by Lee Savino
"Indeed. Tell, me, Sebastian. What do you think of a man who lies to woo a woman? What measure of deceit do you think can be excused by love?"
If possible, Sebastian's fair skin turned paler. "I wouldn't know how to answer that, milady. Never been in love, you see."
"But I'm sure you wouldn't do such a thing—leave a trail of lies or half truths to lead on a woman."
"No... not unless there was good reason."
"I thought so." Susannah smiled triumphantly, and laid her hand on Sebastian's arm. "I knew you were a true gentleman."
There was a loud clank as Jesse finished his meal and threw down his fork. "If you'll excuse us, my wife and I are leaving. We have things we need to discuss."
"Yes, of course, jolly good." Chivington jumped out of his chair to bow his goodbye. "Mrs. Wilder."
Jesse wrenched her chair back, and Susannah found herself half-helped, half hauled up by her arm. "So lovely to sit with you, Sebastian." She couldn't stop herself from cooing. "It's been a pleasure." Susannah gave the man her brightest smile and a little wave. She could almost hear her husband's temper crackle. Served him right for lavishing attention on Rosie May. Did he think he was the only one who knew how to flirt?
Jesse's arm clamped around her, to an onlooker he would seem a solicitous husband. But as they grew nearer to the room, his stride had quickened to the point he was herding her along. He opened the door and practically threw her into the room.
"What in tarnation were you doing?" he asked as soon as he shut the door, his face hard and his big body stalking her.
In the center of the room, Susannah stood her ground, even though her whole body quivered at the sight of his handsome form bearing down on her. "You watch your language, Mr. Oberon. Or Wilder. Or whoever you are." She pulled off her bonnet and turned away to find a mirror, pretending to ignore him. Jesse pulled her back.
"I'll thank you not to turn away when I'm speaking to you." His green eyes shot sparks at hers, but she wasn't intimidated. A heat was rushing through her, a wave of excitement sweeping away all her good sense. She leaned forward, hands on her hips.
"Oh, excuse me that I don't hang on your every word like Rosie May."
"You certainly did with Chivington. 'Sebastian, Sebastian'." He mimicked her high voice and her cheeks heated. "Is it too much to ask you not throw yourself at men when I'm sitting right there?"
"I was just being polite. It's nice to be in the company of a gentleman after all these days," she sniffed.
Jesse's expression grew stormy. "You know exactly what you were doing. You were flirting outrageously. Does marriage mean so little that you would take up with another before we get ours annulled?"
"I could ask you the same." Susannah poked him in the chest. Her finger hit solid muscle. "Just who is Rosie May to you, and why were you speaking alone with that trollop?"
"She's not a trollop."
Susannah felt pain stab through her again, hearing him defend the redhead. "I saw her put her hand on you!" She whirled away to hide her angry tears, and Jesse let her.
When he spoke again, he sounded thoughtful. "Susannah."
"Go away," she sniffled. Of course he would act cool, while she burned for him.
His heat hit her back, and he put his hands on her hips, holding her still when she'd wrench away from him. His chin rested on her shoulder. "While it pleases me that you're jealous, you misunderstood. It's not what it seems."
"Nothing about you is what it seems!" Susannah scrubbed at her face. Most men would be on their knees begging her to stop crying, but tears didn't work on this one. Around Jesse, her fits made her feel weak.
He started to nuzzle her neck again, and she tried to wrench herself away.
"Just leave me alone, you... scoundrel. I was a fool to trust you. You're nothing but a liar, and a murderer, and a thief." She struggled, but his arms closed around her, pinning her gently. Even more maddening was the way her heart leaped up in excitement, the silly traitorous organ.
"Is that what you truly think?" Jesse was nuzzling her ear again.
It felt good to be in his arms. Pushing this away, she reached for her anger instead. "Yes."
He turned her to face him, catching her flailing hands at the wrist. "You caught me with Rosie, so you went and flirted with Sebastian. Could it be that you were jealous?" His eyebrows rose, mocking her.
"You flatter yourself."
"Not as much as you do, little wife."
