day. Caleb knew his looks weren’t half-bad and he believed he had some appeal to the fairer sex. He definitely knew there were plenty of other girls who went out of their way to flirt with him, being the Sheriff’s son and all helped that of course, including Hannah of all people, but Evie had always been cool and polite to him. Not rude or showing any dislike, but just not interested, almost as if he was still a little boy that she treated nice, but didn’t think anything about in the way he thought of her, and it killed him.

Well, he wasn’t a boy anymore.

His Pa had his faults, but as much as Caleb disliked him, Ezra’s latest scheme was one that actually used him as a pawn in a way that he didn’t mind much at all.

“What was that, Hannah?” asked Caleb. He realized he had missed everything the girl had just said. “Ah’m sorry, I was just thinking about the work I have to do at my ranch as I looked around at yours! How are you all getting on, again?

---

Evelyn was only half-mule it seemed. She did at least agree to let Caleb stop by from time to time, although she seemed to ignore or reject the idea he might be her suitor by even bringing up Hannah at the end. Well, it was a start, at least, and Ezra begrudgingly decided her offer was the best outcome, at least for now. He knew it didn’t make sense to nip at the heels of a mule, that’d only get you kicked and have the mule dig in harder, so he wasn’t going to push her more on this visit.

“Ah’m much obliged that you considered my suggestion,” replied Ezra, flashing her his big grin. “I think you’ll be surprised about Caleb. My boys work my ranches as much as any hired cowhand. He’s a grown man now and you won’t find another that rides as hard as him with no complaints, at least in this valley that’s for sure.”

Ezra stood, placing his tea cup carefully on the table and picking up his hat.

“It would set my mind right to know someone trustworthy was checking in on you ladies. The number of outlaws sneaking into Wyoming is getting worse and we all know about the other strange things going on around Owl Creek. Ranch hands talk and I wouldn't want Willow Ranch to appear to be an easy target to a gang of rustlers with their sights set on more than cattle. Knowing the Sheriff's son comes around here will be a good deterrent and keep your crew a bit more honest. Now, with your leave, I’ve got to be getting on."

Ezra was all smiles as he left, but his eyes narrowed as he looked again at the too well-kept ranch outside. Even muddy from last night’s storm, the compound looked almost neat. Perhaps it was time to make life a little tougher at Willow Ranch? Evelyn would appreciate Caleb’s help more, and maybe realize the boy might even become a necessity if things weren't so easy anymore.

He turned back to Evelyn when half-way down the steps.

“Is Ollie around, by chance? I like to talk to all the foremen at the ranches and make sure Ah’ve heard any firsthand accounts of strange things the hands might have seen out on the range.”

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Hannah talked incessantly as she and Caleb walked upon the porch, no matter if he was listening or not. Having him near and all to herself was a dream come true for the young girl that had been in love with him since she first set eyes on him. She positively bloomed at the small shred of attention he paid her.

"Oh, Caleb! It is so very difficult without Papa here. I miss him terribly. I wish there was a strong, handsome man around to take care of us. I get so frightened at night with just the two of us in this big lonely house. We could use a man that was handy with a gun. Someone like you. Someone brave enough to protect us."

She touched his arm gently. "I know you must be terribly busy, but I do wish that you could come around more often to help on the ranch. I'm sure you know your way around, having helped your father out for so long."

Evelyn rose along with the sheriff, content enough to let him take his leave. If he didn't have word of her father, then there wasn't a whole lot to discuss. She'd let him know how she felt about his suggestions without being rude, opting instead for middle ground. Still, it was a relief to see him go and know that he wasn't going to try to argue and press the issue. She didn't want to have to get nasty with the man that they all depended upon for so much.

Stepping out onto the porch behind him, she smiled and nodded. "I reckon that Ollie is probably over at the barn. You know how a good storm likes to wash away the cattle's extra feed. He said he'd be out restocking them this afternoon, so you can very likely catch him before he takes the cart out."

Spotting Hannah keeping Caleb company, she put two fingers in her mouth to whistle loudly at the girl. "Hannah! Say goodbye to the Sheriff and Caleb. They need to be gettin' on, and we have chores to do."

Hannah frowned at the news and sighed. "I suppose this is goodbye, then. It was nice seeing you again, Caleb." She smiled prettily, cheeks dimpling, and managed a slight curtsy. "Don't stay away too long, alright?"

 

[Dark Prince]

Caleb stared down at Hannah’s hand as she touched his arm, half-frozen by her forward gesture. He felt a little guilty as he flashed her a smile, knowing his heart’s real interest lay inside the house talking with his father. Yet still, Hannah was a pretty girl, and it was hard for him to not feel something when a face like that begged him to spend time at the ranch. Despite that, spending time alone with Hannah, and not Evie, was not how he hoped this visit to go. Hannah was young, immature, and definitely a girl still, and most certainly not the woman Evie was. Yet the adoring look she was giving him was the one he hoped to see on Evie's face.

This was getting a little awkward.

“Don’t you worry Hannah,” said Caleb, placing his hand on top of hers and giving her a light squeeze that he hoped was reassuring, not flirtatious. He gently pried her hand off of his arm and let it fall. “Pa and I are worried about you two ladies out here all by your lonesome. I am definitely planning on trying to come by and help out when I can, assuming you both want me that is.” He gave a quick glance towards the front door, wondering how long his father was going to be. Hannah’s overly enthusiast interest in his presence was getting a little hard to deflect without seeming rude. “I did want to talk with your sister to make sure I can truly be of help…”

Just then Ezra burst out of the front door and Caleb took the opportunity to turn towards his father. Evie followed and Caleb’s heart skipped a beat as he saw her standing at the top of the steps, those eyes searching, maybe for him? No, it was just to find her little sister and order her to say goodbye.

Was he not even going to get a chance to talk to Evie today?

Caleb tried to keep an easy smile on his face as he bid Hannah farewell, but it was Ezra who saved the day.

“Caleb, we don’t need you at the ranch until late afternoon, and I have to go to town after I chat with Ollie. Why don’t you see if you can help Evelyn and Hannah out with anything for a bit? No need to rush off,” barked Ezra, who turned to look at Evelyn to see if she agreed. His father chuckled as he put on his hat. “Don’t look so shocked, boy, these women aren’t going to bite, not unless you ask them to that is! I’m sure they have something heavy for you to lift, or maybe a dress for you to sew if you want to show them your sensitive side.”

With a final wave, Ezra saddled up and road towards the barn to find Ollie. Caleb turned to Evelyn cautiously, feeling his heart race and pulse quicken. Suddenly he felt like a little boy again, scared to talk or even meet her gaze, but he forced himself to give her his best cocky grin.

Don't blow lassoing this calf, cowboy.

“Miss Evelyn, or can I call you Evie?” Caleb asked, nodding his head. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, but somehow managed to keep his cool and smile steady. Now was his chance, finally, to show Evie he was a man, not a boy. “I don’t mean to bother, but Ah’m happy to help out if you have any needs around here. Ah'm just as concerned as my father is about you two out here.”

