The Gunfighter

"Oh, it's delicious Jake."

"Now try the steak," using her distraction to refill both shot glasses.

"Ohhhh..." came out of her mouth, "Jake it's divine. I've never had anything this good."

Jake lifted his glass and toasted again, "here's to good friends."

She didn't even hesitate lifting her glass and shooting it back.

Despite her claims of too much food her plate was clean and she'd eaten a slice of pie. They were now savouring cups of real coffee. He liked Molly's Restaurant for that. So much fake coffee made with bread, chicory or dandelion roots, but this place ordered it from back east and ground the beans themselves. It was expensive, but worth every penny.

He spent the time lightly flirting with her, the alcohol making her giggly and receptive. She teased him right back, occasionally slapping his arm in good humour when he went too far. Once she called him a cad, but the wide smile on her lips said otherwise. She was enjoying herself.

Finally stuffed and replete, her little belly bulging slightly, Jake made a proposition.

"Michael's not going to be finished yet and I want to settle that property purchase. Maybe you'd like to come with me. The land agent has a huge map of the area on his wall and you can see where your property is. I'll show you where your cabin is located. You can see all the roads, lakes and creeks too. It'll help you to get around."

It troubled her for a minute, it was highly improper running around all over town like this with a strange man. But the liquor and her sated belly from her first good meal in days made her adventurous. Besides she was having fun for the first time in a long time and it would be helpful to know the area better. That map would be a great place to start.

She nodded, she'd like to go.

He offered her his arm and again she didn't fight him when he grabbed her new gloves and kissed her fingers before putting them back on. He noted she hadn't bothered to replace her wedding rings while they were at Dolly's eating. He took that as a good sign.

Jake headed for the Pioneer Western Bank first and Emily was impressed when she saw the interior with the teller booth's expensive wood panelling. The polished wood and the gilded metal bars in front of the wicket gleamed in the light. There was a real glass window at one end. She couldn't even imagine what the cost was for that window alone. The bank looked very solid and prosperous. She was even more impressed when the manager hopped to his feet and came out to greet Jake personally.

"Larry this is Emily," he turned to her realizing he didn't know her last name.

"Bronson," she prompted.

"Ah yes, I've been expecting you. Your husbands wire reached me and I understand you bought the Wilson place. Did your husband not make it here yet?"

"He had a small accident this morning and Jake here has been kind enough to show me around while he's getting fixed up. Has our money wire arrived yet?"

"No, were you expecting one?"

"Yes, it's our money for getting set up here."

"Well I can put a trace on it. It may take a few days, but we'll find it. These things happen sometimes."

"A few days, but we have a hotel bill to pay and need supplies."

"And Larry will cover you in the meantime won't you Larry," giving him a pointed look.

"Of course, please come in and we'll get your account set up. If your husband could stop by later when he's better and sign."

While she was signing her account papers Jake told Larry he was buying the place next to her. "When Lincoln has the deed I'll tell him to bring it over for storage in your safe and you can pay him the amount owed. Should be around $400 to $450."

He nodded, "I'll take care of that for you Jake." Business complete they both shook hands with Larry and left.

Jake took her over to the land office and introduced Emily.

"Lincoln, I want that piece of property next to the Wilson place, what will he take?"

"He's firm at $400 Jake."

"Ok, that's good. When you get it registered take the deed over to Larry and he'll pay you."

"Ok Jake. It'll be yours by tomorrow morning."

Jake led Emily over to the big wall map showing her the new property she and Michael purchased and where his was. He ran his finger down the property line. Your cabin is right about here and mine is here."

"That's really close."

"Yeah, that was something I liked. Far enough away for privacy, but near enough to have neighbours or if we need to defend our places. There's also a nice little pond between us that straddles the property line so we both own it. Great for swimming and bathing.

"Can you see it from your cabin?"

"Yes," he said giving her a wicked smile.

Bathing...naked in front of another man, she thought blushing a deep red. She smacked his arm, he was insufferably bad, but she kind of liked it.

Finished with the land transaction they headed over to the Emil's Dry Goods store where they placed their orders for two wagons, swampers and supplies for tomorrow.

