STORY EXCERPT

“Couldn’t find Ross, so I figured this one would do.”

Sophie stepped back when Rosa led Nevin MacDougal, hands covering his eyes, into her parlor. Sophie wore the blue dress again, as well as face paint. Nevin was a good friend. If he could be fooled, she should be safe from discovery. Not totally safe, however.

“Open your eyes and tell me the name of the woman standing in front of you,” ordered Lily.

Nevin lifted his hands off and stared at Sophie. She attempted a sensual smile when he blinked at her. To make it more realistic she leaned slightly forward to show more bosom and swished her skirts back and forth. She even batted her eyelashes. Nevin gave her a quick glance, scowled, and set his hands on his hips.

“Is this one of your schemes, Lily? Because at first glance, I don’t know the woman.”

“Look closer,” said Lily.

Nevin flicked his eyes over her, dismissing her as beneath contempt.

“Pardon me, ma’am, but if you’re looking for a decent husband you’d be better to cover yourself a fair bit.” He pointed to her exposed bosom with his chin. “A man would enjoy that in his bed, but not if every man in town knew that his wife had a freckle on the inside of her left breast.”

Sophie looked down. There it was, just as he’d said. She, however, hadn’t noticed. Any washing she’d done was to get clean, and handled quickly, in dim light of early morning or late evening. While she’d touched her breasts for enjoyment, it was always in the dark. Heat rose to her face.

“If you can blush, then maybe you’re not as experienced as I thought.” He gave her another slow perusal. “Dieter Arnott is looking for a wife with meat on her bones. He might appreciate a bold woman.”

“I wouldn’t bed down with that butcher if he paid me a hundred pounds of sausages!” She slapped her hands over her painted lips, but it was too late.

Nevin’s eyes widened at her blast. “Sophie?” He looked at her again, calculating. One corner of his lip curved up. He chuckled. “You look damn fine, Mrs. McLeod. But you don’t have to dress like a working gal in a saloon in Virginia City to catch a husband. You’re pretty enough without it. And unlike Amelia,” he added drily, “you can cook.”

“Bannack City, actually,” replied Sophie. “At Ruby’s Saloon.” She held up a finger before he could speak again. “I’m not dressed to catch a husband. I’ll be working as a dancer named Queenie, to draw Mr. Isaac into our trap. Nothing more.”

“Isaac?” Nevin’s face changed from the open smile of a loving husband, to the cold, still warrior face of his mother’s people. He held his arms loose, as if getting ready to shoot a couple of knives down his sleeves. “You’re not going anywhere near him, Sophie.” He took a step closer and lowered his voice. The barely hidden edge of restrained violence darkened his words. “It’s up to the law to capture Isaac. Not a woman like you.” He held up his hand to stop her automatic denial. “You’re a good woman. You couldn’t act the part of a hussy well enough to fool Smythe. He owns the Golden Nugget Saloon and has bedded many women.”

“Even against their will,” added Lily. She nodded to Sophie. “Show him, my dear.”

Anger at Nevin’s easy dismissal of her burned out Sophie’s nervousness. She sauntered closer, hips swinging. She looked up at him from under her eyelashes. He cleared his throat. She ran a finger over his arm.

“Want a dance, honey? Only five dollars to hold me. Aren’t I worth it?” She leaned in his direction and slightly shimmied her shoulders.

“If you had a husband, he’d put you over his knee for showing yourself in public in that dress. Dancing with strangers would bring a far greater punishment.” Nevin barked a laugh. “You really are serious about this?”

She stood straight, ignoring her clothing and face paint. “Yes, I am. I don’t have a husband, and there won’t be any men strolling into town looking for a wife before spring. We need to catch Isaac before winter sets in, and we need honey to find him.”

Nevin looked at Lily. “This is your scheme, isn’t it? But Isaac doesn’t go near women. He’s called to their rooms and arrives only after they’re stripped, blindfolded, and drugged.”

Sophie fought the nausea that made her stomach roil. Having someone like Nevin speak made it all the more real. She was going to purposefully put herself in danger. It might hurt her, but it would stop something far worse. Pain and humiliation could be overcome, as proven by the women in Tanner’s Ford. Death was permanent. She would be protected, but if she didn’t do this, more women would die. There was no choice as far as she was concerned.