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Evelyn frowned slightly as Ezra completely countered her suggestion and insisted his son stay despite her opinion to the contrary. Hannah was absolutely thrilled that Caleb would be staying and didn't bother to hide that fact. She waved goodbye to the Sheriff, but stayed by Caleb's side.

Repressing a sigh, Evie turned to Caleb and offered him a slight smile. "Evie is just fine. I've never been one for formality, I suppose. If your Pa thinks he can spare you, then I suppose we'd best find something for you to do. He says you're not one to shirk hard work. I hope not, because I've got some fences that need mending. I don't normally need help with it, but a second pair of hands would be handy." Truth be told, she figured that this might be her chance to see what sort of worker Caleb really was, and whether he might be worthy of her sister. "I need to get changed before we ride out. Hannah, could you go with Caleb to the stables and help him saddle up Bea for me?"

"Of course! Can I ride out with you, too, Evie?" She asked hopefully.

Evelyn eyed her sister. Hannah absolutely abhorred being dirty and especially disliked the messy jobs that made her so. There was little doubt in her mind that the sudden change in her sister was solely the fault of the handsome boy standing beside her. Again, she had to repress her emotions, though this time it was a laugh. "It'd going to be horribly muddy, Hannah. I have a better idea. Why don't you put together something special for lunch? We'll both be hungry when we get back. You think you could handle that?"

Hannah beamed. "Oh! Yes, that is a wonderful idea. Caleb, I'll make something special for you. I'm a wonderful cook."

"That she is," Evelyn agreed. She left the two to get her horse straightened out and headed back inside to change for the trail. Proper or not, she wasn't going to wear a skirt while out working the ranch. Her father had been shocked the first time she'd tailored a pair of his old trousers to fit her, but he'd gotten over it. Hard work and hard living sometimes required compromise and sacrifice.

Hannah touched Caleb's arm again and gestured to the stables, which had been built separate from the barn. "Bea is Evie's mare. I'll show you her stall. She's spirited, but usually behaves for me. I'd get her ready, but I'm not strong enough to carry the saddle. I'm sure that you won't have any trouble, though."

 

[Dark Prince]

She didn’t seemed that thrilled at Ezra’s offer of Caleb's help right this moment, and Caleb wondered exactly what had transpired inside without him there. He never quite trusted Ezra and now the thought crossed his mind that Ezra had forced his presence on Evie against her will. Well, she’d taken the bait at least, however it was hooked, so he had to reel her in all by himself now.

Mending fences was arguably Caleb’s least favorite ranch chore, and there were always fences to mend unfortunately. If you owned land that was good grazing and wanted other cows off it, you had to fence them out as Wyoming was a free range state. Unscrupulous cowhands and ranchers were apt to cut wire to let their herds get some ripe grass on a neighbor’s ranch in order to save a longer cattle drive to pubic land elsewhere, so riding your fence line and mending any breaks was a daily job all season.

Still, he’d get to do it with Evie, and just the two of them alone. Suddenly what was a menial chore became a privilege and he tipped his hat at Evie excitedly.

“Happy to help, Miss… uhm, I mean, Evie,” he said, wincing at his instinct to still address her formally. He wasn’t a boy, Damnit, so he should talk to her like a man now. “I’ll get your mare saddled and lunch sure sounds great, Hannah. Anything you make will be good vittles for me, Ah’m sure!”

Caleb took over saddling Bea, with Hannah being more hindrance than help, and he had just finished checking the fidgety mare’s cinch strap when Evie arrived. He had to do a double take at first as he thought a slim cowhand had ambled into the barn, but it was just Evie wearing a pair of trousers. The surprise on his face was evident, and he had to force a speechless chuckle out as he thought of what to say. He’d never seen a woman in trousers before and, loose as they still were, they summoned the image of her slender legs into his mind in a very distracting way.

“You look like a proper cowhand in those! I can tell it will be a fun ride with you!” said Caleb. It didn’t bother him, now that he thought about it. Evie was a special woman, he’d always known that, and if there was ever a lady in Owl Creek to wear trousers and ride with the cowhands, she’d be the one, particularly with her Pa gone missing. Would she put on chaps as well? “I got yer mare all saddled and ready. I was going to grab some wire and some clippers and we should be fixed to go. I can’t wait to get a tour of your ranch as Ah’ve never been beyond the compound and close-in corrals. It sure looks like a pretty bit of land.”

Pretty, just like its owner. Caleb still couldn’t believe he was actually going riding with Evie. If he could give a lusty yeehaw without anyone hearing, he’d be hollering right now!

---

Zeke Lothrop was in a bad mood.

That wasn’t uncommon, in and by itself, but today it was made worse by the fact that he actually had to do some peace officer work. The damned star his father made him wear meant he had responsibilities, or rather the local people thought he had responsibilities, when the fact of the matter was he didn’t give a shit about almost anything that happened that didn’t annoy him personally. And yeah, he did get annoyed easily, but rarely was it because of anything illegal or related to being a Deputy Sheriff in Owl Creek.

“He’s in the saloon, Zeke, still got his gun out and everything,” said the suited man. Zeke could never remember his name, some foppish council member who owned the furniture store at the end of main street and didn’t know which end of a rifle shot bullets. “He hasn’t fired any more shots, but he’s talking up a storm, waving his gun around and ordering the piano man to keep playing the same song. Most of the patrons have left, but someone’s going to get a rifle and shoot him if this keeps up.”

Someone shooting him would make Zeke's day easier, but he knew his father would be pissed if he didn't handle this. This kind of saloon shit should be Jakob’s duty, anyway. His middle brother spent half his day in one of the two saloons in town, although Zeke felt like he was forced to save Jakob’s ass after an angry, drunken card game on a weekly basis, so perhaps Jakob was as useless as the nervous suit that followed him only up to the swinging double door of the saloon.

Inside, the piano man was playing some ragtime song with leaden fingers, clearly sick of it by this point. The bartender was sweating furiously, and glanced meaningfully at the corner when he saw Zeke. The few patrons that were left, inveterate drunks who were more spectating than anything else at this point, were huddled by the bar.

Alone in the corner was a single cowboy, spurred boots up on the table next to a half-drunk bottle of whiskey and with a big Colt 45 revolver resting on his shoulder. HIs hat was off, hanging from his neck by its string, and his bearded face was dusty. Probably some rustler rolling into town, no doubt thinking Owl Creek was such a podunk cowtown he could play King in the saloon for an afternoon. Zeke had the drifter sized up in a second, any man waving his gun around like that was a coward at heart.

Zeke strode up to him and glared at him.

“What do you want?” the man drawled, lowering his gun to his waist. A Texan most likely, as Zeke knew his own accent well. All Texans this far North were usually outlaws and rustlers. “Fuck off ya cowhand, or you’ll regret it.”

