Everyone in the saloon stepped back as well. The lawyer looked like he was about to die. Lorkan pointed his gun directly at Jake.
“She’ll go anywhere I’ll tell her to. No come over here,” he said to Faye.
“No,” said Jake bracing her.
Lorkan cocked the gun. The click meant only one thing. Jake was defenseless. If Lorkan pulled the trigger, Jake was a dead man.
“She’s not your wife,” said Lorkan. “She’s mine. Our marriage was unlawfully terminated. I was not dead.”
“You are now,” said the Marshall from the door way.
And after a crack, Lorkan reeled and dropped.
Faye fainted straight into Jake’s arms.
Chapter Seven
Faye came to, hysterical. Jake was carrying her in the lobby of the Dodge House.
“Is she okay?” asked the clerk with urgency.
“She’s fine. Just needs some water, I think,” said Jake.
He flew up the stairs with her in his arms, back to the hotel room. He kicked the door close behind them. He hovered over her tenderly stroking her hair away from her face.
“That was pretty awful,” he whispered.
Faye nodded. The reality of seeing her first husband’s last moment was turning in her stomach. Fever rose in her face. Perspiration beaded on her brow.
“It’s over,” he whispered again.
In her confusion she misunderstood how he meant what he said. She received his words as meaning their marriage. That their marriage was over.
“What?” she said, immediately upset. “It’s over? You’re leaving me?”
Jake tilted his head and studied her.
“No,” he replied like that was the last thing on his mind. “Not ever.”
Faye clutched his hand. And then lift it to her cheek. She looked into his eyes. Yearning coiled in her belly. She slid her body, positioning herself, offering herself. Jake understood. He lowered his mouth to hers.
Faye raked her fingers through his hair. She realized as she touched him that her greatest fear was that she would lose him. That she would have to live a life of solitude void of affection. She could not endure even the thought of that. She was already in love with her husband.
Jake unbuttoned her dress, quickly. Like he had a lot of practice working the buttons of a lady’s dress. His warm hand skimmed beneath her neckline. His touch was so warm on her naked breast. He tweezed her hardening nipple between his rough finger and thumb.
Erotic wires traveled through her body to her core. Her belly drew up tight, gripping for something. She needed to be filled. She wrapped her legs around the small of Jake’s back wantonly.
His tongue reached into her mouth as deeply as it could go. Faye tasted back, twisting her tongue with his. She could not get enough of him. As she explored him, tasting all that there was, she felt him grow hard against her.
Faye felt so naughty for liking how large he was. She caught stolen glimpses of his manhood. Jake was positively huge. She bravely reached between them and took hold of him. He pressed his eyelids closed with pleasure.
She timidly moved her grip up. He covered her hand on hers and showed her how to move on him. Faye was nervous but she liked how her touch gave him pleasure and how hard she made him.
His fingers found her. He penetrated with his fingers. Faye was so so wet for him. He withdrew and levered his manhood into her. She wriggled and pushed her hips upwards to receive him fully. He filled her so perfectly.
Jake kissed her lazily, pushed in and out of her a few times but then maneuvered her over. He turned her around so that her bottom was backing against him. He pulled her onto his lap. He wrapped her with his powerful arms. She sat back on him as they embraced.
He splayed her thighs and reached between them. He controlled her hips and while he wiggled into her, moving her in counter rhythm, he pleasured her. He pressed and wagged his hand was he touched her so intimately.
Faye ached and throbbed so. Her channel was blood-engorged as he grinded into her. Her nipples pointed, hard and full erect. Jake extended his thumb and grazed their tips. She shivered her helplessly as she swam with arousal.
There was something incredibly sensual to be encased by Jake McElroy’s luscious hard body. To be so safe and warm against his solidness and soft skin. He did not let up pleasuring her until the tremors of ecstasy rippled from deep within. To seize around his hardness just multiply the sweetness for her.
She cried out as she crumpled against his body, overtaken by a powerful orgasm. It rushed her inside and out with the power and force of a flash flood.
“Oh God,” she cried out.
Jake moaned himself. She knew that her rapture was sweetness for him as well. It seemed to push him over the cliff of rapture. He was soon spazzing and jerking into her body as she pulsed around him.
He too was calling out, bursting as she had. He buried his face in the base of her neck trying to withstand it. The pressure and sensation zapped her with another wave of pleasure. It was almost more than she could stand. It was almost a mercy that the sugared rapture peaked and then ebbed.
Jake stroked her lovingly between her legs sending waves of sensory delight as her spasms lessened. She felt herself smiled drunkenly as she rested her head against his.
“Better?” he asked.
“Oh was that medicine?” she asked flirtatiously.
“Not just,” he said softly.
“I was hoping maybe it was something Doc wanted me to take for the rest of my life,” she said.
“Don’t need Doc for this one, sweetheart,” he said. “I am prescribing.”
“I see,” she replied, her smile broadened.
Chapter Eight
Faye and Jake freshened and this time did leave the hotel room. His brothers drove a rig into town to pick them up and to take Faye’s things back to McElroy’s Bend. Faye’s lawyer was barely hanging onto life. She was sadder about his status than the fact that her first husband was dead. She had no idea what became of her brother.
