by Jake Logan
Resisting the urge to smash her desk into splinters before setting it on fire, he quietly turned his back to her and left the Whispering Hills Hotel.
12
Slocum approached the bar, found Slick behind it, and gripped the edge of the wooden surface as he snarled, “Give me another whiskey.” A good portion of Slocum was hoping the balding man might shoot back with a smart comment, refuse him service, or do anything at all that would allow Slocum to unleash some of the aggravation that had built up in his system during his short time at Whispering Hills. Instead, the barkeep found a glass, filled it, and stood by with bottle in hand.
“Care for another?” Slick asked. “It’s on the house.”
“Frightened of that little lady, huh?”
“Nah. Well…maybe a touch. She was right in what she said, though. Without you here, that shooting could have been a lot worse. Apologies for my harsh tone before.”
Since more liquor would only have added fuel to a fire that had dwindled on its own, Slocum said, “I’ll pass on another drink, but thanks for the offer.”
“The offer stands while you’re in town.” After starting to turn toward another customer, Slick wheeled back around and asked, “Will you be in town for very long?”
“Hopefully not.”
That brought more joy to Slick’s face than Slocum would have thought possible. “Then it stands. Welcome to Culbertson.”
Slocum held on to his glass as he shifted to lean back against the bar. Bethany was talking with some men at a nearby card game and looked up within seconds after he’d spotted her. When she walked over to him, Slocum asked, “You’re still here?”
“Not as a cook. I got roped into a card game being held later.”
“I know how that goes. You ever have any luck at poker?”
“Not even a whiff of it.”
“I know how that goes, too,” he said. “Last game I lost wound up with me penniless and sleeping in front of a stable. Hopefully you fare a little better.”
“Considering we’re only playing for bragging rights and a few pennies, I’d say so. How’d you fare over at Whispering Hills?”
Not wanting to get into every frustrating detail, Slocum replied, “Every room’s taken. Got another suggestion of where I might stay?”
“Sure. I live over on Third Avenue. It’s not much of a walk from here. Of course, no two places within town limits is much of a walk from each other.”
“I couldn’t impose.”
“Impose?” she scoffed. “You saved my life. Maybe you already forgot about that but I sure as hell haven’t!”
“You already put some whiskey into my belly. That’s more than enough payment as far as I’m concerned.”
She narrowed her eyes and studied him with a playful squint.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
“I’m trying to figure out if you’re playing at being modest or if you’re angling for more.”
“How about neither? We’re even.”
“Nope,” she said with a definitive shake of her head. “That won’t do it for me. I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror if I don’t repay what you did. You need a place to stay and the Christian thing to do would be to put a roof over your head for the night. Seeing as how you saved my life, I should be doing a lot more.” Bethany grabbed Slocum’s hand and started dragging him away from the bar. “You’re coming with me. Where’s the rest of your things?”
“With my horse. I still need a place to put her up.”
“I’ve got room for both of you at my house. Come along now.”
Slocum went with her simply because Bethany didn’t leave him much choice. She dragged him toward the front door as if she fully intended on tossing him through the broken window if he resisted. Before he got too far away, Slocum made sure Slick knew what to tell Daniel if he came to the Bullseye asking about his whereabouts.
Some old sheets had been hastily nailed over the window while Slocum had been at the sheriff’s office. From the outside, light from the saloon gave the linen a warm glow that was pretty in a strange sort of way. At the very least, it was a peculiar sight in the middle of an otherwise sleepy town. Slocum collected his horse and led her by the reins while Bethany led him in a very similar manner. Culbertson wasn’t completely dead. Some music was being played at another establishment farther down the street, and a few locals made their way from one building to another. A cart ambled past them on its way out of town, and the driver tipped his hat silently to everyone he passed.
“I imagine this is a far cry from Dodge City,” she said.
“It sure is. Have you ever been there?”
“Once, but just to pass through. Most of my family is in the Dakotas, and I rarely get a chance to travel other than to see them.”
“I suppose that could be a good thing. Never underestimate the comfort of a quiet town.”
“Formerly quiet town,” she corrected while also nudging him with her elbow. “Until you showed up.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that. I gave you a chance to keep your distance, but you insisted I follow you home. Just remember that if things get noisy again.”
They were walking past the Whispering Hills Hotel on their way to Virginia Avenue when Bethany closed the distance between her and Slocum. There hadn’t been much distance in the first place, so now she was practically leaning against him. “If you play your cards right, things may get noisy again real soon.”
Rather than try to think of anything to say to that, Slocum wrapped his arm around her shoulders and allowed her to guide him to the next street, which was Third. To the left and down a ways was a livery, but she steered him to the right, where several smaller buildings were clustered like blocky travelers huddling together for warmth. Those buildings were all little houses and cottages. Most of them were still and dark, but a few had windows that shone with a weak, flickering light cast by lanterns or candles within. Bethany’s home was the last house in a row of four. From her front porch, he could see a good portion of the town. She brought him around to the back of her property, where he could see nothing but wide-open Kansas plains.