“You’re sitting in my seat.”

“Is that a fact?” the man growled. “You run your mouth a lot for a man that don’t have his gun out.”

“I don’t need a gun in my hand to deal with tumbleweed like you.”

“Is that a fact?”

“That’s a fact.” Zeke’s face was impassive.

“Gee, I’m real scared," the cowboy said with a mocking pout, before rising up to stand chest to chest with Zeke. Unfortunately, Zeke towered over him by a solid five or six inches, which the man only realized too late as he looked up at him.

“I can tell you are. I can see it in your eyes," Zeke answered, his voice a deep growl. The cowboy’s hand clenched on his pistol, which he held at his side. The piano stopped playing and the bar went dead silent. “Go ahead. See what happens. I haven’t killed anyone yet today and I’m getting bored.”

“I—”

Zeke ended whatever the cowboy was about to say by giving him a vicious open palm slap across the face that snapped the man’s head back and staggered him. The bigger man took a step forward, keeping the distance close as the cowboy looked at him incredulously.

“Why did you—”

Zeke backhanded the stranger again, just as hard as his first slap. Blood welled from the man's busted lip.

“Throw down, you have your pistol out. You going to do something, or stand there and bleed?”

Stunned silence met Zeke’s challenge. With a snort of disdain, Zeke reached down and pulled the man’s gun from his unresisting hand.

“Get the fuck out of my town.”

After making sure the man had saddled up and left, Zeke rose from the seat he had taken and tucked the pistol into his belt. A small crowd had gathered to watch the scene through the double doorway, and Zeke had to force his way through them, ignoring the cloying thanks the council member kept offering him. The bright sun blinded him and he bumped into someone hard as he parted the last spectator and stepped onto the street.

He grabbed the smaller figure out of reflex, saving her from being knocked down into the mud.

“Oh, well hello there, doll,” said Zeke, a rare grin appearing on his bearded face as he recognized who he held in his arms. Clara Worth ran the General Store. Well, technically her husband did, but he was usually too drunk to do more than sit on a barrel out front. She felt so light and fragile, like a bird in his hands, and he impulsively swung her around him in a circle before placing her down gently on the ground. He kept his hands on her shoulder and waist far longer than was needed. Such a pretty little thing she was, and Zeke's mood suddenly improved. “My sincere apologies, Ma’am, I didn’t see you there with this crowd milling around. Ah'm just trying to escape them as I don't like to create a fuss when I'm just doing my job."

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

"I've got the tools we'll need," Evie told the eager young boy. She pointed to the saddle bag hanging at the end of the stalls. It contained a spool of wire for repairs and the necessary tools for cutting and bending it. She couldn't help but smirk at Caleb's comment as she pulled on her gloves. "On this ranch, I am a proper cowhand. My daddy made sure of that. No shirking here, even for a girl."

After checking over her saddle and enduring it was cinched properly, she added a set of bags to the back and then mounted easily. Though she wasn't expecting trouble, she'd brought along her rifle, which had its own holster attached to the mare's tack. Once Caleb was mounted on his own horse and ready to go, she nudged her mare into a steady pace and led the way, heading out of the muddy courtyard and into one of the larger pastures that ran along one side of the property. It'd take days to inspect the fencing along the entire ranch, but she had one particular section in mind that needed to be seen to that day.

There was little chance for them to chat on the ride out. Evie set a steady pace and kept close to the fence line, her face drawn with concentration as she inspected it along the way. The cattle that they came across were quick to move, though not spooked enough to stampede. They were accustomed to horses and their riders, though not tame enough to be pets. Most would be sold for meat, so it was best to not get attached.

When they'd been riding for the better part of an hour, Evie slowed her horse to a walk. The sound of rushing water told them that the creek was near. As they topped the rise, they could see it below, winding through the pasture lands, slightly swollen from the intense rain they'd had the previous night. It was clear why Evelyn had chosen that particular spot. Moisture rotted the fence posts and rusted the wire much faster. While the posts looked to have been replaced recently, the wire hadn't yet been repaired. There were several holes in the fencing, though none large enough for a cow to exploit -- at least not yet. Soon, however, if they didn't see to the problem.

Before jumping into the project, she pulled a canteen from her bag and took a long drink. Not knowing if Caleb had brought his own, she offered it to him. "Been a while since we rode together, hasn't it?" she commented, hinting that she hadn't forgotten their chance encounter.

---

Clara couldn't help but blush at the man's charming attention. The dark-haired woman was pretty enough, but even prettier with that tinge of pink to her cheeks. Somewhat breathless from his impromptu spin, she was thankful for the strong hands that steadied her. "Oh! No, it was entirely my fault, Mr. Lothrop. I heard there was some sort of commotion and was curious who was dealing with it. We all know what comes of curiosity, I suppose. I see you've stopped the trouble before it could start. We've had our fair share of troublesome strangers passing through town lately." Luckily, most strangers stopped at the saloon before loading up on supplies at Worth Mercantile.

"Speaking of which, your father's order is in. Perhaps you might like to pick it up for him? Quite a bit of it is ammunition for your office armory." Zeke was a handsome man. She couldn't deny that in the slightest. While she was a married woman, even married women enjoyed looking at handsome men from time to time. "Of course, if you don't have the time, perhaps you'll at least tell him that he can pick up his order at his earliest convenience? I certainly don't want to bother you if you're occupied with official deputy business."

 

[Dark Prince]

Caleb couldn't have dreamt of a better way to spend time with Evie. Sure, he couldn’t really talk to Evie, but watching her ride was a thing of beauty in itself, and more than enough to keep him smiling. A lot of women knew how to ride in Owl Creek, that couldn’t be avoided in a cow town unless you lived in the town itself, but not a lot of women knew how to ride like a cowhand. It was hard to explain what that meant to someone who wasn’t in a saddle twelve hours a day, but Evie had that easy grace in her seat and the casual confidence of someone that looked like they were born on a horse. Watching her lope, trot and even occasionally jump her mare through the varied terrain was mesmerizing, and he found himself working hard on his gelding to not let her pull ahead.

“Yeehaw, Evie,” said Caleb as he finally pulled abreast of her mare. His own gelding was blowing hard and lathered despite the cool Spring day, and he rubbed its neck. “You sure know how to ride. This is a beautiful piece of property.”

She offered him her canteen and Caleb took it by reflex, despite having one on his saddle. He almost returned it, but then decided that since her lips had just been on that opening him taking a sip was one step away from a real kiss. Unfortunately, he almost spat out his mouthful mid-swallow as she brought up that ride years ago.

“Oh, ahem, haha,” Caleb said, coughing slightly from the water that had just gone down the wrong pipe. Had she noticed? He hoped his cheeks weren’t blushing as they felt awfully warm suddenly. “Oh, THAT ride. You saved my day and it would have been a long walk home.”

