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  On the dresser, a picture that Belle decided must be of Janna's parents sat beside two vases, each filled with beautiful feathers. They ranged from exotic peacock feathers to an eagle feather and even a goose feather. The colors of each feather made them look like a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

  "Take your pick of those feathers, Belle,” Janna said, without turning from her washstand.

  Belle was embarrassed to be caught gawking at the array of feathers in the vases. “I-I didn't mean..."

  "Of course you did. Everyone looks at them and wonders what I do with them. My suggestion would be the peacock feather. It's larger and softer than most. It's the easiest to use on a man's body, especially his cock and balls, and it drives them crazy. I should know, I've made enough money off of them."

  Belle sat down on the neatly made bed. “What do you plan to do with all your money? I mean, each of you girls have substantial bank accounts. I know that one day you'll all leave me. Where will you go?"

  "You'll laugh at me."

  "No, I won't,” Belle replied. “It's been a long time since I've had a girlfriend to exchange confidences with."

  Janna buttoned her dress before sitting next to Belle on the bed. “Well, all of us have been talking about it and we all want the same thing. There are a lot of kids who lose their folks. They either get killed or get sick and die. Most of them, like Cara and me, get shipped off to the first whorehouse that comes along and the rest is history. Kids shouldn't be made to work like that. Now that Clayte could turn out to be the rustler, I can't help but wonder what will happen to his kids. With Nettie gone, they're far too young to fend for themselves like Cara and me had to."

  Belle nodded. She too had been thinking about Clayte's kids lately. Even though she didn't want to be his wife, she did wonder what would happen to them if Black found out Clayte were the one behind the rustling. They certainly weren't old enough to take care of themselves, and none of them had asked to be born, especially as Clayte's kids. In all rights, the Diamond A belonged to them, but even the oldest wasn't old enough to run it.

  "I think it sounds like a good idea, and it might come about sooner than you think."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "When the stage came in the other night the driver gave me a letter from the stage line. It seems that the railroad will be coming through Larson's Gap next summer, and that means that the stage will stop running, putting us out of business at least for the stage stop. That leaves me with the addition to the house. Without the passengers, you girls will be out of work and the addition will be empty. It would make a perfect orphanage, if that's what you have in mind."

  "Do you mean it, Belle?” Janna asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Lacy contacted the proper authorities and even though we had enough money to meet the requirements, we didn't have a place to open an orphanage. Without that, we couldn't get our certification or our funding. The territorial government pays for each orphan, that's how orphanages make their money. If we could use the addition to the house, it would be perfect. I've talked to people who have run away from orphanages because they were in the middle of the city and the kids couldn't get out to play. Here they could play all day and when they were old enough, they could learn about ranching."

  "Don't get too excited yet. We'll have to see if the railroad really comes through town. Then we can start planning for this orphanage, if that's what you and the others want. At least you wouldn't be leaving me, and Annie would be thrilled to be able to play nursemaid to all those kids."

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  Chapter Nine

  Black stood on the front porch enjoying an after-supper cigarette. The wind had shifted from the west to the north and the chill of it made him shiver. The clouds he'd watched earlier in the day now obliterated the moon making him even more certain that by morning there would be fresh snow on the ground. He hoped it wasn't too deep. There was a cave at the far end of the ranch that he wanted to check out in the morning. If the snowfall were too heavy, he wouldn't be able to get to it right away.

  He couldn't put his finger on why he wanted to explore it, but something in his gut told him that such an exploration would be worth his time. It seemed as though it would be the perfect place to hide both men and horses. If that were the case, maybe it was where the rustler he'd winged was holed up.

  "A penny for your thoughts,” Belle said, joining him on the porch, her shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

  "I was just thinking about some of the land I saw today when we were riding the fence line. Have you done any exploring around here?"

  "A little, why?"

  "I noticed some caves along the bluffs overlooking the creek. How big are they?"

  "From Pa's letters, they have to be pretty good-sized. He said that him and Roy prospected for gold up there one winter, but didn't ever find any. I always meant to go out and explore them, but once Pa died, there wasn't enough time to do the things I wanted and still run this place, especially since I couldn't get any men to work for me. Your best bet would be to ask Roy about them. I'm certain he knows every inch of those caves after prospecting."

  Black stubbed out his cigarette and turned to face Belle. “That can wait until tomorrow. I have more important things on my mind.” He put his arm around her shoulder and guided her back inside the house. “It's far too cold out here for you. I can think of some things that would warm you up quite quickly."

  When they entered the kitchen, it came as no surprise to see that everyone else had already gone to bed. Even Roy and Annie had left for the night and were more than likely enjoying each other in the warmth of their bedroom. They were, that is, if Black could believe everything Roy said about the nights he spent making love to his wife.

  * * * *

  Belle thought of the night she had planned for Black. Earlier in the day, Kate had instructed her on the fine art of sucking a man's cock until he came in your mouth. Somehow she couldn't get past the idea of sticking a living, pulsing organ into her mouth. It made her almost gag to think of having to swallow his cum. As for the pulsing part, she'd felt that inside her just the night before and it had been as exciting as the act itself.