Bellowing her outrage, she fought him. In the scuffle, her hair came undone and it streamed over her face. Through it she could see Jesse, a broad smirk on his face, holding her fast, away from his body, without any difficulty. "I hate you!" Twisting in his grip, she brought up her knee to his groin. At the last moment, he turned aside, so her blow glanced off his thigh. For a second she got free, but stumbled in her skirts. He was over her in a second, hauling her up by her arms. His jaw was clenched and his green eyes flashed; he didn't look so amused anymore.
A flicker of fear ran through her, and she pushed backwards. "I didn't mean it."
He pulled her closer, temper lighting his face. "I think you did, baggage, and this has gone on far too long. It's time to take you in hand."
He jerked her across the room, hoisting her up when she stumbled, and carrying her to the foot of the bed.
"What are you doing? Wait, no!"
Jesse didn't answer, just flopped her onto the bed, so she was face down on the quilt, her feet still on the floor. He held her with a hand while he worked at her feet, moving them farther apart. When she tried to push up to get her balance, he pushed her down with an iron hand on her back.
Tears didn't work, and shrieking insults seemed to amuse him. Susannah tried reason.
"Jesse, please." She felt ridiculous with her cheek to the blanket. "Let's talk about this."
"Time for talk is done, baggage." Jesse finished his work behind her and stood. "There. All ready to take your punishment."
Susannah tried to move her feet, and found that she couldn't. Using a long rope, he'd leashed each ankle to the bedpost. There was some give in her bindings, but not enough that she could step away, or go anywhere.
"Wait, Jesse," she started, but he tossed up her skirts and pushed aside her drawers to bare her bottom to him. Susannah cursed the split seam drawers that had seemed so fashionable yet practical when she first bought them, and now served another purpose.
She tried to push herself up, and he grabbed her hands. "Do I need to tie these too?"
"No," she said, but he was already looping a thong around them, then, using a longer lead, tied that end to the bedspread.
"Perfect, my lovely. I bet you'll think twice before you'll fight me after this."
"Jesse, this is ridiculous. You can't punish me—"
A snap sounded beside her, making her jerk at the ties. Susannah craned her head to see Jesse wielding the braided whip.
"No, Jesse, you wouldn't!"
"Use the quirt on you?" Jesse came around so she could see him playing with the two flaps of leather at the quirt's end. "I might, if a hand spanking isn't good enough to teach you not to cross me."
"I wasn't crossing you. I wasn't! You were—"
Jesse stuffed his handkerchief in her open mouth, and put his face close to hers. "See now, that's a lie. You've been fighting me every step of the way, even though I'm trying to do right by you and keep you alive."
He stood again, and let the quirt snap in the air. She jumped as much as she could in her bonds and let out a muffled squeak. "You know, Susannah," Jesse spoke thoughtfully, fingering the braided leather. "I like women with a bit of fight in them. Of course, I like them even better when they're tied up and waiting for my hand to fall." He chuckled, and then sat down on the bed, placing the whip right in her line of sight.
"This session won't be for fun, though," he said. "Your disobedience and back talk could get us both killed."
Cricking her neck to see him, Susannah pleaded her case with
wide eyes.
"You left the room without permission. I saw to it you had a nice bath, and all I ask is that you stay where I tell you so you don't die." His anger thundered through his voice. "Men are looking for you. Not me; they don't know much about me. I've covered my tracks for years. But you, with your blonde hair, walked right into Doyle's brothel and batted your eyelashes at one of his men. You think he won't recognize a pretty piece of calico like you? You're an easy target." His hand swatted her bottom to emphasize his words. "Do you want Doyle to grab you, darling? Do you?" His hand fisted in her hair, as if to drive the point home, and she shook her head frantically until he let go.
"As much as I don't like it, you flirting with Sebastian isn't going to harm anybody. But it ends now. Until I put you on a stage back to Boston, you're my wife. I'm laying my life on the line for you, and what I say goes. If I tell you you're not to so much as look at a man until you reach Missouri, then that's how it's gonna be. Understood?"