“Sophie is going to be a bad girl,” explained Lily. “A man is going to insist on hiring her, and she’ll refuse. When he ups the price and she refuses a second time, and then a third, Ruby will call Mr. Isaac to convince her otherwise. We know he’s in town and is eager to be hired for some of his special work. When he comes for Sophie, we’ll have the law there to catch him. We hope you or Ross will help.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“I will take you whenever and however I want,” he continued, speaking low and slow. “If you don’t do what I say, I will put you over my knees and spank you until your ass is red. No matter how much you scream, I won’t stop until I want to.”

Every inch of her, inside and out, spasmed. She almost came from his harsh words. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry. His hands dropped to his belt. She shivered, watching as he slowly unbuckled it. He waited a moment, then started on the buttons. One at a time, they flicked open. She licked her lips, anticipating the moment he moved his hand and showed her what was inside.

“You are under my control,” he ordered. “No matter what. Tell me if you understand.”

She nodded, staring at what he was about to reveal. He strode forward and grabbed her hair at the back of her neck. She yelped, more in surprise than pain. He pushed her to her knees using his hand to control her movements. He’d moved so fast, doing something she’d never expected, that a rush of fear swept through her.

Had she made a mistake? If any other man had touched her, much less grabbed her hair and forced her this way, she would have erupted in screams, kicking and fighting to escape. This fear, she suddenly realized, was exhilarating rather than terrifying. For the first time in her life she let the fear flow through her rather than shoving it away. She had no choice but to give in to the pleasure he would bring.

“Did I tell you to nod your head?” he demanded harshly. He gripped his fingers tighter, bringing an edge of pain. When she tried to shake her head to say “no” it hurt even more.

“No, sir,” she croaked.

“Then do as I ordered. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” she whispered.

“What?”

“Yes, sir!”

He released his tight grip and stepped back. She chanced looking up at him. Even though he’d grabbed her roughly, there was no trace of violence on his face. He stared back intensely. He really was watching for every signal, perhaps even memorizing them.

She inhaled, shuddering, and dropped her eyes. Though his coat had reeked of spilt beer and whiskey, his pants did not. Her attention was suddenly caught. Dark hair sprinkled his wrists, but it was his hands that she stared at, and what they were doing. He used one to press back the buttons of his pants. With the other he ever so slowly brought out his cock.

“Oh, my,” she whispered.

His cock matched his large, thick body. He shoved his pants down his legs and off, kicking them into the corner before standing with his feet braced. His cock was hard, of course. Hard and long, and so thick that the fingers of her hand might not be able to close around it. A drop of pre-cum glistened on the tip.

“You want this?”

This time his voice was soft, like a lover. It was the only thing soft about him.

“Oh, yes,” she moaned.

“Then use those rosy lips to lick and suck my cock.”

Sophie lifted her dress out of the way and shuffled forward on her knees. He set his fists on his hips and waited. She’d heard the valley wives describe this, but had never done it. She inhaled his scent. She recognized the hard yellow lye soap that was commonly used by anyone who couldn’t afford something better. But something else, something elusive, drew her closer. She wrapped her hand around his cock. The surface was soft, but what she squeezed was anything but.

“Open your mouth and suck!” he roared.

She jerked at the noise and looked up. Warm brown eyes gazed down at her. The noise was for those outside the door, the smile was for her.

“That’s it,” he murmured. “Now dance that tongue over me.”

* * * *

Josh watched Sophie open her soft, wet lips and slide over his cock. He groaned, loud and long. His balls, already swollen and tight, threatened to erupt. He panted, fighting to hold back his orgasm. It had been too long. Sophie’s body aroused him, as did her mind. But most importantly, she wanted him to do what no woman ever allowed. She would submit herself to his domination.

He could see the eagerness on her face, the way she gasped at the thought of being mastered. He rested his hands on her head, letting her know he was in control but letting her find her way.

She flicked her tongue and his eyes almost rolled into his head. He groaned again, realizing that there was no way he was in control of anything. If he let her continue more than a few minutes, he’d come so fast that—

She swallowed him so deep the tip of his cock almost hit the back of her throat. His hands fisted in her hair as he fought to breathe. Her teeth scraped lightly as she slowly drew back. He tugged her hair to pull her mouth away. But she sucked hard and hummed, flicking him with her tongue, and he lost it.

With his last coherent thought he clamped his fist around his cock to stop himself from jamming it so far down her throat she might gag.

A white-hot wire ran from his arse, between his legs, through his balls and out. Eyes jammed shut, all that existed was the sensation of his cock jetting cum in her hot, wet mouth as his hips thrust forward.