After all these years, he’d assumed she’d forgotten that ride, like she seemed to forget about him every time he’d seen her since. His heart raced suddenly as he considered her, realizing this was an opening of some kind, a shot he had to take. Talking to girls was never his strong suit, Jakob always had the silver tongue and girls wrapped around him laughing at every word he said, and he wished he had some of his older brother’s charm right now. What would Jakob say? He'd probably make some kind of slightly lewd comment, the type of innuendo Caleb would butcher awkwardly.

“Ah’ve always thought fondly of that ride Evie, and hoped we could have another like it again someday,” Caleb said, smiling broadly. He suddenly realized how that might sound and his eyes went wide. “I mean, not doubled up, you know, but a ride on separate horses is what I meant. Together though.” Oh what a fool, he’d already shot himself in the foot! Shouldn't he be telling her that he liked it for that reason? A new set of words spilled out as he tried to polish the turd he had dropped. “Not that I’d mind being doubled up, I did enjoy that! I mean, who wouldn’t with a girl like you, begging your pardon. I just didn't want you to think..."

What a disaster. Like stepping on a skunk, his fumbling attempt to woo her had just stunk up the whole conversation. The absurdity made him laugh out loud, a genuine belly laugh this time. He’d have to stick to his knitting and speak plainly, from the heart.

“Ah’m sorry Evie, I don’t have as much experience talking to women as I do driving cattle, so I’m not the slickest, but I think you know what I mean. I’ve always hoped to spend some more time with you and look forward to doing so, if you’ll permit. I don’t know what my Pa told you, he’s got a quick tongue and blows a lot of smoke, but I’m happy to help and willing to take just spending some time with you as my reward, no strings attached.”

- - -

“Ehh, that was hardly business,” Zeke said, his voice a gruff growl. He waved a big hand dismissively. “Just a coward with a big gun trying to act tough, and I fuckin' hate cowards. It's not even worth talking about.”

Clara was an interesting woman. Not his type, really, but a pretty one for sure. Something about her had always caught Zeke's eye. She was a doll in many ways, small next to his burly frame and delicate in appearance with her fine features. Like a beautiful porcelain doll that had to be handled very gently. Too bad Zeke felt more like a bull in a China shop when around a refined woman like her, wary that he was going to shatter something with one accidental swing of his arm. That’s probably why she wasn’t his type, he liked his girls tough enough to handle the pounding he could deliver, with big asses, bigger boobs, and don’t forget some big lips that knew how to please a man in the way a true Lady wouldn’t.

Yet, there was something about Clara.

“Well, that sounds more like official business, picking up shit for my Pa,” Zeke said, scowling. He wanted to get out of town, he hated it in here with people staring at him and expecting him to act like a civilized man. No, the range was where he felt at home. It didn’t matter if he was driving cattle, hunting rustlers, or just riding alone. It felt like freedom, whereas in town he felt like a beast in a cage. An extra stop to pick up and deliver ammo seemed like a waste of time, but at least Clara was going to help him, not her drunken husband. “Fine, let’s go get that order.”

She wore a lot of makeup, he noticed as they walked. He’d heard some rumors and stared at her a bit more directly than was polite. Was she hiding something under all that paint?

“How are things with your man… what’s his name?” Zeke asked. He wasn't one to mince words. "He treatin' you alright, doll?"

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Evelyn repressed a laugh as the boy stumbled his way through his feelings. She wasn't certain what was worse, that she'd already known what was going to come out of his mouth, or that she couldn't ignore it now that it had been said aloud. The kid was a sweet one, but he was still just a kid. She wasn't certain she could see him as anything else, though his confession did cause her to stare at him as she retrieved the pack of tools from her horse.

"Caleb, that's mighty sweet of you to say," she began. "Your father is lucky to have you. Honestly, I think that you're the best of all your brothers. You've always been polite and well mannered as far as I've seen. Your father wants you here often to help on the ranch, though I declined his offer. We have more than enough hands to see to most of our chores with only a few exceptions." She waved a hand at the fence before them.

"I've greatly appreciated the time you spent searching for my father, and I'm happy enough to find you work to do if you really want to help out. I'm not an easy woman to know, and I don't want you getting the wrong ideas, Caleb. Like I told your father, I'm not looking for a husband right now. I don't need a husband right now. I just want to find a way to bury my father and keep our ranch afloat. I'm not telling you this to hurt you. I just want you to know how things are right now. I would love to be your friend, Hannah would too, so if your 'no strings attached' offer is genuine, then I don't see any reason why you can't start riding the ranch.

---

Clara turned pale at Zeke's question, one hand clutching the high collar of her dress about her neck. She threw him a worried glance as they reached the store. "Lyle... treats me as best as he can," she murmured vaguely. Zeke might have been the law, but husbands didn't go to jail for beating their wives. It was their right, wasn't it?

How did he know? Had he seen something?

The mercantile was empty, which was a blessing for a chance. Lyle was likely still at home, sleeping off his hangover. Clara managed things as she always had, completely alone, and still found him drinking away their profits. If he got a notion in his head that she was trying to rob him, he might work the store for a day and collect all of the money for himself, spending it all on drugs. Sobriety didn't agree with him and made him meaner than he'd ever been before.

Clara might not have had any marks on her face where they could be seen by the townfolk, but she did have a nasty looking bruise about her neck. Her collar covered most of it, and powder even more, but some of it still showed through. Had he not been looking for it, he might have missed it entirely. Everyone else did, or else they ignored what they already knew what was going on. The Worths lived in town, not too far from the main street, and their neighbors had heard her begging him for mercy on more than one occasion.

"Ah, I believe your father's purchases are still in the back. I'll just go fetch them for you."

 

[Dark Prince]

“That’s fair enough, Evie, and I can't ask for more,” Caleb said, nodding his head in agreement. “Happy to help out and get to know you, which I really don’t yet, truth be told. Marriage ain’t something we need to even talk about right now, despite what my Pa might say! It's not something I'm wanting to rush into with any woman.”

Inside, he felt a thrill. Though she was lukewarm, at best, about romantic prospects, she hadn’t said no. So in Caleb’s book, the dream was still alive. He sprung to action, grabbing the wiring and tools, and started bending his back. It was going to be a long couple of hours to get this section of fence trued up, but he was going to make damn sure she was impressed with his work ethic. It was probably the hardest and most motivated he’d ever worked, at least on a fence repair, but he was smiling almost the entire time.

---

Zeke gave a low growl at her response.

“Would be a shame if anyone didn’t treat you right,” Zeke said after he was sure she had clammed up on the topic. Her response spoke volumes. Zeke wasn’t exactly a town gossip, and rarely heard things until they’d reached a level of general knowledge that made them a truth. “A pretty doll like you should be handled with care, don’t you think?”

Zeke was a brutal, violent kind of man. He cracked heads, shot people, and generally did what he wanted. Yet hurting a woman… well, even he had his limits. He swallowed drily suddenly, thinking about his past. No, he couldn’t think about that right now. It just wasn’t right and the next time he saw something like that happen, he had long ago vowed he wouldn’t let it happen again. He was older now, not a cub with no idea about right or wrong. No, he knew exactly what he should have done way back then, and would certainly do now.

