Cowboy Caveat

by Vanessa Brooks

  At the time Ed’s reaction had delighted Lucy. Her strong virile husband had shown how much he cared for her by spanking her and ravishing her afterwards in the most delightful way; in fact, she’d found the whole episode very arousing! Last night was not. Lucy gingerly rubbed her throbbing behind and reflected on what Ed had said about trust between them. Was he right?

  When her bottom was healed, she could stage manage this whole asking to be spanked problem. Lucy thought of her transparent fine lawn nightdress that Ed liked so much and decided she could wear that and prettily ask him to spank her in bed one night with a giggle and a toss of her hair. Yes, that is how she would arrange it -- a sexy little spanking followed by......well. Lucy nodded to herself, satisfied with her plan: if she was to be spanked, it would be on her own terms.

  * * * * *

  Ed, meanwhile, was riding with Grant and the posse, giving a good imitation of a man eager to find his sister, while leading them out to his childhood home where he knew only ghosts of the past remained. Ed hoped that Ethan had caught up with his errant sister and given her the same treatment that Lucy had received yesterday. He smiled grimly to himself, picturing his wayward sister turned over Ethan’s knee.

  * * * * *

  On the train, things had come to a head when Miss Caldon had reached forward and slapped Luca’s face. Ethan, with narrowed eyes, had grabbed the boy away from the harpy and handed him through the door of the compartment to Amy. She pulled the child inside and then yanked her sister Millie in behind before shutting the door with a snap.

  Ethan turned to the evil woman and said, “When you return to your employers you may tell them to look us up at Park Lane Dallas and we will arrange an adoption for Luca with them, name of Campbell, Hilda Campbell. Now jus’ get out of my sight before I do something I’d surely like to do but you’ll regret!”

  “I’ll have the authorities on you...kidnapping...child stealing...how dare you...you...varmint!”

  Ethan took a threatening step towards the snarling woman, and she hurriedly retreated down the corridor, muttering loudly. Ethan turned and, pulling the door open, went to join Amy and the children in their compartment.

  “What shall we do? I mean if she brings someone who knows what Amy did, they might arrest her!” Millie said, wringing her hands. Ethan agreed and nodded grimly, “I had thought of that too Millie. I think we will have to leave the train when it stops at Fort Worth and find our way onwards by stage. It will be slower but it’s less likely anyone will expect us to travel that way.”

  “No,” said Amy firmly, “the quicker I get to Grandma’s and enlist her help the better. Besides, I won’t risk Millie and Luca being exposed to any danger.”

  Ethan barely looked at Amy before saying firmly, “It’s not your decision to make Amy and you do as I say, girl. In fact, that goes for everyone....y’all jump when I say frog!”

  Millie and Luca nodded quickly, remembering the vision of Amy upended over Ethan’s knee only moments before. Amy seemed to have either a very short memory or a perverse wish for a repeat performance.

  “Ethan Walker, you do not get to decide what happens in my family. I do, and I say we stay on the train!”

  Millie sighed as she watched her sister hauled across Ethan’s knee for a second time in as many minutes. Perhaps Amy wasn’t quite as clever as she had thought her to be?

  Luca was mesmerized by this entertaining family. He hadn’t had so much fun in his entire life and he hoped that he could stay with them forever. He was fascinated by Amy’s bare bottom and Ethan’s vigour in spanking it. Until today, he had no idea that grown-up women were spanked or what their bottoms looked like, and he was extremely entertained by both!

  “Now then, little girl, you gonna do as I say....or do I carry on setting fire to your butt?” Ethan asked after a good five minutes of spanking.

  “I hate you, Ethan Walker....you jus’ let me up right this minute!” was Amy’s foolhardy response.

  Ethan sighed dramatically, “Sure’nuff, you young’uns better stand outside the door again. But if that harpy returns ya’ll run back in here lickity split!”

  Reluctantly Millie and Luca did as Ethan told them. When they had gone, Ethan dropped Amy on the seat and she sighed with relief; she knew she couldn’t have taken much more. As she turned and sat straight her breath stilled as she realised that Ethan was removing his belt. Amy gulped......oh no she wasn’t prepared for that!