  Janna's feathers were more to her liking. They put her in control without her having to actually put her lips around his cock and balls. She'd taken the peacock feather that Janna offered her and placed it on the stand beside her bed. Tonight, Mr. Black Conley was in for a pleasant surprise.

  With his arm securely around her waist, Belle knew that their night together would be an exciting one. Just the feel of his hand through the fabric of her dress excited her. She knew that having him in her bed would be even more so.

  As they made their way through the house, she stopped at each burning lamp and turned them off for the night, leaving a trail of darkness behind them.

  At the top of the stairs, the soft glow of the lamp burning in Belle's bedroom illuminated the hallway, giving credence to the fact that the other girls were already in bed. The only door that was open belonged to Belle.

  Once inside the room, Black kicked the door shut and pulled Belle into an even tighter embrace. When he slipped his hand down the front of her dress to caress her breast, she pulled away.

  "Is something wrong?” he asked.

  "Nothing is wrong. It's just that last night you were the one to give me pleasure, and tonight I plan to return the favor."

  A wicked smile crossed his lips. “And just what do you have in mind, Miss Barton?"

  "You'll see, but you have to give yourself over to me entirely.” She reached up to undo the buttons on his coat and then to loosen his string tie and open his shirt so that she could inspect his magnificent chest. With great care, she slipped the coat and shirt from his arms and proceeded to run her hands over the mat of hair on his chest before tweaking his male nipples between her thumb and forefinger until they became hardened pebbles.

  He didn't move, but moaned softly as though she was giving
him the greatest pleasure in the world. She wondered if he was pretending in order to please her, or if he was actually aroused by what she was doing.

  When she moved her hands to the buttons on his britches, she opened them one at a time, exposing his cock. The long johns were gone and there was no hint of any other undergarments to get in her way of freeing him from his pants.

  As soon as his cock reached the open air, it stood at attention, begging her to take it in her hands. As she did, she remembered what Kate had told her earlier. What would it feel like to suck him dry and then beg for him to be aroused again so that he could cum inside her body, rather than her mouth? Her fingers curled around his cock.

  "Take off your clothes for me,” he whispered.

  She smiled at him coyly, but did as he said. The chill of the room didn't seem to bother her, as she stood before him completely naked. She liked the way he looked at her body.

  "I know you want tonight to be about me,” he said as he pulled her into his arms, “but I need to feel you against me. Having you stand there and not being able to touch you is sheer torture."

  They moved toward the bed as though they were one. Once he sat down on the edge of the bed, he pulled her down with him. She knew if she wasn't careful, her plans could easily be altered and the new techniques she had learned would not be used.

  Being on top, she slid from his embrace until she was on the same level as his cock. The thought that had been so repulsive only hours earlier now drew her like a magnet. The feather forgotten, she slid her lips down his velvety foreskin as she kissed every inch of him. For the first time she had a close-up view of his balls, and they completely fascinated her. Taking the sack in her hands, she opened her mouth and took the length of his cock inside her.

  Just as she imagined, the hard organ pulsed with a life of its own, prompting her to suckle it while she played with the sack that she held in her hand. Kate had told her to be gentle, because a man's balls were the most vulnerable part of his body.

  Without warning, he came in her mouth. She wondered if she would be able to swallow it without gagging, but found it slid down her throat very easily, leaving the salty taste of him in her mouth.

  "Are you sure you've never done any of this before?” he asked.

  She got out of bed to rinse her mouth and chew on the mint the way he'd done the night before. “Positive, but I have good teachers."

  "I'm afraid to ask what else they've taught you. Come back to bed and let me make love to you in the proper way. I don't think I can take any more of your lessons tonight."

  When she turned back to the bed, she saw he was fingering the feather. The pleasure she had thought she would give to him had changed hands. It was entirely possible that he planned something wicked with the instrument of love that she'd borrowed from Janna.

  When she returned to the bed, she noticed that he was sitting on the edge. Before she could react, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down across his knees. The coarse hair on his legs prickled against her belly and breasts, arousing her far more than she ever thought possible.

  Once she was in this position, he thrust his finger first into her cunt and then into her asshole. The pleasure exceeded anything she ever imagined. Then to her horror, he smacked her squarely on the bottom.

  "What are you doing?” she asked as she winced from the pain.

  "Just showing you a little of the lessons I learned from Kate. It seems that pleasure and pain go together to make the sexual experience far more enjoyable."

  Again his hand smacked her bottom. Rather than feel his fingers press deeply inside her, she felt the feather as he trailed it up the inside of her legs. Her body shuddered as though she was on the brink of orgasm, only to have him smack her again. This time it was her breasts that garnered his attention. Instead of dreading the spanking that came next, she anticipated it and could hardly wait for his hand to connect with her bare bottom. She couldn't help but wonder where he would pleasure her next, when he shoved his fingers deep inside her.

  "Just as I thought,” he declared, “you're more than ready to be fucked."

  Gently he lifted her to a standing position before he lay her down on the bed. Once her legs were spread for him, he entered her with a force that was so different from the night before. He was a powerful lover, but their first encounters had been sweet in comparison to this. Out of instinct, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing him even deeper within her.

