Mail-Order Grooms: The Complete Boxed Set Page 30

  She wriggled over his lap. “Ow! Please not so hard!”

  He chuckled. “Oh, honey, you’d better save your begging for when it really hurts. Settle down now. You’re not over my lap for a good time, but I do think you’ll feel better after this.”

  He felt her body relax and noticed that her bottom cheeks unclenched. After giving each beautiful globe an affectionate rub, the spanking commenced. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy painting her bottom red. Every squirm and yelp spurred him into continuing without respite. He’d been waiting a long time to give her what she needed.

  “You’re not going to feel guilty after today, Elsie. I’m going to make sure of that.”

  “Yes, Wyatt,” she gasped. “Is that why you’re punishing me, to help me not feel guilty?”

  “Partly, but I’m also punishing you for doing something so risky it could have landed you in prison for the rest of your life.” That thought made Wyatt spank her harder and faster. She was his woman, and he was going to make damn sure she never put herself in danger again.

  She squealed and squirmed as his hand rained down without mercy. “I don’t think this is how lawmen usually handle criminals!”

  He stopped spanking and rubbed her bottom, now a deep pink color that radiated heat. He chuckled. “I told you, I’m no lawman. I’m your cowboy, plain and simple.” He gave her bottom another crisp swat.

  “My cowboy?” she repeated.

  “Yeah, yours. Forever, if you’ll have me.”

  She whimpered. “You can work here as long as you want, Wyatt.”

  He ran his hand up her slender back and smiled to himself. “Thank you, sweetheart, but I’m hoping to do more than work here. I’m hoping to marry you.”

  She gasped and turned to look at him over her shoulder. “You are? You want to marry me?”

  “I do indeed. Didn’t I make my feelings clear to you yesterday?”

  “Yes, I suppose you did… It’s just all happening so fast. Even though you told me on that first night that you were attracted to me, I found it hard to believe. For so long, you didn’t act on it.”

  Wyatt moved his hand to between her legs, where he cupped her swollen wet sex. She gasped again and let out a moan. Gently, he twirled a finger around her nub. “Darlin’, if I were more attracted to you, I’d be walkin’ funny the rest of my life.”

  “I’m attracted to you too, Wyatt.”

  He tried to hold back his laughter at her obvious statement, but he failed miserably. She looked back at him questioningly. Still laughing, he said, “I’m well aware of that, Miss Elsie. You’re gushing the proof onto my hand. All this wetness is your body preparing itself for me.”

  She blushed and looked back down. Though he’d intended to spank her longer, the way she became embarrassed made him want to comfort her, so he pulled her upright and set her on his lap. “So, do you want to marry me or not?”

  Her lips spread into a smile. “Of course. I want nothing more.”

  Wyatt didn’t think he’d ever felt as happy as he did in that moment. He pulled her close and kissed her tenderly, showing her all the affection he’d been holding back for weeks. She accepted the kiss shyly at first, and Wyatt marveled at how such an innocent young woman had overseen a ranch and major rebranding operation. He felt her body coming to life in his arms, trembling against him. Their tongues intermingled as Wyatt moved his hand to the first button at her collar. Unbuttoning one by one, he broke the kiss to whisper, “Darlin’, I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”

  He felt her shiver with arousal as he peeled the sleeves away from her arms. “We’re outside and it’s daylight,” she told him, without any protest in her tone.

  He slid a hand over her breast and grazed her peaked nipple with his thumb. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No,” she whined, arching into his touch.

  He smiled. “That’s my girl.” He pressed his lips to hers as he continued to undress her. Her trousers were already around her knees, so he removed her shoes and stockings and then slipped the rest of her clothes off with ease. Soon she was naked on his lap. Wyatt scraped his calloused hand down her waist to the side of her bottom cheek, which was warm to the touch from the spanking, then caressed her thigh and knee, enjoying the gasps and sighs she emitted at every tender touch.

  Her legs were clenched together, so he only saw the tuft of hair above her pussy. “Open for me, sweetheart,” he said, and slid his hand between her legs.