“I am not angry any more about the fact he loved my brother,” said Faye.
Jake shook his head.
“I am not sure I am comfortable with this kind of talk,” said Jake.
“It’s just that I love you,” she said. “I am not sure there are limits on how far I would go to be with you.”
Jake dropped what he was doing and took her into his arms. He kissed her with everything he had.
“I will listen to you no matter what you have to say. But hear me. You did nothing wrong. That man in Doc’s office has nothing to do with you,” said Jake.
“Yes Mr. McElroy,” she smiled slightly.
But it was easier said than done. The ride to McElroy’s Bend was quiet. She was tired from all that she had been through. She needed rest. Transitioning from a bride to a wife, the passion she shared, in addition to everything else, had taken a toll.
There was nagging fear that because she married Jake while Lorkan had been alive, that maybe her marriage was void. So a couple weeks after she had married Jake, when the marshal who was a huge man, rode to McElroy’s Bend like there was an emergency. Faye’s heart was in her throat.
The four McElroy brothers gathered into the common area outside the house, with concerned.
“Ben?” asked Mac.
“Is your mother around?” the marshal asked.
That question made Faye breathe a sigh of relief.
“Yeah, she’s in the house, most likely,” he replied.
Jake caught Faye’s eye.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said. “I thought it was more bad news.”
“Mrs. McElroy,” he whispered flirtatiously. “You’re safe.”
Faye, her sisters in law, Merla, Gretchen and Maybelle all of whom she made her peace with for tricking her, followed the brothers into the house to see what the marshal wanted to talk with Fiona about. It looked like they were at a stand off. It was almost silly to se
e the marshal so nervous.
“Woman,” he said. “All these weddings.”
“Yes Ben,” Fiona replied not granting him any mercy.
“First it was make. Then it was Donny. Rafe. Now even Jake,” he said his voice breaking.
“Yes Ben. I am aware,” Fiona replied facetiously.
“Well?” he asked flustered.
Jake’s mother released a great sigh.
“Yes Ben,” she said.
“Well when is it our turn?” he asked.
“Are you asking me?” she asked, arching her brow.
“Daggone it,” he stomped. “I am beggin’.”
“Well alright then,” she accepted.
The marshal took the tiny woman in his arms and kissed her fiercely.
The brothers hooped and hollered. The women smiled excitedly.
“Only a word of warning,” said Fiona as she broke the kiss. “It ain’t going to be a quick wedding. I want a real wedding.”
“That’s fine with us, isn’t it ladies?” said Merla. “This is going to be fun.”
It was now the end of summer and if they planned a wedding the ceremony would take place around the holidays. The experience coming together with her sisters and mothers in law was a unifying one. Through the process, Faye became friends and family with her new family.
There was something too of the prairie living and maybe because she was happy, Faye was putting on a little bit of weight. When her first husband left her for her brother, it was one of the lowest points in her life. And though her lawyer gave her a positive solution that freed her, she had become gaunt through the process.
Now she was so in love with Jake. And the high points of the day, multiple times a day was to gather around the table to massive meals. Faye also gained physical strength that she never knew possible. She lifted water to the animals. She was fitter than she had ever been in her life. Maybe it was the fresh air and the rigorous ranch life, Faye never slept so soundly.
Marshal Ben and Fiona decided to say their vows at the Harvest Dance that they hosted in October. Neighbors and Dodge friends were present, including Doc and Faye’s lawyer who survived the terrible ordeal of being forced to travel to Dodge to track her down.
As Faye and the other McElroy women were dressing for the ceremony, Merla, Mac’s wife, was having a difficult time buttoning her, her bust had become rather large. And the constriction of her dress made them tender. But Faye dressed first. She found herself longing to nap as the others got ready. It was overwhelming. She almost embarrassed.
“I apologize Ma,” she said. “I guess I am just a city girl still. I am still becoming accustomed to the prairie life.”
“Is that so?” asked Fiona, letting her daughter smooth her hair.
“Yes ma’am,” replied Faye.
“Daughters don’t you think the prairie life becomes Faye?” asked Fiona.
It was the same tone she had taken to the marshal. Faye didn’t know how to take that. She struggled to push herself to the ceremony but she was going to have to make apologies again for she did not think she would last.
Fiona walked out of the bedroom. Faye was almost emotional which took her by surprise.
“Jacob!” called Fiona.
“Ma,” protested Faye.
Jake appeared almost immediately.
Faye was certain she had caused drama.
“Jacob,” said Fiona.
“Ma you look beautiful,” said Jake.
“No Jake, your wife looks beautiful,” said Fiona. “And she just gave me my wedding present.”
“Ma?” asked Faye.
“Ma?” asked Jake.
Faye was confused but she was craving a nap something fierce.
Fiona walked over to Faye and placed her hand on Faye’s belly.
“Oh my word,” said Jake beaming.
The three other sisters in law were also smiling. Faye had no idea.
Everyone left Jake and Faye to themselves.
“What in the world? Have I gone and offended her?” asked Faye.