Walking back, Jake offered his arm and entwined his strong fingers with hers. Despite the familiarity she allowed him the liberty. He was being so kind to them. She had a gut feeling that Michael had gotten them into a lot of trouble. He'd gotten involved in a poker game and stupidly lost all the travel money they were carrying with them. She was furious about that. The rest of the trip after had been a real trial for them. Thank heaven they had paid for their stage coach trip in advance or they would have never made it here.

The bank conversation bothered her too. Michael told her that he wired money on ahead for them. After spending a month getting here she expected it to be waiting. Until Jake had fed her, she and Michael hadn't eaten in several days. They were broke!

Larry came walking out of the bank just as they were passing.

"Mrs Bronson I got a telegram to answer your question about the money transfer. Your husband closed out his account entirely in cash and no transfer was sent through our bank. Maybe he did a Western Union one."

"Thank you Larry," she could barely hold herself together. Michael had been very specific about transferring the money through the bank. He insisted it was safer. With his loss of their savings in that poker game they had nothing to carry them through starting the ranch. How was she going to pay for the food and supplies she'd just ordered!

Jake could see she was upset and took over, "move one hundred dollars from my account over to hers."

"No," she cried, "you've already done so much for us."

"Just helping a neighbour in trouble. Wouldn't you do the same for me?"

Trembling and in tears she nodded.

"Come on, let's go find Michael. Maybe it's time for some truth."

He gave her a minute to fish a small handkerchief out of her purse to wipe her tears away, then took her arm again.

Emily looked up at him, "tell me honestly. Are you helping us or helping me?"

"Honestly," he said biting his lip, hating to have to admit this, "you."

"Why, you know I'm married."

"I've seen dozens of men like Michael arrive over the years. He's a man child. He's got the body of a man, but the mind of a child. They have no idea what they're getting into, just some fancy highfalutin ideas of what the west is about. If the weather, Indians or wild critters don't get them, the outlaws or bullies do. And almost every one of those idiots left a pretty wife behind stranded and in serious trouble. Every gal working at the saloon was a wife at one time who ended up here abandoned and broke. I couldn't stand to see that happen to you."

"But you use them."

He sighed, "I do, I'm unmarried and have no one else. But I always treat them right and pay for the entire night. That way they don't have to sleep with six to ten stinking cowboys to make their money. I always tip them real good after, most of them are saving up to get out of the here and go home again. Good tips help them."

"Sleeping with six to ten men a night?" her face was ashen with shock. She had no idea.

"It's a hard life Emily, it eats them up real fast."

They turned and started walking again, she was curious, "so how come you're unmarried."

"Until you walked out that hotel door this morning I'd never seen a woman that took my breath away," he was being brutally honest.

Jake was obviously an admirer, Emily thought. That made her grateful, life with Michael was starting to look pretty bad. What woman in her right mind would desire to end up as a saloon whore.

Emily stopped Jake and wrapped her arms around his muscular chest enjoying the feel of him. To hell with propriety. Jake, bless his heart, was standing tall in their hour of need and even though he was attracted to her, he was asking for nothing in return.

"Thank you for everything you've done Jake. And uhhhhh if those ten cowboys looked like you, it wouldn't be such a bad life," she teased him.

He hugged her back, "that was nice," he mused, "let's go find Michael."

As if cued Michael popped out of the Myrtle's store and spotted them. He waved and started running down the boardwalk.

Straight into the path of Bill.

Bill was a man with a reputation of hating greenhorns with a passion. He'd provoked fights and gunned down two strangers in the last year, even though they were unarmed. Worse, he'd gotten away with it. The few witnesses were all too scared of his guns to tell the sheriff the truth.

"Shit," Jake cursed. This was bad.

"What," she asked just in time to see Bill stick out his foot and Michael go flying, landing on the ground with a cry of pain. Before he could pick himself up Bill kicked him in the ribs getting another cry of pain.

Jake was already moving for the street.

Bill was drawing his gun and Jake knew he intended to shoot Michael.

"Bill," Jake's voice cracked across the street. Bill looked up, sneered and then started to raise his pistol toward Michael.