She glared at him.
"I see that might take some convincing. Well, after this, darling, you'll know who's in charge."
He moved around out of sight, and Susannah's breath came in pants. For a few aching seconds, Jesse had disappeared; she could hear him moving behind her. At last he came to her side, and she steeled herself for the first blow.
Jesse paused behind his tied beauty, admiring her beautiful form as he rolled up his shirt sleeves. With her skirts in a pile around her hips and thin drawers swathing her legs, she wasn't as bare as he'd like, but one step at time. He could see a little of the curve of her tucked-in waist, flaring out into her luscious bottom. Her legs trembled a little in their bonds. If he had his way, her feet would be tied further apart, spread to the edge of pain, the rope taut and keeping her completely helpless. But this was good enough. Her arms stretched above her head, forcing her to pose as a gorgeous offering to him.
He knew he should spank her and get it over with, but something about her sweet musk mixed with her lavender scent gave him pause. Squatting down, he angled his head for a closer look. Susannah's lower lips pouted at him under the soft blonde down. He blew warm air on the plump pussy, and was rewarded with an involuntary clenching. She was trembling so prettily, he couldn't resist touching her between her legs, running his finger along her slit and collecting the dew that had gathered there.
"This is pretty, very pretty, wife. You'll make someone a very happy man someday."
She couldn't move, but she squirmed as much as she could, bouncing her bottom angrily, trying to dislodge his touch on her private parts.
He chuckled, and took his hand away, sniffing his fingers. They were drenched with her essence and he tasted them, feeling his cock practically turn to stone. "Ah, little baggage, I will miss you when you're gone."
He wiped his hand on her bottom, and laughed again as she growled into her gag.
"Eager for me to begin? Well, if you insist." Rising, he let his hand crash down on her flesh, hitting one cheek then the other in perfect rhythm.
She yelped but the sound stayed stuffed behind the gag. Even her little wriggles weren't enough to deter Jesse; he put a hand on her back to steady her, content to beat a tattoo on either sit spot. In no time, the two places turned a ripe red.
Her entire body strained, fighting as much as it could, and he enjoyed watching her upper body thrash about, twisting so her hair flung around the coverlet. He wished he'd thought to strip her naked. Next time, he thought, and there would be a next time. He'd make sure of it.
His hand fell with a loud crack over and over again, spreading the smacks out into quadrants. First the upper right, then lower, then upper left, and so on, painting her buttocks pink. He wished he had a cane so he could put some stripes on her rounded cheeks and upper thighs. He'd threatened her with the quirt, but decided not to use it. Better to ease her into this sort of play. And speaking of play...
He paused, and squeezed her cheeks, soothing the hurt he'd given her before he enacted part two of her punishment.
"You're a good little girl to take your punishment so well," he crooned, even though she hadn't had much choice. Under her tousled hair, her cheeks were streaked with tears, but there was still a touch of fire in her glare. That was fine by him. He hoped she'd disobey again, soon, so he could have the pleasure of imparting another lesson.
His fingers explored the wet place between her legs again, stroking her gently and enjoying her panicked protests.
"My, my, naughty one. You're very wet. Perhaps this wasn't punishment after all."
She fought her bonds harder than she had before, and he withdrew his questing digits before she could really hurt herself.
"All right, baggage." He wiped his messy fingers on her roasted flesh. "One more round, and we'll call it lesson learned."
The next few minutes were torture for him as much as for her. With each blow, the slight sound of her whimper and the heat of her skin went straight to his dick.
Gritting his teeth, he continued his chore, and only stopped when her flesh was well and truly glowing.
He rubbed her bottom a little bit, soothing her before untying her legs. "There you go. Punishment all done."
He drew her up, releasing her hands, and lifted her before she could escape, carrying her to the chaise and settling her in his lap.
"Did you learn your lesson?"
"I hate you." She glowered at him even as tears rolled down her face. Her sniffles were so pathetic, he had to press her head into the crook of his neck to hide his smile. She clung to him, and he grinned wider. Even though she wanted to fight him, her body submitted to his care. He rewarded her with gentleness, stroking her pretty hair and murmuring soothing things.