  “Um, Ethan, I’ve been thinkin’, darlin’, that you might be right, and we should get off the train at Fort Worth as you suggested.”

  Ethan looked at Amy’s upturned face with narrowed eyes and said, “Is that so? Well now you hear this, Amelia Campbell: when we get to Fort Worth the first thing we’re gonna do is find us a preacher or a justice of the peace and get married because you are gonna promise to obey your husband and I intend to hold you to that promise every day of your life!

  “Oh, and having the surname Walker will be a good idea, since everyone‘ll be looking for an Amy Campbell. I’m thinkin’ we’ll all call you Amelia, your given name, for the time being anyhows, just to be on the safe side and all.”

  Ethan fastened his belt and turned to the door to call back the children; he had a smile playing about his mouth and a song in his heart as he begun to whistle, ‘Oh the yellow rose of Texas......’

  Amy scowled and set to thinking perhaps she didn’t want to marry Ethan after all. He was turning out to be far bossier and more arrogant than she had imagined he would be and all that mess about her obeying him once they were wed -- this was the 1890’s after all! Amy pondered the pros and cons back and forth until she couldn’t decide what to do for the best. She would allow Ethan to guide their little party along until she made up her mind what she wanted to do about marrying the tyrant.

  When the train pulled into Fort Worth, they all hurried to the far end and disembarked quickly, speedily exiting the station and following Ethan, who seemed to know just where he was heading. They pitched up at the stage coach office and were met by a small fat man, who leered at Amy and picked his teeth while he stared. Ethan gently pushed Amy and the children outside the door, telling them to wait out there.

  He emerged a short while later holding tickets and ushered them all away from the office. He stopped farther down the street and they gathered around him. “Alright listen up, we are one family from now onwards. Amy is Ma and I’m Pa. Amy darlin’, you are Mrs. Amelia Walker and I shall call you Amelia from now on in. There’s a justice of the peace a pace down the street from here so we will go and get us hitched. Then I’ll check us into the hotel for the night and we’ll catch the stage to Dallas first thing tomorrow morning. Everyone clear on that?” Ethan looked around his new family for any dissent, but they all nodded.

  Luca was ecstatic that now he had parents; this adventure just got better and better, and he was grinning from ear to ear.

  Millie was so relieved that Ethan was with them and felt relaxed and safe in his care. Her sister, however, was racking her brains for an alternate plan but, to her chagrin, she couldn’t find fault with Ethan’s ideas. She decided that she would marry him today.

  They all arrived at an imposing house at the far end of the street where a sign said “Henry J. Wilbur, Justice of the Peace” on the wall beside the door. Ethan banged on the door and a small woman wearing a white cap answered. “Can I help you folks?” she asked politely.

  “Yes ‘um, we wanted Mr. Wilbur to marry us now if possible.”

  “Oh dear I’m not sure about that. Normally you make an appointment... Mr.?”

  “Walker,” replied Ethan, removing his hat and smiling warmly at the woman. He cocked his head to one side and said, “It’s kinda’ an emergency ma’am.”

  “Ah I see” she said, warming to Ethan’s charm, “I’ll just go speak to Mr. Wilbur and see if he can see you.” She was gone for a couple of minutes and when she returned she pulled the door wide and ushered them through into a large carpeted hallway. �
�If the rest of you would just wait here, I’ll take you through, Mr. Walker. Please follow me.”

  When Ethan had disappeared through a heavy wooden doorway, Amy plonked herself down on a hall chair. She was about to be married! This was not how she wanted her wedding day to be! Amy jumped to her feet and was about to bolt from the house when Ethan returned with a tall, distinguished-looking grey-haired man who sprouted the most enormous moustache Amy had ever seen. “So you must be Amelia, eh? Welcome, yes I can see why you want to marry quickly, well, well, two children and both out of wedlock, eh!”

  Amy glared at Ethan, who shrugged and grinned back at her from behind Mr. Wilbur’s back. Millie put her hand over her mouth and giggled. Amy flushed red and began to stammer something to Mr. Wilbur, who kindly patted her shoulder and interrupted whatever it was Amy was about to say. “Now, now ma’am, no need to fret. At least this young man’s doing right by you now and we’ll have you all legal and done in just a few moments. Daisy dear, could you go to my office and fetch the register and a marriage certificate? Please follow me, all of you.”