Lyle wasn’t out front, nor was he in store as Clara opened it up. The empty front room felt dead, and Zeke followed Clara to the back after a second, thinking it would be helpful for him to carry the package for her. She had a shapely rear, although the bustle on women’s dresses could deceive, and he approached her quietly as she bent slightly to look for Ezra’s order. The hand he placed on her was a bit too low to be polite, more on her rear than lower back.

“Maybe I can help you,” he said, his gruff voice appearing in her ear as he leaned in next to her. The hand on her rear gave a little squeeze. “A pretty doll like you needs to be taken care of…”

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Zeke quickly discovered that Clara wasn't wearing a bustle. His hand made impact with her ass and could feel the generous curve beneath his hand as he squeezed. She'd stiffened as she felt him touch her, breath catching, and straightened slowly before turning to peer at him. Her brown eyes swept over him questioningly, as though having trouble believing his offer and what his hand was promising. He was a very handsome man, there was no denying that, but she was still a married woman. Could she ignore that for a little while? Stop pretending that she was in love with her husband and admit the truth?

He was close, very close, and she found she couldn't think straight as his manly scent filled her nose. The heartbeat pounding in her ears made it difficult to concentrate. She licked her lips, suddenly finding her mouth dry, and swallowed. "Help me with what?" she asked quietly, voice quivering a fraction. "I... I don't know what you mean, Mr. Lothrop. I'm... not as fragile as I look."

Indeed, she'd weathered the storm of her husband's temper time and again. She'd suffered his beatings and slaps and the verbal abuse he heaped upon her in the process. She'd watched him turn to the bottle time again, each incident drawing out the worst in him over time. She was stronger than most realized, and proved it daily. She kept the store operational even when her husband's drinking interfered with the daily operation. She ran the store alone, teaching herself how to take inventory, placing orders, and assisting customers, all while Lyle was usually sleeping off the day's hangover.

However, she was still a woman with a woman's desires and needs, and no possible way to fulfill those immediately. Lyle rarely touched her except in anger. There was a reason why she'd not yet had any children. As he was perpetually drunk, his libido was limited and his ability to maintain an erection even more so. Even when he wanted to fuck her, he'd usually never make it, or his cock would go limp when it was time to shove it inside her. So he just resorted to beating her, which was a great stress reliever for the large, imposing man. Clara got punished for her transgressions whether she was guilty or not.

 

[Dark Prince]

Zeke's hand didn't leave her ass as she turned to face him, in fact it moved even lower. It was a fine ass, that he could tell, one with enough cushion for his tastes for sure, and he wasn't going to let it go willingly. The result was that as she faced him, she was very close to him, almost an embrace, and he stared down at her with a small grin, his light blue eyes boring into her.

"Well I meant the package at first," Zeke answered, his voice a raspy growl. The hand on her ass squeezed again, while his other hand went to her hip, then began to slowly slide up the side of her dress. He held her now in his arms, his touch gentle but firm. There was no way she could wriggle out given his strength without his permission, but he wasn't trying to scare her and his smile now was broad and teasing. "But now that you mention it, I can think of a couple other things I can help with. I don't think a pretty thing like you should ever be hurt, especially by her husband."

He lowered his bearded face close to her, taking a deep inhale as if to get the scent of her. Makeup, hair products, some perfume, but underneath he smelled something else. Nervous, yes, perhaps some excitement or alarm, but no fear. Zeke could always smell fear, it was the stinkiest scent a human could make and nothing turned him off more than fear in a woman. Pleased, he lowered his face even closer to whisper in her ear, his beard now brushing against her delicate cheeks.

Now Zeke mostly dealt with looser women. Whores, or their spiritual cousins among the town women. Some ranchers' daughters that liked to have rolls in the hay when their daddies weren't around, even some ranchers' wives at times. He was used to a direct approach with his ladies, either they liked his raw masculinity and assertive, strong personality, or they didn't. Rejection wasn't a big deal to him, in the cases where he misread a lady's interest. Often times rejections turned out to be fun trysts the next time he saw the girl and they'd had time to rethink his proposition.

Clara was a bit different being a proper town lady, with fancy clothes and good breeding. Still, Zeke sensed something in her body language, the way she tensed and held against him like a tightly wound string, begging to be plucked. She wasn't scared of him, well maybe she was slightly nervous, but she wasn't pushing him away and giving him a tongue lashing for being improper. No, she might even be nervous because she hoped he might be asking for what she also desired.

"I don't like wife beaters," Zeke murmured softly. The hand gliding up her side finally reached her neck after brushing along the side of her bosom. "But, I do like you. I think a capable woman like you can do a lot better for herself than her current situation, and there is a lot I can do to help you fix that situation." He curled his paw around the back of her neck as his hand squeezed her rear again. "You have your needs, a pretty woman like yourself should be treated well. She should be wanted, desired, and most of all..." He moved his mouth from her ear and brought it to hover before Clara's painted lips. "I think you need to be fucked good and hard by a real man."

Zeke leaned forward, closing the tiny gap between their mouths, and brought his lips to hers. He was hungry to kiss her, if she'd have it. Now was the time to find out if he'd read Clara right.

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

He was so very close. She realized too late that when she turned, she'd brought herself even closer. The way he touched her, held her, made her tremble deep within. Her own husband hadn't touched her in that manner in a long while. Perhaps, when they were first married and he didn't let the bottle rule his life, there had been heat and passion in their marriage, but no longer. She'd not had a man's hands on her in quite some time. The rapid thudding of her heart had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the desire she felt for the man that pressed against her. She'd never known such an impressive specimen of a man, so strong and broad and muscular. The hands upon her felt as though they could easily break her if they desired, trapping her easily in his embrace, and tightening as he spoke.

The hand squeezing her rear sparked lustful heat between her thighs that slowly spread, jumping again as he casually caressed her breast. She felt that familiar feeling return in her nethers, throbbing and almost painful, aching for a man's touch. Head tipped upward to gaze at his face, she blushed at the way he spoke. Her husband used foul language, as well, though always in anger as he spat hateful sentiments at her. Zeke's swearing only made her squirm, for she couldn't help but imagine how delightful it might be to take him as a lover. It was an adulterous sin simply thinking about it, but she could no more resist him than she could gravity. He was magnetic, as inevitable as the setting sun each day and the rising moon each night, she she found herself a willing captive to his intense gaze.

Her stomach dipped pleasantly as he leaned closer, and she realized what he meant to do. She offered no resistance to the lips that sought hers. Rather, her lips parted, as hungry as his own, and she welcomed him into the sweet warmth of her mouth. A soft, shuddering moan rolled through her as she leaned against him, nearly melting from the intense heat within. One of her thighs pressed against his groin, searching for the hardness of his cock beneath his pants. Even as she thrust her tongue into his mouth and reveled in the feel of their entangled tongues, she was thinking of that cock plunged deep inside of her. The imagery pulled a soft moan from her throat that rose up between them.