  How long their lovemaking lasted, she'd never know. What she did know was that he had taken her to heights she never thought possible.

  "Thank you,” she whispered, as she lay entwined in his arms.

  "For what?” he asked, his voice heavy with the sleep that would soon overtake both of them.

  "For teaching me more lessons that I thought possible. I hope this won't be the last time you treat me like a disobedient child. The experience was wonderful. Where did you learn to do those things?"

  He chucked, and then pulled her closer to him. “I've had my share of whores, but none of them liked to be spanked. I learned that lesson from Kate. I do admit I always was up for whatever the whores I bedded wanted to do and took to heart what they had to teach me."

  "Only whores? Haven't you ever been with someone other than a paid companion?"

  "Not until yesterday. There aren't a lot of upstanding women who are willing to bed Black Conley, the gunslinger. They're afraid I'd wreck their reputations. I suppose I would."

  "Then why me?"

  "Because you're the first woman who has made me want her for more than fulfilling a need. With the whores, it's a release, with you, it's the desire to be with you the way a man is with a woman. Even though when this assignment is over I'll be leaving, I knew I had to bring you to full womanhood before I left."

  Thoughts of him leaving brought tears to her eyes, but she refused to shed them. She'd wanted him as much as he did her and no matter how long their relationship lasted, she planned to enjoy every minute. She knew that when he was gone, there was no one who could take away her memories of the nights spent in his loving embrace. She fell asleep snuggled against him, dreaming dreams that she never though would enter her subconscious.

  * * * *

  Black lay with her in his arms long after she went to sleep. He'd felt her tense when he mentioned leaving the Double Bar B. He had to admit the thought bothered him as well.

  Never before had he dreaded an assignment coming to an end. He knew there would always be another to take its place, and looked forward to the challenge. This time the thought of leaving bothered him. He wondered if this was where he was supposed to put down roots. If it were, would Belle accept him for what he was? Could she be content with a gunslinger turned lawman who had more experience in bed than she could ever imagine?

  Rather than continue to worry about what could be, Black closed his eyes, pulled Belle closer to him and went to sleep. There would be time to contemplate his future by the light of day. For now he needed his rest and he wanted to enjoy the feel of Belle in his arms for the remainder of the night.

  With sleep came dreams of the men he killed. Each of them stood between him and Belle, threatening to destroy any love she might have felt for him.

  "What kind of a woman would want you as her husband?” Mike Slade asked, walking up to Black. “I'm thinkin’ you're no more than a snot-nosed kid who doesn't know his place. You're no better than that whore mother of yours. The sheriff was right to tell you she couldn't be buried with decent folks. I only wish I'd been faster with my gun, then you'd be the one who was dead rather than me."

  One by one the other men came forward, each saying much the same thing. Even though Belle knew about the ranch where he'd grown up, would she be able to say yes to being with him for the rest of her life? If he listened to the men he'd killed, he would start having doubts.

  "I know you killed all these men,” Belle said. “It doesn't make any difference. I love you, Black Conley."

  The ni
ghtmare gave way to more pleasant dreams of a life with Belle by his side. Even as his subconscious played out his dreams, his mind wondered if that was all they were, nightmares and dreams. Would Belle ever be able to love him in the same way he was coming to love her?

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  Chapter Ten

  The next morning, Black was surprised to see Roy sitting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee. “What are you doing here?’ he asked.

  "When the weather is bad, I never let Mama come over here alone, especially in the morning. With last night's snow, I brought her in the wagon."

  "How much snow did we get?” Black asked, glancing toward the window for the first time.

  "Only about an inch or two, but it rained before it snowed, so it's icy under the snow. It wouldn't do for Mama to fall and break something. Of course, that's not the only reason I came over here this morning."

  Black looked at the old man quizzically. Could he have read Black's mind? Had he come because Black had been thinking about talking to the old man this morning? “So what is the other reason for you to come out on such a cold morning?"

  "Last night I got to thinkin’ about that rustler you winged. He couldn't have gotten far. If I don't miss my guess, he's holed up in one of those caves up by the creek."

  Black laughed. “Now I know you're a mind-reader. I was thinkin’ the same thing last night. I'd planned to come over to your place this morning to find out just how big those caves are."

  Roy joined Black's laughter. “Guess great minds do think alike. When Matt and I first came here, we were young and green as grass. We knew about ranching, but we wanted to get rich a hell of a lot quicker than by raisin’ cattle. When we saw those caves, we decided that we'd strike gold and be so rich we'd never have to work again."

  "What did you find?"

  "In the first cave, we found that a bear was using it as a winter den. You can jolly well bet that we didn't hang around for him to come home and find us. In the second one, there was hardly enough room for the two of us to be in there, but it was evident that someone had used it in the past. There was a black spot on the floor where a fire had been laid, and the walls had drawings of animals all over them. It was the third cave where we finally struck pay dirt, or so we thought. It ended up to be fool's gold, but it kept us busy for an entire winter. What a disappointment we had the next spring when Matt rode down to Denver to have it assayed. That's when we decided we were better off if we stuck to something we knew, like ranching."