  She let out small squeak of embarrassment, but she didn’t resist when he spread her thighs with strong fingers and moved his hand to the apex of her legs, where he cupped her soft mound. “This pretty little pussy is all mine now. You’re not allowed to hide it.” He punctuated his possessive declaration with a light spank over her swollen lips, causing her to moan. Her pussy felt hot and wet. “Naughty girl,” he chided. “Your pussy is aching, isn’t it? So impatient and in need of attention.” He gave her nether lips a harder spank and then worked his middle finger inside her tight channel.

  Elsie gasped. “Oh, God.”

  “Mm, you feel like warm velvet, darlin’. He crooked his finger forward, exploring the hidden depths of her womanhood, and felt the thin barrier of her hymen at the tip of his finger. Gently, he inserted a second finger, working her pussy in short, slow strokes. His cock strained against his trousers, demanding to find its rightful home between her legs, but he knew he had to take it easy the first time. He loved exploring his sweet Elsie, so innocent and yet so full of lust for him. The walls of her vagina contracted around his fingers, gushing more liquid, and her head tilted upward with a look of sheer pleasure written across her face.

  He kissed her neck softly, landing butterfly kisses in the grooves and then up to behind her ear. “This might hurt a little, sweetheart,” he said, pressing against her maidenhead with the tips of his fingers.

  “I’m ready,” she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck, causing his chest to be cushioned by her generous bosoms.

  He held her tight against him with one arm and broke through her hymen in a few sharp thrusts. She stiffened for a moment from the pain, but as Wyatt caressed her sex soothingly, she relaxed. Her sighs became moans, and when he flicked her clit with his thumb, she came, her helplessly aroused sex clamping around his fingers again and again. He held onto her so she wouldn’t arch off his lap with writhing pleasure.

  As soon as her orgasm finished, he stood with her in his arms and placed her on the lush grass, where she lay while he removed his shirt and dropped his trousers to the ground, freeing his fully erect manhood. Her mouth formed into a small O as she took in the sight of him without clothes, her lust and nervousness flashing in her gaze.

  He settled a knee on either side of her hips and kissed along her neck down to her breasts, while her fingers entwined in his hair. He pecked each nipple and then swirled his tongue around one of the hard nubs.

  “Wyatt,” she whimpered. “I feel so much.”

  He rubbed his cock along the slit of her womanhood and then entered slowly. To his surprise and delight she tilted her hips forward, inviting him in further. Inch by slow inch, he stretched her. “You feel so good,” he grunted. It was sheer ecstasy, feeling her taking him into her body, accepting his possession of her.

  “You do too,” she gasped.

  He pulled out slowly and then thrust forward again, the friction of their sex causing sparks of pleasure to ignite in him. He needed more. He increased the power and speed of his strokes, watching her face carefully for signs of pain, but he could see only love and lust in her gaze.

  She gripped his muscled arms and held onto him as he pounded into her. Eventually the pleasure overwhelmed her. She stiffened and cried out, arching her back and moving her hands to the grass to clutch the green carpet as the waves of her second release washed through her. The sounds of her orgasm gave Wyatt a thrill, and he soon followed with his own release.

  As they lay on the ground together after lovemaking, w
atching as billowing white clouds slowly passed above them, he thought with some amusement that he was likely the worst undercover deputy in the history of undercover deputies. It didn’t matter much to him, though. He knew he’d be a fine rancher and a good husband to Elsie, and he couldn’t think of anything more important than that.

  Chapter Ten

  The buggy ride from the Infinity Ranch to town was spent discussing the less-pleasant aspects of Elsie’s and Wyatt’s commitment to each other. Elsie was tasked with telling Mr. Latham that she’d found another man to marry after asking him to journey west to meet her.

  “I hope he won’t be terribly heartbroken,” Elsie lamented.

  Wyatt’s lips quirked up, but he didn’t speak.

  “What so funny?” she asked, noticing his amusement. “I don’t like hurting people’s feelings.”

  Wyatt laughed out loud then. “Elsie, he’s known you two days. It’s a mite conceited of you to think he’s going to be heartbroken, don’t you reckon?”