Without her saying a single word, he had his answer. She was his for the taking, and utterly smitten despite the danger of what he intended to do.

 

[Dark Prince]

Yes, Zeke had judged things just about right, he figured as Clara met his lips.

He knew this was a stupid thing to do. Clara wasn't his type. Ezra would probably be pissed. She ran the only damn store in town! She was a married woman and had a drunken husband who'd be a pain in the ass if he found out. There were probably a dozen other reasons for why this was stupid that he hadn't even thought of yet.

Well, fuck all of that, Zeke decided as he opened his mouth hungrily and engulfed the smaller woman's own in a deep and aggressive kiss. His mouth devoured her like she was a scrumptious morsel. She tasted sweet and fresh, like one of those candies she sold in the bins out front. His tongue quested out, swirling into her mouth and exploring, and he was surprised when Clara's own pushed back into him just as aggressively. He wanted this little fiesty little doll, and that's all he cared about right now. The rest of the world, including Ezra, could fuck off from his reckoning.

She felt so good in his arms as he wrapped her up in a big embrace. She might be small and delicate, but her body seemed electric as she leaned in against him and gave herself in to the kiss. Her thigh was rubbing against him, her target clear, and Zeke's big cock was waking up, hardening and thickening to answer the question. There was nothing shy and demure about how she'd touched him, and a grin appeared on his face mid-kiss.

"Well now, it looks like I can be of help it seems, doll," growled Zeke. He fingers were working on the buttons on the front of the dress while he stole kisses, almost ripping a couple of them off to get it open. A grin came as he knew she must be realizing by now the size of the bulge that had grown down his thigh within his trousers. "I hope a little thing like you can handle a big man, though."

Her breasts were out and he lifted her up by her ass onto a barrel so he could reach them easier. They weren't big, not like the whores at the Gold Dust Saloon, but they were shapely and he took a second to admire those perfectly symmetrical mounds, her nipples dark against her pale skin. Then he was on them, his mouth just as hungry as he'd been with his kiss a second earlier, and his hands urgent as he squeezed and kneaded them.

Zeke wasn't a slow and patient lover, more like a savage beast that overwhelmed his mates, and he had to force himself to slow down for this pretty lady, taking his time to tease and lick her nipples, and nibbling them with a bit more restraint than he might show the whores. Not that he minded, after all, he had to show a lady like this that he had some manners.

"Now, the question is," Zeke said, kissing up her neck and finding her lips again. "Can you be quiet while I fuck you as hard as I'd like to right now, or am I going to have to hold back?"

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Clara groaned in dismay as he broke their kiss, leaving her breathless and heaving. She was impressed by the hardening length she felt behind his trousers, so much so that the thought of it inside of her made her quiver with excited anticipation. Her breath caught again when he pulled at her shirt and the corset and shift beneath to expose her breasts. He lifted her so easily, as though she weighed little more than a feather, and the sudden movement made her gasp. That soft exhalation shifted into a low, throaty moan when his lips found her breasts. She arched, pushing them further into his mouth. Her nipples tightened, darker buds aching as he lathed them with his tongue. A shiver rolled through her, and she bit down on her bottom lip as she looked down to watch his lips and hands fondle her soft flesh.

When he rose to capture her mouth, Clara leaned forward to meet him and boldly let her hands rove down his broad chest and linger at his waistline. Her fingers fumbled with his belt, wanting it off to give her access to his throbbing erection. She sucked in a breath as her fingers found that large cock, eyes widening as she realized just how large he was. It may have been more than she'd expected, but she wasn't going to deny herself the pleasure now. She'd never been with another man, nor ever thought about cheating on her abusive husband, and the thought was thrilling. There would undoubtedly be consequences later, but she wasn't dwelling on those. She could only think of the handsome man in her arms, his wicked mouth stealing away her breath, and the thick member in her hand.

"Don't hold back," she begged him, a desperate tone in her voice. "I can be quiet. Please... just don't hold back. I need you so badly." How many times had he heard that from the lips of his lovers? For Clara it was the truth, however. If he didn't thrust himself inside her soon, she would go mad.

 

[Dark Prince]

There were few feelings sweeter for Zeke's ego than when a woman was shocked at the size of his dick. As good as Clara's fingers felt on his rod, it was even better to see her expression as her hands kept going down and finding more and more cock. He let her pull it out, throbbing and fully hard now, like a thick tube that pulsed in her hands as he grinned down at her. She'd never seen a dick that big, which wasn't surprising as he'd run into few whores that had seen bigger even with all their experience.

"I do hope you can handle me," he growled, then pulled his shirt off and revealed his broad chest.

He was a bit hairy, as all men were in the West, but peeking from underneath that hair his skin had scars that hinted at his rough life. Bullet holes, knife slashes, and what even looked like the rake of a bear's claws by his hip, the old and pale marks crisscrossed his torso like a map of the troubles he'd had. A single necklace hung around his neck, a silver picture pendant with whatever image it held hidden inside its closure. His trousers were next go, kicked off his boots, which he left on. Like all cowhands, those were too tight to even think of messing with unless he was going to bed for the night.

As much as it felt good for Clara to hold his dick, Zeke was more than ready for more, and he reached out to tug at her dress. The corset was easy enough, a lace up front that almost sprung open on its own once he'd undone the bow. Women's clothes weren't his expertise, by any stretch, but a couple rough tugs seemed to get most garments off, usually at least. Not today it seemed, as something was catching, maybe some buttons at the back of the dress.

"Let's get the rest of this off, doll," he grunted, fingers slipping inside the fabric as he decide to let her handle the undressing, while he just played a bit more. Her skin was smooth and soft, and his big fingers ran up from her belly, back to those tempting breasts. His mouth met hers again, distracting her with kisses as his fingertips found her nipples again, this time they were already hardened and easier to tug. Rolling them between his thumb and forefinger, he let his mouth nuzzle into her ear. "I want to see you naked, every fucking inch of you."

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Both her eyes and hands flowed over his naked torso as he removed his shirt, fingertips dragging over his muscular flesh. She didn't linger at his scars as they were hardly important to her just then. She just wanted to feel him, feel his nakedness against her, and wasn't shy about allowing her hands to roam. When she reached his massive cock again, she sucked in a breath.

"You're so much bigger..." she whispered, comparing him to her husband. As she'd never cheated on her husband before, she'd only ever seen his penis. Zeke's was so much larger and far more impressive. It was slightly frightening to think of it inside her, and she wasn't certain she could handle it, but she desperately wanted to try.