"Hate me all you want, darling. But do as I say. I'm keeping you alive, no matter what."
Her sobs died down and he shifted. She was a lovely handful and no mistake, her sweet rear was caressing his cock, her lithe form shivering in submission on his lap. He took the liberty to bend his head and smell her fine scent, lavender mixed with a fresh wild scent of the outdoors: the polished meeting the primitive. The tumble of contradictions that was his Susannah, and he loved that about her.
She raised her tear-stained face, and he realized how very beautiful she was. "You're safe with me, Susannah. I know you think I'm a rogue, but I'll do right by you. It's my duty and my honor."
Her eyes shone with such vulnerable hope he couldn't help it. He bent his head and kissed her.
It started as a light touch of lips, he was gentle but teasing, playing with the soft seam of her mouth. She sighed, angling her head and the kiss deepened.
He found her pressed up against him, arms at his shoulders, not to push him away, but to cling to him, and eyes half lidded.
It was now or never. Gripping a silky fistful of hair, Jesse yanked her head into position, and plundered her mouth thoroughly. Judging by the way she moaned and pressed herself against him, she enjoyed his rough handling. He held her fast, taking her mouth again and again until her hands gripped his shoulders for dear life and her torso undulated with desire, rubbing against his.
He held her captive to his mouth, devouring her again and again until her face was scraped red from his stubble. Forcing her head into a sharper angle, he kissed down her neck, marking the creamy skin with his rough mouth as she encouraged him with soft whimpers, little noises filled with longing.
His dick was so hard he was sure it would burst through his clothes. With a groan, he drew her head back and broke the kiss, stopping before he reached the point of no return.
Susannah stared at him, breathing hard. He waited, studying her face, pleased at the way her perfect skin had reddened, scraped by the dark shadow on his jaw. He wanted, more than anything, to mark this woman, to possess her, to make her his forever. Instead, he loosened his grip on her hair, watching as her blue eyes focused on his face. His eyes searched her face for any regret, but he found nothing but desire. Her head tilted, and her finger came to trace his li
ps. He waited, not daring to breathe, as a corner of her mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
"Jesse," she breathed, and dipped her head to his lips again.
That was all the assent he needed.
As heady as their first kiss was, the second left it in the dust. Desire flared through them like a falling star, bright and brilliant, and they drank of each other as if they'd never get enough. Susannah's fingers clawed at his shirt buttons. His hands were busy too, first lifting her and bringing her to the bed, then diving under her skirts to stroke up her legs.
She'd gotten his shirt open halfway, and bent her head to kiss down his chest, frantic and needy. Got halfway, lips worshiping the muscles of his chest before he lost it.
Grabbing her hips, he turned her roughly. "You want this?" he asked, pressing his cock into her fleshy backside, ripping up the frothy mess of fabric to find her flesh while his other hand dove into her front, finding a breast and squeezing the fleshy mound.
"Yes," she moaned, arching her back and pressing her hot bottom against him. He couldn't tear his trousers open fast enough, so he didn't try. Instead, he rubbed himself against her, then placed a large hand on her tiny waist and flattened her against the bed, in a semblance of the punishment position she'd been in only minutes before.
Her cheek hit the bed, her fingers automatically curling into the quilt. Whether she expected more discipline or pleasure, he didn't know, but he took only a second to note her acquiescence before he forced her legs apart. He knelt and fastened his mouth to her sweet center.
Susannah howled above him, but he was lost in her depths, sucking on the plump lips, kissing up her hot, little bottom, scraping the red flesh with his rough cheeks, adding whisker burn to the list of her hurts. He didn't care; he wanted her to feel him for days after. By the way the little minx was thrusting her bottom back on his face, she didn't care either. As soon as she screamed out her release, Jesse undid his breeches and flipped her over, grabbing her legs and jerking her closer. Fisting his cock, he probed her center, teasing her over stimulated nub until she shuddered with little aftershocks of pleasure.