  “I don’t think so. How long was it before you were smitten with me?”

  Wyatt shrugged his shoulders. “Heh. You make a fair point. But you and me, we’re different.”

  She smiled. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.” She cuddled up closer to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side.

  “Have I mentioned how much I love this dress of yours?” He surveyed her from head to toe, his gaze conveying affection and admiration.

  “I don’t mind hearing it again,” Elsie said, giggling.

  He gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head. “Remember, meet me outside the marshal’s office when you’re done at the restaurant. Our conversation with the marshal will be even more important than the one you’re going to have with Latham.”

  Elsie’s carefree feeling dissipated as quickly as it had arrived. She wrung her hands in her lap and looked over at Wyatt’s ruddy face. His jaw was set in determination, and the scar tracking his cheek gave him such an intimidating appearance that, if she didn’t know he loved her, she would be afraid of him in that moment.

  “You don’t look nervous at all,” she told him. “Only confident.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, but I’ll admit to you I’m nervous. I must make sure the marshal’s suspicions are put to bed, and it partly depends on me appearing confident.”

  “Thank you, Wyatt,” she said softly. “This whole business of stealing from Xavier… It was selfish. I can’t bear the thought of you or anyone else being in trouble for it.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll see to it we all come out kickin’. Don’t you worry, Elsie girl.” He stopped the buggy outside of Mary’s Restaurant, then hopped down and rounded it so that he could help her down the buggy’s steps. “Good luck with Mr. Latham. Don’t be too long.”

  Once she’d reached the ground, Elsie fluffed her skirts. “I’ll be as fast as I can.”

  They gazed into each other’s eyes, each clearly wanting to kiss the other, but they wouldn’t be able to show any kind of affection toward each other in public until later. Wyatt tipped his hat and climbed up to his seat. Giving her one final encouraging nod, he slapped the reins on the horse and drove away.

  Elsie watched him go, her heart filling with love and gratitude. Her pa would have loved Wyatt, and she wished more than anything that the two of them could have met. But life never went exactly right, and Elsie would never have ended up with Wyatt if Mark Xavier hadn’t been ruthless and if her pa hadn’t died. Those events were the reason she’d become a criminal and the reason Wyatt had shown up in the first place.

  Elsie drew a deep breath and walked into the restaurant, jangling the bells on the door when she did. Immediately, she spotted Mr. Latham sitting at a table with the waitress Florence Clark perched on a chair opposite him.

  Elsie frowned, curious about the spectacle before her. Both of them wore grins, and Mr. Latham responded to something Florence said with a mirthful chortle. Elsie approached them slowly, feeling like she was interrupting something. When Florence saw her, she immediately rose from her chair and stepped aside.

  “Hello, Miss Fin,” she said. “Sorry about taking your chair for a minute there. I’ll be right back with some coffee for you.” She scurried away as Mr. Latham stood to greet Elsie.

  A sheepish look was on his face, but he recovered quickly enough. They both sat, and he placed the cloth napkin over his lap. “Miss Clark is from Rochester, same place I’m from,” he explained. “Turns out we know some of the same folks. Small world, isn’t it?”

  Elsie nodded. The pit of dread was forming in her stomach, and she knew she’d better just come out with the truth rather than engaging in small talk, which would only allow the anxiety to build. She cleared her throat. “I must tell you something, Mr. Latham, and before I do, please know how very sorry I am.”

  He studied her with a concerned expression. “Is everything all right, Miss Fin?”

  She shook her head. “I’m afraid I must break off our engagement. I developed romantic feelings for someone during the time it took for you to get here from New York, and it wouldn’t be right for me to marry you.”

  Mr. Latham leaned back in his chair. “Goodness, I didn’t expect that.”

  “I’m dreadfully sorry, and I know it’s terribly unfair to you.”

  Mr. Latham raked his fingers through his hair and stared into the distance for some time, while Elsie shifted in her seat and waited for a response from him. She thought he might be angry and lash out at her, but judging by the look on his face, he was mostly surprised.

  Finally, he returned his attention to her with an understanding smile. “Well, sometimes these things can’t be helped.”