Motioning toward a small shelter built around a trough, she said, “I’ve got a horse as well, but she’s a sweet old girl and shouldn’t give yours any trouble. There’s water in the trough and I have some oats for her to eat.”
“That’s very kind of you. I can take care of her right now if that’s all right.”
“It is. There’s a pile of blankets in that bin,” she added while pointing to a covered crate next to one used for feed. “When you’re through, come inside.”
“I will. And thanks again, Bethany. This is more than generous of you.”
She waved him off while turning and walking back to the house.
Slocum wanted to watch her, but couldn’t see much before she was swallowed up by the darkness. As the squeal of her door’s hinges drifted through the air, he busied himself with getting the rented dun squared away within the shelter. There was a hitching post, the trough, and an old feed bag under there along with a tired gray horse that had barely moved apart from a few twitches of its ear or tail. “Mind some company tonight?” Slocum asked while tying the dun’s reins to the post.
The other horse blinked lazily.
“Didn’t think so. Are you hungry?”
Since Bethany’s horse was more interested in being left alone, Slocum honored her wishes and fed his own. He then patted their necks and left them in peace.
It was a short walk to the house, and the back door was left open a crack for him as if he needed further incentive to step inside. There wasn’t much light coming from the single lantern in the next room, but Slocum could tell he was in a small kitchen. “Bethany?” he called out. “Are you here?”
“Is the door shut?” she asked from deeper within the little house. “Sometimes it doesn’t close all the way.”
Slocum grinned and checked the door again. “It’s shut now.”
/> “Good. Come on in.”
The next room was a little parlor that was even smaller than the kitchen. A narrow bookcase stretched up to within an inch of the ceiling. Two chairs were situated around a low, round table that wasn’t much more than an oversized milking stool. A lantern hung on a hook between the bookcase and the front door. When Slocum first caught sight of another, much narrower doorway, he assumed it led to a closet. When Bethany peeked out from the upper corner of that doorway, he realized that must have been a staircase.
“You ready to settle in for the night?” she asked.
“I sincerely hope so.”
“Good,” Bethany said while coming down the rest of the stairs and walking through the narrow doorway. “Because I’ve got plans for you.” She wore a simple nightgown that clung to her body and reached down to her ankles. The plain white cotton garment conformed to her figure to reveal rounded breasts with nipples that were already erect with anticipation and smooth, supple thighs. Her straw-colored hair hung freely in a tussle of curls around her face, and her eyes became wide as she quickened her pace to get to him.
Before Slocum had a chance to get a better look at her, Bethany had already wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself against him. She kissed him with a passion that grew each time their lips met. His hands went reflexively to her hips and found them to be firm and shapely. When he eased his touch up and down her body, he could tell she wasn’t wearing anything apart from the nightgown.
“You…don’t have to do this,” he said when he could catch his breath.
Keeping her fingers laced together behind his neck, she leaned back just enough to look into his eyes. “Don’t you want to?”
“It’s not that. I just…”
His body responded to her closeness. The moment Slocum’s erection strained against the front of his jeans, Bethany rubbed against it and smiled. “I can tell you want to.”
“This is just something of a surprise.”
“You didn’t strike me as the bashful sort,” she said with a touch of skepticism in her eyes.
Suddenly, Slocum didn’t know what was holding him back. Perhaps it had been a long day or maybe he’d drunk too much whiskey, but whatever the reason for his hesitation, he was past it now. Slocum grabbed her hips tighter and pulled her close. She responded with a breathy moan and wrapped one leg around him so she could slide it along his thigh.
Every inch of her was warm and inviting. When Slocum buried his face against her neck, he was treated to the natural scent of her skin and the warmth of her breath against his ear.
“I could barely wait to get you here,” she whispered. “As soon as I saw you again, I wanted you to fuck me good and hard.”
“Well now,” Slocum replied as he pulled back so he could unbuckle his gun belt and loosen his jeans. “I believe a lady should never be denied.”
“I’m no lady,” she told him. “And I sure as hell ain’t gonna be denied.”
She started unbuttoning his shirt and got about halfway done before Slocum had his pants down. His rigid cock ached to be inside her, and the notion that she was wearing nothing beneath her nightgown made him want her even more. Her fingers were still manipulating his shirt buttons when he turned her around and came up behind her. Bethany took his direction eagerly and grabbed the side of the bookcase as his hands moved around to cup her breasts. They were the perfect size to fill his hands, and she moaned appreciatively when he massaged them vigorously.
“I’ve had some thoughts about you, too,” he said in a harsh tone directly into her ear.
She arched her spine as if responding on an animal level to his voice. “What have you been thinking?”
“How I wanted to get you in a spot just like this.” He moved one hand away from her chest so he could begin gathering her nightgown. The fabric lifted up to reveal shapely legs and the creamy white flesh of her thighs. Once he had the nightgown rolled up over her hips, he moved his other hand down to hold it in place. Bethany was trembling with excitement by now and moved her feet into a wider stance.
“I can’t wait anymore,” she said while reaching down to hold her nightgown for him.