  They all trooped into a large parlor heavily furnished with drapes, and knick-knacks of every description that decorated all the surfaces in the room. The children were asked to sit, which they did, close together on an overstuffed sofa with Millie holding Luca’s hand while he stared around the over-furnished room in complete amazement. The maid arrived and handed the documents to the justice, who fussed about for a minute or two before asking Amy her full name and date of birth followed by her parents’ names and their dates of birth. Ethan provided the same information and also a bank draft in his name as more formal proof of identity.

  Amy and Ethan stood in front of Mr. Wilbur and repeated their wedding vows, except that when Amy was asked to “love, honor and obey” her husband, she hesitated and glanced up sideways at Ethan, who winked cheerily at her. Despite herself, she grinned back at him and said, “Yes,” quite clearly. They were finally man and wife. Ethan kissed Amy full on the lips before pumping Mr. Wilbur’s hand vigorously. Millie and Luca offered hugs and kisses to Amy, and Millie shyly kissed Ethan’s cheek. Daisy brought in tall glasses of lemonade, which they all drank gratefully before the marriage certificate was filled in and signed.

  It was a merry little party that checked into the hotel some while later. Luca used every opportunity to say ‘Pa’ or ‘Ma,’ but Millie kept forgetting and had to be reminded, though thankfully no one seemed to have overheard her. Amy was somewhat incensed that Millie could possibly be accepted as her daughter, since they were so close in age. Ethan pointed out that folks probably assumed that Amy was Millie’s stepmother and not her birth mother. Amy and Millie nodded, accepting that as a good supposition.

  After a filling supper of tasty Texan chili stew, the evening drew to a close and the youngsters made their way up to bed. Amy found herself distinctly nervous about her wedding night, especially since Ethan had promised her a punishment for shooting that rat Henderson.

  Ethan had kept up the jovial atmosphere of the evening very well. Laughter and merriment had been with them all throughout the evening, and Ethan was pleased to see Amy looking her normal self again. He had a problem, though: Ethan had vowed to punish Amy for the shooting of an unarmed man as soon as they were alone but tonight was their wedding night and he felt bad about inflicting punishment on his wife before he had even bedded her. Ethan’s dilemma was that he was a man of his word and it didn’t sit well with him to appear to have let his new wife off the hook, so to speak. What to do?

  They saw the children into their beds, made sure that Millie locked the door from the inside and cautioned them both to only open the door to either Amy or Ethan but no other person. Reassured, the honeymoon couple went to their room across the hallway.

  Once inside the room, Ethan pulled Amy to him and raised her chin so he could look down into her pretty face. Amy gazed steadily up at him with her clear sherry-colored eyes and studied his, surrounded as they were by good-natured laughter lines. Did this man truly love her? Did she dare to love him in return?

  Ethan wondered what Amy was thinking as she gazed into his eyes so guilelessly. He lowered his head and kissed her gently at first, and then, with more passion, gently he slid his tongue into her mouth and was pleased when her tongue slid forward to joust with his.

  Amy relaxed into her new husband’s arms and enjoyed his kiss. She soon found that she wanted more and pressed her mouth to his, winding her hands around his neck. Ethan slid a hand up from Amy’s waist and cupped a breast, teasing her nipple through the soft material of her dress. She sighed with pleasure, and immediately Ethan throbbed in anticipation of what was to follow. Ethan mentally said, Down boy!, to his impatient member, knowing that it was important that he take things slowly with his virginal Amy.

  Ethan pulled away from his wife and turned her around to undo the buttons at the back of her dress. Amy lifted her mass of curling caramel hair away from the back of her neck to make it easier for him, and he gently kissed her there. When every last button was undone, Ethan slowly slid the dress down Amy’s arms and below her waist until it slipped to the floor and she stood in her liberty bodice and pantalets. She stepped out of the dress and picked it up, turning to place it on the back of a chair.

  Ethan removed his shirt and sat on the side of the bed. “Come here, honey,” he said gently and she turned to take his outstretched hand. Ethan pulled her to stand between his parted knees. “Sweetheart, I promised to punish you for shooting an unarmed man, but this evening is our honeymoon night and I’m not inclined to deal with that tonight. But I want you to know that at the first opportunity, you and I have some unfinished business.”