“I think you’ve gone and made her a grandmother,” he smiled. “We will have a good laugh at the fact that you just might be the last person to know.”
Faye sunk to the edge of the bed. How could she be such a puddin’ head? She counted backwards. The exhaustion. The weight gain. It wasn’t prairie living. It was married living.
“I am sure ma will not be offended in the least if you just put your feet up in this here bed and take a rest. That would just be fine,” said Jake, kissing her hair.
“Can you help me out of this dress?” asked Faye.
“Absolutely Mrs. McElroy,” said Jake. “I believe that is how you got in this condition.”
“Oh yes, now I remember,” she replied flirtatiously. “Of course, I think about it all the time so it’s tough to forget.”
“Do you know?” he whispered.
“I do,” she whispered back. “All the time.”
Jake stood up and locked the bedroom door. He turned to her with the look that said he was going to devour her.
“Mrs. McElroy I think I should give you something more to think about it,” he said.
The End
BRIDES OF DEADWOOD
Worth Fighting For
A Mail Order Bride Historical Romance
Introduction:
Deadwood, South Dakota is the center point of a large gold rush in the Black Hills. A hot-bed of trouble and danger. Life isn’t a thing held as precious as the gold and fortune the town’s people seek. Levi Langston is one of a handful of lawmen hired to try to keep the people from killing each other. After seeking a wife in the mail order bride catalogues, he found a young woman who fit what he’s looking for in a woman to live his life with. He and Nora hit it off right from the start and though life is hard in the rough town, they plan to stay in the area and raise a family. The murder of a friend has Levi seeking the killer and Nora fearing for his life. She comes to realize how dangerous his job is and how unstable a life with him will be. Both realize their marriage may not work.
Deadwood, South Dakota
1876
NORA
Snow falls in light flakes from a gray sky. From my window on the second floor, above the Sheriff’s office, I can see the people of Deadwood walking to and fro. Some are finishing up their errands before the light completely leaves the sky and Deadwood turns into the place that so perfectly fits its name. Others are seeking the relative safety of the many brothels and saloons, those are the night people.
My husband of just one day has left me to go to his shift, the night shift. The most deadly shift there is for the Deadwood Sheriff’s Office. Levi Langston changed my name yesterday. No longer am I, Nora Walker. That woman will never be again.
The life I left back in New Jersey disappeared as I rode the train out to the west, the wild west, the deadly west and now my home. Levi began writing to me six months ago and captured my heart.
My father came out west a year ago. We found out he was killed in a shooting at a bar in Tombstone. With the news, my mother told me it was time I found myself a husband to care for me. She was going to move in with my oldest sister and live with her and her family the rest of her days.
I am the youngest of six girls. At first I protested that I was but twenty years old. She chastised me as she was a bride at merely twelve. So I put my ad in a mail order bride magazine and caught the attention of several men. Levi was by far the most intriguing.
His letters told of a life he chose in the western frontier town of Deadwood, South Dakota. Levi was living in New York, just one year ago. He answered an advertisement for deputies in Deadwood. It seems they drop like flies around here.
Levi is young, twenty-five years old, and tough as hell. His letters told me he was a bit hard-headed and at times prideful, but deep down, he has a softness in him. I fell for him before I ever laid eyes on him.
Once I did see him, well I was done for. Putty in the man’s ha
nds, so to speak. I don’t know a woman who wouldn’t be.
I stepped off the train yesterday to find a man who stood at least six feet six inches. He kept his wavy auburn hair which fell to his shoulders under a black cowboy hat. His black, button down shirt was pressed and fit him well, it showed off his broad shoulders and tightly muscled chest. His black dungarees covered muscled legs thick as a tree trunk.
All man was what I saw, and he held a large, white sheet of paper with my name on it. I approached him slowly, taking advantage of how he was looking all around and not noticing me taking him in. His deep green eyes had tiny lines around them. His skin was tanned from the sun and his lips were full and plump and they were soon to be mine.
“I’m the girl you’re looking for, Levi,” I said, and he looked down at me. His smile went clean across his face and I knew he was happy with what he saw.
I was pulled up into his strong arms and his lips touched mine for only a second. He laughed and his eyes twinkled as he looked at me. It was as if the moment our eyes met, we knew it was right.
So we went to the justice of the peace’s office and made it legal then he took me to his home. Our home now. With no pomp and circumstance he took me right to his bed, our bed now.
Levi is rough around the edges and wild as any animal that roams freely here. His letters let me know he wasn’t looking for a prim and proper wife. He wanted one just as wild as he is. And he is wild, wow!
Though a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to hold up to his expectations, I surprised myself. His magnetism made it very easy to fall into bed with him after knowing him a mere three hours.
We’re staying in the small, one bedroom apartment on top of the Sheriff’s office until Levi builds us a home. His eye is on a piece of property south of town, and he was waiting for my arrival to make the purchase.
Soon our new life together will be lived in our new home. Where we will have children and raise them. The whole idea makes me giddy with an unexpected joy.
MC Romance: Gravel A Motorcycle Bad Boy Obsession (Untamed Rider Forbidden Temptation Book 1) Page 27