His urging spurred her onward to removing her own clothes. With her blouse untucked and off, she pulled her corset free and then her silk chemise over her head. He pulled a soft moan from her throat as he attacked her breasts with that sweet torture. Trying not to lose herself in his touch, she hurried to finish undressing, unfastening the skirt he'd nearly ripped open and then unlacing the ties on her petticoat and knickers. All three garments slithered to the floor around her ankles, leaving her completely naked except for a pair of stockings that tied about her thighs with ribbon. Like Zeke, her shoes were far too complicated to remove quickly, so she left them on.

As he'd already discovered, she was smaller than most of the whores he'd bedded. Her breasts were smaller, though full, round, and pert as she'd yet to have any children. Her slender waist flared to broader hips and then tapered to her shapely legs. Her sex was nestled beneath a mass of dark curls between her thighs, already damp with lust. As she spent little time in the sun, her skin was soft and a creamy peach hue, with only a smattering of darker freckles upon her nose and shoulders.

Being naked was dangerous. If her husband dragged himself out of his drunken stupor and ventured into the store, there would be no way she could explain away what she was doing naked with the deputy. Right then, however, Clara didn't care. She'd been denied for so long that she was willing and eager to do most anything to get a taste of Zeke.

 

[Dark Prince]

Zeke wasn't the most accommodating partner in letting Clara get undressed. Sometimes his own primal urges got in the way of what was best for him, and this was a clear case where kissing her and teasing those perky breasts only slowed the little lady from being able to shed her layers of garments as quickly as possible. She was like one of those Russian dolls his mother liked to show him when he was a boy, every layer of her clothing seeming to be hiding another set of the same damn thing, going on forever!

Of course, now was not the time to think of his Ma, not that there was ever a good time.

He raised his head from Clara's sweet mouth as he sensed the last of her clothing had fallen to the floor. He took his time and shamelessly ogled her, letting his pale, blue eyes go down her nude form slowly, with a hungry intensity. A whistle came out of his lips, a raunchy catcall that was pure lust.

"You are one sexy little doll under all that fluff."

She was very different than the whores, that was for sure, or most of his girls for that matter. Slender, skinny, with small, but perfect breasts that were now mottled and flushed form his rough hands and rougher mouth. Skin so creamy and soft, with just a smattering of freckles that faded to peachy perfection below her shoulders. A high class woman with none of the muscles, scars, and color from ranch life or time working in a brothel. Zeke was almost scared to touch her, well not really, but she did look so delicate like a painting. Yet, she was still all woman, with those flared hips and the curly patch between her thighs that he let his eyes linger on. That gave him decidedly undelicate thoughts.

"Keep the stockings on," he growled at her. Ranch girls didn't have silk stockings, and the ones the whores wore were cheap, stretched and half-torn. He wanted to feel that sheer smoothness against him. "Now, turn around and bend over that barrel. On your elbows... time for me to have a taste."

He pulled her up to get her moving, marveling at how light she was in his muscled arms. Spinning her, he kissed her neck and then pushed down by her head, bending her forward so her ass was facing him and sticking up. A kick of her foot spread her wider, leaving her nice and open for him, and Zeke crouched down behind her sweet little ass, his mouth open and eager for a sampling of her other set of lips. Not one to be shy, or ask for permission, he leaned forward and engulfed her hot and juicy mound in a big hungry kiss that was more like biting into a ripe peach.

He was going to take his time and enjoy this, that was for sure.

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

Clara blushed at his compliments and that rosy hue deepened in embarrassment the longer he looked at her naked body. He had a hungry, predatory look in his eyes that made her stomach quiver with desire. While she'd caught that look from a man a time or two, none of them save her husband had ever seen her naked. Her breasts ached where he'd been devouring her nipples, and her cunt was throbbing madly with need. She expected him to mount her immediately, as Lyle did whenever he wanted satisfaction, but was genuinely surprised when Zeke restrained himself. Rather than finding herself being pounded without the courtesy of being primed first, she was swiftly turned about and bent over. His strength forced her into the position he liked, but the woman was truly a compliant participant, her slender form easily shifted however he desired.

Bent over the barrel, her elbows resting on the wood and breasts atop them, she gazed back in wonderment as Zeke knelt behind her on the floor. The first touch of his tongue made her tense with pleasure, and she closed her eyes as a soft moan rose in her throat. Unable to help herself, she pushed back against his mouth, her lips eager and wet for him already, dripping with her sweet nectar. The more he probed, the louder she groaned, feeling that sweet sensation that had eluded her so many times before.

With her husband, if she didn't come first, she'd never come at all. He hadn't cared for her climaxes, only his own pleasure. He had never once lapped at her juices or stroked her clit until she begged for more. His ruts were fast, hard, and had nothing to do with her desires.

Having Zeke burying his face between her legs was a new and wonderful experience for her. Clara shivered each time his tongue teased that sensitive bud, quivering against his mouth. She rose up on her toes as her climax roved higher, seeking the precipice, driven ever closer by his talented mouth.

 

[Dark Prince]

Zeke had thought Clara a tightly wound string earlier, ready to snap, and now naked and bent over before him, she felt even more taut and almost ready to explode. Clearly she hadn't been given the proper attention she deserved from her drunken husband, look at how turned on she was just from Zeke kissing and playing with her breasts! He could have fucked her right then and there, and likely given her the sweet cum she deserved, but when he instead teased her with his mouth it seemed to shock her into another level of passion.

And Zeke loved passion, the more raw and genuine the better. The whores were good at faking it, but he liked to break through their acting and make them scream for real. The ranch girls also knew how to let loose, but he had been worried about Clara given how proper she seemed. She was his first town lady after all, and as pretty as she was, he couldn't imagine her squirming and yelling the dirty things he liked to hear. After all, the only bad fucks Zeke could remember were when the girls lay there quietly and took his cock without moving, and so he had been a bit concerned about Clara in the beginning...

That concern was quickly fading.

She'd tensed at first when his mouth had latched onto her sex, as if in disbelief that he was going to kiss her there. Surely that good for nothing husband had bothered to fully taste all of her sweet delights? That tension quickly turned into enthusiastic acceptance, her moans lusty and uncontrolled, and her body pushing back against him with a hungry need that Zeke happily met. He was rough and aggressive, mouth and tongue working together to just guzzle her juices down as she squirmed against his bearded face. She tasted like he'd imagined her, tangy of course, with that musky earthiness of a woman, but a hint of sweetness on top and a coppery edge, like a fancy wine or something, high class and tasty. It was delicious, and Zeke was more drinking her up for his own enjoyment than trying to please her, and his face and beard were soon soaked with her arousal.

Of course, her enjoyment soon became his primary goal as he realized just how fucking desperate to cum she was. She was practically trying to sit on his face now, driving her hot cunt against his mouth and trying to eke more pleasure out of him. Happy to accommodate her, his tongue began to tease and probe her deeper, sloshing through her folds and eeling into her passage deeply. He curled it far inside her core, lapping at the source of her juices where they ran fresh and sweet. Then he dragged his mouth up and spread her ass cheeks apart to lathe her crinkled pucker. If she'd never had a man eat her pussy, he doubted she'd experienced the touch of a tongue on her ass ever before. Like many of his women, he hoped she'd find that taboo hole just as sensitive to his exploring tongue as it was full of truly virgin nerves. With a gentler touch, he traced her whorled ridges of muscle and teased her bottom with a tongue that threatened to slip inside. He wanted to savor every part of his woman and show them that everything they possessed was on the table for his ardor.