  “Please allow me to pay for your hotel room for at least a week,” Elsie offered. “I hate to think that you are in any way financially damaged by this.”

  Mr. Latham shook his head. “That won’t be necessary, Miss Fin, but that’s very gracious of you. I was planning on moving to Virginia City anyway, even without the mail-order groom request that seemed to fall in my lap with perfect timing. I wish you the very best, my dear.”

  A huge sigh of relief escaped her. “And you as well, Mr. Latham,” she said, standing to her feet. He reached out, took her hand in his, and brushed her knuckles with a kiss.

  Elsie walked to the door and then glanced back to wave at him, but he was already engaged in conversation with the waitress. She smiled. Maybe things would work out better for all of them this way. Feeling lighter than when she’d come in, she exited the restaurant and headed for the marshal’s office.

  Chapter Eleven

  Wyatt leaned against the outside wall of the saloon, which stood opposite of the marshal’s office, and smoked his pipe as he waited for Elsie. He could hardly believe how much his life had changed since a month ago when he’d ridden into town with an injured arm and without a job or a girl. Now, because of Elsie, his arm was healed, he had a job, and if all turned out well in the discussion they were about to have with the marshal, he would soon be a married man.

  It felt like hours before he spotted Elsie walking toward him. He was impatient to get the discussion with the marshal over with, and he knew that Elsie felt the same way. She reached out and discreetly squeezed his arm, communicating both gratefulness and encouragement for what was about to happen.

  “How was your discussion with Mr. Latham?” Wyatt asked, as they walked across the dusty road.

  “He was understanding. Truth be told, I think he might be sweet on the waitress.”

  “Good. Now we have just one more little problem that needs solving, and then we’ll be able to breathe easy.”

  They walked into the jailhouse, their appearance causing the marshal’s eyebrows to head for the ceiling. He stood up. “What’s this?” he asked, his voice guarded. “Why are you two here together?”

  “I’m here to make my last report, Marshal,” Wyatt said, fishing out his badge from his pocket and setting it on the
desk. “I found out that the business at the Infinity Ranch is legal. Not a whiff of theft anywhere.”

  Elsie nodded. “He’s right, Marshal, and I’ll do whatever needs doing to prove I haven’t been stealing the Xaviers’ cattle.”

  The marshal glared at Wyatt. “She wasn’t supposed to know why you were there. You’re supposed to be undercover!”

  Wyatt held out his hand to silence him. “I was undercover, Marshal. Ask Miss Fin. I only just yesterday revealed to her my true motives for being there.”

  “But why did you tell her?” the marshal bellowed. “I never should have trusted you! Sit down, both of you.” He waved a hand at the two chairs opposite his desk.

  Wyatt sat. “I know you think I’m a good-for-nothin’ saddle slicker without a lick of sense, but I did my job. I asked lots of questions of the ranch hands and even promised them a reward if they reported anything illegal happening at the ranch.”

  “And, let me guess, they didn’t say a word about the cattle they’ve been stealing,” the marshal sneered.

  “There was nothing for them to say,” Elsie cut in. “We’ve never stolen anything. It might appear that way since my ranch started being profitable on account of the judge’s order to tear down the Xaviers’ dam.”

  Wyatt leaned forward. “I searched every inch of that ranch. It’s all on the up-and-up.”

  The marshal didn’t look the least bit convinced, but a look of resignation came over his features. He focused his attention on Elsie. “Let’s pretend for a minute that you have been rustling cattle.”

  Elsie swallowed and glanced at Wyatt.

  The marshal picked up a pencil and wrote out the Xaviers’ X and the infinity symbol in large strokes. He held it up so that they could see. “Let’s pretend you rebranded your cattle with an infinity symbol over an X.”

  “What’s the use of pretending something like that?” Wyatt asked.

  “Shut up, Parker,” the marshal growled, keeping his attention on Elsie. Wyatt wished he could reach out and take her hand and to whisper in her ear to remain strong, but he was helpless to do anything in that moment. He could only hope that Elsie would remember all they’d spoken about and keep her wits about her.