Emily, with her knuckle in her mouth, terrified at the horrific scene, heard three pops so close together they were almost indistinguishable. Jake had drawn so fast she barely saw his hand blur. Bill seemed to implode inward. A gush of blood fountained out of his mouth joining the growing bloody stains on his shirt before his gun slipped from nerveless fingers and he collapsed on the boardwalk.

In a shocked daze she watched Jake standing there in the late afternoon sunshine coolly reloading his gun while a loud, high-pitched screaming was going on. She realized it was Michael screaming over and over like a little girl.

The contrast couldn't be greater. One was a man, one was a boy. She was stuck with the boy!

Jake had just gunned down a man, taken a life and done it without hesitation to save her useless husband. Emily's lady bits were all gooey and for the first time in her life she knew she wanted a man.

Jake finally walked over to Michael and slapped his face a couple of times telling him to get hold of himself. Michael sat there on the edge of the boardwalk crying. When the sheriff arrived Jake told him what happened supported by several witnesses. The sheriff ruled it self defence, it was over.

By law, Bill's possessions belonged to Jake now. Jake searched Bill's pockets and took his guns. He handed the fifty dollars he found to Emily and the guns to Michael. They'd get his horse and saddle from the stable later.

"You need to learn to defend yourself before you get killed," Jake told him, "we'll start tomorrow when we get out to your property."

Emily had her own questions, "where is all our money?"

"Lost it in that poker game," he admitted still sniffling.

"And the bank transfer?"

"Never did it."

"You miserable piece of shit. You've gotten us in such deep trouble. The only thing that's saving us is the charity of Jake. He even saved your worthless life. I wish he'd of let Bill kill you," She stalked over to Jake angrily and brazenly took his arm.

"Thank you for standing up for Michael."

They sat on the bench in front of the hotel while Michael sat sulking on the boardwalk down the street, using a stick to doodle in the dirt. It took Emily quite a while to cool down. It was not like she married Michael for love. When she thought about it she realized she'd agreed to marry him because she had no other options at the time. Where they lived eligible men were scarce.

Finally she spoke, "I don't know whether to thank you for saving his worthless life or kick your ass for not letting Bill shoot him. Suddenly being a widow seems pretty attractive."

Jake laughed, "sure glad I'm not Michael right now."

"Other than owning the ranch he lost all our money in a stupid poker game last week. He lied about the bank transfer. I don't even want to be around him right now. Without you, I'd be one of those whores looking for work in the saloon."

"Never happen," he waggled his eyebrows, leering at her, "I'd rent you every night."

Her anger immediately evaporated and she smacked his arm with a giggle, "that is the most improper but wonderful proposition I've ever gotten Sir."

"Maybe a more proper proposition is come have dinner with me. There's a barn dance at the Martin place about a mile outside town and we could ride over after and take it in. It should be fun! A lot of the families will be there. You'll get to meet them."

Emily thoughtfully looked down the boardwalk at a sulking Michael intently doodling with his stick, "that isn't proper at all Jake." She couldn't help smiling at him though, taking the sting out of her words. She jerked her thumb in Michael's direction, "what about him?"

"I don't feel like standing guard over him all night. It's Saturday and the saloons will be full tonight. A lot of drunks with guns and an itch to fight. The safest place for him is in your hotel room. I'll get the Restaurant to send him over supper. Tomorrow the wagons will be loaded and ready. We can head out to our new places to get set up. I'll spend some time teaching him to use those guns. Then maybe he'll survive out here."

Thinking about Michael made her angry again. She didn't want to be around him right now and had no desire to sit with him in a hotel room tonight.. Dinner and a dance with Jake was highly improper, but sounded wonderful. Suddenly she didn't care about propriety. She could let her hair down something that had been missing from her life lately.

With Michael taken care of and a good dinner in the bellies they headed for the stable to get Jake's horse. Emily had never ridden before so Jake mounted up and reached down and scooped her up with one arm, setting her sideways on the saddle in front of him.

Emily was thrilled, such strength in a man. She knew for a fact Michael could have never lifted her like that. Riding out to the dance she felt so safe and secure with him, his arms wrapped around her holding her on his saddle. His handsome face was close beside hers, their warm breath intermingling. She felt herself relaxing until their bodies were cozily nestled into each other the easy rocking gait of the horse pushing them together. For the first time in a long time, she felt content.