The girl was on edge now, he could tell from her cries, and he lowered his mouth down below and attacked her slit again with a fresh urgency. He moved his lips to the bottom of her cleft, where her hidden nub was finally peeking out, swollen and excited. A couple swirls of his tongue, followed by some flicks, and then he was suckling on it like a teat, his tongue pushing against that little button of pleasure from inside his mouth. His nose was buried in her folds, her scent literally filling his nostrils with a womenly musk that was pure arousal. He let her rub her hips against him, content to let her ride him to her orgasm at her pace as his mouth sucked her over the edge.

And as soon as Clara was done cumming, for he'd suck out every last jolt of pleasure, he'd planned to immediately start to work his big cock into her. As patient as Zeke had been, he was now more than ready to fuck this little doll as hard as he could.

 

[ShadowOfDesire]

His mastery of the female sex drove the shop keep wild with delight. Heedless of who might hear, she moaned as loudly as any whore as he continued to devour her, plunging his tongue time and again into her needy hole. She was sopping with that sweet honey which completely coated his face and filled his mouth with that familiar flavor. Her fingernails clawed at the barrel that supported her torso, frantic as she struggled to contain the rising pleasure within.

That pleasure only paused momentarily when he began to probe her other entrance. She tensed, eyes wide as she felt his tongue caress her there. It was an odd sensation, and one she'd never felt, but she was excited by it rather than repulsed. No man had ever showed her such delights, and she was willing to learn if Zeke wished to teach. His first lesson was turning out to be a delight, easily seen in the way her skin pebbled with goosebumps and the shiver that flowed down her spine. Another soft moan spilled from her lips as he threatened to enter that forbidden entrance.

It was both a relief and disappointment when he returned to lap at her sex and attack her clit. Clara pushed back, hips rolling as she rode his face, eyes tightly closed as each flick of his tongue sent electric jolts of pleasure flowing through her groin. She whimpered softly as she felt herself near the end, shuddering whenever his tongue struck her sensitive clit.

In the end, it was that suckling that pushed her over and made her sing with pleasure. Her back arched as her body suddenly went rigid, caught in the throes of passion. Her thighs quivered dangerously. Had she not had the barrel for support, she might have spilled backward on weakened knees before reaching the pinnacle, but the steadiness beneath her gave her purchase and she clung to it desperately as her first orgasm flowed through her. A fresh rush of fluid spilled from her soaked cunt, filling his mouth with her desire and coating his face in the process. From her screams, he could tell that he'd achieved part one of his goal -- to prime her body for his massive cock.

 

[Dark Prince]

Zeke was plain thrilled at Clara's lusty reaction to his mouth, and to think he'd been concerned that she wouldn't be spirited enough for his liking!

She'd ridden his face like a bucking filly, almost bouncing against him as she'd rolled her hips with a helpless need to cum. And her whimpering, groaning, and finally screaming climax had been a thing of beauty to hear, as if a flood of pent up sexual frustration had poured out of her from his tongue bursting some hidden dam. She'd practically tried to drown him with her juices! Her husband was a damned fool, that was for sure, and Zeke slapped Clara's ass hard as she quivered in her final throes of orgasm, his tongue milking every jolt of pleasure out of her could find.

Now it was time for his pleasure.

Clara was certainly primed and hot for his cock after that sweet cum, like a horse that was lathered and blowing from a warmup and now ready for a good gallop. As hot as her pussy had felt against his face, her skin was all goosebumps as he ran a hand up her back. He grabbed the bun her hair had delicately been arranged into, trying to get a good grip. There was no time to change her position, Zeke was far too horny to delay even a second longer, and besides he liked fucking his women from behind. His free hand stroked his big dick, guiding it to her sodden slit and nuzzling his tip against the entrance to her sex. She was wet and ready for him, her dripping folds parting and embracing his bulbous head like a pair of lips taking him in for a hungry kiss. She felt like liquid silk, so soft and warm, and he ran his hand down her stockinged thigh for a second to feel that sheer material as he used his hips alone to get his cock lined up perfectly.

"Now let's make you really cum," grunted Zach as he bucked his hips and began to push into her. He gave a little jerk of her bun to pull her upper body off the barrel and line her up a little better with his dick. The bun game undone, and he was gripping a fistful of her chestnut hair instead, holding it in one hand like a set of reins as his other gave her ass cheek another hard slap of encouragement. "Let's get this cock in you, doll."

She was tight, which he had expected given Lyle's lack of attention and her small size, but she seemed plenty willing to accommodate him. It would take some work, his cock burrowing in deeper an inch at a time, and some stretching of her walls as he swiveled his hips to probe her from new angles, but slowly and surely he began to slide deeper and deeper into her gripping passage. Her lips were fat around his shaft as it slid further inside, every little pull out leaving his veined rod coated with a sheen of her arousal that greased his next, even deeper thrust. She felt like a furnace around him, making his entire dick tingle and send out waves of hot pleasure that forced moans out of the normally stoic big man.

"Fuck, Clara, I think I might be able to just fit this big cock in you after all," he said with an incredulous smile. He tugged her up higher by her hair, forcing her to straighten her arms and giving his free hand some space to slide down her belly, over her thatch of curls, and find her clit. Rubbing that swollen nub lightly, he gave a mighty push with his hips, tension on her hair keeping her body still, and shoved the final couple of inches of his cock inside, filling her completely. "Yes, fuck... YES! Damn you feel good."

It was true, and Zeke was almost lost in the ecstasy of that moment, finally hilted inside her. Even her panting breaths were giving him pleasure, her internal muscles, stretched to their limits no doubt, were squeezing him so tight and having little quivers that he felt like he could stay there forever in this vise grip of pleasure. Of course, a need for more made him start moving, and his hips began to piston his cock inside her without any conscious direction, as if his body was fucking her on its own in a mindless search for release. And it was going to be a big release. It was probably good that he'd used his mouth on her, because her tight cunt was going to get him to blow much faster and harder than he'd expected.

"Hello? Clara? Are you back there? Are you alright... I thought I heard you cry out!" called a woman's voice from the front of the store.

The door was half-cracked and Zeke chuckled softly at their predicament. He leaned down and whispered in Clara's ear, his fingers still thrumming on her clit as his cock fucked her with vigor, the steady slap of his hips against her ass carrying like a dull pounding in the store room. He released her hair and brought that hand down to grip her shoulder, ready to move it to muzzle her mouth if necessary.

"I normally like hearing a woman scream, but let's see if you can keep your voice down while we finish."

"Hello! Clara... should I come back there?!"