  Amy flushed but breathed a sigh of relief.

  “You do understand that I’m not letting you off the hook now? We’re still having that discussion at a later date, honey.”

  Amy nodded, and it was Ethan’s turn to be relieved.

  He pulled her close to him, and lifting her bodice, he planted a kiss on her soft belly. His tongue swirled in her little button, and she wound her fingers through his sun-streaked, toffee-colored hair. Ethan took the ribbon of her pantalets and pulled, and they opened and slipped down over Amy’s hips, puddling around her ankles. Ethan kissed his way lower down her body. Amy froze in surprise, shocked by what Ethan was doing but unable to voice her concern because she was incoherent with the most delightful, fizzing sensation.

  Amy was writhing and moaning; she’d had absolutely no idea that mating would feel this good. Ethan pushed his hand under her bodice and caressed her nipples that peaked delightfully with his lustful attention.

  Ethan broke the kiss and leaned back so he could undo her bodice, releasing Amy’s small, pert breasts. He groaned at the sight of the sweet little alabaster orbs topped with their succulent budding nipples. His head descended and he greedily suckled one after the other, sending shock waves of desire straight to Amy’s core; she moaned his name and Ethan knew now was the time to remove his breeches. He had left them on so that Amy wouldn’t be frightened by the sight of his arousal.

  Amy felt bereft when Ethan pulled away from her to remove his pants but when she realized what he was doing, she leaned up on her elbow, avidly interested to see her husband’s member in the flesh. When Ethan turned his back to her, she bit her lip in frustration. The sight of his muscled backside, however, was compensation, and as he dipped forward to pull his pants off, Amy saw the outline of his maleness between his legs and sucked in her breath. Finally Ethan turned and Amy saw her first adult male shaft in its fully aroused state. She was mesmerized. Ethan looked at Amy’s flushed face and grinned. “Am I as you expected a man to be?” he asked her.

  Amy glanced up at him and then back to the sight of her husband’s rampant shaft, unaware she was running her pink tongue over her lips. “Bigger, so-o much bigger!” she whispered in awe.

  Ethan chuckled and climbed onto the bed; he held his manhood and palmed it up and down slowly, full
y enjoying the sensation. He reached out and drew Amy’s hand forward, placing it on his member, closing her fingers around the shaft and moving her hand up and down. Amy clasped it and marvelled at its separateness from Ethan; it appeared stuck on the front of him somehow, a pulsing being with a life all of its own,

  “Hello, you” she whispered to it.

  Ethan quickly pulled back before their honeymoon night was spoiled completely! Amy looked up in alarm. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked tremulously.

  “No, no darlin’, I want you so badly that at this stage, I could come and then you wouldn’t be Mrs. Walker for a while longer!” Ethan reassured her.

  Amy had no idea what Ethan meant, but she nodded and let her hands fall to her sides. Ethan lay down beside her and began to kiss her again, his hand toying with her nipples before sliding down her body and dipping between her legs. He explored her intimately before pushing two fingers inside her to begin stretching her, making ready to accommodate his aching member.

  Amy moaned and felt a blazing furnace building up inside her. All these beautiful feelings that Ethan was creating inside her body were amazing and she wanted more. Ethan slipped down Amy’s body and drew her legs wide apart so that he could gain access to her with his mouth. Amy was writhing beneath him, making delicious mewling sounds that excited Ethan almost beyond control.

  He held her firmly in place and fitted two fingers inside her while his tongue continued to pleasure her rapidly. Amy was nearly crying with the overwhelming strength of mindless carnality that Ethan was creating within her body, and suddenly she gasped and sobbed as an unbelievable wave of powerful pleasure rocked her. She spun into a world of sensual gratification quite beyond anything she had ever experienced before.

  Amy thought that this is what heaven will feel like, as she floated back down to earth and found herself rocked in strong, muscular arms. Ethan watched with delight as Amy’s orgasm took her over the edge, and he slid up her body, taking her face between his large warm hands, kissing away the tears that leaked from her eyes.