There was no doubt about his attraction she could feel his aroused member pressed against her hip. It felt so big compared to Michael, surely that couldn't all be him?

At the barn gathering she had a wonderful time learning how to Square Dance and was quickly answering the caller without mistakes. Everybody welcomed her, nobody seemed concerned that she was there with another man rather than her husband. Today's story had been gossiped about and people were coming up to Jake and thanking him for ridding the town of a bad apple like Bill.

She met lots of people and got several invitations for when she was settled. She snuck a couple of shots of whiskey with Jake ending up giggly and flirty. All the young single girls coming up to Jake and asking to dance seemed to inspire her wicked feelings toward him. She was pleased that Jake respectfully said no to all of them and she did the same with any requests she got.

The evening was fun, everyone dancing and having a great time until it started to wind down. The last half hour was all slow dancing for couples and she found herself in Jake's arms, plastered against his body aroused and wanting him. When he danced her into a dark corner and took the liberty of a kiss she welcomed his advance and kissed him right back, their lips softly exploring each other. When his hand found her ass and pulled her even tighter against his steely erection, she gasped and pushed harder.

For the last dance they were wrapped tightly in each other's arms swaying in one spot on the dance floor. Emily surreptitiously undid several of Jake's shirt buttons and rubbed her face against his chest enjoying his curly chest hairs and warm skin. Taking a deep breath, his masculine smell lit a bonfire between her legs. She was sure her bloomers were soaked with her female juices. There was no doubt Jake was all man, she'd never had these feelings with Michael or any other beau.

People started packing up wagons and mounting horses to head home. Jake helped her up so she was sitting properly on the saddle this time, then mounted up behind her. His arousal was plain and rubbing against her bottom while her lady bits were rubbing up and down against the saddle horn. The easy pace of the horse soon had a fire burning between her legs. Safe in his arms she relaxed back against him her cheek nestled against the scratchiness of the days growth on his face. Enjoying the new feeling running through her body she closed her eyes savouring his manliness.

With so many riders and wagons close by, it was torture though.

"Isn't there a private place?" she finally whispered.

"We can take the next trail, but it's three times the distance."

"Perfect," she purred.

When they were finally out of sight of everyone Jake headed for a little meadow he knew. Dismounting he laid out his camp blankets and then clothes went flying till they were both naked in the moonlight eyes avariciously staring at each other.

Her eyes got big taking in his big thick meaty erection, "oh my, where you gonna put all that?" she asked alarmed.

"Is Michael not very big?"

She raised her little pinkie, "he rubs around the top here with his little thing and then spurts his juice on my belly before you can say Jehoshaphat.

"It'll fit," he told her taking her into his arms and they sank down on the blankets together.

She stopped him for a moment, "I've never done this with anyone other than Michael. I'm not a woman of easy virtue so only this time and don't you be thinking badly of me."

"Emily, I would never think you were a woman of easy virtue," Jake said reassuringly.

From the description of Michael's efforts Jake realized she had no idea about foreplay. He spent minutes kissing her and grinding himself against her slit feeling her whimper in delight. His mouth sought out a breast and spent time nursing on the nipple before seeking it's partner. He could feel her panting with desire.

He slid down lower to her alarmed wail, "what are you doing Jake... you... ohhhhhhhh!"

His tongue split her lips and found her little lady button licking and sucking, showing it how much he loved it. Her hands clutched his head, while her thighs rose up and eagerly pinned him hard and then she was screaming her pleasure into the dark night. He took her to heaven three times before sliding back up, face slick with her juices.

She was panting for breath, "Oh Jake, I ain't felt anything like that before. Is that what they call an orgasm? I've never had one!"

'Unbelievable' was all he could think, 'how could Michael be so ignorant?'

"Yes, it was," he answered.

She was wet, loose and relaxed. Her eyes opened wide in amazement when Jake slid right in. She felt the stretch in her clit and the light tap when it kissed her cervix. They both gasped in pleasure when he hit bottom and he held her tightly looking into her eyes.