Slocum placed his left hand upon her hip, bent his knees, and used his right hand to guide the head of his penis between her legs. He found the wet lips of her pussy almost immediately and savored the moist feel of them gliding against his thick member. Bethany bent over a little more, held her breath, and remained still until he was there. Once he slid into her, they both exhaled gratefully.
“Damn,” Bethany said as Slocum held on to both of her hips and started pumping. “Even better than I thought.”
His only reply was to grab her tighter and pound into her with a single thrust that took her breath away. She clawed at the bookcase and arched her back as every inch of his rigid cock slid in and out of her.
Slocum reveled in the feel of her warm body and dripping pussy. Something about the sight of her was exciting on its own. A woman who stripped naked was one thing. A woman wrapped up in pretty clothes was another. Seeing a woman with her clothes rumpled up and gathered up to reveal her bare ass and legs was enough to make him grateful to be alive. There was no more banter or promises. Just a man and a woman seizing the moment to give in to their carnal desires. Slocum reveled in that even more by giving her backside a swat that sounded loudly throughout the room.
“Fuck me harder,” she demanded.
He pounded into her a few times and slapped her hip again.
“Yes!” she cried. “Harder!”
He grabbed her with both hands and drove his cock into her again and again until she tossed her head back and let out a shuddering moan. When she was through, he pulled out and turned her around. Bethany followed his lead once more by moving where he wanted her to go and placing her shoulders against the wooden surface of her front door.
“You ain’t through, are you?” she asked breathlessly.
“Not by a mile.”
She smiled and hiked up her nightgown to once again reveal her bare thighs. As Slocum reached around and cupped her backside in both hands, she hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Between his grip on her rump, her hands locked behind his neck, the firm hold of her legs wrapped around him, and her shoulders pressed against the door, Bethany remained in place so Slocum could once again enter her. His cock fit perfectly between her legs, sliding between her wet lips until he was buried solidly inside her.
“Oh my God,” she said. “I don’t think I ever want you to leave that spot.”
“You don’t want me to move?”
“I don’t think so.”
He rubbed her hips and slid slowly out of her so he could ease back in. “What about now?”
“All right,” she said playfully. “You can move.”
Slocum took that as his cue to begin pumping in and out. Bethany pressed her head against the door and closed her eyes as he drilled between her thighs. Her legs wrapped around him tightly and her fingernails began to dig into the flesh of his neck and shoulders. As he quickened his pace, Slocum tightened his grip on her buttocks. The smooth, firm curves felt good against his palms, and for the next several moments, it was as if she didn’t weigh an ounce.
Just when Slocum thought he’d reached the pinnacle, he felt her start to grind her hips against him. The moment he slowed down to catch his breath, Bethany opened her eyes and went through a series of slow, circular motions. Soon, she found a spot that made his rigid shaft rub her in just the right way and her body started to tremble. From this angle, Slocum could feel her climax working its way from the base of her spine all the way to the tips of her toes. She arched her back and gripped him tightly. Despite his unwillingness to let her go, she loosened her legs and lowered them so she could stand on her own. That made it tough for Slocum to hold her, so he took a step back and allowed her to support herself. Before he could let out one frustrated word, she pushed him back a bit more so she had enough room to drop to her knees in front
of him.
Bethany’s hands brushed against his chest, and her lips grazed the front of his body from his stomach down to his erect penis. Keeping her hands flat against him, she maneuvered her lips to encircle the tip of his pole and slide all the way down its length. Her mouth felt good, but the touch of her tongue along the bottom of his shaft brought him right back to the point he’d reached a few moments ago.
“That’s it,” he said as he placed both hands upon the back of her head. “Just like that.”
But she didn’t need any instruction. As her hands wandered along the front of his body, her head bobbed back and forth so she could devour every inch of him. When she took him all the way into her mouth, she stayed put so her tongue could swirl around. Slocum held her in place and pushed himself in a little deeper, so she took him in that much farther and licked him faster.
Once Slocum’s breath became quicker and shallower, she sucked him faster. The wet sound of him in her mouth drifted through the air, soon to be followed by his building moans. Her hair was soft between his fingers when he tightened his grip and exploded into her mouth. She remained in place for a few more seconds, licking him dry before finally leaning back.
“There now,” she said with a naughty little smile. “Isn’t that better than Whispering Hills?”
Slocum helped her to her feet and placed his hands upon her hips. “Depends on what type of room service they offer.”
Bethany smacked his chest and groused for a little while, which did nothing to dim her enthusiasm when he peeled her nightgown off an hour later to enter her again.
13
It was two days before Judge Whetuski got to town. Slocum might have been angry with the wait if not for the fact that Bethany was more than happy to help him kill time. When she was cooking at the Bullseye, Slocum played cards or checked in on Sheriff Teaghan. When she wasn’t working, Bethany couldn’t keep her hands off him. She was a wild lover who somehow found a new way to surprise him every time she stripped Slocum out of his clothes. On the second day when he walked into the Whispering Hills Hotel, Slocum was almost as bowlegged as he would have been if he’d ridden into town from California in one stretch.
